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Ship Vocabulary

Port – A nautical term for the left side of the ship.
Starboard – A corresponding term for the right side of the ship.
Forward – A term for the front of the ship.
Aft – A term for the back of the ship.

Port – Any location where the ship docks and both guests and crew can get off and step onto dry land.
Home Port – The port where guests begin and end their cruise. (Read more at our Ports Blog.)
Port of Call – A term commonly used to describe any port besides the home port. If a ship picks up guests in Miami and stops in Mexico and Jamaica before returning to Miami, Mexico and Jamaica would be considered ports of call.
Run – A term for the ship’s itinerary, encompassing the duration of the cruise, the ship’s home port, and its various ports of call.

Tenders – Tenders is a term referring to the general process of docking in the water, as opposed to at a pier, and then shuttling guests to shore using smaller boats; tendering refers to the actual process of shuttling the guests, tender boats refer to the smaller boats, and the term tender port refers to any port that requires this process. (Read more at our Ports Procedure Blog.)
Boat Drill/Pax Drill – Both of these terms related to a short precautionary exercise, mandatory in accordance with maritime law and conducted the first day of each cruise, conducted to familiarize guests with the procedure in case of an emergency on board.
Port Manning – The safety and precautionary requirement that a certain number of crew must be on board the ship at all times. Port manning is, therefore, the duty of all crew members to occasionally remain on board for this purpose.
Vessel Familiarization – A short training session for all new crew members (both brand new and returning to work) that touches on basic shipboard concepts and procedures. Often, a tour of the ship is given by either an officer during the training or by a department member following the completion of the training.
Alpha Team, Bravo Bravo, Bright Star, etc. – These are all terms describing emergency situations on board, announced over the P.A. system and given code names, so guests don’t know what’s going on and therefore don’t interfere or panic. The code names differ depending on the cruise line, and crew members will be informed of their specific meanings during vessel familiarization and other training once onboard.
I-95 – A term commonly used to describe a piece of paper offering proof of employment and permission to enter a foreign territory or country.

Life Boat – One of several small boats, with a capacity of approximately 150 people and equipped with emergency supplies, that is secured to the cruise ship and used to evacuate guests and crew in the event of an emergency on board.
Life Raft – One of several inflatable rafts, stored in the same area as the life boats and with the similar purpose of evacuating the ship in the case of an emergency. Life rafts have a capacity of approximately 35 passengers.
Fire-Screen Door – One of many heavy, thick doors on the ship designed, once closed, to contain a fire in such an emergency situation on board.
Water-Tight Door – One of many very thick doors on the ship designed to seal so tightly that water cannot pass through in the case of a breach or leak.

Deck – A nautical term equivalent to “floor” or “story” on land, used to designate the different levels of a ship.
Cabin – Living accommodations on the ship. Most cabins consist of a single bed or bunk beds, as well as closets, cabinets, a desk and a bathroom.
Muster Station – The specific areas to which guests must report in the case of an emergency on board. Boat drill is conducted at the various muster stations around the ship.
MSA/Staff Administration – Both of these terms refer to the office in charge of crew affairs, which takes care of sign-on and sign-off information, issuing of crew ID’s, storing of crew valuables, relaying of external mail and packages to crew members, etc. The Staff Admin office is usually open for a few hours in the morning and in the evening on a daily basis.
Pursers/Guest Services – Both of these terms refer to the office in charge of guest affairs. Crew members deal with the Staff Admin office for all of their needs, and therefore rarely need to use Guest Services.
Gangway – An area for embarking and disembarking (getting on and off) the ship. The area is overseen by ship security, and all guests and crew must scan their ID’s when entering and exiting.
I-95 – In addition to describing a document, ‘I-95’ also commonly refers to the main hallway area for crew, off of which the Staff Admin, Crew Training Center, staff mess and gangways for exiting the ship are located.
Mess – A large, communal area where crew members eat.
Crew Bar –  A crew-only lounge that sells alcohol and snacks at reduced prices. (Read more at our Crew Bar Blog.)
Crew Training Center – An area of the ship that provides resources, services and information to crew, including language lessons, games and movies, and tours of various restricted areas on board the ship.

Band Pit – The moveable platform on which the Showband or showband performs. The platform attaches to a gear system that allows it to rise and fall during production shows, and it can also be detached from the gear system to be used on the main stage.
Musical Director/MD – The manager in charge of all musicians on board a particular ship. Showband musicians work directly under the musical director, while other groups and soloists simply report to the musical director for any shipboard matters.
Production Show – A Las Vegas-style show performed for guests, involving dancers, singers, techs and the Showband and lasting roughly 45 minutes.
Tech – One of several positions on board that deal with the technical aspects of production shows (sound, lighting, sets, props, etc).
Tech Run – A practice run-through of a production show.
Aviom – A personal monitor used by Showband members when playing production shows. Avioms are only used on some cruise lines.

Cruise Ship Gigs & Jobs for Musicians

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  • American saxophonist Keith McKelley has spent a lot of time on the big stage, where he’s also made a name for himself with the Aerophone, Roland’s model of the EWI.  Originally from Ohio, he moved to Los Angeles in 2013, where he’s worked as a live and session musician, as well as a producer.

    Keith has shared the stage and the studio with an assortment of artists that includes Usher, Phillip Bailey, Mary J. Blige, Rapper Logic, Jhene Aiko, John Lindahl, Gin Wigmore, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, David Foster, Tyrese, Larry Dunn, Bob James, Harvey Mason, Raphael Saadiq, Andrew Gouche, Solange Knowles, Bill “The Buddha” Dickens, Micki Howard, Angela Bofill, Marcus Johnson, Marc de Clive-Lowe, and others.  He’s also performed on Carnival Cruise Lines and released three original albums.

    Keith continues to be an integral part of the LA music scene, always striving to create music that is at a high level, that will last, and that is absolutely heartfelt.

  • Portuguese guitarist Nuno Monteiro’s varied career includes musicals, tours, cruising, conservatory teaching, a degree in Flamenco guitar, and projects ranging from jazz to blues, pop to rock, and funk to Latin.

    He has enjoyed collaborations with Steve Larkins, Kim Purling, Paul Baker, Mark Anthony, Glenn McNamara, Nijel Rawlins, John Bressler, the Corleone Big Band, and four years of touring with the international vocalist Jose Alberto Reis.  He also toured as the lead guitarist for Mamma Mia! for two years, performing over one thousand shows for over two million people.

    Nuno has also spent multiple contracts performing with Princess Cruises and traveling much of the world.  He currently resides in Porto, where he continues to play, teach, and consistently produce tasty lines on his guitar.

  • Lewis Sutch is a British pianist who has performed all over the world, both solo and with various renowned acts. Conservatory-trained in both jazz and classical piano, he’s since broadened his scope with gigs ranging from pop to blues to rock, through everything from ships to tours to the circus.

    Over the course of two seasons on tour with Giffords Circus in London, he performed to 80,000+ people across the UK, including notable celebrities such as Adele, Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Knopfler, Jennifer Saunders, Jamie Cullum, Hugh Grant and Vivianne Westwood. He’s also had the privilege of playing some of the top venues across England, including Blenheim Palace and Ronnie Scott’s.

    Subsequently, Lewis has traveled to 6 continents as a pianist and musical director for Holland America Line and Royal Caribbean, most recently finishing a year-long run with Postmodern Jukebox on Deck. He currently splits time between the UK and the US, continuing to perform and hone his craft.

  • Oscar Cordero is a trumpet player with a wealth of professional experience, in styles ranging from classical to pop to jazz, and across three continents.  He won the position of Associated Soloist at the National Philharmonic of Venezuela at the age of 17, and would eventually move to Europe for various performance opportunities.

    Among the musicals he’s played are Les Miserables, Chicago, Saturday Night Fever, Beauty and the Beast, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Spamalot, and On Your Feet.  And his performance and touring credits include international artists such as Ray Barreto, Cheo Feliciano, Adalberto Santiago, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Isaac Delgado, Paloma San Basilio, Malu, Luisito y Robert Quintero, and many others.

    As has been the case in his native Venezuela as well as Spain, Oscar has become a top-call musician in the Netherlands, where he currently resides, performs, and continues to blast high notes for days.

  • Omer Idan is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger from Eilat, Israel, and there are few places on the planet he hasn’t visited with a guitar or bass in hand.  While studying jazz at the Rimon School in Ramat Hashasron, he formed the fusion ensemble The Boogie Knight, and would go on to tour with other groups such as Los Omres and the Groove Ambassadors.

    Starting in 2015, Omer took his talents to the sea and spent several contracts as a musician and musical director with Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruises, during which time he performed on all seven continents, with hundreds of artists from all over the world, to audiences all around the world.  He’s also had the pleasure of collaborating with Tararam, Laila Malcus, and many other artists.

    Omer has settled back in Tel Aviv, where he continues to perform, produce, and create groovy, innovative music at an alarmingly high level.

  • Hailing from Texas, Mike Brehm is a trumpet player, arranger and composer whose wealth of gig experience ranges from cruise ships to the US Navy.  After graduating from Texas State with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies, he went on to play lead trumpet for Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises for several years.

    In 2016, he joined the ranks of the US Navy Fleet Bands, and has spent the past three years stationed outside of Seattle, Washington, performing and arranging for the Navy Band Northwest.  Through his performing career he has played alongside Tony Vega, Rufus Reid, Bob Mintzer, Michael Philip Mossman, Bob Shephard, and Marvin Stamm.

    Mike has recently accepted a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and will move cross-country with his rad family later this year to begin his Master’s degree in Jazz Performance and light up the northeast with his playing.

  • Argentinian-born Leandro Garcia is a pianist, arranger and composer who has performed on the stages of major cities all over the world, including Barcelona, Rome, Paris, London, Boston, and New York City, in addition to extensive touring and festivals in his native country.  

    He’s also familiar with much of the world’s waterways, having served as a bandleader for Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Lines over the course of several years.  His writing and composing during this time led to his recognition at the Fondo Nacional de las Artes, in the jazz category, for his solo album Despierta, in 2017.

    Leandro also spent time in the Buenos Aires musical theater scene, where he has performed shows such as Chicago and Les Miserables; he’s also been featured as a pianist and vocalist in top jazz clubs around the city, and currently continues to teach, perform, and craft sweet lines on his piano.

  • Hailing from the country of Colombia, Mario Criales is a bassist, vocalist, composer and author who, after winning several awards for bass performance in his youth, has enjoyed a career of touring and performing that has taken him from Honduras to Kenya to Italy.  He has also sailed much of the globe as a bandleader for Holland America Line, and is endorsed by Aguilar amps.

    Much of Mario’s career has been spent as an ambassador of joropo, a hybrid style of music originating in his native Colombia.  To this end, he has given masterclasses at prestigious institutions such as the Berklee School of Music, released an original album entitled Influencias, and published a book, El Bajo y el Joropo Llanero, in 2017.  

    That said, Mario’s passion for joropo has never compromised his love and dedication to other styles, from jazz to pop to classical.  He currently resides in Amsterdam, where he continues to perform, teach, compose, and churn out intoxicatingly groovy bass lines.

     

  • Carl Mörner Ringström is a Swedish guitarist, arranger and composer.  Since graduating with a masters from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Carl has offered up his musical wisdom through clinics, workshops and masterclasses, and has performed everywhere from tours to cruise ships to various other big stages around the world.

    Notable collaborations include Henrik Linder of Dirty Loops fame, Louis Cole, Virgil Donati, David Binney, Wayne Krantz, Claudia Campagnol, Sidsel Storm, Malene Mortensen, Marius Neset, Snorre Kirk and Vivian Buczek.  He was also nominated for a BMW World Jazz Award in 2015, and is endorsed by Yamaha and Line6.

    After stints in Copenhagen and New York, Carl is currently based in Stockholm, where he continues to write, teach, perform, and transfix listeners with everything from adult chords to thrash metal solos.

     

  • Multi-instrumentalist Giacomo Riggi’s career has taken him all over the map, literally.  He’s won many awards in his native Italy for both composition and performance in piano and classical percussion; toured Europe, Asia and the Americas with orchestras and jazz ensembles; and sailed around the world as a bandleader and musical director on cruise ships and with Cirque du Soleil.

    He’s collaborated with a long list of artists that includes Danilo Rea, Mauro Grossi, Tony Scott, Garrison Fewell, Marlene VerPlanck, Paul McCandless, and others, and he’s sung with Bobby McFerrin multiple times.  He’s also performed his show Sonic Odyssey as a headliner on Royal Caribbean cruises.  And he’s released three albums as a leader, including Izevarm and Into My Life.

    Giacomo is currently based in Tuscany, where he organizes concerts, explores the musical boundaries of everything from the vibraphone to the harpejji, and continues to learn, experiment, share, and stay curious.

  • Latin Grammy-nominated Felipe Castro is a saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist whose 26-year career spans performing, recording and arranging in a variety of styles — from jazz, bossa, merengue, and salsa, to pop, funk, gospel, and house music — for countless Spanish and international artists. 

    His touring credits include names like Tony Succar, Carlinhos Brown, Bonnie Tyler, Matthew Herbert, David Bisbal, Inna, Chino and Nacho, Mónica Naranjo, Ana Torroja, David Civera, Natalia Jiménez, Merche, Malú, and many others, and he has also performed his headlining show on P&O and Princess Cruises.  

    Felipe currently resides in Holland, where he continues to arrange, tour, and crank out earth-shattering solo after solo.

  • Ben Todd is a drummer, percussionist, composer and bandleader from Adelaide in South Australia.  Over the past 10 years, he’s been touring the world with Cirque du Soleil as a featured drummer, percussionist and now-bandleader with 3 of their shows, Corteo, Kooza, and most recently, Volta. During this time, Ben has performed in Japan, Russia, the US, Spain, Canada, France, Belgium and England for a total of over 1500 shows. 

    Prior to joining Cirque, Ben performed with a wide range of artists back in Australia including Kate Cebrano, Paulini, Ben Folds, Doug Parkinson, Rhonda Burchmore, James Morrison, David Campbell, Barry Humphries and Glen Shorrok, as well as pit orchestra work for many musical theater shows including the Australia / New Zealand tour of Cats, Miss Saigon, Grease, Metro Street and The Candyman.

    In 2007, Ben was selected as a James Morrison Jazz Scholarship finalist.  The following year, he was a featured artist at Ultimate Drummers Weekend in Melbourne, Australia, and he would be asked back to perform again in 2015, this time in a duo format with multi-instrumentalist Adam Page.  He’s also released three albums as a leader, including 20Ten and The Ben Todd Quintet.  He continues to tour, perform, and do awesome things behind the drum kit.

  • Originally from central Michigan, Jim Lutz has appeared on stages, in recording studios, and in broadcast media across dozens of major cities around the world, with credits that include Cirque du Soleil, Disney, and the TONY® and EMMY® award-winning production “Blast!” 

    From 2010-2015, Jim was the music director and played trombones, keyboards, sequences, and effects on Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza.   More recently, Jim was the associate conductor and trombonist for Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour in New York, served as associate music supervisor for Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour das Musical in Hamburg, Germany, and was the Ableton designer for Cirque du Soleil’s Twas The Night Before.

    Jim currently resides in the greater NYC area and continues to perform, compose, produce and, as he sees it, tell stories, stir emotions, and help to bring a little bit more beauty into our world through music.