Going to work on RCCL, few questions for those who have experience??

[ImagineerTom]

There is no "standard" waiting time - if everyone completes their contract then there's a steady turnover of people but if a couple of people quit unexpectedly (or are fired) then there's a sudden shortage and you could be offered a contract starting next week

[Bombhead]

Also whilst you've got time, I'd recommend getting some of the paperwork together and filled out so you its ready to go as soon as you get clearance. Could be worth getting a few quotes on the medical too, found this the hardest thing to do so while you have time you could get it all booked ready and get a good price!

[LXbydesign]

No, we never 'got caught' in any sense :o having fun with passengers.

 

Its all about networking as well. Get in with the management and your safe. Me and the sound tech did a few favours for the pursar with regards to 'going the extra mile' in helping to set up, record and maintain automated entertainments announcements as well as some other bits and pieces.

 

Im sure we got away with a hell of a lot more stuff than we should of. We wernt bad or breached serious rules etc - but our life was sweeter than it could of been. He knew we were sleeping in passenger cabins now and then but it got 'overlooked'

 

Certainly in shiplife, a favour for someone goes a long way. Its always remembered. The chap who services your cabin (sharers I dont know how it would work - the same I guess) who's job it is anyway . . . . tip him now and again - and he'll be your best friend forever and suddenly your find your never have to do your washing again!! Things like that.

 

Engineers are another one. Do a favour for them and suddenly whatever you need for the rig , control room or things repaired will be done even before you finished asking for it.

 

Buy the stagecrew a drink one night - next evening they'll be hurtling round after the show replacing gels or any blown lamps for you.

 

Go on board acting like a c**t - and your get treated like one and life will be very hard work indeed.

 

I LOVED my time on the ships. I came off eventually simply because I just felt like I needed to 'get back to reality'. (Wish I'd bloody stayed on now...) Your meet so many great people and 10 years on- the sound guy who I worked with back then, we're still best of mates now and have been DJ' ing in the same clubs togther, both in UK and Greece / Spain. Pretty special.

[david.elsbury]

Go on board acting like a c**t - and your get treated like one and life will be very hard work indeed.

But surely this is the same for "real life" off a ship too? :)

[LXSX]

I used to work for P&O and the life was good, I wouldn't say it was a career, however I know people who have been on ships for 40 odd years...and usually leave us with a liver problem... But still depending on the company as each one is different I would say ship life is good, you get to go to some amazing countries and spend time in some of the nicest places in the world..

 

So many nice people, it's like a huge family as your contracts are usually 4-6 months and in that time you get to know who you are working with.. Loads of great parties and drinking happens 24 / 7 , I was part of the launch for Ventura in 2008 we installed PM5D in the main theatres and LS9's in the lounges, along with Hog IPC's for LX, very good equipment , Christie Projectors used with Watchout and Green Hippo great time

 

And as far as Sun sea sand and sex goes it ticks every box and more ** laughs out loud **

 

Have a good time ! feel free to ask any questions....

 

P.S if anyone is interested what we installed in 2008 I may still have the LX plots / plans

[Bombhead]

Go on board acting like a c**t - and your get treated like one and life will be very hard work indeed.But surely this is the same for "real life" off a ship too? :)

 

Mind you doesn't stop some people though does it!!

 

 

Yee I think im going to have to try and get on the good side of the right people, not there for the money so buying some drinks wont be a problem!

 

I wouldn't say it was a career,

 

Totally agree there, a few contracts just to have some fun and say you've done it, only live once etc.

 

You guys are getting me excited now (not in a dodgy way!!) got a 2 month wait though, infact two months today!

 

 

Did you guys as Techs get much time off in port?

[LXSX]

Did you guys as Techs get much time off in port?

 

Hi Bombhead,

 

It all depends really as to how many are in your team how many In Port manning slots are needed to be filled etc.. I was PM which enabled me to look at the rota and give everyone a decent amount of time of including myself, also gave me first choice of which ports I wanted to get off at and also what the team wanted... Theres nothing like having a happy team as like I said working with each other in close proximately for a matter of months does wear thin however it is what you make of it .... what itineraries are you looking at ?

 

Passengers was an instand sacking with P&O (if you were caught) they didn't like this at all, to be fair if you are on a big ship there is plenty to go around ** laughs out loud ** !

 

 

Hey Stocky

 

Advice -

 

Always wear a condom ** laughs out loud ** as funny as it sounds we had major outbreaks of STD's due to people being filthy

Always use the sanitising Gel as no one wants D&V - it really is not nice being bound to your cabin for days

Never drink your self in to Stupidity this is where you find people getting sacked - as I know of 3 just in a 4 month period

Drills - hated them but they needed to be done, I know P&O had drills once a cruise and also every time passengers boarded I know some companies ran them 2- times a cruise

getting yourself sorted with Visas, Medical (ENG1) etc.. is important as many people get caught out as it takes time to get a visa etc..

Inductions when you forst board, with P&O we had a series of 3 inductions, you will have an induction once you have signed on at the crew office, in fact first port of call when you join the ship is the crew office, then you will probably do water tight doors after you have been shown your cabin.

 

Hope some of this helps if you wanna know any more then feel free to ask anytime !

 

P.S for those of you that want the LX plans - I cant seem to find a way of getting these Jpegs attached so either some who knows how to attach items in the forum could tell me please or send me your email address and I will email them to you

[david.elsbury]

Re: uploading jpg's, upload to somewhere like http://www.tinypic.com or http://www.imageshack.us and then insert the code that looks like

[img= http://www.imagehostingsite.com/myimage.jpg ] 

[Bombhead]

LXSX,

 

Have to be extra nice to my PM then, few hours off at port would be nice! Got 3 months of the Med, Marseille, Barcelona, Naples, Etc. Then 3 months of the Caribean off of miami, really want to visit airport beach!!

 

Passengers was an instand sacking with P&O (if you were caught) they didn't like this at all, to be fair if you are on a big ship there is plenty to go around ** laughs out loud ** !

 

Shouldn't be too bad then, it is the 3rd biggest ship out there at the moment.

 

Were there many arguments onboard?

[mac.calder]

Shouldn't be too bad then, it is the 3rd biggest ship out there at the moment.

 

Were there many arguments onboard?

 

Ships are micro-societies. Are there arguments - yes - the number depends on a number of factors though - just like in real life. It was rare that things would devolve into fisticuffs though - the penalties being rather severe if you or the other party end up in medical. Technical staff tend to hang out with the singer/dancers/ice skaters/cruise staff/youth staff/sports staff - generally these people are fairly likeable (after all they are generally employed to be likeable to guests) - and if there is someone you find abhorrent you can take solace in the fact that you most likely won't be seeing each other again in 4-6 months. If you are unlucky enough to be sharing a cabin and hate your room mate, well things can be a bit tough - one of my friends moved into my cabin unofficially because she hated her cabin mate.

[LXSX]

Re: uploading jpg's, upload to somewhere like http://www.tinypic.com or http://www.imageshack.us and then insert the code that looks like

[img= http://www.imagehostingsite.com/myimage.jpg ] 

 

Cheers I'll give it a go !

[tolley1466]

Certainly in shiplife, a favour for someone goes a long way. Its always remembered. The chap who services your cabin (sharers I dont know how it would work - the same I guess) who's job it is anyway . . . . tip him now and again - and he'll be your best friend forever and suddenly your find your never have to do your washing again!! Things like that.

 

Engineers are another one. Do a favour for them and suddenly whatever you need for the rig , control room or things repaired will be done even before you finished asking for it.

 

 

I agree with both of these points!! Even a small thing such as plugging a speaker in for the chefs to have a Karaoke party (the Philipinos love it) magically we had pizza when we wanted it!! Engineers, especially the Electrical Officer, stay friendly with them. They'll be there when all hell breaks loose with your rig/desk and you want to make sure you trust eachother and get along!

 

Also, on thing I found, I know this is normal practice anyway but just incase, ALWAYS bring adaptors, jumper cables and little things that you may need that would leave you stuck without. The occasional "ipod line" may be needed in the nightclub or the pub etc... Also a Leatherman and torch always come handy!

 

One more thing, I'm not sure if they provide you with uniform on RCI but on Cunard we were supplied with one. I took my own trousers as the ones supplied were terrible!! They weren't fit for the job at all.

[sameness]

Just adding to a few things people have mentioned.

 

Bombhead - who are you going to be working for. If its Royal I might know a few people on the ship you are going to. P&O have different time off rotas to Royal, Royal dont have IPM for techs, however techs usually have their own duty rotation where you may each do one cruise as 'tech on duty'

 

Uniform on Royal. They provide it...but it does come out of your wages. Id advise going to H&M or (cringe) Primark and picking up some cheap black polos there. I find them more comfortable. Black jeans are also the norm next to cargo(ish) pants. They dont like lots of pockets. Get yourself a tux in the UK. Greenwoods if there is one near you. It will be cheaper and nicer than the ship one.

 

Drils - Royal tend to do the standard passenger drill on the first day, techs/stage 90% of ships not involved, wooo! Then depending on the ship either each cruise or every other cruise there is a full crew drill.

 

Sleeping with pasengers...dont bother theres enough crew to go round and is it really worth getting fired for. I have seen people get warnings from being too suggestive up close in the club. Although some security are more laid back than others.

[Bombhead]

Hopefully I wont have a room mate seeing as im going straight in as an Lx tech, that will help abit I think, everyone needs abit of space now and then.

 

I agree with both of these points!! Even a small thing such as plugging a speaker in for the chefs to have a Karaoke party (the Philipinos love it)

 

Ye I read about these, dont mind indulging in a bit of karaoke myself so should be fun!

 

Sameness, I'll be working for Norwegian on their new ship, not even two years old yet and the tech spec is pretty good! Apparently 85% of the crew have single cabins too!!!!!

 

 

 

I have one question thats been bugging me, Ive been employed as Lx Tech and according to the job description and what I've read on here, thats sort of like a chief Lx type of thing. But on my ship there is alot of venues, ALOT! so do they usually have a lounge tech who runs sound and lights? or would they employ more than one Lx Tech?

[sameness]

Not sure for NCL but usually you have sound tech light tech in the theatre then a lounge tech for the rest of the smaller venues. LX tech is the guy/gal who will do most of the repairs to lights as lounge tech generally is not as skilled in that. LTs can usually manage to change lamps, but anything that requires disassembly will probably fall to you. Stage staff are usually willing to help as most of them want to progress to LX or SX.

 

Preventative maintenance is key on ships, especially as you never know when a unit was last cleaned.