Cruise drumming offers a unique and exhilarating experience for musicians. From performing in front of thousands to traveling the world, it’s a gig that combines passion with adventure. I had the privilege of working with Royal Caribbean Cruises from June 2001 to January 2003, performing over 800 shows and collaborating with more than a dozen Grammy Award winners.
I landed my cruise drumming job through an audition organized by an agency at Berklee College of Music. The audition required me to play various styles, including medium-tempo jazz, ballads with brushes, samba, bossa nova, and rhumba. Additionally, I had to play along with big band charts using a click track. The focus was on maintaining good timekeeping and proficient chart reading.
Interestingly, I later discovered that I could have auditioned directly for Royal Caribbean, bypassing the agency that took a 12% cut of my pay. For those interested, you can contact a cruise musician specialist directly for opportunities.
I was assigned to the Voyager of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's flagship at the time. I joined the ship in Miami, FL, on its homeport day, the day when previous passengers disembark, and new ones board. The sight of the ship was awe-inspiring; it was as tall as the Empire State Building if placed on its side.
Upon boarding, I signed in and was shown to my cabin, which was small but functional. I received a stack of music for the week ahead, including books for the Welcome Aboard and Farewell shows, two stock shows, and over 300 pages of Big Band charts.
The Welcome Aboard show is a brief performance featuring snippets of entertainment to be enjoyed throughout the cruise. As the new drummer, I had to quickly learn the music review piece and the play-ons. The review piece included parts from the stock shows performed every cruise with the onboard cast.
Play-ons are short sections of songs used to introduce someone coming onto the stage. Common examples include the horn sections of "I Wish" and "Jungle Boogie." The challenge was to get comfortable playing live to a click track and pre-recorded horns, strings, and percussion that augmented the ten-piece band. Performing in a 1,500-seat theater with a million-dollar sound and light system was a thrilling experience.
On a weeklong cruise, there are usually two music review shows performed with the cast. The Monday show was a mix of R&B, Top 40, and Cirque du Soleil. I spent hours studying the charts and listening to CDs provided by Tony, the music director. We also had a run-through during the cast's rehearsal.
The stage crew set up the drums, so I only needed to tweak the setup, organize my charts, and adjust my headphones. The show was a 50-minute non-stop performance, and nailing it felt like a significant accomplishment.
A Star Act is a guest artist who rehearses with the band for about 1.5 hours in the afternoon for the show that night. We would run through all the songs once or twice to ensure the band was together for transitions and tricky parts. If something was particularly challenging, I would review it on my own before showtime.
Star Acts ranged from famous groups like The Drifters and Bowzer (Sha Na Na) to Sinatra impersonators, magicians, and Broadway vocalists. Sometimes we performed to a click, but most of the time, the song was counted off by the music director or the artist. It was crucial to keep one eye on the chart and the other on the artist for any tempo adjustments.
With no Star Act or review show to study, I took the opportunity to relax and visit the beach in Jamaica. That night, we set up for a Big Band performance in one of the ship's lounges. Tony, the music director, would call out tunes from over 300 numbered charts, ranging from "Take The 'A' Train" to "Love For Sale." These were mostly original arrangements of standard tunes, making it an easy day.
Thursday featured the second review show of the cruise, which was mostly musical theater. This show had numerous abrupt tempo and meter changes, requiring high concentration. I spent hours reading and listening to the music and participated in a run-through with the cast. Although the run-through was challenging, additional studying paid off, and I performed well enough to earn the approval of Tony and the band.
Living on a cruise ship has its perks and challenges. While the cabins are small, they come equipped with cable TV and a mini-fridge. However, the real joy lies in exploring the world. I've traveled all over the Caribbean, the Canadian East Coast in the fall, and Northern Europe in the summer. I've spent a week in Amsterdam, had overnights in St. Petersburg, and frequented my favorite bars and cafes in La Harve, France, Stockholm, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark.
The ship's staff is incredibly diverse, with only 50 out of 1,500 crew members being American. This multicultural environment offers a priceless opportunity to learn about people from all over the globe, realizing that we all share similar dreams regardless of where we grew up.
If you're interested in pursuing a career as a cruise ship musician, you can contact Tony Pearsall, who now hires musicians for Celebrity Cruises. You can reach him at:
Tony Pearsall, Musician Specialist, Celebrity Cruises 1050 Caribbean Way, 3rd Floor, Miami, FL 33132 Phone: 305.982.2521 Fax: 305.982.2402 Email: tpearsall@rccl.com
Cruise drumming is a unique and rewarding experience that offers the chance to perform, travel, and grow as a musician. Whether you're fresh out of school or an experienced drummer, the opportunities are endless.
Cruise drumming is not just a job; it's an adventure that combines the thrill of live performance with the joy of exploring new places. Whether you're playing for a packed theater or relaxing on a beach in Jamaica, the experience is truly unforgettable.
