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Floating Karaoke
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Author:  karaoke for food..... [ Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Floating Karaoke
Has anyone done karaoke on a cruise ship or excursion? How did the cruise line treat you? Would you consider doing karaoke on a cruise ship? I know i played with different bands on the Carnival Cruise Lines. We had many restrictions, like not mingling with passengers, eating in the crew galley, not hanging in the lounge, or participating in on deck activities, they considered us hired help, even though we were not employees, but private contractors.
Author:  mckyj57 [ Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
karaoke for food..... @ Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:09 pm wrote:
Has anyone done karaoke on a cruise ship or excursion? How did the cruise line treat you? Would you consider doing karaoke on a cruise ship? I know i played with different bands on the Carnival Cruise Lines. We had many restrictions, like not mingling with passengers, eating in the crew galley, not hanging in the lounge, or participating in on deck activities, they considered us hired help, even though we were not employees, but private contractors.


I hope you go on one. They need the help.

I have been on 4 cruises that featured karaoke since I started singing (about 2 years ago). There was only one (the first, on Carnival) which I considered to be any good at all. On the last three, it was obvious that the host had never really done it before. On NCL, it was the maiden cruise for the ship, and the three non-musicians who operated the show had no idea what they were doing at all. It was bad on just about every level except sound and facility, which were dynamite. Selection was poor, they couldn't do a key change, couldn't use customer disks, put up wrong songs, etc.

The worst part was this -- for 2400 people they had 2-1/2 hours total of karaoke. Yup, one *one hour* show and one 90 minute show. The only reason they had 90 minutes on the second was that the first one was so well attended -- they had planned a total of two hours over 5 days.  They could have had 8 hours of karaoke and not taken care of demand.The whole thing was completely without a clue.

The only good offering I saw was on a 5-day Carnival cruise, where they had one or two late-night big-audience karaoke shows of three hours each, and three two-hour smaller shows in the afternoon for older/more sedate folk. All were well-attended.

Another Carnival cruise I was on mixed up karaoke with trying to find performers for their "Legends" dress-up show.  They had enough scheduled, but the host talked for the first 40 minutes and frequently throughout, and we were lucky if we could sing twice in a three-hour show with a 12-person rotation.
Author:  knightshow [ Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
the problem is the cruises are even worse at paying kjs than a regular bar!!! They feel since you're on there that the "discount" on a cruise should be payment enough!

I told them that when they came to terms with reality and wanted a GOOD show, to call me. In the meantime, be happy with their crappy systems and dollar jocks!
Author:  Steven Kaplan [ Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
That's interesting Matt,  I was under the impression (but of course this would've been at least 25 years back) live entertainers on cruise ships were payed quite well, but I don't think they were supposed to engage in the "life of leisure" when not working on that ship as they had stricter rules to follow and I think (don't really recall) they represented the cruise-line that contracted them and were employees of the cruise-line so they weren't supposed to be playing "musical beds"  with female groupies on singles cruises (or something like that) not sure.  They were paid decently I vaguely recall,  but in those days they didn't have the greatest accomodations as employees as I recall, OF course that might've depended on the ship, and perhaps luxury liners were like that but singles cruises didn't pay well... I Might be thinking of ships like the QE-2 for all I know, and not Carnival singles cruises LOL
Author:  Babs [ Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
I had a similar experience when I checked out the karaoke on ship. I quickly lost interest in even going when I found out it was for only 2 hours. What fun is that? I never even tried to sing.
Author:  knightshow [ Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
Kappy, I was flat out told the best they could do was room and board (so free meals), ad I could "KEEP" the tips I received.

In all honesty, having a free cruise WAS almost worth the price...

They don't want a GOOD karaoke show... they want what many of the bars around town want.... entertainment for cheap!
Author:  Steven Kaplan [ Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
I suppose for somebody who's willing to barter it can be an interesting experience, and once in awhile these ships *might* get the decent entertainer, but as you mentioned, they aren't aiming specifically for the quality entertainer who usually always wants monetary reimbursement for his/her services provided.  Naturally I don't know what their standards for an entertainer are (besides somebody they can capture offering their cruise in exchange).  If the criteria is as simple as "You bring your equipment provide us entertainment for a few weeks, you enjoy the cruise" without having qualified entertainment scouts auditioning these individuals, that's pretty scary.
Author:  knightshow [ Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
the one I spoke with had an agent that had seen my show in Portland. Loved my website, books, etc.
Author:  jdmeister [ Thu Jun 14, 2007 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
Carnival I was on, had a worker bee do the karaoke, she bused tables, worked the middleschool party, and swept the halls..

Not sure I would want a gig like that..
Author:  karyoker [ Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
After 6 years at sea it never struck my fancy to go on a cruise. Ive been in a few ports in Mexico when carnival docked From the sounds of things it seems like I didnt miss anything What a shoe string outfit that must be.

We were stitting in a bar in Naples talking to a couple of Italians and they were telling us they were hired by the major Italian liners. and was getting ready to go on the maiden voyage The Michelangolo?]
That huge liner in the harbor? Si!! My buddy piped up cold you take us on s tour? So they did Holy (@$%&#!) Brand new new smells 21 bars. Luxury!!!

As chance happened I got to tour the QE1 and watched her as she headed back on her last transatlantic crossing  It was sad!!!

I put in an app with Cunard lines out of the UK and a couple of others for radar tech . But back in those days the waiting list was 5 years.

On a cruse I doubt if my main objective as a passenger would be karaoke. In those situations I like to socialize and party along other lines LOL

If a rep from a  cruise line made me an offer like that I would laugh in his face. I would tell him if we went on a week cruise and I did 4 or 5 shows you would owe me 2-3 grand You are wasting your time talking to me Im a Kj not a carnie!!!

I have sang and partied on big yachts of course that was pre karaoke. Id rather have a beach party than at sea karaoke...
Author:  Laura [ Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Floating Karaoke
karaoke for food..... @ Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:09 pm wrote:
Has anyone done karaoke on a cruise ship or excursion?


No, but that sure would be fun!  Actually, on my honeymoon, we went on a cruise and I got to fill in playng the piano in the bar for about 1/2 hour or so.  That was a lot of fun.
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