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Harry Miller "How Deep is the Ocean" Tour Travelogue 99/00
INTRODUCTION
"How Deep is the Ocean" Travelogue Index

Italy and Sicily

Greece

Turkey

Cyprus and Israel

Egypt

Jordan

Djibouti

Kenya and Tanzania

Madagascar and Comoros Islands

Seychelles and Maldives

Malaysia and Singapore

Indonesia

Myanmar

Thailand

Vietnam

Hong Kong and Epilogue

back to the Harry Miller Music homepage

Welcome to the photojournal pages

Intro to the "How Deep is the Ocean Tour" travelogue
(or "Life on a Cruise Ship as a Musician")

Greetings!

From October 1999 to March 2000, I was employed as bandleader and pianist on a luxury cruise ship. I self-proclaimed this as the "How Deep is the Ocean Tour". Although I had worked on ships numerous times in the past, on this particular contract I traveled more nautical miles and was exposed to a wider variety of cultures than ever before. I visited more than 20 nations from Italy to Thailand. Some friends and family suggested that I share my experiences, so I thought it might be fun to document some of them here for you.


All dressed up in Patagonian waters - 1996

A reaction I received from several people after they learned that I had been employed as a musician on cruise ships was "Wow, you got paid to travel? Lucky you!". To be sure, the traveling part of the job was its greatest asset. Traveling can be a mind-opening experience, and luckily I have had the good fortune of traveling to a lot of places. From a musical perspective, if you have the right combination of musicians it can be fun to play every night, even if it's not "high art".

Being on a cruise ship can have some other good aspects to it as well. For example, there is the opportunity to meet many people you probably would not have met otherwise. Also, if you can stay disciplined as a musician, you can find time to practice, listen to, and study music.


One of a large school of dolphins swimming along with the ship one sunny afternoon
off the northern coast of Peru - a beautiful experience - 1996

In addition, I had many peaceful experiences standing out on the deck late at night after work, gazing up at the stars, or watching moonlight sparkle on the waves. I witnessed meteor showers a couple of times, and occasionally it's possible to see dolphins or whales. Once I even saw a shark.

However, the overall gig is not what most people probably imagine it to be, so before I tell you about all of the wonderful places I visited, I think it's a good idea to provide an accurate potrayal of the entire experience - not just the "fantasy" part of it. I especially would like to give a caution to any musician considering going out on a ship for the first time - learn as much as you can before committing to a cruise gig, especially for an extended time.


Relaxing in the Amazon - 1996

Like any job, distressing challenges can arise; however on a ship things are radically different. There are no labor laws or unions to protect your rights, and once you are out there, you are committed - you can't just pick up and leave. Well, actually you can, but you will be stranded far away from home, have to pay for your own trip home, and may not get paid for the work you have already done.

Here is a generic overview of some of the typical not-so-positive aspects of cruise ship gigs (disclaimer: this only represents my personal opinion); then I will move on to some of the more uplifting memories from the "How Deep is the Ocean Tour" :

FOOD: it's free for crew on ships, and there is a reason for that - the food is almost without fail of substandard quality. Some of the food was so disgusting I doubt if most people would even serve it to their dog! Consuming "crew food" definitely affected your state of mind. During my time on ships, I witnessed several crew members going through bizarre behavioral changes, and there is a good possiblity that the extremely poor quality of food was at least partially to blame.

ACCOMODATIONS: the miniscule crew cabins are usually shared, and if the temperment of the person you are sharing with is unfavorable, watch out! You are stuck with whomever happens to be there. The crew cabins are as big as a tiny prison cell with no windows.

SUPERVISION and FELLOW EMPLOYEES: Another big gamble when employed on a cruise ship is the lack of training of the management and co-workers. Active alcoholism is still very common and widely accepted (one of the captains I worked under would ramble on unintelligibly for 20 minutes about his homemade "Norwegian moonshine" at the formal party every week). The quality of musicianship varies widely, from advanced to beginner. Musicians are routinely hired with little or no screening, which often proves to be problematic, both musically and personally.


"Titanic Revisited" - getting too close for comfort to the Garibaldi Glacier in southern Chile in 1996 (me no like hypothermia)

Some of my experiences on ships went smoothly; there were great musicians onboard, and everyone had a fun experience. This particular contract was a different story. While I have the basic belief that in life everything happens for the best, and that challenges come our way in order to teach us something about ourselves, I also think it is a good idea to avoid putting yourself in a situation where there is a recipe for conflict. No more ships for me!

Now on to the POSITIVE highlights of the trip!

to the next PhotoJournal page - "Italy and Sicily"

All text and photos (except for the photo of the cruise ship by unknown) Copyright (C) 1996-2000 Harry Miller (introduction text written circa 6/00)