This year Proship Entertainment is turning 30. After so much time dedicated to finding gigs for musicians such as yourselves, you could say we’ve met a few of you... And we are thrilled about it! You are all amazing individuals with amazing stories to tell and lots of great tips and advice to give. So we’ve decided to launch a new series of interviews featuring you. A few of our musicians currently on gigs all over the world agreed to answer questions about themselves and their experience. We begin our series today, with Maria Crusco, a trombone player from Montreal.

How long have you been working on cruise ships?

10 years  (I think!).

 

What is your favourite thing about these gigs?

Ship gigs are great because of steady work, which is not the case on land. And the travelling!

 

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a cruise ship musician?

The hardest thing is not having much privacy because on most ships you are sharing a tiny room with someone you don't know.

 

What are some of the coolest destinations you’ve visited working on cruise ships?
The whole world!!! That’s what’s amazing! If you plan it right you can see it all! Some of my favourites: Italy, Hawaii, Tahiti, Spain, Buenos Aires and many, many more.

 

What do you pack when going on a cruise ship contract?

Clothing for going ashore depending on the itinerary, and nice clothes for when I am on the ship, as well as formal attires, like a black dress, for formal nights.
 

 

Any words of advice to someone going on their first cruise gig?

Have an open mind because at the beginning it is overwhelming. All the safety meetings (inductions) that you have to attend and adjusting to new living conditions, or simple things like figuring out when is the best time to do laundry, it can be a challenge. Learning all the rules can seem overwhelming. But with time, you get used to it all and once you find your routine, everything gets easier and you can have a blast!

 

What about comments for somebody who is considering applying to become a cruise ship musician?

I say do it! it's a good experience for any musician to do a contract on a ship. You learn so much on so many levels. It's definitely something to try at least once and if you are from a cold place like Canada, you can get away for the winter and enjoy the sun in the Caribbean :)

 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? A tip?

Be positive, see it as making money, traveling the world, meeting wonderful people, getting to play your instrument every day and having a lot of time to practice and get better in the day if that is one of the things you want to do as well!

 

 

Are you a Proship musician with a story to tell? Want to be our next featured artist? Get in touch!