The Cruise

Sheridan Smith narrates a documentary following life for passengers and crew on board the ships Scarlet Lady and Valiant in the Virgin Voyages fleet, bound for destinations including the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. The first edition begins in the hustle and bustle of embarkation day at Scarlet Lady's home port of Miami, Florida, as more than 1,000 crew get the ship ready for new passengers.

Scarlet Lady, one of the newest and most luxurious ships at sea, is steaming towards its first port of call: Costa Maya in Mexico. But on the bridge, British First Officer Elliot has noticed a problem — the ship has fallen behind schedule and is in danger of missing its arrival slot. With thousands of passengers expecting a day full of exciting shore excursions the pressure's on to get back on track, or else he'll have a ship-load of angry passengers. Meanwhile, British passengers Paul and Damien are popping their cruising cherry, having been finally convinced to hit the high seas with the promise of a child-free ship. They've got big plans for their time in Mexico... if the ship ever makes it! Ambitious Second Officer Georgia performs her first manoeuvre at the helm of Scarlet Lady, rendezvousing with a tiny pilot boat, then bringing the massive cruise ship into port. It's a huge leap forward in the aspiring captain's career. Former Red Coat Kayleigh leads a cooking and dancing excursion on shore. It's her first time visiting the port, and the pressure's on to provide a top experience for the passengers, but a power cut throws her plans into chaos! As the ship prepares to depart Mexico, the crew discover two passengers are missing. The ship is forced to delay its departure while they wait for the two friends to turn up. One of them eventually stumbles back to ship — but the other is nowhere to be found. Captain Giovanni faces a difficult decision — wait longer, delaying thousands of passengers and crew or leave the stranded sailor behind! Meanwhile, passengers and crew prepare for the biggest night of the cruise — the ship-wide celebration known as ‘Scarlet Night'. As passengers get their glam on, the crew race to transform the ship with — amongst other things — a giant 75ft inflatable octopus. Will the crew be able to deliver their promise of a party to end all parties?

Scarlet Lady, one of the newest and most luxurious ships at sea, is nearing the end of a cruise around the Caribbean. And while the seas might be calm, there are some rough heads on board after last night's ‘Scarlet Night' pool party. VIP ‘Rock Star' Damien treats himself to an extreme hangover cure... an IV drip filled with hangover-busting ingredients! But is it enough to let him enjoy the rest of his cruise? As the ship docks in the beautiful Bimini Island in the Bahamas, the passengers are planning a day full of activities and excursions. They have access to a private luxury beach club, and for many it's the highlight of the trip. But for the crew, the island paradise is more like a nightmare! They need to provide the same five-star service that the sailors expect onboard, but with limited facilities. Leading the charge is perfectionist restaurant manager Jayon. He's training up newbie Camila to his ultra-high standards, but will she make the grade? A family of ‘Rock Star' VIPs have their day thrown into chaos, thanks to some poor planning, but can the crew rescue their special day and send them home smiling? After running around the ship catering to her sailors' demands, no-nonsense Rock Star Agent Selma becomes a ‘bouncer' for the day, keeping roving spring breakers out of the exclusive VIP area. Finally, the bridge crew bid a fond farewell to their charismatic Italian captain Giovanni.

With a ‘no kids' policy, Scarlet Lady and Valiant are ships that promise escapism and plenty of fun for those who set sail with them. But, naturally, it's not all plain sailing. The crew, above and below deck, have many roles to fulfill to keep guests happy and the ship running smoothly. From tricky demands from the sailors to last-minute challenges on the bridge, the series follows the jeopardy as it unfolds and the characters that make these worlds come alive. Scarlet Lady, the flagship of Virgin's fleet of luxury cruise ships, is back in her home port of Miami. As satisfied sailors reluctantly bid farewell to their VIP lifestyles, a set of fresh faces eagerly come aboard! Among the new passengers are Jane and her friends Martin and Mia. Jane's been treated to the trip as a birthday gift from her generous friends — though she is sceptical that life at sea might not be for her. Can Scarlet's crew convince Jane that there's more to cruising than ‘blue rinses and buffets'? We also meet perfectionist restaurant manager Jayson, whose passion for all things food and service borders on the obsessive! Another new passenger is Alison. The Scottish grandmother is about to reach a milestone birthday and does not want to celebrate quietly. She plans to embrace everything the ship has to offer, from game shows to bar crawls — and even a tattoo from the ship's on-board tattoo parlour, the first of its kind, anywhere in the world! Housekeeper Cielo and her stage rigger boyfriend Callum enjoy a rare afternoon off. Working on opposite shifts, the lovebirds are struggling to find time together — but there are big changes on the horizon, with a possible promotion and a transfer to another ship. Could the couple soon find an ocean between them? And in the Red Room theatre, the ship's acrobats are preparing for tonight's ‘deathdefying performance'. But the weather conditions on deck are deteriorating and the ship is rocking heavily. The cast face an agonising choice — risk serious injury should a stunt go wrong, or water down their show and leave the passengers disappointed.

The Scarlet Lady sets off on a journey to Bimini in the Bahamas, while Ryan teams up with Ricky to throw an entertaining cocktail-making class, and nurse Teodora has a medical emergency to deal with. Disaster strikes in one of the ship's most exclusive restaurants when the team spots a major leak in part of the ceiling.

With a ‘no kids' policy, Scarlet Lady and Valiant are ships that promise escapism and plenty of fun for those who set sail with them. But, naturally, it's not all plain sailing. The crew, above and below deck, have many roles to fulfill to keep guests happy and the ship running smoothly. From tricky demands from the sailors to last-minute challenges on the bridge, the series follows the jeopardy as it unfolds and the characters that make these worlds come alive. It's a busy and challenging time on board Scarlet Lady this week — and also includes royalty! Before they set sail, Glenroy and his team need to get over £250,000 worth of goods to the necessary departments. But there's a hitch: Dominic, head chef in restaurant ‘The Wake', can't find some important fish that's on tonight's menu! But this could be the least of his challenges as his restaurant has a major leak from the ceiling! Chris in Maintenance rushes to the rescue. But with water all over the fixtures and fittings, will the diners be able to eat later that evening? Meanwhile, Irish sailors Marcus and Orla are up for something new. They've booked on to a class that teaches you how to take Instaworthy snaps of your food! It's totally out of their comfort zone. Will they remain sceptical or become seasoned vloggers?! As the ship prepares to head off for its first stop in Nassau, a spring gets caught near the dock and second officer Georgia has some quick thinking to do! And finally, royalty is in town! As the ship docks in the capital city of the Bahamas, word spreads that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are also visiting. Cue very excited crew member balancer Nate and his pal going on a hunt to track them down! Will they get a special peek of the royal couple?

It is Cielo's birthday while on board and her partner Callum is keen to make it a special one, while fellow passengers Michael and Christael are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary and waste no time in signing up for a rather energetic exercise class.

A look at the work of the night-shift crews, including scrubbing out the hot tubs, cleaning the pots from the restaurants, and baking the breakfast pastries. Meanwhile, passengers Christael and Michael continue with their 10th wedding anniversary celebrations and have booked themselves a detoxifying treatment in the Redemption Spa.