Supercruising: Life at Sea - Season 1

In this opening episode, security officer Rich Fontaine oversees nearly 3,000 passengers passing through his stringent security checks prior to exploring North Africa and Europe. Across in Florida, the sister ship is prepared to set sail around the Americas. First stop is a private island in the Bahamas, complete with a meticulously planned beach barbecue for thousands.

The crew sailing North Africa and Europe pulls out all the stops for the biggest bash of the cruise - a full-blown Dutch Orange Party for nearly 3,000 passengers, with dazzling costumes, themed cocktails and a deck-stomping parade that gets everyone in party mode. Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, Midlands couple Neville and Melanie are up to their necks in it - quite literally - as they plunge into a mineral-rich mud bath at a bubbling volcano.

The navigation team sailing the Americas has a tricky manoeuvre to manage. The highlight of the voyage for passengers is traversing the Panama Canal, but cruising the locks requires maximum skill and concentration. Meanwhile, in Europe, Nottinghamshire couple Claire and Graham are whale spotting in Tenerife. Unfamiliar with scouring the horizon, they could do with a tip from security officer Rich who, after four decades at sea, has a database filled with thousands of ship sightings.

Dancer Summer from Milton Keynes is one of the newest recruits to the crew sailing the Caribbean, and is acclimatising to performing on a rocky stage while missing family back home. On the ship sailing North Africa and Europe, the chefs are prepping a fine-dining experience fusing Japanese and Western cuisines. In Europe, a Dutch family brave some unseasonal pouring rain on a Tuk Tuk tour around Porto.

The MS Nieuw Statendam prepares to set sail from Fort Lauderdale on a two-week voyage around the Caribbean, and it falls to British cruise and travel director Clare to get the party started. British travellers Richard and Jackie are in full holiday mode as the ship is carefully navigated out of the busy cruise port. Next stop is the Dominican Republic, where the couple visit a chocolate-making co-operative. However, it's the ship's 'Dressy Night' that's the icing on the cake as, under the direction of chef Sinu, the galley staff work hard to create a 'taste explosion' that blows away the cruisers.

The MS Nieuw Statendam sail solo on a picture-perfect cruise circling the Caribbean. Sisters Danielle and Leanne from Nuneaton sign up for a high-octane trip through the Everglades, spotting alligators en route. When the ship docks in Grand Cayman, the crew's British dancers Daisy, Freddie and Lauren enjoy swimming with stingrays. Back on the ship, the trio need to knuckle down to some hard graft, prepping and rehearsing for a Las Vegas-style performance with solo singer Cassidy. After a fall during the previous night's performance, the pressure is on to make sure there are no more wobbles.