TRIP REPORT – NORWEGIAN JADE. WORK SCHEDULES.

In the last blog post I introduced you to Eril and Courtney who work in the theatre and venues aboard the NCL Jade. 
This week we’ll find out all about what work schedules you can expect as a shipboard theatre technician, extra duties, how much time off you get, and more!

Let’s get started…

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​First I asked Courtney and Eril how they get assigned to ships, what their schedule is like.  Courtney said that they try to take into consideration where you would like to go, if they can. As for the theatre crew’s schedule, six months on and six weeks off is the regular term, explained Eril.  He added that sometimes if they're generous they’ll give you an extra two weeks off. Courtney explained that her schedule has been a bit different.  She said it really just depends, and that she can make requests.  Her recent contracts haven't had very much time in between, but that was of her own choice. She was on the Gem from end of May of last year until beginning of October.  She had two weeks off and then she started in Tampa with rehearsals for the Jewel. Rehearsals were about a month long and then she was on the Jewel for almost a month.  After that she had a week off and then started rehearsals for the Jade, and she’s there until September. So not much time off,  but she says she likes it that way.
 
I then asked about their daily theatre schedules.  Courtney said that she normally she works in the mornings from around 9:30am to noon.  Her lunch break varies depending on whether there is a tech run that morning or if she has to work on paperwork, such as scheduling.  Then she typically takes a break in the afternoon and comes back around four or five o'clock to get started with running the shows, and then she finishes around 10pm, sometimes 11pm, depending on the day.  Unlike most of the theatre’s running crew there's more flexibility in her schedule.  She says as long as she gets her work done no one really cares when she works as long as she’s here for the shows and tech rehearsals.  She quipped that she could work until 3am if she wanted to, or I wake up at 6am!  
 
Similarly, Eril said that his schedule is unpredictable, depending on the shows and events each day.  Eril has the added responsibility of managing events at venues all over the ship.  He said that sea days are particularly busy, because the passengers are on the ship, and there's activities in the lounges and venues all over the ship.
 
For the production shows in the theatre, there’s a variety of jobs to do, such as a tech run or a sound check, a set change for a show.  Prior to the shows they sometimes need to build the stage for the show if a different show or event has been in the theatre beforehand.  Typically, they will build the stage the night before the show, so in the morning the production cast can rehearse.
 
Because of this varied schedule and varied duties, Eril advises that you have to love what you do, and not just be there for the money.  You have to motivate yourself, and be willing to learn different skills. You can always learn something from other people, but it’s up to you, no one is going to do it for you.
 
But, it’s not just all about working in the theatre and venues. There are other duties that the theatre crew is responsible for that you need to know about.  Courtney said that she wasn’t aware of these extra duties when she was first hired.  Firstly, everyone, no matter where you work in the ship, has to do crew drill every single week. Each theatre technician has a safety assignment just like everyone else on the ship.  In fact, prior to embarking on your ship, there is a two-week long training program. You learn about fire safety. You learn about lifeboats. You learn everything that you would need to know in an emergency situation. You learn how to flip a life raft over. Absolutely everything.  There can also be extra training, such as learning how to jump out of a shoot.  Courtney recalled that she had to jump from deck seven, and shoot all the way down to the life raft on the water.  She said it was terrifying – not like a water slide at all!  You pretty much just go straight down!
 
Another duty is cabin inspections.  Everyone has to have their cabin inspected weekly, and Managers – or Officers, as they’re called on board ships – are also responsible for inspecting their crew’s cabins.
 
A more fun duty – if you care to – is performing in the crew show.  Usually this is usually on longer cruises, and it’s a big hit with the guests!
 
All of this takes a lot of planning, and not only are there a lot of meetings as far as scheduling for shows and events, but the theater schedule affects other departments as well. It affects the bar department. It affects the restaurant department. Often times they have to base the theater show schedule on what times are going to be busy for the restaurants. And visa versa – if there isn’t a show, the restaurants are definitely going to be busy at seven o'clock. Sometimes it’s a case of pulling passengers to the theater at certain times to help the restaurant staff out.  When Courtney was just starting out, she thought she would be just scheduling and running the shows, but there's a lot of interdepartmental collaboration that has to on.
 
All this can be quite the work load, so I asked if they ever got a break!   Courtney said, absolutely, and in fact she had just gone ashore the day before our talk for several hours.  She said that it’s really cool to be able to just pop off the ship for a couple hours and go get lunch, or go get a coffee. But again, it all depends, as every day is a little bit different.  But, for the most part there there's enough flexibility to make it work.  For instance, their next cruise would be 15 days, so she’ll have at least one night where she won’t be in the theatre, and another when she’s likely to be done around 7:30pm, so on that day she’ll have the evening to herself. 
 
Eril on the other hand said that he goes out only sometimes, as if he’s been on a ship for a while, he’s been to the ports many times over.  So sometimes he just goes out to eat and then comes back.  He also like to cover for his crew so that they have a chance to go out to the ports. Technicians don’t have quite as much flexibility.  Eril makes their schedules, but they also have other duties outside of the theater, as they work in the lounges and all the other venues.  But Eril does make a point to give them each a day off when he can, or they might work during the day and then have an evening off. On port days, it’s a bit easier to get some time off, because most of the passengers are out enjoying the port, so the lounges and other venues aren’t as busy. Eril says he encourages the technicians to get out and about, if for nothing but to just to walk around, and get a change of environment for a while. 
 
In addition to going to ports, Courtney and Eril’s positions afford them full access to areas on the ship, except, in their case, the passenger gym, and some restaurants.  However, the production cast has access to the passenger gym. A lot of other departments on the ship don’t have full access to the passenger areas, so the theatre department is pretty unique – and lucky! – that way.
 
And, regardless of what position you have, all crew has a curfew at 2am, and can’t be in the passenger areas after that time.  There’s also dress code rules while in the passenger areas.
 
This job is a lot more flexible and lenient than other departments, so if you have theatre technician skills, you can make a good living and have a lot of fun working on a cruise ship!
 
Stay tuned for next month’s blog post when we’ll find out about tech’ing and running a show on board a ship!
 
If you are curious about jobs in theatres on cruise ships, check out the Starboard Spotlight monthly newsletter, and visit the Blog archives. 
 
If you are serious about working on a cruise ship, consider at DISCOVERY CRUISE, where you too can have the chance to visit a ship’s theatres and venues in person, and learn about the lifestyle and career choice of a ship’s theatre technician!
 
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