Lieutenant Commander’s Log # 1

 Well, it’s taken me long enough to get around to writing this blog.  Yes, I’m back on a cruise ship in Europe. This time, in addition to my usual adventures in Oslo, Norway and Kiel, Germany, I’ll be spending an extra month on a different ship, ‘Silja Line’, a Finnish ship that travels back and forth from Stockholm to Helsinki.  

I’m singing and playing with a trio. The pianist is someone new to the trio cruise band line up, although not new to working on cruise ships. Pianist Aurel Dragalina, spent 15 years as a band director on the Royal Caribbean Cruise line. Sadly, the new Caribbean Cruise Line insurance policy now has strict rules about weight etc, even type 2 diabetics will not be employed. I think that’s what put the stop to my working for them. After 15 years, Aurel was let go due to being overweight.    

About the band... Aurel is from Romania. Aurel was recommended by another Romanian pianist, my friend, the original ship trio pianist Doru Apreotesei. If Doru says he’s good, that’s all I need to know, and of course he’s VERY good.  And then there’s the world traveling maestro, bassist, Jair Rohm Parker. We’ve played many ‘Color Line’ shows together.  

When I first started doing these cruise ship gigs, I was overwhelmed by ALL the rules and how easy it is for some over zealous power holder to fire you just to confirm their position.   The rules on the “Silja” ship is similar to Color Line, BUT different. For example, on Color Line you always have to wear your name ID. On Silja you have to wear your ID card whenever you’re in the mess, but you’re not permitted to wear it anywhere else. They want you to look like a passenger.  “Hey, ain’t you one of those black guys in the band?” “No. Not at the moment.”   Now this doesn’t seem like too big a deal until someone sees you with or without your ID in an inopportune time. You’ll get chewed out and you’re saying to yourself,  “What’s with the indignation?”  

Instead of performing in a lounge, on Silja, the trio performs on the promenade in view of everyone boarding and or strolling the promenade.  We can see everyone and everyone can see us. It’s full exposure, instead of being tucked away in a corner of a lounge where people have to make an effort to see you and of course they’re not there to see you but socialize and occasionally notice that there’s a live band.  

The ‘Silja’ crew seems friendlier and less stressed than the other ship.  

There seems to be more dining options on Silja.  Color Line has a Cinema. There’s no Cinema on Silja. Color Line’s theater and productions are a bit larger.  However, the quality of the entertainment is top notch on both ships. Both ships have casinos.   

One of the things that really stick out on Silja is the large number of couples with children.  There’s a whole floor just for children. 

Apparently, the older kids are just as addicted to the slot machines as their grand parents. 

Next:  The Finnish and the finish.