Supercruising Life at Sea (2025) Season 1 Episode 1

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Transcript

00:00Around the world cruise ships are getting bigger, bolder and busier.

00:07These vast floating cities run 24 hours a day.

00:11We go back-to-back with cruises. We don't take a break at all.

00:15Carrying thousands of passengers and crew.

00:18That's a big job.

00:20And offering everything from fine dining.

00:22Taste explosion, I like that.

00:24To full-scale theatres.

00:27They're built for adventure and designed for luxury.

00:32You could get used to this. Cheers!

00:34This year, a world-leading cruise line is back sailing a full season from the UK for the first time in a decade.

00:42Meet the MS Neustadtendam.

00:45Weighing 100,000 tonnes with 12 passenger decks.

00:50Well ready for this.

00:5212 restaurants curated by world-renowned chefs.

00:55That's what I'm talking about.

00:56Ooh, it's a buzz.

00:57And a full program of entertainment.

00:59We are expected to do everything perfectly at all times.

01:02And excursions day and night.

01:05At the same time, her sister ship, the MS Rotterdam, is cruising through the Americas.

01:10Nearly 4,000 people on board.

01:13Cruise excited!

01:14A 760-seat theatre.

01:1610 minutes, mic check please. Mic checks, 10 minutes.

01:19And all the onboard amenities you'd expect for a perfect holiday at sea.

01:23Let's go.

01:24Oh, it's gorgeous.

01:25Lovely.

01:26Yes, let's go.

01:27Over the course of the cruising season, we'll be following both ships as they travel around the Americas,

01:33North Africa's, North Africa, and Europe.

01:39This time, the Rotterdam drops anchor in the Bahamas.

01:43Sand, sun, and sea.

01:45And the new Staten Dam docks in the idyllic island of Madeira.

01:50Just a lovely facial expression.

01:51Yeah!

01:52Dover, on the southeast coast of England, is famed for its dramatic chalk cliffs.

02:09But it's also home to one of the busiest cruise ports in the UK.

02:13And today's the first time in a decade that a ship from the Holland America Line will set sail for a full season from the UK.

02:22The ship is amongst the newest and plushest in the fleet.

02:27At 300 meters long, it has space to offer something for everyone, from seven entertainment venues to fitness and sport facilities.

02:35The swankiest in a range of suites comes with its own outdoor whirlpool.

02:40And culinary pleasures range from sweet treats to fine dining from around the world.

02:46In a typical fortnight, passengers get through 750 kilos of lobster.

02:59Working behind the scenes, a crew of almost a thousand.

03:02Oh, my gosh.

03:03Including the ship's British security officer, Rich Fontaine.

03:07I'm responsible on board for the security of the ship, guests, the crew.

03:20Any security-related duties that falls into my domain.

03:24It's a challenging role at times.

03:26Busy, long port days.

03:28Yeah, I've always got something on my plate, something to do.

03:31I don't get bored.

03:33During the course of one year, Rich is responsible for around 60,000 passengers, keeping a hawkish eye out for seemingly innocent luggage that could spell danger.

03:44This is all confiscated items, things that are prohibited.

03:49Mainly electrical items, steamers, kettles, this kind of stuff.

03:53We'd rather take it than have to go into their cabin and take it once the fire has started.

03:59Born in Jersey, Rich has worked at sea for 40 years, with no plans to jump ship until he retires.

04:06I joined my first ship when I was 17 years of age.

04:11Well, I started off as a deck boy, worked through a few different positions, and ended up here.

04:17Things were a lot different in the security world then.

04:20There was no supervisors, no guards.

04:23We didn't have x-ray machines or anything like that, so it was a one-man show.

04:28Now running a team of 13, Rich keeps a close eye on the progress of boarding the passengers.

04:34Nearly 3,000 are booked in for the two-week cruise.

04:38This is exciting, isn't it?

04:39Oh, absolutely.

04:41Among them are Claire and Graham from Nottingham.

04:44So we need to go to deck seven.

04:48They've been on 15 cruises, and this time they've pushed the boat out,

04:52booking one of the smartest suites that comes with a personal concierge service.

04:57There we go, off you go.

04:58Thank you very much.

05:00Their luxurious cabin boasts a spacious sitting area, private veranda, and a variety of other perks.

05:09Go to the beach with pool towels.

05:11Take me to the beach for free.

05:13I bet you can't take it home for free.

05:17I'm just going to have a sit down, Graham. I'm shattered.

05:19Right, go on then.

05:21We're here on this cruise because we will be celebrating 40 years of marriage.

05:26Since their first cruise in 1989, Graham and Claire have moved up in the world.

05:31We do like our luxuries now. We've worked hard all our lives.

05:35We started off our first cruise, we had bunk beds in a tiny little cabin without an outside window.

05:43I broke the top bunk, it collapsed.

05:45And to grab...

05:46No comment.

05:47And gradually over the years, fortunately, we've been able to work our way up and we absolutely love it.

05:54It just works for us.

05:57Luxury touches in Claire and Graham's suite also include fresh flowers.

06:01They're the handiwork of the ship's floral designer, Noven Cardano, from the Philippines.

06:07Working as a florist on board, it's a really big job because I am the only florist. It's only me.

06:15Sometimes I don't sleep. I'm just kidding.

06:19Noven takes delivery of two pallets of flowers with around 40 species for each two-week voyage.

06:24First day of the cruise, I will receive the fresh flowers.

06:28So right from the loading, I have to clean them, check them if it's on the good condition of flowers.

06:36Yeah, I think it's all done now. So it's good and ready for delivery.

06:41Guests can order flowers, or they may be complimentary with the suite.

06:45One of which, Noven especially enjoys visiting.

06:48Flower delivery!

06:49The most and my favorite suite is the penthouse.

06:53And it's a luxurious room that you wanted to stay in.

06:58They have all the amenities.

07:00So welcome to the penthouse.

07:03It's really nice.

07:05The ship has just one pinnacle suite.

07:08Nearly a thousand square feet of indulgence starts with mimosas at breakfast

07:12and runs through to the veranda whirlpool.

07:15Who doesn't love a jacuzzis while you're staying on your room, right?

07:19Can you imagine having a jacuzzi here while seeing the view?

07:23And take note, only florists can come inside here aside from the steward.

07:28So I'm lucky.

07:30Nearly 5,000 miles away across the Atlantic is Fort Lauderdale, Florida,

07:48dubbed the Venice of America for its many waterways.

07:51It's also where four million passengers a year set sail on the journey of a lifetime.

08:00At Terminal 18, the nearly thousand strong crew of the Holland America Line's newest super vessel,

08:05the MS Rotterdam, are working hard to prepare for the arrival of well over two and a half thousand new passengers.

08:12Jericho, what's on that side? Technical?

08:15There's less than two hours between the last passengers from the previous cruise disembarking and the new ones joining.

08:22The pressure is on for assistant hotel general manager Chris Koenstra's team.

08:27We have 1,340 gas cabins.

08:30They will start one by one stripping the cabins, cleaning them and then making up again.

08:35Yeah, that's a hell of a job. That's a big job.

08:39If we can leave in time, then it's always a mission accomplished.

08:43It's not just the cabins.

08:45The laundry is working at full pelt to process some 6,000 towels and all the bed linen.

08:51And down on the dockside, there's around 750 tons of food, drink and other essential supplies to load.

08:59But with the final pillows plumped, the frenetic activity draws to a close and the passengers can board.

09:10Good afternoon, ma'am. How are you? Welcome on board. You know where to go?

09:18The passengers will be cruising on this award-winning vessel, launched in 2022 as the flagship of the fleet.

09:25Amenities include a large auditorium, two pools and four specialty restaurants, aiming to cater to discerning passengers.

09:38Ultimately responsible for an all-round premium experience on the upcoming Caribbean cruise is Captain Eric Barhorst.

09:45He's in charge of almost 100,000 gross tons of ship that can cut through the waves at a top speed of around 25 miles an hour.

09:55We've been at sea now 25 years. We have a lot of repeat passengers. Some of them have sailed 40 years or longer.

10:03I'm a rookie.

10:07The center of the bridge is what we call the cockpit. So the ship is 300 meters long, but we can control it with a tiny little joystick like that.

10:15Which is quite amazing when you think about it.

10:20So I grew up in the southwest of the Netherlands on the coast. I spent a lot of time in and around the water.

10:25And from about 10 or 12 years old, I figured when I grow up, that's what I want to do. Drive one of those big boats that I saw passing.

10:33Eric's career has taken him around the world, but his heart belongs in Britain.

10:39My wife, Farah, is English. We live in Oxfordshire with our two cats, Alfie and Noodles.

10:45Of course, I am away for longer periods of time on board the ship. But to be away at sea and see the ocean, you do realize that you're privileged.

10:56Life as a captain has Eric notching up nearly 56,000 miles a year at sea. Much of it from the nerve center that's the bridge.

11:04This is the bridge wing. This is where we maneuver the ship from. We again have all the engine controls right here for the main propellers and the bouchers.

11:15The other cool thing is that we have this glass floor plate that shows us how far away we are when we move the ship away from the dock.

11:23It's not long now until the ship sets sail on its 12-day cruise of the Caribbean, stopping off at destinations like the Bahamas, Aruba, Colombia, Costa Rica and Jamaica.

11:41But the highlight of the trip for many is the Panama Canal, where the ship will traverse three of the locks that connect the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific.

11:53On the bridge, Captain Eric needs to ready his team for navigation out of the bustling port.

11:59It requires a maximum staffing level, known as Red Manning, including four officers and two lookouts.

12:06Bridge team functions for this afternoon. I will be the navigator for the departure and docking maneuver.

12:12I think the great part about being the captain of the ship is that it involves a lot of different things.

12:17Working with a thousand crew members from 45 different nationalities.

12:21We want to be about 5-0 meters so that we have enough room for the stern later to swing into the channel.

12:29I always say the captain's job is the easiest job on board as long as I have a good team.

12:34I just need to walk around and take the credit and wave and smile.

12:38Welcome aboard. Guest service is on deck number three, one deck up.

12:47As the newly boarded passengers settle into their cabins...

12:51Ooh.

12:53Oh, it's big. Nice.

12:54Yeah, there's plenty of room.

12:59The navigation team sets to work for departure.

13:02Starvers side still clear. Final check, ready in the centre.

13:06The atmosphere on the bridge during departure, in a moment it might feel stressful.

13:12Yes, it's the bridge. Can you confirm ECR is still committed for departure?

13:18They are committed for departure, yes.

13:20Fort Lauderdale is a very busy port. Lots of cruise ships. It's not a whole lot of room.

13:26Good enough. Stop maneuvering.

13:28Copy, lower.

13:30Under way.

13:31The ship's engines deliver nearly 70,000 horsepower, about 600 times as much as a family saloon.

13:40But in tight spaces, the crew use only a fraction of that.

13:44Just as important are thrusters, propellers which assist sideways movements.

13:5030 RPMs easing on the boat.

13:56You have to make certain decisions under time pressure.

13:58I always try and remain calm.

14:04While the bridge officers must retain a laser focus.

14:08Who is ready for a good cruise?

14:13The passengers can immediately kick back at the sail away party.

14:19It's all about making new friends and having fun.

14:22Zero nine, slowly closing.

14:23Both boats ahead at 30 RPMs.

14:27Zero nine, slowly closing.

14:29Both boats ahead at 30 RPMs.

14:33As we are sailing out of Fort Lauderdale on the bridge, of course the guests are enjoying our sail away party.

14:48So it will probably be a little bit more festive atmosphere than on the bridge.

14:53Although we do sound the horn when we sail out to add to the festivities.

14:57Next in store for the passengers, an exclusive private island beach paradise.

15:07The distance to our first port, Hofmoenki, in the Bahamas is 270 nautical miles for an arrival of 9 AM tomorrow morning.

15:16In Dover, the cruise line is embarking on its first full season of departures from the UK in a decade.

15:31To celebrate, each sailing will fly the flag for British cuisine in the ship's main buffet.

15:37This is the jam roly-poly, right?

15:42Okay.

15:43Where's the rice pudding?

15:45Responsible for making it all happen.

15:48Some garnish on the greens.

15:51Yes, yes, yes, please.

15:53Executive chef Juniel Marcelo from the Philippines.

15:56Executive chef is fully in charge for the whole ship and also planning all the events coming on the upcoming ports.

16:04And I'm handling about 200 cooks.

16:08We bought a lot of local items that we're going to present on the Ludo Buffet.

16:13We call this on the British team dinner.

16:15The feast is the first of nearly 300,000 meals and snacks that will be served during the cruise.

16:22Amongst the treats, over 300 Bakewell tarts and mini Victoria sponges and 90 trifles.

16:28And there's more.

16:30So as you can see here, we have some, uh, this savory, savory egg.

16:35Uh, the scotch eggs, actually.

16:38We planned for almost a month what are the things that we're gonna serve in Dover.

16:44So local cheese, local meats, local pies, especially local fresh fish.

16:50Amongst the international mix of passengers sampling the British dishes, Michelle and Kim from Florida.

17:00So what'd you think about the food?

17:031010 would recommend.

17:05I mean, I love, I mean, you know how much I love chicken.

17:08You have a whole mash up there of food.

17:12More accustomed to all things British.

17:15Look at that view. It's gorgeous, isn't it?

17:17Yeah.

17:18Sam and Barry from Lincoln.

17:20They've seen amazing views in many different countries.

17:23How many cruises have we been on?

17:26It's about 10 or 11, I think.

17:27We've done river cruises.

17:29We've done two half-worlds.

17:31Um, we've done the, uh, Baltic Sea.

17:33The Caribbean.

17:34The Caribbean.

17:35Yeah, keep counting.

17:36We've done everywhere.

17:38Yeah.

17:39Right.

17:40I am getting cold, so I think it'd be a good idea now if we go down and find our cabin.

17:45Golly good idea. Right, let's go.

17:46If we can.

17:48Come on in.

17:50There's a good chance of warmer weather ahead.

17:53As the 14-day voyage travels Europe and North Africa, stopping at ports of call including Madeira, Portugal and Morocco.

18:02It's a route that should provide good experience for deck cadet Wouter Versteeg.

18:08I'm 23 years old.

18:09I'm on my last contract as a cadet, so I'm about to finish college, so I've done four years of school.

18:16And, uh, yeah, I'm happy, uh, to look forward to the future, uh, when I start earning some money.

18:23As a cadet, you're still in training to become a licensed third officer.

18:28So what I do normally in my day is I'm on the bridge with the officers and seeing how they navigate the ship and how they maneuver the ship.

18:34As well as gaining hands-on experience, Wouter's also juggling homework.

18:39I'm still in school, so part of that will have to write a thesis.

18:44And it takes a lot of time, a lot of effort.

18:47So I'm trying to work hard on it.

18:50I'd say every day is a school day here on board.

18:52It's very intense.

18:53Uh, I mean, uh, they expect a lot of me to become a fully licensed officer.

18:57It can be a bit tricky to be at the lowest rank.

19:00You're the stupidest guy in the room, right?

19:02But you feel like a young gun, right?

19:03You think you can prove yourself to the world.

19:06And you come here, and then you try to show yourself off a bit, and then you really learn, no, you don't really know that much.

19:12You know?

19:13So that could be a rough place, uh, some days, because you want to try your best, you really work hard, and then there's always something you don't know that you should know.

19:22With four decades at sea behind him, there's not much Rich the security officer doesn't know about.

19:29Okay? All good?

19:32Bridge, gangway.

19:34Now all the passengers have boarded, it's just a matter of reporting in.

19:38Gangway, go in.

19:40Green on the door, thank you.

19:41And the ship can set sail.

19:44One of the more fun parts to sail out is Dover, because it's a very challenging port.

19:49We have a lot of tide, so that creates current.

19:52So that's pushing the ship significantly to one side.

19:58So the ship starts turning, and you have to correct it.

20:03To see the crew work on that, that's, yeah, really impressive.

20:12With the ship safely steered out of port, it's time to say goodbye to the Union Jack.

20:19So the British lake is now coming down.

20:22We'll take it down because we sail out of the British waters.

20:25Uh, but yeah, it's time to move on.

20:27Cruise goes on.

20:29Time to go to our next port of call.

20:30I've not sailed out of Dover for, uh, a good few years.

20:41So it's, uh, it's nice to be there.

20:43I mean, yeah, the White Cliffs and all that, yeah.

20:47I mean, I'm British.

20:48Who wouldn't love seeing the White Cliffs of Dover?

20:51They look fabulous.

20:53They're quite stunning, aren't they, really?

20:55Absolutely.

20:56And unique.

20:58You never know where you are when you see them.

21:04Cheers.

21:05Bye-bye, England.

21:06Half monkey, half monkey, Rotterdam, Rotterdam, 7-4.

21:25Since leaving Fort Lauderdale, the flagship of the fleet has sailed through calm waters.

21:30But below deck, it's a hive of activity.

21:34You guys know which side already?

21:36Port side.

21:37Port side?

21:39The crew's making preparations to give nearly 2,000 passengers a truly memorable day ashore at the first port of call.

21:47We're about an hour away from the island, just checking that the weather conditions are fine for this morning and that everything is in place for our arrival, please.

21:55The 12-day voyage around the Caribbean has reached the Bahamas, a chain of over 700 low-lying islands with one just 50 miles from the Florida coast.

22:06They were largely created by the disintegration of coral reefs, but major areas of reef remain, and they're a popular attraction.

22:15Just as appealing is a climate with overwhelmingly sunny days and average temperatures between 20 and 29 degrees centigrade.

22:24Good morning to you again, Captain Eric. It's going to be a beautiful day at Half Moon Cay. It's flat calm in the bay.

22:30The ship will anchor at the exclusive private island of Half Moon Cay, the name echoing its distinctively shaped white sand bay.

22:39Previously known as Little San Salvador, it was renamed after Holland America Line bought it in 1996.

22:46OK, right, that sounds great. The tenders and the half moon clipper on arrival.

22:53The visit here is a nautical and logistical challenge for Captain Eric and his crew.

22:58There is no dock, so we'll be actually planning to drop one of our anchors to keep the ship in position in the bay.

23:07And that means that there is no gangway today, so we have to ferry everyone from the ship to the shore and back.

23:12So up here, obviously, it's quite calm, but downstairs on A-deck, they are making all the preparations for today.

23:21While passengers enjoy a leisurely breakfast and the prospect of a tropical idyll,

23:26they are making all the time.

23:28Assistant hotel general manager Chris Koenstler is supervising the movement of nearly one and a half tons of food needed for their big day out.

23:37Pretty much anything on the island which is consumed by our guests and our crew is being brought from the ship with us.

23:43So all the food, all the drinks, they're preparing all the trolleys right here with all the food and beverages.

23:48But yeah, now it's calm before the storm.

23:56There's already a storm of activity on the island overseen by the Keys manager Ryan Knowles.

24:04I'm from Nassau, Bahamas.

24:07So I am a full-blown Bahamian, 90 miles away from here at Half Moon Cay.

24:13But yes, Nassau, Bahamas is where I'm from and Half Moon Cay is where I live.

24:19Well, the day starts off at 5 o'clock in the morning.

24:22I get a call from the captain stating their ETA.

24:26Once we have that initial conversation, that's when the island really starts kicking off.

24:31We have the landscaping team out blowing all the leaves and making sure that the island is pristine.

24:38We have our maintenance department on the beach raking the beach because we want to make it look like when the ship comes here,

24:44it's been the first time the guests or anyone has ever been there.

24:51We have over 265 ships that come a year.

24:54We just got another 70.

24:56So if you put that math together, we're going to have a ship here every day of the year.

25:01It's a lot, but we're used to it. We got it.

25:04As the island has no dock, it relies on a boat known as a clipper to transfer all the stock for the bars and a barbecue.

25:15These are the guys that will be pushing on the trolleys onto the platform and then the crane will hoist them onto the clipper.

25:24The clipper was purpose built for serving the island with a high capacity crane to help shift the huge loads from ship to shore.

25:33Jericho, how many trolleys we have? 15? 15 trolleys. How long does it take? 20 minutes. 20 minutes?

25:48While the provisions are being loaded, the first of two passenger ferries, known as tenders, has arrived from the island.

25:55The weather forecast currently fair skies with a high today of 89 degrees Fahrenheit.

25:59Throughout the day, the tenders will shuttle over to the quayside 15 to 20 times.

26:05It's part of a well-rehearsed maneuver to get all the passengers as quickly as possible to their taste of island life.

26:13Triple S is what we go by down here. Sand, sun, and sea.

26:20We want everyone to have unforgettable memories when they come to visit us.

26:30At Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, the arrival of nearly 2,000 visitors from the ship on the Caribbean route is swelling the island's population of 65 by 2,800%.

26:43Yeah, I just want to get confirmation that we're up and running for the new bar.

26:48But for now, manager Ryan is focused on the clipper, which is docked with the day's supplies.

26:53And I'll tell permit if we should be ready to go.

26:56Excellent. I'll come down and check in a couple of minutes. Thank you.

26:58There's barely two hours to get all the food and drink unloaded and set up for a giant barbecue to feed everyone on the island.

27:09Tavares, we go into the food pavilion, all right?

27:13So we're heading to the food pavilion so that we can start prepping so that we can have the island barbecue up and ready to serve all our guests.

27:26Well, they've already started arriving at the island already, but I think we're going to have lunch starting at 11 o'clock today.

27:31So they'll be chomping at the bits ready at 10.59, guaranteed.

27:38To assist with this Herculean task, 118 staff from the ship are working on the island for the day, alongside the Bahamas-based team.

27:47Lena, are we good to go?

27:48Good to go, good to go.

27:50Claude, are we good to go? Yes, sir.

27:51All right, well, let's get the day started.

27:56We work in conjunction with the ship, so they will serve the guests, whereas my team makes sure that they're ready to go.

28:01Make sure the bimmeries are working, make sure the grills are working, make sure there's enough gas.

28:05So we kind of work together to make sure that the amenities are good and the crew make sure to feed the guests.

28:15While the hospitality team toiled to get a barbecue set up, the tenders are still busily ferrying day-trippers ready for their day of lounging in the sun, sea and sand.

28:28Hey, how's it going?

28:30Car now?

28:32Amongst over 90,000 passengers from around the world who travel on the ship each year are Thomas and Shauna from Kentucky in the U.S.

28:39Thank you!

28:41They're on the cruise to celebrate, and they've brought their son Michael along for the ride.

28:46I can't believe you're crashing our 20th anniversary trip.

28:51Well, you were the one that wanted me to come.

28:53I just, I would have been sad without you. It's just such a great experience.

28:58They've opted for an adventurous way to enjoy what the island has to offer.

29:01Horseback riding, maybe the barbecue on the beach.

29:06Uh-huh. And then when we go horseback riding, they're going to go swimming.

29:10Like the horses are going to swim.

29:12Yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to the most. That one's going to be super cool.

29:15I've heard it feels amazing, just feeling how to float underneath you.

29:20Right, right.

29:21So, yeah.

29:23Look at the change in the water, how it goes from the deep blue to the turquoise.

29:28It's absolutely gorgeous.

29:30Oh, it's going to be fun.

29:43On the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean, the white cliffs of Dover have long since disappeared from view.

29:50The wind has dropped, and cruise veterans Pam and Barry from Lincoln are planning some fun.

29:56We've been doing all these cruises, but how are we affording them, darling?

29:59Well, we're skiing, aren't we?

30:01Spending our kids' inheritance.

30:02Ah, yes.

30:03Yes.

30:04I mean, they've all said, you know, it's your money, mum and dad, you go and spend it.

30:08Yeah, too, right.

30:09We're all set up, so...

30:11Got their permission, we will do it.

30:15Today, the ship's docked, and they're off on an excursion which involves sliding downhill very fast, but without the snow.

30:23Let's get on this coach and head for the sleigh ride.

30:26Yep.

30:27There we go.

30:28Around 600 miles from mainland Portugal lies Madeira, the main island of the Portuguese archipelago, and home to around a quarter of a million people.

30:40Last year, Madeira attracted 2.2 million tourists, drawn by its subtropical climate and stunning natural beauty.

30:48From towering sea cliffs and lush green valleys to picturesque coastal villages.

30:53The most novel way to take in the island scenery is on a traditional mode of transport known as a carros de cesto, or basket sledges.

31:12A low way up here.

31:13Made from wicker, and mounted on wooden runners, they originated in the early 19th century as a quick way to travel from the hilltop village of Mont, to the island's capital, Funchal.

31:25But nowadays, they're purely for fun.

31:27But nowadays, they're purely for fun.

31:28500 meters up, ready for the sleigh ride.

31:32Which is two kilometers long.

31:33Two kilometers?

31:34Yeah.

31:35Yeah.

31:36And it goes fast.

31:38Travelling at speeds of up to 24 miles per hour, they're steered down the steep and windy roads by two highly trained men called Carrieros.

31:50They haven't got any brakes, so they use their shoes to brake.

31:55Wow.

31:56I hope they know what they're doing.

31:58Yeah.

31:59Relying entirely on their rubber-soled boots to bring them to a stop is a skill that's been passed down the generations.

32:06Hello.

32:07Oh, there they are.

32:08Mind out the way.

32:09Oh, there they go.

32:10Coming through.

32:11Oh, there's loads of them.

32:12There's a busload just been brought up.

32:13Good boys.

32:14We're getting left behind.

32:15Follow those men in their white trousers.

32:30We've heard it's interesting, we've heard it's exhilarating.

32:33Just hope those shoes work as brakes.

32:36Oh, dear, there's a queue.

32:39There's a queue.

32:40Oh, well, we're English.

32:41We're used to queuing.

32:42It's going to take a bit of time, this, I think.

32:52Back at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas...

32:57Sean and Thomas, plus son Michael, have made it ashore.

33:01You want to take a group picture of y'all?

33:04Yeah, that one, we would.

33:05...and are making friends from across the pond.

33:08One, two, three.

33:09Yay!

33:10Six on the beach!

33:11Yay!

33:12Is that kind of a party?

33:13Hang on.

33:14We've only got Steve.

33:15Leaving Steve to his fate, the family have their own plans for an activity.

33:24A vital component of any cruise is the range of excursions on offer at each port of call.

33:30And here they range from cycling to jet skis and snorkelling.

33:34But the Stentons have opted to experience Half Moon Cay on four legs.

33:40It's a two-port show.

33:42We do the land part first, we get back, we get changed,

33:44and then we go in the ocean first, swim with the horses.

33:46Before we go, any questions?

33:48No.

33:49You sure?

33:50Yeah.

33:51I love you guys.

33:52Let's have fun, okay?

33:53All right.

33:55Orlando Grant is the guide for the one-hour beach and sea swimming riding adventure.

34:00He's also one of the 65 resident staff who don't need to commute by clipper from the larger

34:06island nearby.

34:07So you live here year-round?

34:09Yes, ma'am.

34:10Oh, that's beautiful.

34:12I tell you, it's paradise.

34:13Yeah.

34:14Shawna is first to be introduced to her trusty steed, whose name bodes well.

34:19First class.

34:22Okay.

34:25Come on, first class.

34:29And what's this horse's name?

34:32This horse's name is Deja Vu.

34:34What's up, Deja Vu?

34:36What's your horse's name, Michael?

34:37Champagne.

34:38Champagne.

34:39That should be my horse.

34:42Our number one tour is horseback riding.

34:46Oh, mine wants to race you.

34:48Yeah, I know.

34:49Apparently mine's ready for the Kentucky Derby.

34:52So originally this started 20 years ago.

34:56We just had our anniversary for the horses being here.

34:59We have acres and acres of land for their feeding.

35:03These horses, we make a joke here on the island, they live better than the staff.

35:09My horse.

35:11Yeah, the big belly can be here, you're not looking, you're not working too well.

35:17Here, horses have big bellies.

35:19That means they are very healthy.

35:21Over at the food pavilion, it's all about filling bellies too.

35:26The ship's executive chef, Stanley D'Souza, is supervising the barbecue.

35:31Anybody's checking on the line there?

35:33Refills?

35:34Refills?

35:35Yeah.

35:36Okay.

35:37And he has his plate full today.

35:40I oversee all the production that is happening up in the barbecue island here.

35:44Like, we do the barbecue, we have a live fire, live flames, you know, on board.

35:49We don't have it because of the safety reason we cannot have the live fire over there.

35:53So this is the feel what we give to the guests here.

35:56And as the barbecues are one off on the cruise, they grill like there's no tomorrow.

36:02For a day like this, we bring around 1,800 burgers.

36:06Yes, 600 plus hot dogs.

36:10150 kilo plus chicken.

36:12Around 80 kilo of each fruit that we bring, plus the chopped fruits, plus the salads.

36:17You know, potato, around 120 kilo for the potato salads.

36:23Not everyone is tucking in on the island.

36:29Captain Eric has ultimate responsibility for over 360 million pounds worth of premium cruise ship.

36:36And he takes it very seriously.

36:39I have definitely been on Half Moon Cay many times.

36:42I've been here for the last 25 years or so during my career.

36:48But since I've been a captain, I have not actually stepped foot on the island.

36:53Typically, when the ship is in port, either the staff captain or myself have to be on the ship.

37:00And when we're at anchor, I normally prefer to stay on board just in case anything happens when the wind changes or the weather changes.

37:08So that I'm nearby the bridge in case they need me if we need to pick up the anchor or do anything.

37:14I'd hate to see the ship sail away without me when I'm on the beach.

37:18In Madeira, the waiting is almost over for Pam and Barry, but they've been queuing for their high-speed basket sleigh ride just long enough for nerves to kick in.

37:36I don't know how many people break their legs every year because they're doing all this, aren't they?

37:41You've seen the videos.

37:42What about us? Yeah, but I don't want to break my legs.

37:43No, no, I'm talking about the drivers or the brake members, they might be.

37:48Yeah, with their shoes, and those shoes look well worn.

37:51Yeah.

37:52Well, they've got better rubber than they've got on my shoes.

37:55Got half a tyre on there, haven't they?

37:57Yeah.

37:58Oh, we're moving, we're getting there.

37:59Hey, I don't think it's going to be too long now.

38:01No, no, it shouldn't be too long now.

38:03After patiently waiting, these skiers can hit the slopes.

38:08Right, here we go.

38:10Here we go.

38:11Careful.

38:12OK, let's go.

38:13Are we nearly there?

38:14Told you shouldn't have eaten so much on the coast.

38:17Well, this is going to be a wonderful ride down.

38:19Fast, I hope.

38:24There we go, whoa!

38:26Hey, whoa, there you go.

38:31Hello.

38:32Hey, we're going to go round a corner now.

38:36Oh, look at that big tip there.

38:37Whoa!

38:38Whoa!

38:39Whoa!

38:40That's a lovely facial expression.

38:42Yeah!

38:43Hey!

38:44Hey!

38:45Hey!

38:46Hey!

38:47Hey!

38:48Hey!

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39:42Hey!

39:44Oh, that was brilliant!

39:45Superb!

39:46Oh!

39:47Ah!

39:48Ah!

39:49Oh, that was brilliant!

39:50Ah, they were steering them sideways half the time, weren't they?

39:52Yeah, but I think they did that on purpose, you know.

39:53Because peoples are going as they are going around the corner.

39:56the corner and there's this traffic comes up and down that road at the same time

40:01i think now after that i think back to the ship and a nice gin stiff

40:06gin and tonic justin and stin and johnny yes that i would look forward to that come on then let's get

40:13out over in the caribbean anticipation is building for captain eric he works three months on three

40:27months off and now it's just 10 days until he heads home to the uk when you're away for three months

40:34at the time there are things that you miss normal things really like cooking being able to go to the

40:40shops you're away for birthdays for celebrations for weddings of your friends those can be difficult

40:47moments where it is extra important to keep in contact with with family and friends

40:52snatching moments with friends family and his wife farrah has become easier than it used to be

40:58thanks to the internet hey good morning morning how are you i'm good how are you not bad thank you

41:05darling just um about to start my day and the cats yeah they're wonderful that they were just here

41:14but they weren't interested in saying hi to me they're looking forward to seeing you i know that

41:20send me a message later when you have time and have a good day talk to you later

41:25when i call back home it's a bit of a double feeling and on the one hand it feels you more makes you feel

41:36more connected to home it makes you feel closer on the other hand it also makes you realize

41:43that that you're on different sides of the world and so and that if something happens if something comes

41:49up that you can't really do anything physically so sometimes that that's the hard part of being away

41:55of course i have one more cruise left on the ship and then i go home at the end of the next cruise so in

42:02about 10 days from now i'll be back home for a couple of months which i'm looking forward to

42:08spending some time with the cats and with farrah

42:10back on half moon key shauna thomas and michael are preparing for the second half of their seaside

42:22riding adventure safely away from the main swimming beach they're taking their horses for a dip

42:31they're fitted with cushioned saddles resistant to salt water and the humans are fitted with buoyancy aids

42:40ready ready ready yep show time buddy

42:52let's go hey let's get in the water

43:01all right

43:04slow down

43:05let's go

43:19when the horse is allowed to move freely swimming can be a good aerobic workout and mentally stimulating too

43:26the exercise is putting an extra spring into first class's step

43:54leaving her rider shauna barely clinging on

44:14it was amazing yeah oh yeah this is a great start to our 20th anniversary and we

44:20have him here with us to celebrate yep

44:26that was awesome that was amazing yeah i'm very glad that i managed to squeeze in with these two

44:32crews he knows he knows how to guilt us right

44:42okay let's go come on come on this way

44:45although nearly 2 000 passengers are enjoying the private island captain eric's thoughts must now turn

44:56to getting them all back on the ship so we're about uh an hour and a half from departure and we

45:02obviously need to get everyone back we need to get all the supplies back from the island that we

45:06offloaded we offloaded this morning uh we need to retrieve the anchor that we dropped and then

45:11we'll get on the way to our next port

45:14yeah just letting you know that the trolleys are now coming down to the clipper

45:18always are now coming down to the clipper getting everything and everyone back to the ship

45:23means island manager ryan and his colleagues are still hard at work

45:27i already spoke to the captain i let him know that you guys are going to be alongside so everything's

45:32looking good i'll keep it in contact with you let you know when we're loaded up and ready to go all

45:36right thanks all right thank you while the loading of goods is in progress some of the passengers are

45:42eking out their last minutes in the sun but soon the island will be back down to its 65 residents

45:49and the ship will set sail for its next dream destination

45:57next time hello it's very slimy passengers get up close and personal in colombia

46:04organized chaos and there's party planning on a giant scale in europe this is the biggest party of the

46:12cruise guys orange party tonight and super cruising continues next thursday at eight

46:22at 89 years young a cruise loving crooner gives love another go tomorrow a new series of first date

46:28starts at 10 here on channel 4. next tonight everything comes to a head literally it's taskmaster the final

46:42day

46:51is

46:55really

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