The cruise:- A life at sea BBC 2
11 Posts
Has anybody been watching this programme? This follows tourists on a 4 month World cruise on The Balmoral as it sailed from Southampton to the antipodes and back. Unfortunately it gives the impression of being a geriatric home at sea as it mainly focuses on counselling with the ships priest, illness and death aboard, choir practice , drama classes and anything but the things I would associate with having a good time on a world cruise. With 2000 people on board, they can't all be hob nobbing with the vicar , and contemplating their impending demise for the whole of their time aboard, but then again with the age of the average cruiser on this journey being 69 maybe they are? I found this focussing on old age and religious counselling a bit depressing, so I think I'll spend my money on having fun instead.
Hi Frank
We have never been on Fred Olsen but I think I agree with you, however you must remember that the TV is focusing on about 20 cruisers in a 'click' ( I feel we have all meet this type of cruiser) and they make more interesting viewing than the other 1980 who are probably having a great time doing the cruise thing. I have a drinking friend who is going next week on F O and I know he will shake them up!!!.
Roger
We have never been on Fred Olsen but I think I agree with you, however you must remember that the TV is focusing on about 20 cruisers in a 'click' ( I feel we have all meet this type of cruiser) and they make more interesting viewing than the other 1980 who are probably having a great time doing the cruise thing. I have a drinking friend who is going next week on F O and I know he will shake them up!!!.
Roger
I've been on three Fred Olsen cruises and once on the Balmoral and I think this programme gives a false impression of the ship. We had nothing like that and there was no sign of a priest, choir practice or drama classes what a waste of time people want to enjoy themselves doing their own thing. I was looking forward to seeing that programme as we'd been on that ship but it was so boring I didn't watch any more. I think it will put people off cruising watching this and if anyone is thinking of booking a cruise go ahead as once you've been on one you'll want to go again.
If I could afford to take a world cruise I would love to go on the World cruise ship. 
I saw it last year when in arrived in a port near us and it looked amazing.
I saw it last year when in arrived in a port near us and it looked amazing.
I also agree once you go on 1 cruise you will always yearn to go on more.
we have done 4 cruises so far and never seen any silly drama class or choir practice just the normal daytime entertainment of bingo or quiz or films in the theatre.. or just sit in the sun on deck with nice background music.
evenings were always a good show or piano bar/jazz or a singer.
lots of different things for everyone to do and not get bored..
we have done 4 cruises so far and never seen any silly drama class or choir practice just the normal daytime entertainment of bingo or quiz or films in the theatre.. or just sit in the sun on deck with nice background music.
evenings were always a good show or piano bar/jazz or a singer.
lots of different things for everyone to do and not get bored..
The series was commissioned by the BBC's Religion and Ethics Department
So this might explain why the content of the programme may not be what some people were expecting to see.
So this might explain why the content of the programme may not be what some people were expecting to see.
Well they kept that bit quiet, didn't they? In that case the title was very misleading. They should have called it"the only way is ethics". Then I would have watched something else.
The BBC has hardly kept this quiet - the programme is listed under 'Religion and Ethics' on the BBC iPlayer website and when the series first started I remember reading in the listing information in the Radio Times that the programme would be concentrating on this particular aspect and the broadcast trailers that I saw made it clear what the content would be. Is it the BBC's fault that other listings didn't make it as clear?
SM
SM
I was referring to the title of the programme. I use Sky's programme guide to choose what to watch. Usually this and the synopsis given is sufficient. IPlayer and Radio times are not my first port of call when making viewing choices.
But clearly the problem is that the synopsis provided by Sky's programme guide was inaccurate then and didn't provide sufficient info? The programme information available through Virgin does makes it clear what the content is about. Just checked it and so you know, next Tuesday's programme will be all about the run-up to Easter and the choir getting ready for the Easter Sunday services. 
SM
SM
I don't just think it was Sky. Lots of other people were misled too....
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greybeard/2013/07/passengers-not-convinced-by-bb.html
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greybeard/2013/07/passengers-not-convinced-by-bb.html
"The series is therefore a gentle, warm-hearted view of life on board and is not a promotional broadcast for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, nor the ship nor its guests and crew (the BBC could possibly have been clearer about this in its promotion of the series).
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