​
I work on cruise ships. We can’t get back to normal if we can’t require vaccines.
The Washington Post, June 2021
Alissa Musto is a musician, singer and songwriter who has entertained audiences around the world as a guest entertainer on luxury cruise ships. She is a former Miss Massachusetts and Miss America finalist and has a master's degree in music business and entertainment industries from the University of Miami's Frost School of Music...Read more
​
What’s missing from pandemic-era travel? Plenty.
The Washington Post, October 2020
Turndowns and emptied wastebaskets are not the only things missing from the hotel experience. Alissa Musto, a musician from Boston, has noticed the disappearance of coffee in the lobby. “I didn’t realize how much I’d miss it,” she says...Read more
I’m a Cruise Ship Entertainer, And I Have No Idea When I’ll Get Back to Sea After Coronavirus
Conde Nast Traveler, ​April 2020
"Alissa Musto is a singer-songwriter on the MS Rotterdam, performing in a dueling piano show called Billboard Onboard. Early into her cruise ship contract, Holland America announced it was suspending operations and sending home all passengers and non-essential crew. At the time, she was three days into a two-week Panama Canal crossing. When we caught up with Musto last week, she was hunkering down at her parents’ house in the Boston suburbs. She is eager to return to ship life, but when that will happen is anyone’s guess..." Read more
​
16 Travel-Inspired Virtual Classes And Experiences To Check Out This Week
Travel Awaits, ​April 2020
"Audiences at cruise ship shows may have more of a say in the entertainment, says Alissa Musto, a professional cruise ship entertainer. "As a piano bar entertainer, longer cruises will consist of more 'all-request' performances rather than standard, themed shows with definite setlists," to ensure guests don't hear the same songs over and over again...” Read more
​
How Traveling Enriches Your Life: 49 Expert Travelers Comment
OutwitTrade, ​April 2020
"Traveling has enriched my life in ways I could have never imagined, and the fact that performing music, my true passion, has brought me these opportunities is a dream come true. Visiting over 30 countries, I have been exposed to so many amazing cultures, languages, foods, historic landmarks and natural phenomenons...” Read more
​
An Open Letter to the Guys We Meet on Our Travels
Bidroom, ​February 2020
"Alissa emphasises that we aren’t travelling to look for love: “Although randomly meeting a solo foreign female traveler is a great start for a rom-com, we’re not all traveling by ourselves because we’re single.” In fact, for 42% of women, the primary reason to travel solo is to gain independence and freedom — not a date...” Read more
​
What It’s Like to Be on a 40-Day Long Cruise
Reader's Digest, ​January 2020
"Audiences at cruise ship shows may have more of a say in the entertainment, says Alissa Musto, a professional cruise ship entertainer. "As a piano bar entertainer, longer cruises will consist of more 'all-request' performances rather than standard, themed shows with definite setlists," to ensure guests don't hear the same songs over and over again...” Read more
​
7 Women Share What It's Really Like To Work On A Cruise Ship
Refinery29, ​August 2019
"If you've ever taken a cruise vacation, you know that it takes thousands of people to make sure you and your fellow travelers are housed, fed, and entertained well while on the trip. But, as travelers, there's a lot that goes into cruise ship hospitality we don't know about. To find out what it's really like to work and live on a cruise ship, we spoke to seven current and former employees..." Read more
​
Frequent Travelers Share Their Favorite Airplane Hacks
Reader's Digest, ​November 2019
"Alissa Musto, a professional musician who travels about 10 or 11 months out of the year, says she usually waits until she's already at the airport to check in rather than checking in early. "When you check in, the airlines are hoping you're going to pay extra to sit by the window or where there might be a few empty seats next to you, so they're going to assign the less desirable seats first," Musto says. "If you wait to check in, you have a better chance of getting assigned a more desirable seat, which they're hoping someone would pay for..." Read more
​
13 things smart travellers always do before a flight
Reader's Digest Australia, ​April 2019
"Great, did you just sprint all the way to your gate only to find out it was switched to one much closer to where you started? “Sign up for flight updates on your phone,” says Alissa Musto, a professional travelling musician and singer-songwriter. “If your flight is delayed or security lines are long, you’ll get updates in real time so you know what to expect when you arrive at the airport and can plan accordingly..." Read more
​
These affordable weekend getaways are perfect for your next (cheap) girls' trip
Yahoo! Life, ​July 2018
"Miami tends to get a lot of love, but traveling musician and blogger Alissa Musto said we shouldn’t forget about another Florida city: Fort Lauderdale. “I’ve flown to Fort Lauderdale for $100 round trip,” she said. In addition to sandy beaches, you can’t miss attractions like the Instagram-worthy Bonnet House Museum & Gardens or the Everglades..." Read more
​
6 Ways to Avoid Stress While Traveling For Work
Choice Hotels
“I’m frequently traveling for work, and my favorite way to alleviate stress is getting in a good workout,” says Alissa Musto, a professional musician. Among her stress relief tips..." Read more
​
lifestyle
​
Side Hustles Are Helping Many Close The Income Gap In The Pandemic—Here’s What To Look For
Forbes, October 2020
Singer-songwriter Alissa Musto had been touring full-time as a musician aboard luxury cruise ships. But that came to an abrupt end in March, when the coronavirus pandemic prompted cruise ships to cut short trips and cancel remaining 2020 sailings. Since then, the 25-year-old former Miss Massachusetts has begun blogging—her first post for Medium was about her experience watching the cruise ship industry come to a halt in the pandemic while on-board her ship—picking up work as an Instagram influencer and even filming lessons for a piano-playing teaching app...Read more
​
People Are Coming Out Of The Woodwork To Commit Random Acts Of Kindness
Bustle, May 2020
"Alissa, 24, worked as an entertainer on a cruise ship before travel was shut down. Since she's been off the boat, her inbox has been inundated with notes from people who remember her. "The pandemic has devastated the cruise industry, and I am not working," she tells Bustle. "But over the past two months, I have had so many former guests write to me, inquire about my whereabouts, and thank me for the memories and making their vacations so memorable." Read more.
Unemployment Numbers Soar With Fallout From Coronavirus
Money Under 30, ​April 2020
"Up until a few weeks ago, Alissa Musto was a full-time performer aboard cruise ships. The pianist and vocalist is trying to stay positive, “Honestly, the only thing I can do now is update my resumé, website, promo packages, etc. and keep up with practicing and improving, so when the industry does resume, I can be competitive..." Read more
​
How to Eat Healthy in College and Avoid Weight Gain on Cafeteria Food
Thrive Global, ​May 2018
"Former Miss Massachusetts and 2016 college graduate Alissa Musto was training to compete at Miss Massachusetts and eventually Miss America and knows just how hard it can be to stay on track with healthy eating while in college. “One rule that I like to stick with..." Read more
​
Why Christmas week is the most productive time of year for workers
Moneyish, ​December 2018
"It’s also the season for performers and hospitality workers to make bank before the winter months freeze foot traffic. Singer and pianist Alissa Musto is booked every day for the next two weeks except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, although she’s worked on many Christmases past. “Everyone that works as a musician or in the hotel or restaurant industry knows that you’re likely gonna have to work during those holidays,” she told Moneyish..."
​
15 Women Reveal the Most Meaningful Thing They Ever Splurged On
Cosmopolitan, ​March 2018
"Here, 15 women open up about the best thing they've ever spent money on — from designer outfits they've been eyeing for years to spontaneous vacations they'll remember forever — and what each hard-earned purchase meant to them...” Read more
​
How Miss America Contestants Make Themselves Look Fitter—Overnight
Eat This Not That, December 2016
"A few days before a competition, I cut out all salt from my diet," Miss Massachusetts 2016 says—which we have to agree is a smart move. Too much of the mineral can cause water retention and bloat! She also gets a spray tan. "It makes everything look a little more toned," she explains...Read more
​