The Cruise: A Life at Sea - Episode Guide

In January 2013, the Cruise Liner Balmoral set sail on a 112-day world cruise. She is embarking on a 33,000 mile voyage, stopping at 33 ports of call on her trip around the globe. On board are 1,700 passengers and crew and their chaplain for the journey, the Reverend Colin Still.

After a brief stop in Madeira, Captain Victor Stoica soon has a medical emergency on his hands as a sick passenger has to be airlifted off the ship in the middle of the Atlantic. On board, Colin and the passengers settle into a routine. Sue Alderson, the energetic choir mistress, is soon drilling her passenger volunteers for a performance of The Pirates of Penzance at the end of the leg in Acapulco. Bob and Vivien Spedding met and fell in love on a previous cruise, but are on a honeymoon with a difference this time.

The second leg of Balmoral's world cruise sees her crossing the Pacific and includes a stop on the tropical island of Tahiti.

With nearly two weeks at sea, passengers find ways to entertain themselves. Amateur dramatics are always popular and drama producer Carol Bunyan is hard at work producing a performance from her volunteer thespians. Ian and Gail Hussey celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary by renewing their vows with the Reverend Colin Still, but there is tragedy too as a woman dies at sea.

The Reverend Colin Still witnesses a fire-ravaged part of Tasmania before visiting the Mission to Seafarers Centre in Hobart. On board Balmoral we meet John and Dilys, who met and fell in love on a cruise ship, but due to their deteriorating health pose difficult questions for Colin about their futures. The cruise also makes a spectacular entry into Sydney, and tours take in jumping crocodiles and the legendary Komodo dragons in their natural environment.

The Reverend Colin Still is reminded of his past on a steam train trip in Java and meets entertainer Philip Lange, who wanted to join the church but became a professional pianist instead. Choir mistress SueAlderson starts to drill a new choir into shape to perform at Colin's Palm Sunday service, but a change of schedule in Singapore causes havoc with their choral plans.

It is Easter and Reverend Colin Still has a busy week ahead, including an appearance at a seafarers' service in Colombo. Meanwhile, Sue Alderson is preparing the choir to sing on Easter Sunday.

Balmoral also stops in Phuket where Colin visits a Buddhist temple and Sue joins him for an elephant ride at a sanctuary. Ken and Shirley Marshall are celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary and experience an exhilarating tuktuk ride in Colombo.

The world cruise starts out on its last leg as it leaves Dubai and heads for home. After a short stop in Oman and navigating through an area infamous for its piracy, the Balmoral sails up the Suez Canal andarrives at the Mediterranean port of Alexandria in Egypt.

The Reverend Colin Still and a group of passengers make a pilgrimage to the Allied War Cemetery at El Alamein to commemorate those that fell in the battle.

On board, people come together to take part in the Country Fayre to raise money for charity, and then it is time for the end-of-cruise shows by the passengers and staff on board, as well as tearful goodbyes at the end of the four-month voyage.