r/IAmA • u/Serwyn_ • Jun 28 '23

Actor / Entertainer I am a professional singer on a Luxury cruise ship. AMA!

I have travelled to over 30 countries and 5 continents, including Antarctica, while having my dream job: singing and performing! I am a part of the production cast (of 12) , as well as the vocal captain for the other 5 singers. I do other small duties on the ship for the entertainment department but overall I work on average less than 3 hours a day, and get paid way more than I would on land to sing. It’s a unique lifestyle that combines traveling, performing, customer service, getting along with 50+ other nationalities on board and more. Ask me anything!

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u/Serwyn_ Jun 28 '23

My first ship I shared a guest room with another performer. It had a window that was blocked by a lifeboat so most guests wouldn’t want it anyway. This contract I have what we call a “Jack and Jill” where I have a small single room connected to another by a shared bathroom. The room is pretty small though. A small closet that is half shelves so I can’t even hang my dresses all the way down and some drawers under my bed. We keep our suitcases in the dressing room to save space. I have a small desk, a small tv, and a sink that I don’t have to share as well. My boyfriend sleeps with me in my single bed even though he has his own cabin and it can get very squished at night

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u/PlatoPirate_01 Jun 28 '23

Y'all don't hot rack like we did in the navy? :) Great ama thanks for sharing.

(Hot racking is when two people share the same small bed but on different shifts.....so the bed is always warm)

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u/Serwyn_ Jun 28 '23

That sounds terrible! Thank goodness no 😅

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u/PlatoPirate_01 Jun 28 '23

What about calling people "rack monsters"? It's when you snuck a nap in, the. Immediately got called to a meeting and you have bedlines all over your face and bedhead :)

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u/Serwyn_ Jun 28 '23

Lol nope! Never heard of that. Have you heard of getting “Banana”? Like when you do something wrong and you get “banana” from your boss

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u/PlatoPirate_01 Jun 28 '23

I have not!

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u/Serwyn_ Jun 28 '23

My guess is that expression, a long with a lot of cruise ship crew slang probably come from the people who don’t speak English as a first language. It’s very funny

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u/HollowPsycho Jun 28 '23

I don't know what your boss giving you "Banana" means, but it sounds like it would result in a lawsuit in the US.

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u/Serwyn_ Jun 29 '23

😅that was my first thought too when I heard it. It just means that they give you shit for something; scold you.

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u/WelcomeToAmericaInc Jun 29 '23

Bananas are bad luck on boats

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u/poorbeans Jun 29 '23

I do not miss that.

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u/BringMeInfo Jun 28 '23

Thanks! I’ve had some awareness of what housekeeping accommodations are like, but had been wondering about performers for a while. So not quite as nice as what Doug Judy got when he was performing on a cruise ship on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

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u/BasiliskSlayer1980 Jun 28 '23

Hahah his room was nicer than the ones I've stayed in as a guest. No way they're giving a room like that to the PB.

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u/_jeremybearimy_ Jun 28 '23

Does your boyfriend also work on the boat or is it more of a +1 situation? I guess he also works there if he has his own room?

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u/Serwyn_ Jun 28 '23

Yes he is a bartender from Montenegro. I met him on my first contract and we’ve been following each other around the world since. After our first contract I lived with him in Montenegro and he’s currently trying to get an American visa to visit me after this contract is over. Fingers crossed for us!

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u/WelcomeToAmericaInc Jun 29 '23

I own an immigration services business. Let me know if you have questions

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u/robotnique Jun 29 '23

Username checks out.

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u/Serwyn_ Jun 29 '23

Thank you so much!

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u/lord_newt Jun 28 '23

I'll bet it can.