The Alter Ego - Cruisin' Music

By Cruising With Honey - 11:33

Alter EgoP&O Cruises

There’s nothing like awesome live music when you’re a sea. The infectious party vibe, the amazing musicianship and of course the sing-alongs.

Having cruised on P&O several times, I can vouch that the music is always fabulous. I can also attest that The Alter Ego are one of the best bands at sea. I have been lucky to have danced along to their music and been blow away by their talents. They really are a crowd favourite.

On top of all that, VJ, Trias, Dimas and Aldi are just fabulous guys! I was lucky enough to catch up with VJ who took time out to fill me in on what it's like performing on cruise ships.

Vikar Perdana Winardi Band Leader – Band Manager – Music Coordinator
The Alter EgoVJ – Band Leader/Drums Trias – Bass Dimas – Keys/Guitar Aldi – Lead Vocals

Current Cruise

P&O Australia - Pacific Dawn (Noumea – Lifou – Port Vila -) 7 days cruise

Next cruise PD1726 (Airlie Beach – Yorkeys Knob – Port Douglas – Willis Island) 7 days cruise

When and why did you first become interested in performing at sea?

It was back on 2008, I (VJ) finished a contract with my old band Evolution in Macao, and my band leader Gavin Stakey started looking for more options, and that’s when he got the cruise ship gig.

First impression: I don’t remember much because on Day Two I had to be medically disembarked in Belfast Ireland. I stayed in a local hospital for two weeks and the band was sent home.

Since my second contract until now, every cruise has been nothing short of awesome, and challenging. I’m still very interested in cruise ship gig is because every month you meet different musicians from around the world (our agency is world wide). It is amazing how we can learn, work and play at the same time.

Had you cruised before? If not, what was your first impression?

No I hadn’t, and my first impression was how amazing it is, that with so many different nationalities on board we all get along so well with respect for each other. It makes me think, what has the media done to us out there? We should bring this message from the ship to everyone in the world. It doesn’t matter where you from, we can all live together as one as long as people love and respect each other.

How is performing on a cruise different than performing on land?

Very different. Most of international gigs around the world we only work 5-6 days a week. On board you work full time, even when we are off we still have undertake our safety duties.

What are Australian audiences like?

The best! Aussies know how to party and appreciate live music. For us, this appreciation and a smile is beyond pay day! That’s everything for us.

Would you consider other cruise lines?

P&O Australia has been our home since 2010. Along the way we have made friends and some have become really good friends as well. This is family for us, and you don’t turn your back on family.

What do you enjoy the most about being at sea? Anything you dislike?

LIKE: Rent, food, no parking to go to gig, no taxi – can’t complain! Cheap drinks for crew, haha.

DISLIKE: The twice a month drill is a bit much for us, but again it is for everyone’s safety and most importantly for my own safety.

How many cruises have you completed?

Too many – bout 9 years work on board with 4 months on board and 1-2 months off at home, most of the cruise are 7 days cruise. Yeah, sorry I don’t bother counting.

How many do you have left?

We are cruising until 8 December 2017 – Pacific Aria #TheAlterEgoFinalCruise. It is gonna be epic, book that one!

Longest number of days at sea?

Six days from Alaska into… somewhere! I can’t remember.

Do you get sea sick?

Does Jack Sparrow ever get seasick!

What are your cabins like?

I’m in charge for all the musicians on board, so as manager or band master or Music Coordinator on board I have a pretty cool cabin with a double bed and nice big sofa. The other musicians share cabins.

What is the atmosphere like among the entertainment team?

Always amazing. There is never an ‘I’ on the team, we always support each other and back up each other if someone is in need. Luckily, we always had a good team that respects each other.

Favourite port or destinations?

Isle Of Pines! Many cool stories there.

Would you recommend other artists to experience performing on a ship?
If they want to save money and see the world, then yes. It’s not for everyone because of all the rules stuff, because as you know musicians as artists love to express themselves in a free way.

Favourite ship?

We never compare any ship, complaints start when you start comparing stuff about anything. We always look at ships in a different way and take it as a new challenge. If there is an issue, we fix it together and make it awesome. What do you do when you go home and your house is a mess? You clean it and make it nice so you can be proud to call it home again.

Have of your family or friends cruised while you were on board? What was their reaction?

My wife has cruised with me several times, she always love it! It’s free food and she don’t have to cook, My family visited the ship when Eden docked in Jakarta for the day, many selfies were taken there so I assume they were very impressed.

How would you describe the quality of entertainment in ship in general?

A1, simply because for musicians all the theme nights are the same over and over again - and we have to do that every single cruise with a smile and pretend that it is the first time we have performed these songs. We don’t have a night off, it is very rare to have one so they are all super entertainers who are able to deliver a great product with a smile. Guest entertainers, traveling ship to ship in days, come on board to get to know the ship sound check and bam that night perform two or three shows! It’s crazy awesome. Cast/dancer/singer they only have 3-4 show routines with full on make up and dresses the same show for a 6 months contract. Every cruise they are doing the same, yet they delivery that show like it was the premiere.

So I say we are all pretty bad arse people.

How often do you perform? Rehearse? Do you have a favourite show or time a day to perform?

We perform every single night. We have over 1800 songs in our repertoire, so we pretty much can cover any kind of song. We rehearse when we got a request that we don’t know from passengers. Our favourite sets/show are the regular nights. This way we can do open requests. These are always good nights as we play the songs that what everyone wants to hear.

What do you enjoy doing on your days off?

Sleep! Yes we can get off the ship but with P&O we have been doing the same itinerary for a while so we have stopped getting off at the ports. We use our free times for vocal rest.

Do you enjoy the buffet? How do you stay fit?

We barely eat at the buffet, we prefer mess for crew as they have plenty of rice and spicy stuff (Real Asian)!

And Advice? Tips? Love and respect each other. Be Happy!

0 Comments

fundraise

You can change the lives of girls in Vanuatu

By Cruising With Honey - 20:28

-->

Australian cruisers LOVE the South Pacific.

DONATE HERE

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Aussies are welcomed with open arms and even wider smiles by our South Pacific neighbours. They share their stunning beaches, their tropical delights and extend an immeasurable hospitality ensuring visitors leave with lifelong happy memories.

Now, behind those beaming smiles, I never would have guessed that many young and older women hide a hidden ‘shame’. In my privileged life, this ‘shame’ is foreign to me and actually unfathomable. When I found out what this ‘shame’ was, I was incredulous. HOW the blippity-bleep can this reality exist in 2017 at our doorstep?

This 'shame'? GIRLS do not have PADS. You read that right: they do NOT have sanitary items to use during their monthly flow. They just can’t afford to buy them.

Would you like to know what these young, human girls use? Every month, they use bits of old rags while others use leaves. YES, dirty, unhygienic, leaves. Could you imagine sending your daughter to school in this condition?

As a mother of three girls – and a woman – I felt a sudden urge of white-hot anger, followed by a deep sadness. There is no way I could go to sleep tonight knowing this information and do NOTHING.

Putting the issue of hygiene and comfort aside, this reality has wider ramifications. These darling girls are too embarrassed to go to school while they are menstruating – so they don’t. Girls can miss up to 3 days per week, every month. In a year, this adds up to more than a month off school. They fear the humiliation of being caught out at school, and I know from experience, every woman in the world can relate to this fear of embarrassment due to a leak. In a young girl’s head, this fear is amplified a hundred-fold.

So, they miss out on school, fall behind and even drop out. This creates a widespread situation where women have less education, less opportunity, and less say in their communities.

Care Australia have come up with a way to help. With your donation, they can provide reusable pads and support to girls in Tanna, Vanuatu, to help them stay in school. I implore you to help raise $44,000, which will help 560 girls across 10 schools continue their education. Each girl will receive a hygiene kit containing two pad holders to clip to her underpants, eight washable and reusable pad liners, two pairs of underwear, hand soap, laundry detergent and a bucket for washing her pads.

I challenge you to donate the cost of ONE cocktail, say $15. Together WE can change the lives of girls, help break the poverty cycle and help girls focus on their education, not menstruation. Thank you

DONATE HERE