I agree with the suit thing.

Pose is cool, do the peoples eyebrow and I'd go just by seeing the flyer.

I finally got around to having a friend take a porno picture.
Whatcha think?

"Dude, a hypnosis show, we should check it out."

"..yeah, but look at the lighting on the picture in that poster."

"Shit, you're right. Fuck it, lets see Cats again."

How to Get Cruise Ship Bookings
Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI / Fred Becker

In a previous article we discussed the increasing popularity of cruise ship work. It is time to figure out how you can get booked.

Being that I have never personally worked on a cruise ship, I have gone to one of my friends who is cruise expert to provide you with the inside secrets of how to get booked, and what you can expect.

You will meet Fred Becker, cruise ship entertainer extraordinaire. Fred is a magician, but obviously all his advice is equally applicable to any variety entertainer.

Fred with his wife Kellie have worked for years on ships, so with no further ado, let's meet Fred Becker and find out all about the business of the cruise ship industry�

Fred Becker Speaks

Nearly all ships use some kind of variety entertainment on every cruise. I would guess that magic is the most common, with instrumentalists and jugglers a tie for second place. On a typical ship you might see a cast of (6-16) production show singers and dancers, a comedian, a magician, a juggler or instrumentalist and a feature vocalist. However things are changing.

One of the new things going on with cruises is because cruising is becoming so popular, and there are so many repeat passengers the cruise lines are needing to find new, fresh entertainment. The stage hypnotist is a terrific act that fits the bill. The opportunities for stage hypnotists on cruise lines is incredible.

In addition to corporate work, Kellie and I have consistently worked on the top rated luxury cruise line of its class in the world. The company has actually defined a new level of service and amenity, to be considered by Conté Nasta "six star" facility. Even with this air of sophistication the ship has personality and the guests (we never call these people "passengers") are fun and approachable. The average cost for a cruise is $1000.00 per person per day, and the typical cruise is ten to eighteen days long! It is definitely First Class all the way.



As guest entertainers, Kellie and I have full use of the ship and all its luxury. We live in a suite with a double bed, picture window, TV/VCR, video library, a stocked refrigerator, a walk-in closet and marble bathroom with tub! All our food and drinks (even alcohol) are provided. Plus the ship travels to the most interesting places on Earth accessible by sea!

Tips on Cruise Work

Compiled here is my advice for those of you interested in working the cruise industry. I have tried to give you information about what makes working on a ship different than any other venue you have experienced. The following should help you understand what it takes to get and keep your job on board the ship.

First, make sure you have a professional act. Although this is good advice for most markets you may enter as an entertainer, it is particularly true of the cruise industry. Each passenger watching your show receives a "comment card" at the end of the cruise. The audience will in effect grade the professionalism of your act after each cruise you work. It is sink or swim out there, so learn your craft well before attempting a job at sea.

Technical Advice

Prepare cue sheets for light and sound technicians. Early upon your arrival on the ship the stage manager will contact you. He or she will want to know what special requirements you need and how much rehearsal time to schedule. You should be familiar with your technical requirements. Talk to him about the kind of lighting and sound you need and any backstage help you will require. At rehearsal you should be able to supply written cue sheets that explain how and when all the technical things happen during your act. For recorded music I use a programmable minidisc unit. If you use recorded music I recommend that you put it on the highest quality playback method you can. If you use extensive and complex lighting, I recommend you bring videotape of your act to show the lighting technician how you'd like it to look. Light fixtures change from place to place, but the same mood and affect can be created from various sources.

Live Music

You have the ability to work with a live band on the ship. If you plan on working on ships a great deal you may wish to utilize this lost resource. Live music behind your act can make it more alive and vital than you ever imagined. Even if you currently use no music at all, consider the use of the band on the ship. Most Cruise Director's will expect "play on and play off" music for you. This means, after you are introduced and as you walk on the stage there should be music playing. Likewise at the end of your set, when you take your bows and walk off, music plays again. Most ship bands have stock "tabs" (another word for the above) that can be used, but I think it does you good to investigate the possibility of something custom made for you. I had special tabs arranged for me; they are played in a "funk" beat and are quite lively to compliment the fun and light atmosphere of my act. You may want a different mood created and "play ons" can do just that.

Entering and Exiting

Be familiar with stage deportment; how to enter, exit, take a curtain call, etc. This is all part of professionalism. First impressions matter, but never more than when you are on stage. During the first 30 seconds, your audience will size you up. They make judgments about you that will color their attitudes about what you do. The first moments are critical. You need to strategically decide how you will present yourself immediately upon your introduction.

Likewise you should give careful consideration to the end of your act. How will you finish? How will you exit the stage? Cruise ship shows all have emcees, so you will be called back to the stage for a bow. I've seen many inexperienced performers finish their acts and walk off stage and miss their curtain call.

Typically, an act will finish their last routine and take a bow as the M.C. announces the act's name. The band will play a quick and bouncy piece of music as the performer walks off stage. The emcee will then ask the audience to "call the performer back," with another round of applause. At this point the entertainer walks back to the stage to receive the applause. If the emcee deems it necessary (by the audience's enthusiasm) he may bring the act back for more bows. Some performers have little bits of business or extensions of their acts to add to the effectiveness of their curtain calls.

Professional Staff and Terminology

On a cruise you will be expected to know how conduct yourself and your act in a real theater setting. This is not always something an entertainer that is used to working solo is familiar with. You will deal with other professionals like the an emcee, stage manager, sound engineer, light technician, orchestra leader and other professional entertainers that you will share the stage and dressing room with. You should know stage terminology, blocking and what light designs you will need. If all this is foreign to you, get some experience before trying the ship market.

How to Get the Bookings

To get work you must have a quality audition videotape . No one, but no one, gets booked without a videotape. The better your tape; the better your chances of getting booked. All the other promo you send will only support that video.

Remember who will be watching this tape. The Cruise Entertainment Director will most likely watch your tape only once. He or she will make a quick judgment about you within a few minutes. Put you best foot forward and make sure that what you show is consumable to this venue.

After you submit your tape to the cruise lines be patient. Entertainment Directors and agents receive hundreds of tapes a week. There is no way they can drop everything to watch each tape as it comes in. Chances are they don't start looking for a new act until one of their usual suspects cannot do the job. Therefore, it will be worth it too make sure you have an attractive video cover design to give your tape the edge over the competition.

Furthermore, there is an invisible network between cruise companies. Although I've never understood how it happens, news travels. Company 'A' knows what company 'B' is doing. My point is simple, going on a ship unprepared, not doing well in the ratings may not only close the door to that one cruise line, but may mean you've closed the door on several. Likewise, doing well on your first time out may mean smooth sailing for as much work on cruise ships as you like.

The Day Lecture

In Geoff's previous article he highlights the fact as a hypnotist you could offer daytime educational events. I have never heard of a hypnotist doing this myself, but I can tell you it is a terrific idea. I teach magic classes on some ships and the extra money you can make is significant. I knew one performer that actually made more money during his daytime lecture than he did from the cruise line.

Right now cruise lines are looking for any additional things they can provide that will give them the edge over other ships. They want to fill the agenda as much as possible and a daytime educational hypnosis presentation would be very attractive to them.

In Conclusion

You will be in a situation that people come up to you daily to tell you how wonderful you are. This can be intoxicating, but keep it in perspective. Ship life is not the real world; don't let it go to your head.

I have adopted the philosophy that "a high tide floats all boats." I want to be on a ship with all strong acts. It is a snowball effect. The audience's enthusiasm builds with each show. This means success for the cruise line and for you.

You are always on, even when the show is over. Cruising is unique in that you live with your audience after your show. People will be watching you all the time, they'll want to spend time with you and get to know you. This can be hard for some entertainers to adjust too. Frankly, I find it rather rewarding, though at times trying.

My advice is for you to be yourself, but with the best etiquette you can muster. My wife and I have had a successful career in cruising in part because we dress properly, act appropriately and genuinely care about people that we meet. These are all things that we do off stage, but they are things that have made several cruise directors call the home office requesting the Beckers for their ships. I am confident that you can do the same.

Good Luck and Calm Seas!

Fred Becker