Music Boat Cruises have fine bands to suit all tastes

Music and the sea

Playing an instrument is the dream of many and some are great at being able to simply pick up the idea of any instrument quickly. Having a basic musical knowledge helps but there are naturally gifted people about who are just brilliant musicians. The musical equipment on line is there for such people who don’t have to go and try the new Gibson guitar because they know it will sound great - they already know how to play it. Just send off the order and it will be back by courier in no time. All types of musical equipment can be bought online, as with most things. There are acoustic guitars, saxophones, drums, and all the instruments that make up an orchestra from the cello to the triangle.

It’s the same with holidays and if any shipping line is likely to have a full orchestra on board it will be one of the fleet belonging to P&O cruises. They are one of the oldest of all British shipping companies, and have a very traditional feel to their operation. They began as a company with had just one ship which delivered mail to Spain, and was on a contract to the British government in 1840. The founder saw the potential for taking passengers on holiday and by 1844 he had started the first cruise holidays which went to Egypt and beyond to the Far East. By then they had changed the company name to Peninsula and Orient Navigation Company, and that was eventually abbreviated to P & O. It’s a historical company who still sail the oceans carrying happy passengers and quite a few musicians as they go.

Entertainment whilst on the cruise

All the big cruise liners carry a compliment of entertainers and these are people who would have musical instruments, and even juggling balls as part of their luggage. None more so than the MSC cruises and their fun filled ships, which not only look the part, but have a true family feel to them. Children and families are given full consideration, as the company makes a specific aim to do away with some of the formalities and bring a more relaxed atmosphere to cruises. They are Italian owned, so they have as strong musical background, but amongst the fine operatic tunes there will be shrieks of delight as the jugglers and the clowns do tricks for the children. Having fun whilst travelling is all part of the idea of cruising, despite the idea its for the older generations.

Serenity amongst the fjords

The fact is that in terms of cruises it would be possible to associate musical equipment with just about every destination and cruise. The quiet and calm waters of the northern reaches of the Arctic and the Norwegian fjords would surely attract some orchestral pieces by Grieg, so some of the Fred Olsen cruises may well have a small orchestra playing the likes of the piece he wrote for the play ‘Peer Gynt’. He was born in Bergen which is one of the main ports of Norway and central to any fjord cruise in that region. The shipping line is based in Ipswich, so they are very familiar with the British customer who would most likely take one of cruises from Southampton.

The big Xmas bash

The time to really get going with all the musical equipment and instruments is the festive period. The best of the cruises will have made sure that the bands and stars of the show were booked well in advance as the tourists, sea lovers, romantics and party goers get ready for their own version of the holiday and take one of the Christmas cruises. It can be any part of the world, but the common factor amongst all the ships on 25th December (and the 31st over New Year ) is that there will be party in full swing with music at the core of the entertainment. The bigger ships have magnificent ball rooms and function centres where no expense is spared in terms of decoration and splendour.

It’s the time to get the most glamorous dress out and for the men a time to get into the Tux which is brought out far too rarely. Young and old can really have a ball on the Xmas cruise and no better than one which plies the Caribbean. The Royal Caribbean cruises are the most experienced outfit when it comes to sailing through these deep blue waters. They even have their own exclusive island where passengers can disembark for an exclusive day ashore but they visit the likes of St Lucia, St Kitts, the Bahamas and Barbados. For the person who loves the work of the locals who play the musical equipment of the West Indies and enjoys calypso or reggae, this is a wonderful location.

Set sail to the brass band on the quay

So music accompanies ships where ever they are, with there have been some historic moments where an entire brass band would be playing the national anthems of a country as a ship set sail. The ports of New York, Southampton, Hong Kong and Sydney have all seen magnificent overtures for ships, and that is the romantic aspect of the sea. Nothing can compare with this as a send off, and although there are fewer such departures these days, a maiden voyage is still regarded as a moment to celebrate.

One of the most recent maiden voyages was made by the largest liner afloat. This is ‘Allure of the Seas’; a 224,000 ton cruise liner which operates all over the world and is one of the many ships offering Mediterranean cruises to some 6,000 potential passengers. The ship has 16 passenger decks, with four swimming pools, theatres, cinemas and of course a magnificent ballroom for the gala occasions. The musical equipment on board to entertain that number of people must be extensive!!

The Cruise Director organises all

The entertainment and ‘passenger needs’ when it comes to the lighter side of life come under the wing of the Cruise Director (CD). He or She will have extensive program organisational skills and be able to schedule events beforehand or if necessary, whilst at sea. It’s a great job for anyone who enjoys the entertainment world but of course it does have the potential for very hard work. Musicians and entertainers can be temperamental souls and keeping them all happy is part of the job, in addition to the passenger satisfaction.

Where can we find a replacement Phin?

So the CD may well have arranged a lovely Calypso band for the latest of the Caribbean cruises only to find one of the members is unwell. That needs some hasty rescheduling and plenty of notice to the passengers who had booked to listen to the band with their unique musical equipment. Whilst musicians from the easier places in the world such as Italy or Spain would be able to conjure up an alternative, there could well be more serous logistical difficulties. Getting a replacement if the musicians were a young Thai group playing their unique three stringed Phin from the north east of the country might be one testing case for a cruise director.

That’s not an exaggeration as the ships on voyages across the world call in at Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand as well as every ones favourite tropical paradise, Phuket. As a ship moves across the world the entertainment often brings a local flavour and this one of the joys of being on such a journey. So many cultures and traditions are brought to the vessel as the ship moves from being one offering Norwegian cruises to which is then entering the harbour of Auckland, New Zealand some months later.

Top stars aboard the cruise liner

The big party gala event is always going to be popular with the glamourous dinner dances something passengers look forward to. In the concert halls of the big ships, musicians will have practiced their performance over and over. The shipping companies expect the best for their guests so it all has to be carefully choreographed and is as perfect as any concert or stage show on land. There could well be some really famous celebrity cruises where the star of the show is not just a good performer, but a household name. As with the ‘Allure of the Seas’, the American country folk singer Taylor Swift was the first to use the amphitheatre of the vessel for a concert.

Music and the sea would appear to go well together, and that music can be the vibrant sounds of the Jamaican reggae band, the country and western music out of America or the opera of Italy. The chances are the next cruise will be musically different as it is an ever changing scene. No two cruises are ever the same, and it will require the ships crew to load up a new set of musical equipment for the next voyage out of port.