Cruise Ship Jobs - Spring, Summer, and Fall 2024

[SumanEntertainmentGroup]

Suman Entertainment Group is currently hiring trombonists for spring, summer, and fall 2024 showband contracts on all major luxury cruise lines.

We are looking for trombonists with strong sight-reading ability, knowledge of commercial, pop, and Top 40s styles, and the ability to improvise. Base pay is between $2800 and $3200 USD per month depending on experience and cruise line. Because of our long relationship with our cruise line clients, we do not take commission from musicians' salaries. Standard contracts are four to seven months living continuously on board. A room, all meals, medical care, and airfare to and from the cruise ship are included. Itineraries include the Caribbean, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, South America and Asia. All applicants must be fully vaccinated and boosted with a WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine, have a valid passport, and be able to pass a Seafarer's Medical Exam.

We work with many different cruise lines including Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, and Azamara. This is a great opportunity for a recent college graduate or any trombonist looking to perform consistently, receive a salary, and travel the world. Musicians have the opportunity to perform in a huge variety of styles with a wide array of world-class headline acts and musicians. There is also plenty of time to practice, work on side projects, and explore the ports of call.

Interested applicants should send an email to [email protected] with a resume, photo, and promo video links, or go to sumanent.com and click "APPLY" in the top right corner. Please visit sumanent.com for more information.

I am also happy to answer any questions here as a trombonist who worked for two years on cruise ships myself.

Thank you,
Hayden Mapel
Entertainment Specialist
Suman Entertainment Group
[email protected]

[SumanEntertainmentGroup]

Hi Trombonists,

Bumping this post to let you all know we have an opening on a cruise ship in mid-March for a qualified trombonist. Email me at [email protected] for details.

Thank you,

Hayden Mapel
Entertainment Specialist
Suman Entertainment Group
[email protected]

[tbdana]

$700 a week for a 24/7 gig, with a commitment of at least 1/3 to 1/2 a year? Yikes. Is this normal?

[Klimchak]

If you are suggesting that $700 a week is not much, it was much less when I was on ships. You have to factor in that your room and board are completely covered. You have no real expenses. There are not many jobs playing-wise that you would be able to pocket $2800 a month after paying for rent/mortgage, car and insurance, food, utilities……

I left ships after 3 years with a nice savings account (@$400/week) that helped me buy my first house. And that was with drinking a good bit of my money in the crew bar.

[harrisonreed]

Seems like a good deal to me if you aren't married.

[tbdana]

If you are suggesting that $700 a week is not much, it was much less when I was on ships. You have to factor in that your room and board are completely covered. You have no real expenses. There are not many jobs playing-wise that you would be able to pocket $2800 a month after paying for rent/mortgage, car and insurance, food, utilities……

I left ships after 3 years with a nice savings account (@$400/week) that helped me buy my first house. And that was with drinking a good bit of my money in the crew bar.

Yeah, I'm suggesting that $700/week is minimum wage here in CA. So, I guess you're telling me that the people who take these gigs don't have rent/mortgage to pay, and that their only home is the ship they're on for 4-6 months? I guess that makes sense. Only young people with no obligations can afford to take that gig. No rent, no car payments or other recurring bills. It's like being in the Navy for 4-6 months in that it's your whole life. I guess it's good for young people who still live with their parents, or some such.

Magician (not musician) friends of mine are making $1500-$3000 a week on cruise ships.

Back in the 1980s I was paid more than that per week on cruise ships. And we had a cushy gig. We weren't the "staff" musicians. We backed up the headliner acts, and those stars would get on board once a week, and we had only two nights per week we had to perform. We were housed and ate with the passengers, and other than a couple rehearsals and a couple shows each week, we were effectively treated as passengers. I don't know what the "staff" musicians were paid at the time, but they bunked with the crew and worked multiple times per day, even when the ship was in port, while we were off galavanting around. So when I see $700/week 40 years later, yeah, it doesn't seem like much, especially compared to the guy who does card tricks. Nor does it advance a music career. But it does seem like something fun for a young musician to do for a little while. They get to see parts of the world (if they are allowed off the boat), they get to play, they can eat as much as they want for free, and they can sleep in. Sounds great for a young person without any obligations.

[harrisonreed]

Those economics are extremely rare these days, at least in the US.

[cmcslide]

I live in a tourist area with some theaters employing live musicians to put on shows almost year round. Some of those kind of gigs pay about what these cruise gigs pay, without the benefit of room and board. (One of those places used to hire trumpet players for something like $15 an hour, not sure if they still do that...) Now, when you are on land doing a gig like that you do have the option of picking up side gigs, either before or after your shows or playing in churches. But overall, some of these guys would be making better money overall on a ship! But, on a ship they are away from all of the contacts that might get them better gigs... around here a lot of musicians want to head to Nashville to get on somebody's tour, and you won't get that call if you're on a ship. But, ship gigs are great for somebody just out of college who doesn't have the bills and responsibilities that many of us have; a great chance to learn, to see the world and get paid for playing your horn!

[Doug Elliott]

For the right person at the right time it's a good gig.

The Filipino musicians in other bands on the same ship probably get a fraction of that. And for them it's also a good gig.

[ghmerrill]

... I guess it's good for young people who still live with their parents, or some such.

Or conversely for old retired people who can carry the house/car costs while basically being paid to go on vacation. A few years ago (pre-COVID) I was playing in a community band with a (very good) amateur (sometime sort of semi-pro-ish) tuba player who had retired (was a professor of something at a major university -- psychology, I think) who was going on one of these cruises as part of the ship's orchestra/band. I think he had worked some deal for his wife to travel with him, but I don't recall the details.

I, personally, don't want to be on a cruise ship with anybody, any time, any place -- even if I could get paid for it.

[tbdana]

Earlier I compared $700/week to magicians making $1500-$3000/week. I was just corrected by a magician friend of mine. The actual amount they pay magicians is $3000-$8000 per week. And musicians get $700??? Hmmmm....

[harrisonreed]

You're saying your magician friend makes up to $32000 a month doing magic tricks on a boat?

[EriKon]

I think I should reevaluate my life and career choices

[Doug Elliott]

Headliners like your magician friend typically have good agents that get them those gigs and negotiate pay.
A magician on a ship I was on told me that his agent got him 2-3 times what he negotiated himself with the same cruise line.
He later became a cruise director on the same line (Crystal). I don't have any idea what they make.
Different world.

[Kbiggs]

Magicians do magic. Musicians practice. Audiences love to be fooled, except for the people who love to peek behind the curtain. Audiences already know what’s behind a musician’s curtain!

[harrisonreed]

Yeah last time I checked, no trombonist is making $384k off one gig. NY Phil was, what, $200k right? For the top of the top, no fail job. Starting salary was lower than that too.

Playing trombone for free food, quarters, and $2800-$3200 per month to just bank is a great deal. I'd audition for the gig if I wasn't married and already employed. You're doing better than that on your European tour, Dana?

[BGuttman]

Problem is that cruise ship deal is as a contractor. No benefits, no retirement.

Harrison, your gig is better than most musicians. You get decent pay. Retire with pay after 20 years. Full medical for life at a VA facility.

Very few musicians in the private sector get anywhere near that kind of job assurance. Most of us work gig to gig. Gotta figure out our own way to fund retirement.

[Dennis]

I, personally, don't want to be on a cruise ship with anybody, any time, any place -- even if I could get paid for it.

Yeah, I don't care to live in close quarters aboard a viral respiratory and GI disease incubator

[tbdana]

Playing trombone for free food, quarters, and $2800-$3200 per month to just bank is a great deal. I'd audition for the gig if I wasn't married and already employed. You're doing better than that on your European tour, Dana?

Yes, but I'm probably not going to do the gig because I'm worried about the safety of my horn and my spouse just decided not to come along (which the tour is paying for, and I think that's a phenomenal perk). But I take your point about the cruise ship thing. Someone would have to be a very disciplined person and heavy saver to really benefit from such a low wage, though. Still have to pay taxes on that money if you bring it to the U.S., and there's alcohol that's not free, and every port people are trying to take your money. It might be fun for a while.

[Digidog]

Playing trombone for free food, quarters, and $2800-$3200 per month to just bank is a great deal. I'd audition for the gig if I wasn't married and already employed. You're doing better than that on your European tour, Dana?

Yes, but I'm probably not going to do the gig because I'm worried about the safety of my horn and my spouse just decided not to come along (which the tour is paying for, and I think that's a phenomenal perk). But I take your point about the cruise ship thing. Someone would have to be a very disciplined person and heavy saver to really benefit from such a low wage, though. Still have to pay taxes on that money if you bring it to the U.S., and there's alcohol that's not free, and every port people are trying to take your money. It might be fun for a while.

I'm sorry to hear that you consider to not do the tour. It seems like a really nice venture! I hope you can solve those conflicts of interest to have a fun and rewarding travel.

Had I not been preoccupied with jobs and gigs, and had I been younger without any binding personal commitments, I'd take on playing cruises once again (I played for a couple of spring/summer months on a Norwegian ship when I dated a Norwegian girl whose dad was the chairman of the company). Though it sometimes was toiling, it was also building experience and vastly improved my sight reading.

[WGWTR180]

Playing trombone for free food, quarters, and $2800-$3200 per month to just bank is a great deal. I'd audition for the gig if I wasn't married and already employed. You're doing better than that on your European tour, Dana?

Yes, but I'm probably not going to do the gig because I'm worried about the safety of my horn and my spouse just decided not to come along (which the tour is paying for, and I think that's a phenomenal perk). But I take your point about the cruise ship thing. Someone would have to be a very disciplined person and heavy saver to really benefit from such a low wage, though. Still have to pay taxes on that money if you bring it to the U.S., and there's alcohol that's not free, and every port people are trying to take your money. It might be fun for a while.

What gig do you speak of? Afraid for the safety of your horn? Curious.

[tbdana]

What gig do you speak of? Afraid for the safety of your horn? Curious.

I don't want to derail this thread, but I got asked to do a European tour this summer and I posted asking about safeguarding my horn on flights to and from Europe, and between countries in Europe.

[ithinknot]

Playing trombone for free food, quarters, and $2800-$3200 per month to just bank is a great deal. I'd audition for the gig if I wasn't married and already employed. You're doing better than that on your European tour, Dana?

Yes, but I'm probably not going to do the gig because I'm worried about the safety of my horn and my spouse just decided not to come along (which the tour is paying for, and I think that's a phenomenal perk).

If you don't need the work, fair enough. But if it's such a worry, you can get a 354 and an SKB case for what, $400? (A flight case for your spouse may be more expensive.)

[slidefunk]

I worked cruise lines for a few years (through Suman, in fact) and had a great time. I played for headliners, production shows, theme nights, ballroom dances, jazz sets, you name it. It was a tremendous learning experience and a great way to get started in the industry. I saw parts of the world I'll probably never get to see again, worked with wonderful humans from cultures different than mine, was fed, got in shape, fell in love, had my heart broken, made a bunch of life long friends and came away with a little money too. Some people join their first ship and discover they don't enjoy it. Others stay for 40 years. All depends on the person. I'm happy to have moved on to other work but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat given the chance.

[slidefunk]

Earlier I compared $700/week to magicians making $1500-$3000/week. I was just corrected by a magician friend of mine. The actual amount they pay magicians is $3000-$8000 per week. And musicians get $700??? Hmmmm....

What you are describing is what we call a guest entertainer or fly on act. They come in all sorts of forms. I backed magicians, ventriloquists, vocalists and instrumentalists. They would headline an hour long show that they perform twice in one evening, and sometimes do a matinee with additional material as well. Some of them earn every last penny, others not so much. But they are headliners and thus command a much higher wage because people are coming to see them specifically.

Michael Buble isn't making the same paycheck as his band members, you know?

[joebone242]

I worked cruise lines for a few years (through Suman, in fact) and had a great time. I played for headliners, production shows, theme nights, ballroom dances, jazz sets, you name it. It was a tremendous learning experience and a great way to get started in the industry. I saw parts of the world I'll probably never get to see again, worked with wonderful humans from cultures different than mine, was fed, got in shape, fell in love, had my heart broken, made a bunch of life long friends and came away with a little money too. Some people join their first ship and discover they don't enjoy it. Others stay for 40 years. All depends on the person. I'm happy to have moved on to other work but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat given the chance.

Sounds amazing, Brian. And I know what you're saying about fly-on entertainers. I'm curious—How many hours did you play a day while onboard? My only concern is not having a day off for lips to recover after playing 5-6 hours consistently, if this is the case.

Many thanks

[harrisonreed]

Problem is that cruise ship deal is as a contractor. No benefits, no retirement.

Harrison, your gig is better than most musicians. You get decent pay. Retire with pay after 20 years. Full medical for life at a VA facility.

Very few musicians in the private sector get anywhere near that kind of job assurance. Most of us work gig to gig. Gotta figure out our own way to fund retirement.

I keep coming back to this comment. Why does it make me feel like I'm the one who has been saying bad things about this gig? I've been saying it sounds great and somehow this comment makes me feel like the bad guy...

What does my job have to do with anything here?

[BGuttman]

I'm not envious of your position; in fact it's even better than mine in private industry (where they have evolved to a gig style of employment).

What I want to emphasize is that this cruise ship gig is like a 6 month employment. When it's done, you are back looking for the next one.

I don't think anybody playing cruise ships becomes a regular employee who can retire after 40 years.

[SumanEntertainmentGroup]

Hi All,

Happy to see so much interest in this post. I saw some questions so I thought I'd chime in:

Musicians should expect an average of three to four hours of performance each day. A common day is a two hour rehearsal starting around 4pm, then two 45 minute to 1 hour shows in the evening. Days off depend on the company, but average around one full day off every two weeks.

We have musicians working for us on cruise ships for over 20 years and some companies provide lump sum payments or even retirement after enough years of service. Musicians can be promoted to music managers, fleet supervisors, or shoreside corporate positions with strong performance and experience. These more senior positions receive higher salaries and can receive benefits as well.

Cruise ships can be a source of steady work. We can put you into a rotation of 4 to 6 months on and 1 to 2 months off or you can take as much time off between contracts as you wish.

I'm happy to answer any other questions.

[joebone242]

Hi All,

Happy to see so much interest in this post. I saw some questions so I thought I'd chime in:

Musicians should expect an average of three to four hours of performance each day. A common day is a two hour rehearsal starting around 4pm, then two 45 minute to 1 hour shows in the evening. Days off depend on the company, but average around one full day off every two weeks.

We have musicians working for us on cruise ships for over 20 years and some companies provide lump sum payments or even retirement after enough years of service. Musicians can be promoted to music managers, fleet supervisors, or shoreside corporate positions with strong performance and experience. These more senior positions receive higher salaries and can receive benefits as well.

Cruise ships can be a source of steady work. We can put you into a rotation of 4 to 6 months on and 1 to 2 months off or you can take as much time off between contracts as you wish.

I'm happy to answer any other questions.

That sounds great Hayden, Thank you for the information.

[slidefunk]

Sounds amazing, Brian. And I know what you're saying about fly-on entertainers. I'm curious—How many hours did you play a day while onboard? My only concern is not having a day off for lips to recover after playing 5-6 hours consistently, if this is the case.

Many thanks

Most days were 2-3 hours of playing. Sometimes you'd get a 5 hour day thrown in there. Days off were rare. It all depends on your line and the gig you are being asked to do. When I worked for Cunard I played ballroom music 3 hours a night, 7 nights a week for 12 weeks. No days off. My first contract was with Celebrity and we'd get a day off every two weeks. Some gigs on the big ships are one production show only, once or twice a cruise. The rest of the time is free. All depends on the ship and gig.

[tbdana]

Most days were 2-3 hours of playing. Sometimes you'd get a 5 hour day thrown in there. Days off were rare. It all depends on your line and the gig you are being asked to do. When I worked for Cunard I played ballroom music 3 hours a night, 7 nights a week for 12 weeks. No days off. My first contract was with Celebrity and we'd get a day off every two weeks. Some gigs on the big ships are one production show only, once or twice a cruise. The rest of the time is free. All depends on the ship and gig.

This was my experience. One rehearsal, one or two performance nights per cruise (1 night for a cruise of 10 days or less, 2 nights for cruises longer than 10 days) and the rest of the time free. We also housed and ate with passengers, not crew. And we made good money. Plus, it was my first experience backing up people like Mel Tormé, Marylin McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., Rita Moreno, Michael Bolton, Nancy Sinatra, The Four Tops, Ricky Nelson, and others.

I loved it. Did it for two summers when I was young.