Story posted Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Cruise Ship Entertainer Loves Her Job
By DENISE FLEISCHER Lifestyle Editor
Samantha Minella has been performing acting roles since Kindergarten. At Maine West High School, she was selected three out of four years to be in musicals.
"I was Rizzo in 'Grease,' a pirate in 'Peter Pan,' Catherine in 'Pippin,' Ida in 'Honk!' " said the 22-year-old Des Plaines resident. "I just like being on stage and performing. It's fun and I get a thrill out of it."
Her parents are very supportive of her love of entertaining. In fact, they attended all the performances she would be in when she was in high school.
The 2004 graduate has taken her talent on higher roads. Actually, bigger oceans. Minella works for Carnival Cruise Lines when she's not a waitress at the Black Ram, working at Macy's in Woodfield or selling Anne Kline and Lucky Brand watches.
"I've been at the restaurant since Feb. 2006," she explained. "I'm a people person so I enjoy what I'm doing. It's right around the corner from where I live. It's a way of earning extra cash while I'm home."
The idea to work for a cruise line began with a family vacation in 2005. Having left behind sunny skies, returning to a gray-black one, she decided she wanted to be an entertainer on a cruise ship so she created a resume and mailed it.
"Four months later, they called me and asked if I wanted a job. Of course I said 'yes.' I was trained for one week and haven't had someone train me since," she said.
She hosts karaoke and helps produce a show called the "Carnival Legend." She sings, too. Minella stated that the guests learn popular songs from entertainment legends such as: James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Britney Spears, Madonna, Garth Brooks Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Elvis and Frank Sinatra.
Guests rehearse for a week with mp3 players to learn a legend's popular song. On the last night of the cruise, they perform it.
"They really enjoy it. They do their own thing. I tell them not to be nervous," said Minella. "I perform as Cher and another host or cruise director is Sonny. We just go out there and perform."
Minella loves meeting all these interesting people on cruises. She loves traveling throughout the Caribbean. A six to eight month contract has her living on the ship more than land, but that's okay with her. She's a full-time production singer.
"It's a whole other ballgame out there, fantasy land back to reality," is how she describes working on a cruise ship and then returning home. "I have a phone bill and the personal accessories I need. Rooms are smaller than the guest cabins."
She still has time for a personal life and to make friends from Ireland, England and South Africa.
According to the cruise director, there are 57 different nationalities on the ship.
"If we can get along here, why can't we get along," she stated. "There's 1,200 crew members on average and 3,000 guests."
After 10 years she can retire. Then what will she do? Possibly court reporting.
"I'll think about it. I don't know. I need something interesting," she said.