- 5 weeks ago
Supercruising- Life at Sea (2025) Season 1 Episode 1- Episode 1
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Short filmTranscript
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.
00:22Teast explosion, I like that.
00:24To full-scale theatres.
00:27They're built for adventure and designed for luxury.
00:32I 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.
01:13Who's 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!
01:52Yeah!
01:53Yeah!
01:54Yeah!
01:55Yeah!
01:56Yeah!
01:57Yeah!
01:58Yeah!
01:59Yeah!
02:00Yeah!
02:01Dover, on the south-east 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.
02:26At 300 metres 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 streets to fine dining from around the world.
02:45In a typical fortnight, passengers get through 750 kilos of lobster.
02:51Working behind the scenes, a crew of almost a thousand.
03:02All right, guys.
03:03Including the ship's British security officer, Rich Fontaine.
03:11OK.
03:12Let's do this.
03:15I'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.
03:32During the course of one year, Rich is responsible for around 60,000 passengers,
03:38keeping a hawkish eye out for seemingly innocent luggage that could spell danger.
03:43This is all confiscated items, things that are prohibited.
03:48Mainly 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.
04:05I joined my first ship when I was 17 years of age.
04:11Well, I started off as a deck boy.
04:13Worked 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?
04:40Oh, absolutely.
04:41Among them are Claire and Graham from Nottingham.
04:45So 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.
05:08Go 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.
05:15I'm just going to have a sit down, Grey, 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.
05:42I broke the top bunk, it collapsed.
05:45No 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.
05:55Luxury 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.
06:06Working 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.
06:18Noven 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.
06:40Guests 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.
07:02It'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?
07:24And take note, only florists can come inside here aside from the steward.
07:29So I'm lucky.
07:31Nearly 5,000 miles away across the Atlantic is Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
07:47dubbed the Venice of America for its many waterways.
07:50It's also where 4 million passengers a year set sail on the journey of a lifetime.
07:59At Terminal 18, the nearly 1,000 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 2,500 new passengers.
08:11Here we go. What's on that side? Technical?
08:15There's less than two hours between the last passengers from the previous cruise disembarking
08:20and 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.
08:34Yeah, that's a hell of a job. That's a big job.
08:38If we can leave in time, then it's always a mission accomplished.
08:42It's not just the cabins.
08:44The laundry is working at full pelt to process some 6,000 towels and all the bed linen.
08:50And 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.
09:08Good afternoon, ma'am. How are you? Welcome on board.
09:12You 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.
09:39Ultimately 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.
10:04The center of the bridge is what we call the cockpit.
10:09So 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.
10:18So I grew up in the southwest of the Netherlands on the coast.
10:22I 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.
10:30Drive 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.
10:38My 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.
10:49But to be away at sea and see the ocean, you do realize that you're privileged.
10:55Life as a captain has Eric notching up nearly 56,000 miles a year at sea.
11:01Much of it from the nerve center, that's the bridge.
11:04This is the bridge wing. This is where we maneuver the ship from.
11:08We again have all the engine controls right here for the main propellers and the boatjusters.
11:14The other cool thing is that we have this glass floor plate that shows us how far away we are
11:20when we move the ship away from the dock.
11:28It's not long now until the ship sets sail on its 12-day cruise of the Caribbean.
11:33Stopping off at destinations like the Bahamas, Aruba, Colombia, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
11:40But the highlight of the trip for many is the Panama Canal,
11:45where the ship will traverse three of the locks that connect the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific.
11:50On the bridge, Captain Eric needs to ready his team for navigation out of the bustling port.
11:58It requires a maximum staffing level, known as Red Manning, including four officers and two lookouts.
12:05Bridge team functions for this afternoon. I will be the navigator for the departure and docking maneuver.
12:11I think the great part about being the captain of the ship is that it involves a lot of different things.
12:16Working with a thousand crew members from 45 different nationalities.
12:21We want to be about five zero 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.
12:32As long as I have a good team, I just need to walk around and take the credit and wave and smile.
12:38Welcome on board. Guest service is on deck number three. One deck up.
12:46As the newly boarded passengers settle into their cabins.
12:51Ooh.
12:53Oh, it's big. Nice.
12:55Yeah, there's plenty of room.
12:59The navigation team sets to work for departure.
13:02Starvers side still clear. Final check, ready in the center.
13:07The 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?
13:18Yeah, we're committed for departure, yes.
13:21Fort Lauderdale is a very busy port. Lots of cruise ships. It's not a whole lot of room.
13:26Hold on up. Stop maneuvering.
13:30Under way.
13:33The ship's engines deliver nearly 70,000 horsepower, about 600 times as much as a family saloon.
13:39But 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 back.
13:56You have to make certain decisions under time pressure.
13:59I always try and remain calm.
14:01While the bridge officers must retain a laser focus...
14:08Who is ready for a good cruise?
14:11The passengers can immediately kick back at the sail away party.
14:18It's all about making new friends and having fun.
14:22Zero 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.
14:56Next 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 9am 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.
15:38This is the jam roly-poly, right?
15:42Okay. Where's the rice pudding?
15:43It's the rice pudding.
15:45Responsible for making it all happen.
15:48Some garnish on the greens.
15:50Yes, yes, yes.
15:52Executive 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.
16:05And 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 one 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.
16:29And there's more.
16:30So as you can see here, we have some savory savory egg.
16:35The scotch eggs actually.
16:38We planned for almost a month what are the things that we're going to serve in Dover.
16:43So local cheese, local meats, local pies, especially local fresh fish.
16:52Amongst the international mix of passengers sampling the British dishes, Michelle and Kim from Florida.
17:00So what do 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.
17:10More accustomed to all things British.
17:15Look at that view. It's gorgeous, isn't it?
17:17Yeah.
17:18Pam and Barry from Lincoln.
17:20They've seen amazing views in many different countries.
17:24How 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.
17:31We've done the Baltic Sea.
17:33The Caribbean.
17:34Yeah, keep counting.
17:35It's everywhere.
17:37Yeah.
17:39Right.
17:40I am getting cold, so I think it would be a good idea now if we go down and find our cabin.
17:45Jolly 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.
18:01It's a route that should provide good experience for deck cadet Wouter Versteegh.
18:07I'm 23 years old.
18:09I'm on my last contract as a cadet.
18:12So I'm about to finish college, so I've done four years of school.
18:16And yeah, I'm happy to look forward to the future when I start earning some money.
18:23As a deck cadet, you're still in training to become a licensed third officer.
18:27So 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.
18:35As well as gaining hands-on experience, Wouter's also juggling homework.
18:39I'm still in school, so part of that, I 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.
18:53I mean, they expect a lot of me to become a fully licensed officer.
18:56It can be a bit tricky to be at the lowest rank.
18:59You're the stupidest guy in the room, right?
19:01But you feel like a young gun, right?
19:03You think you can prove yourself to the world.
19:05And you come here and then you try to show yourself off a bit.
19:08And then you really learn, no, you don't really know that much.
19:12You know?
19:13So that could be a rough place some days because you want to try your best.
19:16You really work hard.
19:17And 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.
19:28OK.
19:29All good.
19:31Bridge, gangway.
19:33Now all the passengers are boarded, it's just a matter of reporting in.
19:37Gangway, go ahead.
19:39Green 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.
20:13With the ship safely steered out of port, it's time to say goodbye to the Union Jack.
20:20So the British lake is now coming down.
20:22We take it down because we sail out of the British waters.
20:26But yeah, it's time to move on.
20:28Cruise goes on.
20:29Time to go to our next port of call.
20:30I've not sailed out of Dover for a good few years.
20:41So 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.
20:57You never know where you are when you see them.
21:04Cheers, bye-bye, England.
21:18Half monkey, half monkey, Rotterdam, Rotterdam, 7-4.
21:22Since leaving Fort Lauderdale, the flagship of the fleet has sailed through calm waters.
21:31But 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.
22:05They 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.
22:23Good 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.
22:38Previously known as Little San Salvador, it was renamed after Holland America Line bought it in 1996.
22:47OK, right, that sounds great. The tenders and the Half Moon Clipper on arrival.
22:52The visit here is a nautical and logistical challenge for Captain Eric and his crew.
22:59There 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,
23:27Assistant Hotel General Manager Chris Koenstra is supervising the movement of nearly one and a half tons of food needed for their big day out.
23:36Pretty 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.
23:57There's already a storm of activity on the island overseen by the Keys manager Ryan Knowles.
24:03I'm from Nassau, Bahamas, so 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.
24:23I 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.
24:30We have the landscaping team out blowing all the leaves and making sure that the island is pristine.
24:37We have our maintenance department on the beach raking the beach because we want to make it look like when the ship comes here, it's been the first time the guests or anyone has ever been there.
24:48We have over 265 ships that come a year. We just got another 70. So 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.
25:04We got it.
25:08As 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.
25:26The 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? Okay. 15 trolleys. How long does it take? 20 minutes. 20 minutes? Yeah.
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 the 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.
26:29At 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.
26:46But for now, manager Ryan is focused on the Clipper, which is docked with the day's supplies.
26:53And I thought we should be ready to go.
26:56Excellent. I'll come down and check in a couple of minutes. Thank you.
26:59There'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.
27:07Tavares, we're going to the food pavilion, all right?
27:17So 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.
27:25Well, they've already started arriving at the island already, but, well, I think we're going to have lunch starting at 11 o'clock today.
27:30So they'll be chomping at the bits ready at 10.59, guaranteed.
27:37To assist with this Herculean task, 118 staff from the ship are working on the island for the day alongside the Bahamas-based team.
27:46Lena, are we good to go?
27:48Good to go, good to go.
27:50Claude, are we good to go?
27:51Yes, sir.
27:52All right, well, let's get the day started.
27:55We work in conjunction with the ship, so they will serve the guests,
27:58whereas my team makes sure that the bimmeries are working, making sure the grills are working,
28:02make sure there's enough gas.
28:03So we kind of work together to make sure that the amenities are good
28:07and the crew make sure to feed the guests.
28:14While the hospitality team toiled to get the barbecue set up,
28:18the tenders are still busily ferrying day-trippers ready for their day of lounging at the sun, sea, and sand.
28:24Hey, how's it going?
28:28Car now?
28:30Amongst over 90,000 passengers from around the world who travel on the ship each year
28:35are Thomas and Shauna from Kentucky in the U.S.
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.
28:50Well, you were the one that wanted me to come.
28:52I just, I would have been sad without you.
28:55It's just such a great experience.
28:57They've opted for an adventurous way to enjoy what the island has to offer.
29:02Horseback riding.
29:04They need the barbecue on the beach.
29:06And then when we go horseback riding, they're going to go swimming.
29:08Like the horses are going to swim.
29:11Yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to the most.
29:13That one's going to be super cool.
29:15I've heard it feels amazing, just feeling on how to float underneath you.
29:19So, yeah.
29:23Look at the change in the water, how it goes from the deep blue to the turquoise.
29:28It's absolutely gorgeous.
29:29Oh, it's going to be fun.
29:42On the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean, the White Cliffs of Dover have long since disappeared from view.
29:49The wind has dropped, and cruise veterans Pam and Barry from Lincoln are planning some fun.
29:55We're doing all these cruises, but how are we affording them, darling?
29:58Well, we're skiing, aren't we?
30:00We're spending our kids' inheritance.
30:01Ah, yes.
30:02Yes.
30:03I mean, they've all said, you know, it's your money, mum and dad, you go and spend it.
30:07Yeah, too, right.
30:08We're all set up, so, got their permission, we will do it.
30:14Today, the ship's docked, and they're off on an excursion which involves sliding downhill very fast, but without the snow.
30:22Let's get on this coach and head for the sleigh ride.
30:25Yep.
30:26Here we go.
30:27Around 600 miles from mainland Portugal lies Madeira, the main island of the Portuguese archipelago,
30:34and home to around a quarter of a million people.
30:39Last year, Madeira attracted 2.2 million tourists, drawn by its subtropical climate and stunning natural beauty,
30:47from towering sea cliffs and lush green valleys to picturesque coastal villages.
30:56The most novel way to take in the island's scenery is on a traditional mode of transport known as a carros de cesto, or basket sledges.
31:11A low way up here.
31:12Made 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 Montt, to the island's capital, Funchal.
31:26But nowadays, they're purely for fun.
31:29500 meters up, ready for the sleigh ride.
31:32Which is two kilometers long.
31:34Two kilometers?
31:35Yeah.
31:36Yeah.
31:37And it goes fast.
31:41Travelling 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.
31:54Wow.
31:55I hope they know what they're doing.
31:57Yeah.
31:59Relying entirely on their rubber-soled boots to bring them to a stop is a skill that's been passed down the generations.
32:09Oh, there they are.
32:10Mind out the waves.
32:12Oh, there we go.
32:13Coming through.
32:14Oh, there's loads of them.
32:15There's a busload just been brought up.
32:17Oh, there you go.
32:18Good boys.
32:23We're getting left behind.
32:25Follow those men in their white trousers.
32:30We've heard it's interesting.
32:31We've heard it's exhilarating.
32:32Just hope those shoes work as brakes.
32:38Oh, 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.
32:47Back at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.
32:55Sean and Thomas, plus son Michael, have made it ashore.
33:00You want to take a group picture of you?
33:02Yeah, that one would.
33:04And they're making friends from across the pond.
33:06Two, three.
33:07Yay!
33:08Six on the beach!
33:09Yay!
33:10It's that kind of a party.
33:11Hang on.
33:12We've only got Steve.
33:13Leaving Steve to his fate, the family have their own plans for an activity.
33:23A vital component of any cruise is the range of excursions on offer at each port of call.
33:29And here they range from cycling to jet skis and snorkeling.
33:34But the Stentons have opted to experience Half Moon Cay on four legs.
33:40It's a two-part show.
33:41We do the land part first.
33:42We get back.
33:43We get changed.
33:44And then we go in the ocean first, swim with the horses.
33:46Before we go, any questions?
33:47No.
33:48No.
33:49You sure?
33:50I love you guys.
33:51Let's have fun, okay?
33:52All right.
33:53Orlando Grant is the guide for the one-hour beach and sea swimming riding adventure.
33:59He's also one of the 65 resident staff who don't need to commute by clipper from the larger
34:05island nearby.
34:06So you live here year-round?
34:08Yes, ma'am.
34:09Oh, that's beautiful.
34:11I tell you, paradise.
34:12Yeah.
34:13Shawna is first to be introduced to her trusty steed, whose name bodes well.
34:19What's your horse's first class?
34:21First class.
34:24Okay.
34:28Come on, first class.
34:30And 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.
34:45Oh, mine wants to race you.
34:48Yeah, I know.
34:49Apparently mine's ready for the Kentucky Derby.
34:54So 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.
35:02These 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.
35:16Here, horses have big bellies.
35:18That means they are very healthy.
35:20Over at the food pavilion, it's all about filling bellies too.
35:25The ship's executive chef, Stanley D'Souza, is supervising the barbecue.
35:30Anybody checking on the line there?
35:31Yes, sir.
35:32Refills?
35:33Refills?
35:34Yeah.
35:35Okay.
35:36And he has his plate full today.
35:39I oversee all the production that is happening up in the barbecue island here.
35:43Like, 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.
35:52So 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.
36:01For a day like this, we bring around 1,800 burgers.
36:06Yes, 600 plus hot dogs, 150 kilos plus chicken, around 80 kilos of each fruit that we bring,
36:14plus the chopped fruits, plus the salads.
36:16You know, potato, around 120 kilos for the potato salads.
36:23Not everyone is tucking in on the island.
36:26Captain 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 McKee 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.
36:59And when we're at anchor, I normally prefer to stay on port,
37:03just in case anything happens when the wind changes or the weather changes,
37:07so that I'm nearby the bridge in case they need me, if we need to pick up the anchor or do anything.
37:13I'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,
37:30but 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,
37:38because they're doing all this, aren't they?
37:40You've seen the videos.
37:41Yeah, but I don't want to break them.
37:42No, no, I'm talking about the drivers, or the brakemen as they might be.
37:47Yeah, with their shoes, and those shoes look well worn.
37:50Yeah.
37:51They've got better rubber than they've got on my shoes.
37:54Got half a tyre on there, haven't they?
37:56Yeah.
37:57Oh, we're moving, we're getting there.
37:58I don't think it's going to be too long now.
38:00No, no, it shouldn't be too long now.
38:02After patiently waiting, these skiers can hit the slopes.
38:07Right, here we go.
38:09Here we go.
38:10Careful.
38:11Okay, let's go.
38:12Are we nearly there?
38:13Told you shouldn't have eaten so much on the field.
38:16Well, this is going to be a wonderful ride down.
38:18Fast, I hope.
38:23There we go.
38:24Whoa!
38:25Yay!
38:26Whoa!
38:27Way to go!
38:28Hello!
38:29Hello!
38:30Hey, we're going to go around a corner now.
38:34Oh, look at that big tip there!
38:36Whoa!
38:37Whoa!
38:38That's a lovely facial expression!
38:39Yeah!
38:40Oh!
38:41Whoa!
38:42Whoa!
38:43Whoa!
38:44Whoa!
38:45Whoa!
38:46Whoa!
38:47Whoa!
38:48Whoa!
38:49Hey!
38:50Hey!
38:51Hey!
38:52The exhilarating 1.2 mile journey offers a great
38:56The exhilarating 1.2-mile journey offers a panoramic view over the capital, Funchal, and takes around 10 minutes.
39:04Wow! We're going backwards!
39:06No, we don't go backwards, lads!
39:10Using just their feet and rope...
39:12There we go, that's it!
39:14The Carrieros expertly maneuver the sledges around more modern means of transport.
39:21Oh, that's unusual.
39:23Being held up by the traffic.
39:26Wow!
39:28This is incredible, isn't it?
39:30You just stop it with the shoes, look at that.
39:32I know!
39:33You can see how shiny the road is, because they've come down it.
39:36I wonder how many pairs of shoes they go through every day.
39:42Oh, that was brilliant! Superb!
39:46They were steering them sideways half the time, weren't they?
39:49Yeah, but I think they did that on purpose, you know, because we were going,
39:53they're going around the corner.
39:55And there's this traffic comes up and down that road at the same time.
40:00I think now, after that, I think back to the ship and a nice, stiff gin and tonic.
40:05Stiff stin and... stin and tonic.
40:07Stiff stin and tonic.
40:08Yes, that would look forward to that. Come on then, let's get ahead.
40:20Over in the Caribbean, anticipation is building for Captain Eric.
40:24He works three months on, three months off.
40:27And now it's just ten days until he heads home to the UK.
40:31When you're away for three months at a time, there are things that you miss.
40:35Normal things, really, like cooking, being able to go to the shops.
40:40You're away for birthdays, for celebrations, for weddings of your friends.
40:45Those can be difficult moments where it is extra important to keep in contact with family and friends.
40:52Snatching moments with friends, family, and his wife, Farah,
40:55has become easier than it used to be thanks to the internet.
40:59Hey, good morning.
41:00Morning, how are you?
41:02I'm good, how are you?
41:03Not bad, thank you, darling. Just about to start my day.
41:08And the cats?
41:10Yeah, they're wonderful. They were just here, but...
41:13They weren't interested in saying hi to me.
41:16They're looking forward to seeing you, I know that.
41:19Send me a message later, when you have time.
41:21I love you. Have a good day.
41:23Talk to you later.
41:24Talk to you later.
41:29When I call back home, it's a bit of a double feeling.
41:32On the one hand, it makes you feel more connected to home.
41:37It makes you feel closer.
41:39On the other hand, it also makes you realize that you're on different sides of the world.
41:45And if something happens, if something comes up, you can't really do anything physically.
41:51So sometimes, that's the hard part of being away, of course.
41:55I have one more cruise left on the ship, and then I go home at the end of the next cruise.
42:00So in about ten days from now, I'll be back home for a couple of months, which I'm looking forward to.
42:07Spending some time with the cats and with Farah.
42:16Back on Half Moon Cay, Shauna, Thomas and Michael are preparing for the second half of their seaside riding adventure.
42:22Safely away from the main swimming beach, they're taking their horses for a dip.
42:28Right here.
42:29Two leg over.
42:30They're fitted with cushioned saddles resistant to salt water, and the humans are fitted with buoyancy aids.
42:36Okay?
42:37Okay.
42:38Ready?
42:39Yep.
42:40Showtime, buddy.
42:41Oh, this is the time!
42:42Woo!
42:43Woo!
42:44Let's go!
42:45Hey, please, I'm going to let's get water!
42:46Woo!
42:47All right.
42:48Woo!
42:49You're welcome.
42:50Oh, yeah.
42:51Showdown!
42:52Come on!
42:53Come on!
42:54Come on!
42:55Come on!
42:56Come on!
42:57Come on!
42:58Come on!
42:59Come on!
43:00Come on!
43:01Come on!
43:02Come on!
43:03Come on!
43:04Come on!
43:05Come on!
43:06Come on!
43:07Come on!
43:08Come on!
43:10Come on!
43:11Come on!
43:12Come on!
43:13Let's go!
43:14Okay.
43:15When the horse is allowed to move freely, swimming can be a good aerobic workout, and mentally stimulating,
43:25too.
43:26Woo!
43:27Woo!
43:28Woo!
43:29Woo!
43:30Woo!
43:31Yeah, buddy.
43:32It's awesome.
43:33Yeah, it is.
43:34Woo!
43:35Woo!
43:36Woo!
43:37Woo!
43:38Woo!
43:40Ha-ha-ha!
43:41My horse is awesome.
43:42Woo!
43:43ansen
43:44Woo!
43:45Woo!
43:46First class!
43:47Come on!
43:49The exercise is putting an extra spring into first class' step, leaving her rider, Shona,
43:55barely clinging on.
43:56Yeah!
43:57Ha-ha-ha-ha.
43:58Go, go, go, go, go!
43:59It was amazing.
44:15Yeah.
44:15Oh, yeah.
44:16This is a great start to our 20th anniversary.
44:19And we have him here with us to celebrate.
44:22Yep.
44:25That was amazing.
44:28Yeah.
44:28I'm very glad that I managed to squeeze in with these two crews.
44:33He knows.
44:34He knows how to guilt us.
44:35Right.
44:41Okay.
44:42Let's go.
44:43Come on.
44:44Come on.
44:44This way.
44:48Although nearly 2,000 passengers are enjoying the private island, Captain Eric's thoughts
44:54must now turn to getting them all back on the ship.
44:57So we're about an hour and a half from departure.
45:01And we obviously need to get everyone back.
45:03We need to get all the supplies back from the island that we offloaded this morning.
45:07We need to retrieve the anchor that we dropped.
45:09And then we'll get on the way to our next port.
45:12What happened to the ship?
45:13Yeah.
45:14Just letting you know that the trolleys are now coming down to the clipper.
45:18The trolleys are now coming down to the clipper.
45:20Getting everything and everyone back to the ship means island manager Ryan and his colleagues
45:25are still hard at work.
45:27I already spoke to the captain.
45:28I let him know that you guys are going to be alongside.
45:30So everything's looking good.
45:32I'll keep it in contact with you and let you know when we're loaded up and ready to go.
45:35All right.
45:35Thanks.
45:36All right.
45:37While the loading of goods is in progress, some of the passengers are eking out their last
45:42minutes in the sun.
45:44But soon, the island will be back down to its 65 residents.
45:47And the ship will set sail for its next dream destination.
45:55Next time.
45:57Hello.
45:58It's very slimy.
45:59Passengers get up close and personal in Colombia.
46:03Organized chaos.
46:05And there's party planning on a giant scale in Europe.
46:09This is the biggest party of the cruise.
46:12Guys, orange party tonight, huh?
46:14And super cruising continues next Thursday at eight.
46:21At 89 years young, a cruise-loving crooner gives love another go tomorrow.
46:26A new series of first dates starts at 10 here on Channel 4.
46:30Next tonight, everything comes to a head.
46:32Literally.
46:33It's Taskmaster, the final.
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