Interview: What really goes on backstage onboard a cruise ship?

From scintillating singers to awesome acrobats, cruise ships offer an eclectic mix of live performances to keep you entertained from sunrise to sunset.

But behind the glitz and glamour, performers have trained for years and rehearsed for months to bring you a night to remember.

Here, we chat to five cruise ship entertainers to get a taste of what life is like on board and what goes on behind the scenes.

THE SINGER

Born and raised in South Carolina, Cheaza Figueroa has dreamed of becoming a singer for as long as she can remember.

“I had the privilege of growing up in a household steeped in music, as my mother was an integral part of the legendary Ike and Tina Turner Revue,” she says. “I was surrounded by the sounds of rock ’n’ roll and country so it’s no surprise that music became a huge part of my life.”

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin, Cheaza has performed in adverts, trade shows and TV programmes with the likes of Drake, Natasha Bedingfield and the rock band The Donnas. Now she spends her time bringing the sounds of the south to guests at sea.

“When I’m on board, my typical day is all about relaxation and prep for my shows,” she says. “The first day is always a breeze, as I get to unpack, unwind, pray a bit and take in the vibe of the guests.

“It’s essential to mingle with the crowd to get a sense of their energy, which helps me tailor my performances to their mood.”

You’ll find Cheaza doing what she does best on Celebrity Infinity from 26 October to 20 November, before she joins Sun Princess from 28 December until 4 January 2025.

THE IMPERSONATOR

As soon as he left school, keen singer and musician Jeffrey Allen bought himself a Casio keyboard – foreshadowing his eventual role as an Elton John impersonator.

In 1988 he met fellow musician Rick Collins, and the duo secured a residency at a bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Then a talent agent approached them about performing for Carnival Cruise Line, and the rest is history. Jeffrey says, “With ports of call like Cozumel, Key West and the Bahamas, I fell in love at first cruise.”

Following a successful decade performing in duos and bands aboard ships across several continents, Jeffrey went solo and landed a role in Las Vegas as an Elton John tribute act, which eventually led him to perform with Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

These days, Jeffrey prepares for his shows by relaxing on board alongside

guests. He adds, “I do also enjoy the ports of call, other shows and of course the food. I’m just a passenger who also happens to perform.”

In a single night, he will have a two- hour window for rehearsals and sound checks, which are then followed by two 45-minute shows.

If there is a piano in the public area of a ship, Jeffrey will treat guests to a sneak peek with a warm-up.

You’ll find Jeffrey aboard Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess from 29 December on a return sailing from Galveston in Texas, disembarking on 5 January 2025. He’ll also join Grand Princess on 25 February until 3 March 2025.

THE COMEDIAN

Micky Zany’s career as a comedian began more than 30 years ago when his cousin convinced him to take part in a holiday park talent show.

After eight minutes of banter and belly laughs, they were crowned champions – and Micky never looked back.

He says, “After turning professional, I worked in clubs and cabaret venues around the UK. My cruise break came on Canberra for P&O in 1989. Since then I’ve cruised around the world on all the major lines.”

Now a comedian with the likes of Cunard, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, P&O Cruises and Saga, Micky often takes his wife along to share the onboard experience.

With material chosen to suit the demographic of his audience and the ship’s itinerary, guests can expect everything from stand-up and impressions to vocals using live musicians (“You wouldn’t want me to use dead ones,” he quips).

“I also enjoyed doing pantomime with Pop-Up Entertainment on Fred Olsen’s Bolette in 2023.” Oh no you didn’t...

From October this year, Micky will be performing on Cunard’s Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2, P&O Cruises’ Azura and Fred Olsen’s Balmoral.

THE MAGICIAN

Going from maths class to ballet, and English lessons to tap dancing, wasn’t how Joshua Tevendale saw his secondary school life going.

But since securing a place at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London to study musical theatre, he began his journey to stardom and has never looked back.

Following stage success in shows such as Sweeney Todd and Avenue Q, Joshua landed his first cruise contract with Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Legend in Australia.

After appearing in onboard shows, he is now the resident stage magician on the line’s Mardi Gras. “I have to admit, it’s a great life on board,” he says. “All my work is in the evening, so I get to enjoy myself during the day. I like to go out and mingle with the guests and use the opportunity to perform close-up magic and invite people to the shows.”

Joshua performs magic in three productions, including M Theory and his own creation, Enigma. His current contract on Mardi Gras ends in September, and he is in talks about returning to the ship as the resident magician in 2025.

THE ACROBAT

Working as a parade performer at Walt Disney World Orlando would be a dream job for many kids. Alyssa St Joseph achieved it for real – but when injury struck, three years into her tenure with the theme park, Alyssa had to come up with a plan B.

Moving to Chicago to be closer to her family, she took up aerial classes. Then, after touring with Aerial Dance Chicago for several years, in 2019 she auditioned for a position as an aerialist with Carnival Cruise Line.

Just when her luck was changing, the Covid-19 pandemic hit and put her new role on hold.

She says, “However, in June 2021, I finally began my journey with Carnival Cruise Line as part of the inaugural Mardi Gras cast. I’m now on my fourth contract with Carnival.”

A typical day starts with a cup of coffee. “As aerial captain, it is my responsibility to set up all of the equipment that we will be using for aerial training,” she explains.

“I’m fortunate to have been part of the creative development process for shows on board Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, including Lovin’ Vegas, Voodoo Moon, The Most Magnificent Circus and We Are One.”

After a well-deserved rest in October, Alyssa will return to performing on Carnival Jubilee in November.