- 5 weeks ago
Supercruising- Life at Sea (2025) Season 1 Episode 3- Episode 3
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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.
00:30And designed for luxury.
00:32I could get used to this. Cheers!
00:35This year, a world-leading cruise line is back sailing a full season from the UK
00:39for the first time in a decade.
00:43Meet the MS Neustadtendam.
00:46Weighing 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.
01:25Oh, it's lovely.
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, and Europe.
01:37This time, in the Caribbean, the passengers take it slow.
01:43I think my favorite is still the slot.
01:47Yeah.
01:48My sort of speed, the slot.
01:50But for the crew, it's full steam ahead.
01:53First, it's Falls Bridge.
01:54Next, go ahead.
01:55Could you proceed to Deck 3, Fires on 5?
01:56There's a smoke detector activated.
01:57Copy that.
01:58We've seen it.
01:59On its voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the 100,000-ton super vessel, the MS Rotterdam.
02:06This colossal cruise ship is 300 meters long, the length of 13 train carriages.
02:27And with nearly 3,000 passengers on board, it's cruising the waters of the Caribbean, stopping off at destinations including the Bahamas, Aruba, Columbia, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.
02:42And today, the ship needs to navigate a highlight of the trip, the Panama Canal, the narrow man-made waterway which lifts and lowers ships traveling between the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
02:55It's hours before sunrise, but the ship's captain is already on duty.
03:06Responsible for the safety of everyone on board, for Captain Eric Barhorst, it's the most challenging part of the journey.
03:14The Panama Canal, of course, is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
03:19And, of course, as a passenger ship, we just get to have a peek at the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal.
03:28Construction of the original canal was completed in 1914.
03:32But with the ever-growing scale of sea vessels, a new, wider canal was built in 2016 to allow for ships of enormous proportions to pass through.
03:43Around 13,000 vessels make the transit each year, carrying approximately 300 million tons of cargo, with a value close to 200 billion pounds.
03:54Good morning.
03:56It's only one side.
03:58For the bow, it's only one side.
04:00It's only entered through here.
04:02Traversing the lock is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many.
04:06And the passengers are also up before sunrise to bag the best view.
04:11So take a little shortcut.
04:13I'm sure the first guests will already be in line waiting.
04:19Normally at 4.30, 4.45, probably people already start queuing up.
04:23Good morning.
04:24Good morning.
04:25There's a long line.
04:26We had one point that the line was going pretty much from forward to the back of the ship.
04:30I was excited.
04:32We are excited.
04:33Almost, almost.
04:34For solo traveller Rob from Warrington, traversing the Panama Canal is a deeply personal pilgrimage.
04:49I didn't sleep great last night.
04:51Yeah, I woke up a few times checking my watch because I didn't want to miss it.
04:54I've got a book about the Panama Canal.
04:56This is actually one of my mum who used to sail a lot.
04:59And this is my dad.
05:00And then this is one of him actually sailing a ship.
05:03Well, dad was the captain of a ship.
05:05So I used to sail with him.
05:07I was quite young when he died.
05:08So, yeah, there would have been many trips I would have done with him, I guess.
05:11But he sailed the Panama Canal, but I never did that trip with him.
05:14I think I'll be emotional, you know, when I go up on deck.
05:16And it must have been hundreds of times that he did that trip.
05:19So, yeah, I'll think about him many times today, definitely.
05:24For passengers, passing through the canal's looks is an exciting spectacle.
05:29But the crew are working with narrow margins.
05:32The ship is so wide, it must suck in its sides to squeeze through unscathed.
05:38So we're in deck three.
05:40It's a promenade deck.
05:41The lifeboats will be coming in for about half a meter, I would say.
05:46Because they're sticking out of the hull, just to make sure, you know, that they're not hitting anything.
05:52So that's why the ship has been designed that these lifeboats can come in, you know, to make that possible.
06:01And almost all the boats are in Panama position.
06:05Okay, thank you.
06:06Steering the ship during the dark of night, the vastly experienced bridge crew work with next to no artificial light to ensure they have the best possible vision of what lies ahead.
06:19For the next few hours, it's essential they work with a maritime pilot who has the local expertise crucial to a safe passage.
06:28Surface lights on, please.
06:30Overseeing the pilot's embarkation is British security officer Mark Keach.
06:35The Panama Canal is one of the most interesting and complicated aspects of the voyage of this nature.
06:44My role on board the ship involves access control. All persons entering or leaving the ship must be accounted for.
06:51Preparing for the boarding of the pilot who will come on board and assist with the steering of the ship going into the actual canal itself.
06:59When the ship arrives at any port around the world, a pilot is sought and brought on board the ship to bring the ship safely into that port.
07:06Pilot's boarding as we discussed at starboard side just inside the brake on our five knots boarding speed and we'll beat the door open.
07:15I will have to attend a break which is an open door aspect of the ship.
07:20Sailors will erect a ladder down the side of the break in order for the pilot to board.
07:26Keep the speed at five knots until it is on the bridge.
07:30All right, it's starting to come parallel.
07:36Philippe, is he on the bridge channel, our guy?
07:40Is he going now?
07:41Yeah, they're calling him now.
07:45This is a very precarious time for the ship as we have a boat, a small boat, travelling at speed to keep up with the ship,
07:51rather like two cars crossing on the motorway.
07:53It's very close to the ship itself.
07:55All right, this alongside.
08:00Once we're happy and we're running at the same speed, the pilot will board the ship via that ladder into the shell brake.
08:07Flight on the ladder.
08:08Pilot on.
08:09Pilot on.
08:17Pilot on board.
08:19They'll go to the bridge and they will take control of the navigation with the captain through the locks.
08:25A big day, yeah.
08:26A big operational commitment.
08:27On a show-stopping ship like the Rotterdam, it's not just the bridge who have to navigate big operations.
08:39Feeding the ship's nearly 4,000 passengers and crew is a colossal culinary challenge.
08:46Pick up my feet.
08:48In a typical week, the staff will prepare around 35,000 starters and another 35,000 desserts, not to mention the main courses.
08:57And they're catering for all tastes, from poolside snacks to fine dining.
09:03Food is the backbone. I would say food is the backbone of the ship.
09:05We have around 200 team members working together. Out of 200, 140 are chefs.
09:17Food is our passion.
09:20We are sailing with 2,600 guests, so 3,600 pieces of eggs we use every single day.
09:25That's quite a lot.
09:26And those eggs aren't just for breakfast.
09:31They're a key ingredient for an event held on every cruise known as Cake Me Away.
09:37A five-day frenzy of baking that produces 114 cakes in 19 different varieties to wow the passengers.
09:48It's a huge operation.
09:51The guests love to see that because it's all the creativity what our pastry chefs are putting out.
09:57Masterminding the event, Sandro De Pedro from the Philippines.
10:03He's worked on cruise ships for 20 years.
10:06I'm the pastry chef, and I'm the one who's in charge on all of the dessert on the ship.
10:14We have like 57 kinds of dessert for a day.
10:18Every time I sleep, I always dream about the dessert.
10:21The cake extravaganza will use 300 kilos of flour, 500 kilos of sugar, 1,500 eggs, 100 kilos of butter and 120 litres of whipping cream.
10:38Not to mention 75 kilos of chocolate.
10:41We have salted caramel cookies and cream, we have confetti cake, we have rainbow cake.
10:46And if you're still peckish, you could follow up with mocha praline cake, black forest cake, red velvet cake, creme brulee cake, strawberry short cake, to name just a few.
11:00And there are six of each.
11:04Whipping up these creations is Sandro's team of 14 pastry chefs.
11:10Dressful, happy, everything is there.
11:13All of the emotions.
11:17So this cake is going to bake for 45 minutes.
11:22I don't worry about the overflow right now, because when it's been decorated, they cannot see it.
11:27With the local pilot at the helm, the 100,000 ton super vessel is now poised to traverse the Panama Canal.
11:44On the bridge, the atmosphere, it's a long day for us. It starts quite early. We pick up the pilot at around 6 am. So for everybody in the whole team, we are on the bridge or on mooring stations for the most part of the day. So lots of coffee required.
12:01Did you receive a pilot card?
12:02Did you receive a pilot card?
12:03Okay, perfect. So we're 300 meters or more, 35 meters wide.
12:05And this is your station. You can change it anywhere you like. And this is also your designated VHF.
12:20So when it comes to coming into the lock...
12:23Working alongside pilots, you kind of have to quickly establish a relationship with someone that you have never met before, potentially.
12:31So we do a quick briefing, and then we discuss whether the pilot wants to take the con, navigate the ship, is what we call it.
12:39Before that point, do you intend to take the con? Do you want to drive it through?
12:43Yes.
12:44Okay, then Chris, would you like to hand over to the pilot?
12:47Sure.
12:49Do we have a stanchions for here to block off?
12:51Yes.
12:52While the bridge team prepares for the crossing, three decks below, the focus is on the guests.
12:58The bow deck is usually for crew only, but today they're welcoming passengers.
13:03So they can get the best views as the ship crosses the canal.
13:07So right now we're on deck number five. It's all the way in the front of the ship.
13:12The restaurant team is now setting up a coffee station, like a satellite bar.
13:15We just want to make sure that everything is set up right.
13:17Rob is making the journey through the canal in the footsteps of his sea captain father, and the anticipation is getting to him.
13:29It's a funny feeling, definitely. A bit nervous.
13:31So it's probably 25 years since I've thought about doing this trip.
13:36And this is it now. So yeah, we're going to go outside and see it. So yeah, really excited.
13:39All right, let's open the doors.
13:43Good morning, everybody.
13:46We are ready if you are ready.
13:48There we go.
13:50Just mind your step, please.
13:54Morning, enjoy. Mind your step, please.
13:58Just watch where you're going, sure?
14:01I think you might otherwise trip. Thank you.
14:07Morning.
14:08Oh, is that seriously coffee?
14:09That is coffee, yes. Indeed, yes.
14:12We came well prepared.
14:18Over here, you're right on the front of the ship, so you can already see the bridge in a far distance.
14:23And then you'll have sunrise coming up. It's a beautiful view.
14:26That's what people are here for, you know?
14:27After an early start, the sun is rising on the Panama Canal.
14:47With those who bagged front row seats in pole position as the ship inches into the first of three locks.
14:53We'll stay on the wing until we have confirmation that the stern is clear.
14:58And then after the stern is clear, we'll understand the stern is starboard and then we'll transfer back to the center.
15:04From the captain's perspective, the challenge is the navigational challenge.
15:10Okay, we're doing it.
15:14The limited size available, trying to keep the ship, of course, in the middle at all times, so we don't scrape the lock wall to end up with any damage.
15:31So it is quite an intense day of maneuvering the ship through the locks.
15:35The ship is about 35 meters wide, and then we have 10 meters on each side.
15:44At 10 meters is not a whole lot of room, especially if there is wind.
15:51That makes the maneuver more challenging to be able to keep the ship in the middle.
15:56And there's no room for error in the galley either, where the pastry team are steaming ahead with 114 cakes for the ship's upcoming Cake Me Away event.
16:16We're doing 24-hour, 24-7.
16:23For my guys, I have my night shift team and I have my day shift team.
16:27The night shift team produce the sponges, the cakes, and then the day shift team, they're the ones who are preparing and making the cakes done.
16:37Okay, and now I'm going to put it in the oven. I have six cakes and I still have 69 cakes more to go.
16:56On the canal, the ship is creeping forward without a scrape.
17:00With the first lock gate closed, water from an inland lake gushes through eight giant holes in the lock floor, filling it to its full capacity of over 100 million liters.
17:16Between them, the locks at each end of the canal raise and lower ships 26 meters, allowing them to bypass hilly territory in central Panama.
17:25It's as impressive to Rob as it must have been to his sea captain father.
17:31I'm just thinking about my dad. I've got a little bit of a tear in my eye. I don't normally cry, but yeah, I'm just thinking about him.
17:39You know, it would have been exactly the same process.
17:43You know, all the technicalities, I suppose.
17:46It's such an impressive thing to be able to do to effectively sail two oceans through a massive canal. Yeah, incredible.
17:58It's the feat of engineering, isn't it? It's just amazing.
18:02So it was on the bucket list, and we have read much about the Panama Canal, and now we're experiencing it live.
18:12We didn't even feel the water rise.
18:16Although the passengers didn't feel it, the ship's movement has disturbed one of the locals.
18:21Now we are moving into the second lock with an alligator at our side.
18:35Crazy experience, and fabulous experience, an amazing feat.
18:39Amazing feat.
18:42Yeah, call his mobile, tell him to do a radio check on first response channel, please.
19:12During the maneuver, we had a good cooperation with our pilots and with the tugboats that we used to go through the locks.
19:21The weather was slightly challenging, had gusty winds at 15, 20 knots, so that that makes the maneuvering a little bit more challenging.
19:30We had a crocodile swimming across, we managed to avoid that guy, but other than that, everything went pretty small.
19:37Just so glad that, you know, I booked this trip and I think, you know, with my dad, he'd be really pleased, hopefully looking down on me now and seeing that that's exactly what I've done.
19:49It really is a dream come true, yeah.
19:58That's it, that's all we can do. Thank you so much.
20:02See you next time.
20:03Yeah.
20:06Number 20.
20:07Yeah, if I have to get up early in the morning, it's nice to know that it's for a reason, so that everybody is enjoying it, so it gives us a feeling of satisfaction to make our guests happy.
20:17There are 11 ships in Holland America's fleet, undertaking more than 500 sailings a year.
20:34On the other side of the Atlantic is the Rotterdam's sister ship, MS New Statendam.
20:39On board the ship, passengers are on a voyage that takes in the Canaries, Portugal, and North Africa.
20:49Whilst the passengers get into holiday mode, crew from all departments are working around the clock.
20:56Deck two is good, Captain.
20:58And one of the busiest jobs on board is security.
21:01It's a 24-7 operation, under the expert leadership of British security officer Rich Fontaine.
21:08Randy, put the dots here.
21:10Rich's duties, looking after passengers and crew, mean he's often unable to leave the ship.
21:15But after decades at sea, he has found a way to unwind without setting foot on dry land.
21:22So I enjoy taking photographs of ships, okay, so, yeah.
21:28Like a train spotter would be an anorak, I guess I'm an oilskin.
21:32Yeah, I have had people that mainly guests.
21:34Just knowing I'm the security officer on board, they've seen me taking photos of ships,
21:39and they think it's for some kind of intelligence thing.
21:43But anyway, yeah, it's definitely not.
21:47Just something to pass the time, really.
21:49That's it.
21:51Something I've been doing for many years, so I kind of enjoy it.
21:54Just a bit of fun.
21:55It's a bit like fishing, really, you know.
21:58You've got a head ever, you never know if you're going to catch one.
22:01I keep my camera in the office with me, and if I look up on the camera and I see something
22:06outside going by, I might suddenly jump up and run outside.
22:10It's just something that I've done over the years and enjoy doing.
22:15I have a database.
22:17I'm hoping in the next few months I'm going to crack a 10,000 ships.
22:23And so, yeah, it's lovely.
22:26It keeps me out of trouble.
22:30Yeah, well, I've got a few pictures.
22:31Beautiful afternoon, but, yeah, that's about it for coffee.
22:36Time to head back to the office and stay with the screen a bit more and do a bit more work.
22:47In the Caribbean, after five days and five nights of hard graft, the heat is on for the pastry chefs.
22:59The time has come to deliver the diet-busting cake-me-away event.
23:05We have 10 minutes more to go to decorate all the cakes.
23:09Everybody in my staff, they're all tired, but they have the power to do everything.
23:14It's a skilled job, and they're all skilled workers.
23:21Let's go, guys.
23:23Okay, round and roll.
23:25This culinary occasion is eagerly anticipated by the passengers on board the ship.
23:31And Sandro wants every cake looking perfect.
23:39I'm so proud, and I'm so very happy with my team.
23:42This is awesome.
23:43Very good.
23:45Is this what we're doing?
23:47Yes, ma'am.
23:47Congratulations.
23:48It's fabulous.
23:57Lunch and dinner in one.
23:59No, no, no.
24:02Great cake.
24:03I've never seen as much cake on a ship, and I've done a lot of cruises, and that is fantastic.
24:13Look at the pancake one at the back.
24:16Wow.
24:19I am a foodie, but this is amazing.
24:23The sweets have worked a treat.
24:25I feel happy, seeing everybody loves my cake.
24:31But Sandro's work is never-ending.
24:35I have to go down and prepare more cakes for, I guess, dinner time.
24:47Across the ocean, the Rotterdam's sister vessel is navigating its way through Atlantic waters.
24:53Oh, I'm just going to have a sit-down, Graham.
24:56I'm shattered.
24:57On board are regular cruisers Claire and Graham from Nottingham.
25:02So far on this two-week voyage, the ship has docked in Agadir, Morocco, where the couple have lapped up the local culture.
25:09While the culinary crew visited the local markets to stock up on provisions.
25:26Two dollars per kilo.
25:28Yes.
25:28So five kilos, ten dollars.
25:30And traditional Moroccan ceramics to use back on board.
25:34For Graham, it was a horse show that really got him fired up.
25:42Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm enjoying the show.
25:44I don't know where Claire is.
25:45I could make an educated guess, though.
25:47Wherever it is, there's always shopping.
25:49Wherever you go, there's always somebody there to sell you something.
25:51Today, with the ship docked in the Spanish island of Tenerife...
25:58Enjoy your day.
25:59Thank you very much.
26:01Morning.
26:01Claire and Graham are off on another adventure to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
26:09Situated off the northwest coast of Africa, Tenerife has been part of Spain for over 500 years
26:15and has a population of just under a million.
26:20The island is dominated by the majestic Mount Tady.
26:23Standing at 3,718 metres high, it's taller than 11 Eiffel Towers
26:29and is the third tallest volcano in the world.
26:34Wow.
26:35Wow.
26:36This is so pretty.
26:38Yeah, absolutely.
26:38The volcanic terrain extends underwater, with caves and coral reefs contributing to a diverse ecosystem
26:47that attracts over 400 species of fish and several species of whales and dolphins.
26:55Today, we're going out on a boat.
26:58We're going to be hopefully seeing some whales, which is really exciting.
27:01Yeah, just hope the whales have got the memo.
27:03Luckily for Claire and Graham, Tenerife is considered one of the world's best spots for whale watching.
27:10I've never actually seen a whale before, and it would just be amazing to actually see one come up out of water.
27:18Yeah, it would, as long as it doesn't come out underneath us.
27:21Like Moby Dick?
27:22Yeah.
27:26Although they're swapping their 1,000-foot-long supercruiser for something much more modest...
27:32Look at all those little boats.
27:33Yeah.
27:33Oh, they're lovely.
27:36Private tour guide Guy will cater to their every need.
27:41Hello, guys.
27:42Hello.
27:43Good morning.
27:44I'm Claire.
27:45Nice to meet you.
27:47Good to meet you.
27:49My name is Guy.
27:49I'll be your captain today.
27:53As well as steering the boat through Tenerife's subtropical waters...
27:57Oh, this is the life, isn't it?
27:59Yeah.
27:59I could get used to this.
28:01Guy's giving them a taste of luxury.
28:05Oh, wow.
28:06Works for me.
28:07I feel like we're being spoiled.
28:10Okay, what?
28:12Moves first.
28:13Very nice.
28:17Gracias.
28:18De nada.
28:20You are.
28:21Which is gracias.
28:22Which is gracias.
28:23Cheers.
28:24Cheers.
28:24Cheers.
28:24I mean, this is really appropriate, as 40 years ago today was our actual wedding day.
28:33Yeah.
28:33I always thought when I got married, I'd end up all at sea.
28:36Very funny.
28:38It's part of me charm.
28:40Yes.
28:41Thank you for putting up with me.
28:42Yeah, and, well, thank you for putting up with me.
28:51On board the ship, crew can spend months away from their nearest and dearest.
28:55And after decades at sea, security officer Rich makes the most of modern technology.
29:01Hello, darling.
29:02How are you?
29:03Rich is away from his wife for three months at a time.
29:07Hello.
29:07Go, go.
29:08My wife, Suzanne, and I met on one of this company's ships.
29:13She was a spa manager.
29:16After meeting her, my patrols around the ship was taken in the spa area a lot more regular
29:21than it had before.
29:24Three years later, we got married.
29:27And there was no looking back.
29:31And I told you, you have to start thinking what you want to do for your birthday when
29:35I get home.
29:37Yeah, I started looking at places to go.
29:40Okay.
29:40Well, you decide where you want to go, and I'll pack the car up for you and send you off.
29:44Oh, thank you very much.
29:45I have to drive myself.
29:49Okay, my love.
29:50Talk to you later.
29:51Yeah.
29:51Okay.
29:52Bye, love.
29:53Bye for now, love.
29:54Bye.
29:54Bye.
29:56Bye.
29:56Bye.
29:57Bye.
29:57I'll say it is, we're so lucky compared to when I started.
30:02You didn't have this, you know, this luxury.
30:06It's so nice now you can just, you know, pick up the phone, give a quick call for a minute
30:10or two minutes, whatever.
30:11Just a few miles away from the ship, in celebration of their 40 years of marriage, Claire and Graham
30:30are on the lookout for pilot whales, with the help of local skipper Captain Guy.
30:35So, guys, the plan now is to try nature and life, every trip different, so we got to understand
30:44that the most important is to find little things that could help us to find life.
30:52If we look over one o'clock over there on the horizon, I think there is a family of pilot
30:58whales and some dolphins also around.
31:01Pilot whales are a resident species in Tenerife and can be seen all year round.
31:09So, I think they're just over there in the distance, but I haven't quite seen one yet.
31:17I think they're very shy.
31:19They're identified by their rounded heads and large curved fins, but they move fast at speeds
31:25of up to 35 miles an hour, so spotting them can be tricky.
31:31I think the secret here is you know what you're looking for.
31:36We don't.
31:39Oh, no.
31:40I think I saw something over there briefly.
31:43Should have brought binoculars.
31:45I don't think that would have helped, actually, Claire.
31:47Holidaying on a cruise ship gives passengers the opportunity to visit multiple countries,
32:01and today, Claire and Graham from Nottingham are making the most of this with a private
32:06whale-spotting excursion in Tenerife.
32:09If you look on the horizon, from 12 o'clock all the way down to 3 o'clock.
32:13But so far, they've had no sightings.
32:25Oh, yeah, I saw that.
32:27Oh, yeah, yeah, I've got it.
32:28I've got it over there.
32:29Yeah, yeah.
32:33Yeah, I've got it there.
32:35Oh, how exciting.
32:38Yeah.
32:40We've actually seen a...
32:42Oh, look at it.
32:44Oh, wow.
32:46It's not long before Captain Guy locates the rest of the pod.
32:51Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:52There's tail, briefly.
32:59There, look at that.
33:00Oh, there's loads round here.
33:02Oh, my God.
33:03Yeah, there you go, yeah.
33:09Absolutely amazing.
33:13After all that excitement, there's some much-needed refreshments.
33:18How exciting that we did actually see a whale,
33:21because we were a bit sceptical, weren't we?
33:22Oh, yeah.
33:23We thought we're not going to come out and perform just because we're here,
33:27but we actually did see a pilot whale.
33:29Yeah, I mean, if we had enough time, I'd go round again.
33:32I mean, yeah.
33:33I have to say, Grey, this is the absolute highlight of my crew so far.
33:40Yeah, it is.
33:40I don't know what you think.
33:41This is just amazing.
33:43All we need now is a good rock music soundtrack and we'll be set.
33:46It's been a successful trip and the perfect way to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
34:01Let's have a toast to this day 40 years ago.
34:05Absolutely.
34:05To this incredible day out that we've had, thank you to Guy for making it so special for us.
34:12Thank you, guys.
34:13You've been amazing.
34:14We really appreciate it.
34:16Muchas gracias.
34:16Cheers, Joel Ruff.
34:18Cheers to you, Zoe.
34:19That boat trip was absolutely incredible.
34:23The pilot of the ship, Captain, is he?
34:26He's a captain of the...
34:27Captain Guy.
34:28Guys, thank you so much for hosting us.
34:30Thank you, guys.
34:30It's been a pleasure to have you involved.
34:31Yeah, yeah, it's been absolutely brilliant.
34:34Thank you so much.
34:34Absolutely fantastic.
34:35Big pleasure, guys.
34:36Big pleasure to meet you.
34:37Really well informed and an interesting man.
34:40He made it interested.
34:41I mean, I'll be honest, even if we hadn't seen any wildlife, it was still a brilliant day.
34:46And that's really down to a good old Captain Guy, isn't it?
34:49Captain Guy.
34:49Yeah, absolutely.
34:51What a guy.
34:52What a guy, yes.
34:53LAUGHTER
34:54On his journey around the Caribbean, the Rotterdam has dropped anchor in Costa Rica,
35:17where Rob from Warrington is ticking another location off his bucket list.
35:22Good morning, sir.
35:22Have a great day.
35:23Thanks very much. Will do.
35:26First time in Costa Rica.
35:27Yeah, we're going on a tour into the jungle for six hours.
35:30So, really excited today.
35:32And hopefully see some jaguars and some sloths and some really interesting animals.
35:37So, yeah, really excited.
35:38It's going to be a good day today.
35:41Costa Rica is a nation of just over five million people with Pacific and Caribbean coastlines.
35:47It has 12 different ecosystems, helping to make it one of the most biodiverse places in the world,
35:56with around half a million species.
36:00Wildlife and ecotourism are an important part of the economy,
36:04and a quarter of the country is dedicated to national parks and protected areas.
36:16Rob's first of two destinations is the Kahuita National Park, where the tour guide is Christian Rodriguez.
36:23Pay attention, because here everything can happen.
36:28In this moment, you know, watch everything, because the monkeys are there.
36:33Sometimes they stay quiet because they like you, but not so much.
36:39The park is home to Capuchin and Howler monkeys, and lots more.
36:50It's great. I'm trying to spot something.
36:51I want to be someone who spots, you know, the camouflaged animal, the monkey or something.
36:58There's three monkeys up in the tree.
37:01Definitely three, might be more.
37:03See, I told you I want to spot something, and I have.
37:06There you go.
37:07And I like a monkey.
37:08I've never seen a monkey in the wild.
37:13I've seen it at Noseley Safari Park, and I'll get rid of my car to pieces, but never in the wild.
37:23With monkeys spotted and checked off his wish list,
37:26Rob has reached the second destination of his wildlife excursion,
37:30the Jaguar Rescue Centre Animal Rehabilitation Project.
37:34It was set up.
37:37The first animal that they rescued was a jaguar, which is why it's called the Jaguar Rescue Centre.
37:42But they've got lots of animals here that they look after.
37:45And we're going to go and see what they are today.
37:46We're going to go and walk around and see them.
37:48What we do here at the Jaguar Rescue Centre is rescue, rehabilitate, and release back into the wild wildlife.
38:02No one was doing the job that we are doing now in this area at the Caribbean.
38:07We didn't have any enclosure, any facilities, so we, step by step, we created the Jaguar Rescue Centre.
38:15Encar met her husband through work, and their joint project just grew and grew.
38:21When I was little and baby, I had that dream that save the animals and live in the middle of the jungle and meet a Tarzan.
38:30And I think I, I did it.
38:34The sloths definitely aren't in Tarzan mode today.
38:39But guide Natasha Davis knows slothful behaviour is only one side of them.
38:44Monkeys can jump around from tree to tree.
38:47Sloths, they can't.
38:48This is where you'll see people think that they're going to be the hero to pick up a sloth and move it to a safer location.
38:54That sloth is going to think that you're attacking it, and it will try and scratch you with the nails.
38:59And with those very sharp teeth, try and bite you as well.
39:03Two-fingered sloths, you don't want to be on the other side of those nails.
39:07Trust me.
39:08I get your point.
39:09Yeah.
39:10Yeah.
39:15Unbelievable.
39:16Fantastic.
39:17Yeah, what a great trip.
39:17I like Natasha.
39:19She's really good at describing all about the animals and, you know, the history of it, etc.
39:24But I think my favourite is still the sloth.
39:27Yeah.
39:27My sort of speed, the sloth.
39:30I think it's like, feels like 37 degrees today.
39:34Been sweating like mad.
39:35Back to the ship.
39:36It's going to be great.
39:37You're walking, air-conditioned.
39:39The first place I'm going to go is the pool bar.
39:41I'm going to get a really ice-cold beer, and I'll probably have a bit of a sleep.
39:45I'll see you next time.
40:01It's night time in the Caribbean, and while Rob and the rest of the passengers go to sleep,
40:21some of the crew are just getting started.
40:26Heading to a midnight handover from the daytime navigation team.
40:30Good morning.
40:31Good morning.
40:33How are you today?
40:35Our officers Matthijs Bassemeker and Merlein Pelter from the Netherlands.
40:40Change navigator.
40:43Merlein has the conda. We change the watch, and I will take the charge.
40:47First officer Matthijs has the charge.
40:48First officer Matthijs has the charge.
40:52Well, I'll wish you a great evening.
40:55Thank you very much. We'll see you in the morning.
40:58See you.
40:59See you later.
41:00See you later.
41:02So we just took over at midnight, and then we will be on the bridge till five o'clock.
41:06At the moment, we have the track pilot, the autopilot engaged.
41:09So we just set a course that we want to sail, and then the computer is basically following that course.
41:17At the moment, it's rather quiet, because there's a cut in your seat.
41:20There's nothing much going on traffic-wise.
41:22Whilst the ocean ahead lies still, all across the decks below, it's a hive of activity.
41:33And housekeeping deck supervisor Arif Budi-Nugroho is overseeing another important job that happens just after midnight every night.
41:42So I have Bayu and Adam here.
41:45Currently, they are doing the carpet elevator mat sampoing.
41:49Cruises have tightly packed itineraries, but it's easy to lose track of days when you're on holiday.
41:54So days-of-the-week carpets are a helpful reminder.
41:59When they step into the elevator, they will see that, oh, today is Saturday.
42:05Back on the bridge, officers Matthias and Merline are in control of the ship.
42:10It is a big responsibility.
42:13That's why we're also here with the two of us.
42:15There's like almost 4,000 people behind us, and we have to take care of them, basically, right?
42:21So we must make sure everybody is in safe hands during the night while everybody is sleeping or still partying.
42:27We are here to make sure everybody is safe at all times.
42:34So for the next five hours, we make sure we stay on course, monitor the ship, what she's doing,
42:40and then all the alarms that come in so we can have smoke detectors going off.
42:44We will investigate, talk to the first responder, that's somebody from security.
42:50They're doing rounds throughout the ship, and then if there's something going on,
42:54we will send them towards there so they can resolve the situation.
42:59Communication is crucial, and security are the eyes and ears of the bridge.
43:05On this vessel, security officer Mark leads a team of 14 on duty 24-7.
43:11The ship really is a floating city.
43:14We need to make sure everyone is secure and safe.
43:16My department consists, obviously, myself.
43:18I have two supervisors and 11 guards, and they come from all over the world.
43:23We also employ a night guard throughout the nighttime operations on the ship.
43:27Her responsibility is to check the ship for safety and security during their rounds
43:30and report the incidents at a bridge.
43:34On duty tonight is security guard Firuz Ramatula from India.
43:38I have to be very fast because I have to cover from deck 14 to deck C
43:44within a span of three and a half to four hours.
43:48Walking several miles a night, she patrols the entire ship from top to bottom,
43:53looking out for potential hazards and ensuring safety equipment is in working order.
43:58If I miss any safety point or anything during my night rounds,
44:04even that is small, that could create a big problem.
44:07So even if the phone is not working, you have to be very careful.
44:12Like, it'll be small, we'll feel small, but it is never small.
44:16We don't know when we are going to get an emergency.
44:20So the whole people's life is on these hands.
44:29Responding to emergencies is part of her job.
44:32And on the bridge, first officer Matthias has been alerted to a potential fire.
44:37So we just got the smoke detector activated.
44:40I will check the location now.
44:43The casino pantry.
44:45First response, bridge.
44:47Bridge, go ahead.
44:49So could you proceed to deck three, fire zone five, casino pantry.
44:54It's a smoke detector activated.
44:56Copy that, Christine.
44:57Yeah, thank you.
44:58Alarms must be responded to as quickly as possible.
45:07Oh my God.
45:08Hi.
45:16Go ahead.
45:17There is no smoke, no fire.
45:19Yeah, no smoke, no fire.
45:21Detector 66 activated.
45:23Do the dishwasher.
45:25Yes, the dishwasher.
45:27All right, so it was a false alarm.
45:28Just the dishwasher that's underneath there.
45:30So we reset it.
45:31For the next five hours, we make sure we stay on course.
45:34That we are going fast enough.
45:36So we arrive on time for the passengers tomorrow morning.
45:39And make sure everybody is safe asleep.
45:41But most important of the morning,
45:45Malen, would you like a coffee?
45:47Yes, please.
45:47All right.
46:01Next time...
46:02I'm finished!
46:03The pressure's mounting for a young dancer.
46:06I still get that nervous feeling because I want to do a good job.
46:09And the temperature's rising in Jamaica.
46:13Oh, that's warm.
46:14Oh, can you turn the heat down just a little bit?
46:17Yeah.
46:17All right.
46:39The pressure's going on.
46:47The pressure's going on.
46:48The pressure's going on.
46:48The pressure's going on.
46:49The pressure's going on.
46:50The pressure's going on.
46:51The pressure's going on.
46:52The pressure's going on.
46:53The pressure's going on.
46:54The pressure's going on.
46:55The pressure's going on.
46:56The pressure's going on.
46:57The pressure's going on.
46:58The pressure's going on.
46:59The pressure's going on.
47:00The pressure's going on.
47:01The pressure's going on.
47:02The pressure's going on.
47:03The pressure's going on.
47:04The pressure's going on.
47:05The pressure's going on.
47:06The pressure's going on.
47:07The pressure's going on.
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