Cruise Ship Comedians
How to Get a Job Performing Stand-up Comedy Onboard
Performing stand-up comedy on a cruise ship is not the place to start your career, but it may be a great way to make extra money and broaden your experience.
The squeaky clean image of cruise line comedy is changing. Today’s cruise ship comedians are contemporary, hip, and willing to take chances.
Typically there are three nightly shows. The two earlier shows feature Las Vegas-style seating for 1000 people and family-oriented comedy. The special midnight “adult” comedy show is smaller and lasts from 30 minutes to an hour. To avoid misunderstandings, stand-up comics give their shows a sensitivity rating in the cruise newsletter.
Pay and Assignments Vary
No one rule exists for cruise line gigs. Pay and assignments vary depending upon the comic’s television exposure, name recognition, and reputation. Schedules may range from three shows a night for three/four nights to one show once a week. Payment is generally quite good, with high pay for minimal work.
The average gig is a four-day assignment, lasting for a few months (or sometimes longer). Afterward, the comedian usually goes back on the road performing regular jobs at comedy clubs. Cruise ship assignments allow great flexibility by providing short-or-long-term jobs exactly when you need them.
In addition to good pay and free travel, cruises offer other perks. Food and accommodations are free, although as anyone who has ever traveled onboard knows, the confined cruise quarters are too small for doing much more than sleeping.
Two Ways to Get Booked
There are two ways to get booked on a cruise ship: Use an agent or contact the cruise lines yourself. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Comics can approach a cruise line through their personal agent or through an agency that specializes in booking cruise ships. One advantage: Agents often have good rapport with cruise line bookers and can send a recommendation along with a videotape. Using an agent can save you time and mailing expenses. One disadvantage: Agents tend to cram three or four comedians onto the tape, thereby reducing your chances of being noticed.
You may want to contact the cruise line yourself. You can always go through an agent later, if necessary. According to a survey of eight major Florida cruise line entertainment departments, here are suggestions for how to approach a cruise line for a job as a stand-up comic:
Step 1. Ask other comedians for suggestions, consult a travel agent, and get brochures about various cruise lines. If you’ve never been on a cruise, try it. See if you: a) like the comedian; b) enjoy the cruise line’s food and atmosphere; and c) can avoid getting seasick.
Step 2. Send your resume, photograph, and videotape/DVD with two different 25-minute sets of clean PG-rated material to the Entertainment Department of the cruise line. Some lines have their own auditions; others screen materials before sending them to production companies hired by the line.
About the demo tape: One entertainment manager says, “When we review tapes, we look at how a comedian performs, what he performs, the crowd’s reaction, and the way he uses his hands. True professionals know how to use their hands naturally.”
Step 3. Wait. When you get tired of waiting, send a follow-up letter or promotional package to another cruise line. Contact an agent to see if he or she has better luck.
The stereotypical cruise line comedian is a young, new comic on his way up or an older guy on his way down. Despite the stereotype, some highly successful mid-career comics perform routinely on cruise lines simply because they enjoy the experience...and the added income. Whatever your situation, good luck and bon voyage.
For more information about stand-up comedy, read Stand-up Comedy in Florida.
