This is a place for breaking stories from cruise industry sources:
Gigs On Ships-Entertainment Jobs on Cruise Ships
A resource dedicated to getting you…
This is a place for breaking stories from cruise industry sources:
New builds for 2014 http://ht.ly/mS10B
The cruise industry has had suffered some bad press in the past two years and it is starting to affect people’s attitudes… Harris Interactive polled 2,052 adult Americans in May of this year about their feelings regarding going on a cruise and found, not surprisingly, that the cruise industry now has an image problem. In general, people apparently “have concerns about safety and reliability.”
This does put pressure on budgets and regulations that ultimately will effect us as entertainers on board. Let’s keep an eye on any changes…
Cruising becomes more and more casual… http://ht.ly/o8x3R
A Press Release from Carnival Cruise Line:
Carnival Announces Concert Series and Major Entertainment Revamp
ON 22 JANUARY 2014.
Carnival Cruise Lines today unveiled a new entertainment offering to bring the best in live music to the seas.
A first-of-its-kind experience in the cruise industry, the Carnival LIVE Concert Series offers Carnival guests the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive onboard performance by a diverse roster of popular music artists while ships are docked at select ports of call.
Carnival has booked 49 performance dates for the 2014 concert series with the following artists:
• 38 Special
• Chicago
• Daughtry
• Foreigner
• Gavin DeGraw
• Jennifer Hudson
• Jewel
• Kansas
• Lady Antebellum
• LeAnn Rimes
• Martina McBride
• Olivia Newton-John
• REO Speedwagon
• STYX
• Trace Adkins
“Performing live is one of my favorite things,” said GRAMMY® Award-winner, Jennifer Hudson at an exclusive launch event for Carnival LIVE in New York City on January 22. “I’m excited to be part of this unique concert series that will allow me to interact with my fans in such an intimate and memorable setting.”
In addition to the Carnival LIVE Concert Series, Carnival is also enhancing its popular shipboard house bands. The bands will feature both male and female lead singers, a more choreographed, themed and diverse set list, and increased interaction with guests. Nine Carnival ships currently feature the new bands, with implementation across the full fleet over the course of this year
“Onboard entertainment is an important part of the overall guest experience when cruising,”
said Mark Tamis, senior vice president of guest operations for Carnival Cruise Lines.
“With the Carnival LIVE Concert Series, our guests will enjoy an exclusive performance with one of their favorite artists for an extraordinary value. Combined with our enhanced house bands fleetwide, this is just another example of the many ways we are constantly looking to create even more fun and memorable moments for our guests.”
Tamis added, “The Carnival LIVE 2014 Concert Series is also a great tool for our travel agent partners, providing an additional feature at a great value that can be promoted when selling Carnival cruises.”
Beginning in April 2014, Carnival LIVE concerts will take place on board eight Carnival ships that call in the following ports: Cozumel, Mexico; Nassau, the Bahamas; and Catalina Island, California. Artists will join the ship while in port, perform in the main show lounge that evening, and debark following their show.
Tickets cost $20-40 each and a limited number of VIP tickets are also available for each show for $100-$150 each. The VIP experience includes an artist meet and greet, photo opportunity, seating in the first three rows and a commemorative laminated concert pass. All tickets can be purchased through Carnival’s online Shore Excursion System prior to sailing, or on board participating ships at the Shore Excursion Desk based on availability.
Here are the latest picks for “Best Of 2014.”
http://www.cruisecritic.com/editors-picks/
Here is a fun article about the types of crazy complaints the travel public make. Its worth understanding that you WILL run into these kinds of people.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/blogdramedy/idiotic-travel-complaints_b_4073107.html
Continued explosive growth for the cruise industry!
http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/12567-royal-caribbean-orders-fourth-quantum-class-vessel-for-2019.html
This is huge news for those of use working on ships! Good news at that!
http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/13084-inside-carnivals-internet-connectivity-expansion.html
P&O Cruises has joined forces with Jonathan Wilkes and Wilkes Academy in order to give opportunities and work experience on board ships to young performers. P&O Cruises has also introduced a sponsorship program for two Wilkes Academy students each year in order to nurture and inspire new talent.
P&O Cruises head of entertainment, Paul Wright said: “I am very excited by this new partnership as it is imperative that we show today’s young talent the breadth of opportunities which are ahead of them. The theatres on our ships are state of the art with LED screens and automation which allow us to create contemporary world class shows and recruit the very best young talent. We employ over 200 performers and each one spends two months rehearsing in our Southampton studios before taking the shows on board.
“We hope that by sponsoring two students each year and giving them insight and experience both on shore and at sea we can also give them a springboard to their future. I am proud that we are investing in tomorrow’s theatrical stars in this way.”
Wilkes Academy principal Jonathan Wilkes said, “Cruise ships provide an unrivalled training ground for young talent. With a number of different shows each week they practice their range of disciplines and so become a true all rounder. This makes them so much more versatile, which can only aid their future career. The performances on P&O Cruises ships are worthy of the West End or Broadway and are supported by the most high tech staging and kit to produce truly spectacular shows. We are very fortunate to have this association.”
Singers and Dancers? Check out the auditions going on now! http://www.backstage.com/casting/open-casting-calls/cruise-auditions/
There will be three less ships sailing the waters of South America this coming winter, but more dramatically, passenger capacity will be down by 39 percent as cruise lines continue to adjust tonnage and offerings, according to independent market research in the 2016-2017 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.
After reaching its peak in 2011-2012, South America has been on the decline, with the biggest slip set to come in 2016-2017, which will see the market retreat to 2007 capacity levels.
Among the changes: MSC has reduced capacity year-over-year, Pullmantur has pulled one ship out, Royal Caribbean has left and Costa has changed tonnage to include less beds.
More current news at: https://www.facebook.com/GigsOnShips/