FAQ
From your questions.
Q- What exactly do you do, anyway?
A- I'm the Senior Production Manager, which my resume puts best- "Responsible for overseeing all elements of the operation of two theaters, three musical venues, a nightclub, and all private events on board, with a focus on their technical integrity. Part of this includes coordinating the needs of the Production Managers, Stage Manager, Band Master, Line Captain, Audio Manager, and Guest Entertainers. It also includes (but is not limited to): organizing and executing rehearsals, operating the lighting and rigging systems in the main theater for all shows, acting as primary liaison between the department and other Senior Officers of the vessel for our mutual needs, overseeing all administrative and human resource needs of the department and staff, and holding meetings on a regular basis with both staff and senior management. Also, I act as primary point of contact for shore side technical management, by providing detailed reports of all production shows, and minutes of all technical meetings."
Q- Where do you... live?
A- That's a tricky one. I'm from Boston (US) originally. On my off-time, I bounce between there, New York, and Providence, where my family now lives. I will likely eventually settle in New York, but for now, the majority of the time I live on a ship.
Q- How'd you get in to that?
A- What, production or ships? I've been doing production-related work for, hell, 13, 14 years? Jesus. I got in to that by by begging my neighbor (who was a lighting guy) to teach me, and then working really hard, reading a lot, reverse engineering a lot of stuff- basically taught myself, with the help of a few good mentors. Ships? I had just quit a job managing a production outfit in Boston and opened the paper to an ad that said "Work on Ships!" I didn't give it mind at first but started thinking about it more and more, and two weeks later I was like, "Fuck it. I've always had the option of traveling for work and have never taken it." So I started throwing a resume around. When I took the ship job, I actually turned down offers from Cirque Du Soleil and Disney. Cirque would have amounted to touring North America's finest parking lots, and Disney has a reputation for being Nazis and miserable to work for.
Q- Can you get me a job?
A- Just as soon as my company decides to start paying me a finders fee, like their headhunters.
Q- What are the living quarters like?
A- Depends on your position. I have a room with a full bed, a desk, a couple chairs, nice big window, big tv. It's larger than what I would probably have if I lived in Manhattan, for sure. My room is a management room- most people are two to a room, in bunk beds, dorm style type situation. All rooms have their own bathroom. Executive management like the Captain have something more like a suite. I knew one captain that had a dog :)
Q- What about family and visitors?
A- Most people rated staff and higher have different degrees of privelege for family travel, from reduced rates to free for immediate family. If I was married, my spouse could live onboard with me for $10 a day. Also, I have an option for one person to be my "designated travel companion," which is kinda the same thing. I haven't used that one yet- any attractive females out there that aren't busy for a few months? ;P heh.
Q- How's the food?
A- Depends on the chef. In my current company, the food has been at least good pretty consistently. Can't say as much for Royal Caribbean, some of the food they give their crew is absolutely horrible. They actually served us cow hooves one day, which was appreciated by the three employees who actually like it. We had people cooking the pizza that don't really have pizza much where they come from, so they were putting things like peas and carrots on it, not knowing any better. Anyway- There are three mess halls for crew- the crew mess, staff mess and officers mess, depending on your rank. All entertainment department positions are allowed to eat in the public buffet, which is where most eatI usually eat at the buffet during the day and have dinner in the officers mess, because I like having something more, i dunno, "assembled?" for dinner. You have to be careful eating because the option is there to eat steak and cheesecake every night, and as I know all too well, can pack on 20lbs easily if you're not careful.
Q- Do you get much free time to get off the ship?
A- Clearly this is not a question anyone on LJ has asked me, cuz you've obviously seen the pictures, but I get asked it a lot onboard by passengers. Not all departments get as much, some people don't get any because of the timing of their jobs *shudder to think*. I wouldn't do a job like that unless there was a LOT of money involved.
Q- Do you guys have raging parties?
A- Well, we are sailors after all, we have a reputation to uphold. Me personally though, I actually don't drink very often while onboard. That's largely because I'm a beer kinda guy and the selection of beer here is piss, piss, and more piss. Also because I only have so much tolerance for for the idiots that are all like "WOOOOO PARTY!" all the time. Often I'd rather play Xbox.
Q- Speaking of Xbox, why were you so excited GTA IV came out?
A- Because as action-packed as my life may seem from reading the posts, the truth of the matter is that more than half the time, I'm in transit between places, and even with work I have an awful, awful lot of free time sometimes. Sitting and staring at the wall in your cabin can be maddening, they show the same shows on TV all the time, and you can only watch CNN for so many hours. I would be a lot less sane without an Xbox. And for the new GTA to come out a week before my contract starts is utterly perfect :)
Q- Have you ever gotten "involved" with a passenger?
A- "Involved" with a passenger = instant termination of employment. Major liability issues there.
Q- What is your next route and what cities will you be visiting?
A- May
11th-Malacca
12th-Penang
13th-Phuket
14th-Langkawi
15th-Port Kelang
16th-Singapore
21st-Freemantle
27th-Vung Tau
29th-Shinoukville
30th-Bangkok
31st-Ko Samui
Q- What exactly do you do, anyway?
A- I'm the Senior Production Manager, which my resume puts best- "Responsible for overseeing all elements of the operation of two theaters, three musical venues, a nightclub, and all private events on board, with a focus on their technical integrity. Part of this includes coordinating the needs of the Production Managers, Stage Manager, Band Master, Line Captain, Audio Manager, and Guest Entertainers. It also includes (but is not limited to): organizing and executing rehearsals, operating the lighting and rigging systems in the main theater for all shows, acting as primary liaison between the department and other Senior Officers of the vessel for our mutual needs, overseeing all administrative and human resource needs of the department and staff, and holding meetings on a regular basis with both staff and senior management. Also, I act as primary point of contact for shore side technical management, by providing detailed reports of all production shows, and minutes of all technical meetings."
Q- Where do you... live?
A- That's a tricky one. I'm from Boston (US) originally. On my off-time, I bounce between there, New York, and Providence, where my family now lives. I will likely eventually settle in New York, but for now, the majority of the time I live on a ship.
Q- How'd you get in to that?
A- What, production or ships? I've been doing production-related work for, hell, 13, 14 years? Jesus. I got in to that by by begging my neighbor (who was a lighting guy) to teach me, and then working really hard, reading a lot, reverse engineering a lot of stuff- basically taught myself, with the help of a few good mentors. Ships? I had just quit a job managing a production outfit in Boston and opened the paper to an ad that said "Work on Ships!" I didn't give it mind at first but started thinking about it more and more, and two weeks later I was like, "Fuck it. I've always had the option of traveling for work and have never taken it." So I started throwing a resume around. When I took the ship job, I actually turned down offers from Cirque Du Soleil and Disney. Cirque would have amounted to touring North America's finest parking lots, and Disney has a reputation for being Nazis and miserable to work for.
Q- Can you get me a job?
A- Just as soon as my company decides to start paying me a finders fee, like their headhunters.
Q- What are the living quarters like?
A- Depends on your position. I have a room with a full bed, a desk, a couple chairs, nice big window, big tv. It's larger than what I would probably have if I lived in Manhattan, for sure. My room is a management room- most people are two to a room, in bunk beds, dorm style type situation. All rooms have their own bathroom. Executive management like the Captain have something more like a suite. I knew one captain that had a dog :)
Q- What about family and visitors?
A- Most people rated staff and higher have different degrees of privelege for family travel, from reduced rates to free for immediate family. If I was married, my spouse could live onboard with me for $10 a day. Also, I have an option for one person to be my "designated travel companion," which is kinda the same thing. I haven't used that one yet- any attractive females out there that aren't busy for a few months? ;P heh.
Q- How's the food?
A- Depends on the chef. In my current company, the food has been at least good pretty consistently. Can't say as much for Royal Caribbean, some of the food they give their crew is absolutely horrible. They actually served us cow hooves one day, which was appreciated by the three employees who actually like it. We had people cooking the pizza that don't really have pizza much where they come from, so they were putting things like peas and carrots on it, not knowing any better. Anyway- There are three mess halls for crew- the crew mess, staff mess and officers mess, depending on your rank. All entertainment department positions are allowed to eat in the public buffet, which is where most eatI usually eat at the buffet during the day and have dinner in the officers mess, because I like having something more, i dunno, "assembled?" for dinner. You have to be careful eating because the option is there to eat steak and cheesecake every night, and as I know all too well, can pack on 20lbs easily if you're not careful.
Q- Do you get much free time to get off the ship?
A- Clearly this is not a question anyone on LJ has asked me, cuz you've obviously seen the pictures, but I get asked it a lot onboard by passengers. Not all departments get as much, some people don't get any because of the timing of their jobs *shudder to think*. I wouldn't do a job like that unless there was a LOT of money involved.
Q- Do you guys have raging parties?
A- Well, we are sailors after all, we have a reputation to uphold. Me personally though, I actually don't drink very often while onboard. That's largely because I'm a beer kinda guy and the selection of beer here is piss, piss, and more piss. Also because I only have so much tolerance for for the idiots that are all like "WOOOOO PARTY!" all the time. Often I'd rather play Xbox.
Q- Speaking of Xbox, why were you so excited GTA IV came out?
A- Because as action-packed as my life may seem from reading the posts, the truth of the matter is that more than half the time, I'm in transit between places, and even with work I have an awful, awful lot of free time sometimes. Sitting and staring at the wall in your cabin can be maddening, they show the same shows on TV all the time, and you can only watch CNN for so many hours. I would be a lot less sane without an Xbox. And for the new GTA to come out a week before my contract starts is utterly perfect :)
Q- Have you ever gotten "involved" with a passenger?
A- "Involved" with a passenger = instant termination of employment. Major liability issues there.
Q- What is your next route and what cities will you be visiting?
A- May
11th-Malacca
12th-Penang
13th-Phuket
14th-Langkawi
15th-Port Kelang
16th-Singapore
21st-Freemantle
27th-Vung Tau
29th-Shinoukville
30th-Bangkok
31st-Ko Samui