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The 17 Best Documentaries About Cruise Ships

Aug 1, 2023 | Best Of , Business , Travel

cruise liner documentary

From stories of daring rescues at sea to tales of luxury liners gone wrong, these thirteen documentaries offer an intimate look into the cruise industry – without ever leaving your sofa! So grab some popcorn and get ready for a cinematic voyage as we explore some of the best documentaries about cruise ships.

1. The Secret Life of the Cruise (2018)

cruise liner documentary

2. The Cruise (2022)

cruise liner documentary

3. All Hands On Deck (2019)

cruise liner documentary

4. Superships (2007)

cruise liner documentary

The Best Free Documentaries About Cruise Ships

1. cruise ship harmony of the seas – leisure fun on the high seas.

The Harmony Of The Seas is the epitome of luxury cruising experience. This 120,000 ton behemoth has space for more than 6,300 passengers to enjoy its longest slide at sea and two surf pools. Join us as we embark on a journey with this majestic cruise liner on its maiden voyage! Witness the leisure fun on the high seas that you can only find aboard one of the world’s largest ships.

2. Inside The Most EXPENSIVE Christmas Cruise

Discover the secrets of life on board one of the world’s most luxurious cruise ships, the Seven Seas Explorer, at Christmas . Get an inside look at how this floating six-star hotel celebrates the holidays and find out why it is considered to be so expensive! From decorations to activities, take a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life on board this amazing ship and learn what makes it so special during Christmas time.

3. Mega Food – The World’s Biggest Cruise Ship

Embark on a journey of discovery and learn about the world’s biggest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. With 250 chefs creating over 100 tonnes of delicious meals every week, it is an impressive culinary operation that rivals any military exercise. Take a behind-the-scenes look at this mega food endeavor and get ready for a tasty adventure!

4. The Most Expensive Cruise Ship in The World

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel on the most luxurious cruise ships in the world? In this video, we take a look at some of the most expensive and extravagant vessels out there. From onboard activities and amenities to what kind of prices you can expect to pay for a week’s stay, get ready to explore some truly remarkable vessels that redefine luxury cruising!

5. Why It Costs $1 Million Per Day To Run One Of The World’s Biggest Cruise Ships

Have you ever wondered what it takes to run one of the world’s biggest cruise ships? From a staff of 2,400 people working around the clock to create 30,000 meals a day and manage all waste onboard – this is no small feat. In this video we dive below deck on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas and explore how an engine room, captain’s bridge and tiny kitchens work together to power this floating city. See what it costs $1 million per day to keep these ships sailing!

6. Engineering And Building An 80,000-Ton Cruise Ship : The Meraviglia Cruise Ship

Cruise ships offer vacationers a unique way to explore the world and experience some of life’s greatest luxuries. In this documentary, we take an in-depth look at the engineering and building process of one of the most impressive cruise ships ever built: The Meraviglia Cruise Ship. From design to construction, learn how 80,000 tons of steel become a floating paradise that transports thousands every year. This is a must watch for anyone who wants to know more about what it takes to build these magnificent vessels!

7. Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 1

The tragic death of a bride on her honeymoon cruise shatters the joyous atmosphere of the ship. When investigators learn that there were no strong winds at the time, they launch a murder investigation to find out who is responsible for what happened. In this episode of “Cruise Ship Killers”, we get an in-depth look at the case and explore all possibilities to uncover the truth behind this tragedy.

8. Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 2

Cruise ships can be a romantic getaway, but in this episode of Cruise Ship Killers, we explore the dark side of vacationing at sea. Join us as we dive into the mysterious story of a husband and wife from Olympia, Washington whose surprise cruise ended with one of them going overboard. Was it an act of revenge? Jealousy? Or something far worse? Find out in this thrilling installment!

9. Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 3

Cruise ships are a popular way to travel, but they can also be dangerous. In this episode of Cruise Ship Killers, we follow the mysterious disappearance of a professor’s assistant on board one of the longest voyages. A diary found in her cabin provides clues as to what happened and who might have been involved. Join us as we investigate her mysterious disappearance and discover if anyone onboard knows what happened!

10. Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 4

Cruise ships are one of the most popular vacation spots, but not all cruises end with happy memories. This documentary series takes a look into the mysterious disappearances that have occurred on luxury cruises. Featuring interviews with family members, investigators and experts, Cruise Ship Killers delves deep to uncover what happened to those who never returned home after enjoying their holiday at sea. Join us as we explore these chilling cases in this thought-provoking true crime series.

11. Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 5

A retired teacher set out on a solo journey across the Great Lakes, only for her family to become concerned when she fails to check in. As they investigate further, they begin to suspect something sinister has happened. Join us as we explore this story of Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 5 and uncover what really happened!

12. Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 6

When a German college student goes missing while working on a cruise ship in Alaska , the questions arise: did she decide to skip out on her duties or was there something more sinister that happened? Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 6 takes an in-depth look at this mysterious disappearance and examines all possibilities. Join us as we dive into the deep waters of Alaskan ports to uncover what really happened that fateful day.

13. Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 7

In this heart-wrenching and gripping documentary, a family of four embarks on the cruise of a lifetime. But when only three return home, they launch an investigation into what happened to their missing daughter – all signs pointing towards her being kidnapped. Follow them as they search for answers in Cruise Ship Killers – Season 1 : Episode 7!

Read On – Our Latest Top Documentaries Lists

The 10 best documentaries about chance the rapper, the 3 best documentaries about nelly, the 6 best documentaries about creed, the 6 best documentaries about mc hammer, the 7 best documentaries and videos about eartha kitt, the 8 best documentaries about joe cocker, the 5 best documentaries about loretta lynn, the 7 best documentaries about aerosmith, the 7 best documentaries about def leppard, the 15 best documentaries about mariah carey.

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Observational documentary series following the lives of the crew and passengers heading out on the holiday of a lifetime on board the ships Scarlet Lady and Valiant in the Virgin Voyages fle... Read all Observational documentary series following the lives of the crew and passengers heading out on the holiday of a lifetime on board the ships Scarlet Lady and Valiant in the Virgin Voyages fleet. Observational documentary series following the lives of the crew and passengers heading out on the holiday of a lifetime on board the ships Scarlet Lady and Valiant in the Virgin Voyages fleet.

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The Secret Life of the Cruise

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Where does The Secret Life of the Cruise rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

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The Secret Life of the Cruise is 11715 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 6164 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Women and Soldiers but less popular than Havenhurst.

A floating city on the sea, the MSC Seaside is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world. With privileged access to every part of the cruise's operation, this film uncovers the army of people and complex systems that keep this extraordinary ship at the top of its game. Full of surprising facts, this captivating program reveals life on board in a way that viewers have never seen before.

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

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The secret life of the cruise, project details.

A floating city on the sea, the MSC Seaside is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world. With privileged access to every part of the cruise’s operation, this 90 minute special uncovers the army of people, amazing technology and complex systems that keep this extraordinary ship at the top of its game. Full of surprising facts and engaging characters, this captivating programme reveals life on board in a way that the viewer has never seen before.

The show gained a huge audience for its UK premiere and is now in global distribution.

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Gripping Trailer for HBO's' The Last Cruise' Shows Trapped People Aboard Cruise Ship in Early Days of COVID

The Diamond Princess departed from Japan on Jan. 20, 2020, and a month later positive cases of COVID were confirmed

HBO's latest documentary takes on the nightmare aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a PEOPLE exclusive look at the first trailer for the film, director Hannah Olson ( Baby God ) documents multiple first-person accounts of what transpired in the month and a half that passengers and crew found themselves trapped on the ship.

"I spent months collecting hundreds of hours of cell phone footage taken by the passengers and crew aboard the Diamond Princess," Olson tells PEOPLE. "I wanted this to be an immersive experience, meant to transport the viewer back into the particular feeling of the early days of this pandemic."

The Diamond Princess departed from Japan on Jan. 20, 2020, and a month later positive cases of COVID were confirmed.

The ship carried 3, 711 people with 712 becoming infected. Fourteen people, all of them passengers, died.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE 's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

It wasn't until March 1 that all passengers and crew members were able to disembark the ship.

The Last Cruise premieres on HBO and HBO Max on March 30.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC , WHO and local public health departments . PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here .

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'Hell of a Cruise': Highlighting the panic, failures of the COVID early days

cruise liner documentary

About halfway through "Hell of a Cruise," a new documentary streaming on Peacock, a traveler films herself on a Costa Luminosa cruise just as COVID-19 was beginning to spread around the world – and passengers can be heard coughing in the background.

The seconds-long clip is enough to evoke the panic of the pandemic's early days, a key theme of the film, which centers on the early outbreak on Princess Cruises' Diamond Princess ship along with other impacted cruise ships.

The ship was quarantined off Yokohama, Japan in February 2020, and the outbreak resulted in over 700 cases and more than a dozen deaths.

"... We were fascinated because the Diamond Princess was the first superspreader event outside of China that we had any type of knowledge of," director and executive producer Nick Quested said. "And, you know, it's interesting, the doctors that went on the boat said, 'We knew everything we needed to know about COVID at the end of the Diamond Princess.' "

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Quested spoke with USA TODAY about telling a story using passenger footage, filming with pandemic restrictions in place, and the lessons we can take away from the movie, which premieres Sept. 14. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

I was so interested to see all the footage from passengers. How did you go about finding that and selecting it?

Quested:  Well, my partners came to me with the original footage from Spencer ( Fehrenbacher, a Diamond Princess passenger and consulting producer). ... So, we were fascinated initially by just this first superspreader event, but then we were looking at, and it was like, "Well hold on, what else could Princess really have done on the Diamond Princess?" The response from Princess wasn't perfect, but it was perfectly understandable given the novelty of what was going on and the distance it was away. I can't hold Princess at fault for that, but what I think we do need to look at is, once they knew what happened when COVID was on their cruise ships, why would they continue to send boats out?

How did you think about the look and feel that you wanted the documentary to have and what role did the footage from passengers play in that?

Quested:  Well, obviously we weren't able to get on the boat because we weren't even aware of the story until after it had happened, so we're weaving (together) the passengers' footage. And what's interesting about passengers' footage is that they generally shoot their experiences in the way that you shoot your holiday snaps. A lot of what human empathy comes from is seeing people's faces and the small facial gestures that we have. You know, you could see someone dying (on) the road, but you don't feel the grief until you see the person who's experienced that loss next to them crying. That's what drives your empathy and sympathy there.

So, it's hard. You have to carefully craft moments to use the footage effectively because you don't have the same type of coverage that you would have if a professional had gone in and shot it. So, to create this emotional bond, you've got to find nexus points where other people are shooting in the same moments, and you have to use the interviews as reflective moments (of) what was going on in the footage.

Story continues below.

Many of the passengers that you spoke with said they were ready and willing to go on another cruise. Were you surprised by that?

Quested:  Well, I was because I'm not really a cruiser. So, I'm not really drawn to it, but people love it as a getaway. ... It gives them a little bit of the exotic, but it gives them enough comfort that they are happy. I mean, I think the world divides into those that cruise and then those that don't, and I don't think this film is going to convince very many people who are cruisers that they shouldn't do it. And I think it's going to confirm to people that aren't cruisers that's the reason that they never want to get on a cruise ship.

We tried to give as fair and balanced an account of what we thought happened from the cruise ships' response at the beginning of the pandemic, as well as the executive branch because you can't divorce the executive branch of the government and the CDC from this. And the cruise ships were just following the example of the lack of a coherent response.

The industry is bouncing back and as cruise lines have dropped COVID restrictions, they've posted, in some cases, huge booking numbers. What was it like working on this project and looking at those early days from our vantage point now?

Quested: Well, it was very difficult to make the film because we made this film (at) the height of COVID. So, we were hiring people locally because we couldn't travel. I mean, we shot in Japan, in Australia, in Canada, all over America.

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So that was very difficult. And then to look at the film now, I think the film does sort of typify ... that there was a panic. And the panic came from this disparate response, because there was cross-messaging, there (were) masks on, masks off, and it was able to be transferred through touch and all this different messaging. Like there wasn't anything clear at that point. ... I think the lesson to be learned is – I think what I found disturbing is that, as the doctor said, we knew everything we needed to know about COVID after the Diamond Princess, and this could have been an opportunity for America to come together and in the end, the politics of it forced the issue into a wedge issue that made America weaker and polarized it again.

I was curious if you think that we can take lessons away about cruising specifically or about travel in general from watching this film?

Quested:  I'd like the lessons not to be specifically about cruising, but about, you know, government response. It's like, you need to have a coherent response to this and people need to get away from politicizing it. Remember when everyone was a COVID expert and knew exactly how long the pandemic was going to last and exactly what you should do and the only information they really had was, you know, their Facebook feed? Maybe we need to be much more aware of how social media is influencing our culture and really take some steps.

How did you decide on the title?

Quested:  Well, we played with, like, we went full-on maritime metaphors a lot of the time. Like we were gonna go "Cabin Fever," or, you know, "The Coming Wave." ... And a title has to be pithy. It has to explain the film, but it has to sort of have a double entendre to it in this sense. So, that's where we came with "Hell of a Cruise."

cruise liner documentary

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14 Binge-Worthy TV Shows Set on Cruise Ships

cruise liner documentary

One of my favorite family vacations to this day will always be the 3-day cruise we took from Singapore to Malaysia on the SuperStar Virgo. Even though it was some 20 years ago, I still remember the excitement I felt walking up the grand staircase that wrapped around the Christmas tree, running down the carpeted hallways to find our room and the awe I felt at just how huge the entire ship looked from the outside.

My tiny, eight-year-old brain had a hard time processing how something so big could stay afloat, but I had no worries that it wouldn’t. It was, without a doubt, a memorable experience and one that I’d like to have again as an adult. I definitely recommend going on a cruise at least once in your life!

But if you can’t do it in person, how about doing it via your TV screen?

This is why we put together a comprehensive list of scripted TV shows set on cruise ships for all you sea lovers to get the travel bug somewhat out of your system.

So put on your best cruise outfit, grab that poolside cocktail, and settle down onto your couch to binge these TV shows about cruise ships!

The Good Ship Murder, Channel 5 (2023 – present)

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We’ll begin this countdown with the newest show on it – Channel 5’s whodunit The Good Ship Murder .

This murder mystery series centers on former detective Jack Grayling, now a charismatic cruise ship singer working on a luxury Mediterranean cruise, who finds his past resurfacing when a string of murders rocks the idyllic voyage.

Forced to use his honed detective skills, Jack teams up with the ship’s strong-willed First Officer, Kate Woods, to solve the murders.

Together, they navigate exotic Mediterranean locales while unraveling the tangled motives and hidden secrets of passengers and crew alike.

Wreck, BBC Three (2022 – present)

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Another newer show on this list is BBC Three’s horror-comedy Wreck .

This genre-bending series follows Jamie Walsh, a nineteen-year-old who takes a job on a board cruise ship called The Sacramentum to figure out what happened to his sister, who went missing from the same ship three months ago.

But paradise quickly turns deadly as a series of grisly murders begin to plague the ship.

So, Jamie learns the ins and outs of living and working on a ship and befriends other crew members in hopes that it will help him investigate his sister’s disappearance and how the recent attacks on crew member could be connected to it.

The Love Boat, ABC (1977 – 1986)

cruise liner documentary

The Love Boat is a scripted rom-com/drama series that aired on ABC more than 30 years ago! However, when watching this series, you’ll find that a lot of the scenarios portrayed still feel very current.

Based on the original made-for-TV movie of the same name, which in turn was based on the non-fiction book Love Boats written by Jeraldine Saunders, a real-life passenger cruise ship director, the show takes place on board the MS Pacific Princess, a luxury passenger cruise ship.

Captain Merrill Stubing is at the helm, guiding not only the ship himself but also his crew members as they attempt to deal with a new passenger’s antics in each episode.

These crew members included the cruise directors, photographer, purser, bartender, doctor, and eventually, even a troupe of dancers!

Love Boat: The Next Wave, UPN (1998 – 1999)

cruise liner documentary

Speaking of The Love Boat , in 1998, UPN came out of a reboot of the classic series.

This time around, we follow Captain Jim Kennedy, a divorced Navy officer, as he steers the luxurious Sun Princess on Caribbean adventures.

Join him on the cruise ship are his teenage son Danny and a crew of quirky characters as they navigate exotic ports and witness blossoming love stories unfold amongst the passengers each week.

Featuring familiar faces from the original Love Boat alongside many new guest stars, Love Boat: The Next Wave is a must-watch for all those who loved the original series!

The Gale Storm Show, CBS/ABC (1956 – 1960)

cruise liner documentary

Next, we’re looking at the oldest show on this countdown – The Gale Storm Show .

This 1956 black-and-white sitcom stars Gale Storm as Susanna “Susan” Kingston, the quick-witted social director aboard the luxury liner SS Ocean Queen.

During the show’s four seasons, we follow Susan and her scatterbrained best friend Ethel “Nugey” Porter’s hilarious misadventures abroad on the ship, kept in check by the ship’s ever-grumpy Captain, James “Jim” Bates.

Each episode brings new laughs as Susan tackles the chaos of passenger demands, quirky crewmates, and her own romantic entanglements.

The Suite Life on Deck, Disney Channel (2008 – 2011)

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For a more light-hearted take on a cruise ship series, we have Disney’s The Suite Life on Deck .

A spin-off of the Disney original series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody , this show sees twins Zack and Cody Martin trade their posh hotel life for the luxurious cruise liner SS Tipton, owned by their classmate London Tipton’s father.

London, used to a life of luxury, must now share a cramped cabin with Bailey Pickett, a down-to-earth girl from Kansas.

While Mr. Moseby, the uptight manager from their old hotel, joins the crew, keeping a watchful eye on the mischievous twins.

Breaker High, YTV (1997 – 1998)

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Speaking of teenagers on a cruise ship, there also is a one-season Canadian series, Breaker High .

This unique series takes place at the Pacific Coast Academy, which ditches the traditional classroom for the decks of a luxurious cruise ship, allowing students to explore exotic ports while tackling real-life challenges.

Join a vibrant cast including brooding heartthrob Sean (played by young Ryan Gosling!), practical joker Jimmy, tomboyish Cassidy, and overachiever Denise as they navigate friendships, first loves, and the pressures of high school – all under the watchful eye of the student activities counselor Tony Gifford and the ship’s captain/the school principal Captain Ballard.

High Seas, Netflix (2019 – 2020)

cruise liner documentary

High Seas , also known as Alta Mar in its original Spanish, is a Netflix original series that aired for three seasons beginning in 2019.

Unlike the modern cruise ship settings that we’ve seen so far, High Seas takes place on a luxury ocean liner in the 1940s !

As it voyages from Spain to Brazil, sisters Eva and Carolina Villanueva climb aboard the Barbara de Braganza liner. Unbeknownst to the other passengers and crew, they’ve smuggled a mysterious woman onboard after she pleaded for their help.

Things go terribly awry when the woman is thrown overboard, and Eva, a curious and headstrong writer, launches an investigation into the mysterious goings-on on the ship.

Eventually, both she and her sister discover shocking secrets that tie into their family’s dark past. Who are they supposed to believe?

Anchored, Telecinco (2015)

cruise liner documentary

Another Spanish series set on a cruise ship is the 2015 sitcom Anchored (or Anclados in its original Spanish).

This short-lived Spanish series takes place on a budget cruise ship called the Estrella del Mar (Star of the Sea).

So, we follow the ship’s quirky crew, led by the ever-optimistic Captain Paloma and the perpetually grumpy Cruise Director Mariano, as they struggle to keep the ship afloat – both literally and metaphorically.

Join them alongside a wacky cast of passengers, from social media-obsessed millennials to eccentric retirees, as they navigate hilarious mishaps, stormy weather (both literal and emotional), and all-inclusive chaos.

The Dream Ship, ZDF (1981 – 2005)

cruise liner documentary

From Spanish, we will jump to German in this next series.

The Dream Ship (or Das Traumschiff in its original German) is a long-running German drama that whisks viewers away on luxurious cruises to exotic locations around the globe.

Each episode features heartwarming stories of the passengers taking the cruise – blossoming romances, rekindled friendships, and even family reconciliations – all played out against the backdrop of paradise.

Captains and crews change throughout the series, but the focus on feel-good stories and stunning locales remains constant.

Titanic, ITV (2012)

cruise liner documentary

While not exactly a cruise ship, Titanic is probably the most well-known ship on the planet, so I think we would be remiss if we didn’t mention a TV show about this passenger liner.

Written by Julian Fellowes of Downton Abbey fame to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, this series weaves a fictional tapestry of stories against the backdrop of the historical tragedy.

We follow the ship’s passengers from all walks of life – ambitious first-class socialites, hopeful Irish immigrants, and hardworking stokers – as they embark on the RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage.

1899, Netflix (2022)

cruise liner documentary

And if we’re mentioning 2012’s Titanic , then we also have to tell you about Netflix’s short-lived series 1899 .

This multilingual sci-fi thriller follows a group of European immigrants sailing westward on the steamship Kerberos. However, their dreams of a new life in America are shattered when they encounter another vessel adrift on the open sea – the Prometheus.

A sinister puzzle unfolds as passengers from both ships, each harboring dark secrets, are inexplicably linked. Mysterious symbols, cryptic messages, and unsettling occurrences plague the journey, raising questions about reality itself.

You Are My Destiny (2020)

cruise liner documentary

The last non-English language series we’ll mention is the Cheese drama You Are My Destiny .

Based on the 2008 Taiwanese drama called Fated to Love You , the series is set on board a cruise ship bound for the Bahamas.

There we meet a mousy administrative assistant, Chen Jia Xin, and a charming heir to a large toiletries conglomerate, Wang Xi Yi.

After a chance encounter, the two find themselves unexpectedly drawn together. Will they become each other’s destiny despite their differences?

Avenue 5, HBO (2020 – 2022)

cruise liner documentary

Finally, science fiction and dark comedy collide in this last entry – HBO’s Avenue 5.

This series brings cruise ships to a place you never could have imagined: space . Yup, you read that right!

While setting off on an eight-week-long cruise, the interplanetary cruise ship Avenue 5 experiences technical difficulties that set off a devastating chain of events: a temporary loss of gravity and the Chief Engineer’s accidental death, causing the ship to veer off-course.

When it’s estimated to take three years for them to return to Earth, Captain Clark and his crew need to figure out how to keep their passengers calm, collected, and safe – even as mishaps are happening left and right.

Will they ever be able to make it back home?

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Meta’s Oversight Board overturns takedown decision for Pakistan child abuse documentary

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Meta’s external advisory group, the Oversight Board, has overturned the social media company’s decision to take down a news documentary revealing the identities of child victims of sexual abuse and murder in Pakistan — an exceptional case based on newsworthiness.

The 11-minute documentary, posted by the broadcaster Voice of America (VOA) Urdu on its Facebook page in January 2022, was reported by 67 users until July 2023 for disturbing details of the crimes conducted by Javed Iqbal, who murdered and sexually abused about 100 children in Pakistan in the 1990s. It contained images of newspaper clips that showed child victims’ faces with their names and people in tears.

Initially, Meta did not find it a violation following automated and human reviews. However, the post, viewed about 21.8 million times and shared approximately 18,000 times until it was pulled, was later removed by Meta’s policy team for violating the Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Nudity policy after it was escalated internally and flagged separately by the company’s High Risk Early Review Operations system for high chances of it being viral.

Despite violating the Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Nudity Community Standard, the majority of the Oversight Board found that the content should be allowed on the platform after Meta referred the case to the board.

“For the majority, the public interest in reporting on these child abuse crimes outweighed the possible harms to the victims and their families,” the Oversight Board said in a blog post Tuesday explaining its extraordinary decision.

It noted that the documentary was produced to raise awareness and not to sensationalize the gruesome details of the crimes that took place about 25 years ago, with none of the victims surviving.

“This passage of time is the most important factor because it means possible direct harms to the child victims had diminished. Meanwhile, the public interest in child abuse remains,” the board said.

The board has pointed out that Meta decided to pull the content after it had been available on the platform for over 18 months. Additionally, it questions the sufficiency of Meta’s resources for Urdu-language videos.

While most of the board favored overturning the takedown decision, a minority suggested making the content unavailable, as it was possible to discuss the issues raised in the video without revealing the names and faces of victims.

The Oversight Board recommends Meta create a section within each Community Standard describing what exceptions and allowances apply. The company should include its rationale for not allowing certain exceptions that apply to other policies (such as news reporting or awareness raising) in the new section when it is used, the board said.

“While the rarely used newsworthiness allowance — a general exception that can be applied only by Meta’s expert teams — was relevant here, the Board notes that no specific policy exceptions, such as raising awareness or reporting on, are available for the Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Nudity policy. Meta should provide more clarity to users about this,” the board noted. “Additionally, it could be made clearer to people in the public language of this policy what qualifies as identifying alleged victims “by name or image.”

Meta has acknowledged that it erred in removing the content due to the substantial harms it posed to the victims and their families even though the events happened over two decades ago. It also welcomed the Oversight Board’s decision and will reinstate the content within seven days.

The board, which started its work in 2020 after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg conceptualized its formation in 2018 , has ruled some important oversight cases, including the one criticizing Facebook for banning former President Donald Trump “indefinitely.” In February this year, it called Meta to reform its “incoherent” rules about altered videos .

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‘when the light breaks’ review: rúnar rúnarsson’s original and specific vision of grief – cannes film festival, breaking news.

  • Meryl Streep Says She’s In Awe Of Actresses Who Move Into Producing: “I Have A Production Company Of Babies. That Was What I Produced”

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Meryl Streep

Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep revealed her admiration for actresses who move into production having achieved fame on the big screen in an onstage conversation Wednesday at the Cannes Film Festival.

“There are so many women are producing for themselves and I’m so in awe of the ones who have done that. Reese [Witherspoon] and Nicole [Kidman], Natalie Portman. Everybody has their own production company,” she said.

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Streep was speaking to a packed Debussy Theatre in Cannes, where she was the recipient of its Honorary Palme d’Or on Tuesday night.

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Meryl Streep talks about her late night and staying up until 3am during her Masterclass at the #CannesFilmFestival pic.twitter.com/juuMh23wNj — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 15, 2024

Touching on changes for women in the industry across her 50-year career and near 100 credits, Streep suggested the emergence of female executives had been a game-changer for actresses, both in terms of pay and the types of roles of offer.

“The biggest stars in the world are women right now … although … there’s Tom Cruise. It’s a lot different from when I started … how they did the deals, there was a lot of leveraging, trading … you know, ‘I’ll give you this big male star…’ I not sure how it worked back then but we were undercut in those negotiations.”

“Movies are a projection of people’s dreams, even executives have dreams… before there were women in a greenlight position at the studios, it was very difficult for men to see themselves in a female protagonist role… it’s a personal thing… it’s not just about money… they just didn’t get it.

“More than one man came up to me and said, ‘I know how you felt. I know what it’s like to be the one who takes the decisions.’ That was fascinating to me. No man watches The Deer Hunter and feels like the girl, but I can watch The Deer Hunter and identify with John Savage, Chris Walken’s character, Robert De Niro. We can do that. We speak that language. It’s hard for them to feel us.”

Meryl Streep talks about her ability to pick up accents and how it expands roles on offer during her Masterclass at the #CannesFilmFestival pic.twitter.com/MJDL8TTo2I — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 15, 2024

The sweeping discussion touched on a number of Streep’s key film credits from Kramer vs. Kramer, The Deer Hunter, Sophie’s Choice , Out of Africa and Bridges of Madison County and her experiences working directors such as Mike Nichols , Steven Spielberg as well as Clint Eastwood.

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She recalled Nichols, who directed her in Silkwood  (1983),  Heartburn  (1986),  Postcards From the Edge  (1990) with affection: “He would sit by the camera, and if he was laughing, tears would pour down his face. It was so disarming and probably strategic because it made us feel powerful and wonderful and that anything we did was terrific.”

She said Spielberg worked in an entirely different way: “He’s a genius and he has such an understanding of the mise-en-scene. Mike was interested in the interactions between the characters. Spielberg is all about the whole movement, the whole piece. Mike would add that later with his editor Sam O’Steen. He’d make the music afterwards. Steven has the song in his head already.”

For Eastwood, Streep recalled how he had been an extremely efficient and speedy director on 1995 drama The Bridges of Madison Country , and would sometimes use takes shot in rehearsals if they worked.

“He made that film in five weeks, we’d be out by five so he could be on the golf course. He was so quick…,” she said.

Quizzed on what made a good director, Streep replied unequivocally: “A good director is a confident director, that’s the most important thing. He really wants to be there and he know what he wants to say… the great directors make it a happy set as well, they make it fun.”

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Roberto Minervini on Making His Naturalistic U.S. Civil War Drama ‘The Damned’ While the ‘Rust’ Shooting Tragedy Broke – Trailer

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Roberto Minervini

Italian-born and Texas-based director Roberto Minervini  is known for making hard-hitting documentaries that dissect the backwaters of American society, such as his so-called Texas trilogy comprising “The Passage,” “Low Tide” and “Stop the Pounding Heart.”

His most recent doc, “What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?,” about a community of Black people in New Orleans during the summer of 2017 – when a string of brutal killings of Black men sent shockwaves throughout the country – launched from the Venice competition section in 2018.

Popular on Variety

“The Damned” is so naturalistic it feels like your docs. How did you approach making it?

My approach has never changed. I use storytellers, and I build stories around them. So, for me, going from what we can call documentary, just because the stories that are told were actually reenacted by the characters, to a story that is fiction – especially because it takes place in the past and in part does not directly belong to the actors – is the same. Methodologically and even philosophically, nothing has really changed.

In terms of the film’s subject matter, the Civil War, I can’t help thinking how it connects with America today. Is that what drew you to this subject matter?

There’s a lot of guns and rifles in “The Damned,” and it all looks very real. Were you aware of what happened on the “Rust” set?

Sure. We were very aware. The “Rust” incident happened while we were filming. I remember it happening and of course, that was a great concern. We had two certified armorers. One is Jeremiah [Knupp], the main character [in the film] with the red beard. The other one is his wife, who’s always hiding and shooting. So we had all the protocols in place on how to shoot and all that. That’s why, at the time, I got a VFX supervisor involved from the start because we knew we would have to rely on VFX to enhance the shooting activity since a lot of the activity itself was limited by the fact that we needed to take safety precautions. So, a lot of the fire you see was actually done in post-production. But a lot of the more distant fire is done with blanks on set. What took place on “Rust” are mistakes that cannot happen when all the safety protocols are in place, and there is triple-checking.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

‘I thought I had been cast in a Tom Cruise film – until I was asked to touch myself on camera’

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Tom Cruise

On an otherwise unremarkable day in 2019, jobbing actor John Taylor* received an email that would change his life forever.

He did not initially recognise the sender’s name but a quick Google search revealed Doug Liman was a huge Hollywood director, behind blockbusters including The Bourne Identity.

Doug said he was looking for undiscovered talent for his latest movie set in space starring Tom Cruise and John had been recommended by a producer he had previously worked with.

‘It was surreal, exciting, and weird,’ John recalled after receiving the offer; global superstardom, it seemed, was now in touching distance.

But first John needed to get in shape for the physically intense role and was instructed by Doug, and Donna Langley, the chairperson of the film’s producer Universal, to undergo martial arts training.

He was asked to pay $800 (£638) upfront for the teaching which, at the time, ‘didn’t seem like a huge deal’ to John, who had been paying for acting classes. It was another skill to add to his arsenal.

Doug would also call him multiple times a day, for hours on end, and ask him to watch dozens of films back-to-back, from dusk until dawn, and write analyses of the characters.

Doug Liman

Eager to impress, John recalled to the makers of the Apple TV Plus documentary Hollywood Con Queen : ‘The whole time I was waiting for my phone to ring to do whatever they needed.’

But then John’s prescribed preparation took a horrific turn.

He was told Donna wanted to make sure he could perform a specific scene in the film and was made to jump on a Skype call. Her camera was switched off.

Donna asked him to act out chatting up and then kissing a ‘beautiful’ woman. John did as instructed but her feedback was not positive. She said she didn’t feel that he ‘believed’ it.

‘She was right,’ John recalled. ‘It was incredibly awkward and I didn’t believe it and it was uncomfortable and I didn’t want to do it.’

Donna Langley

After an hours-long break for John to ‘loosen up’, they reconvened on Skype and Donna asked him to reenact the scene with his trousers off.

John said he obliged as he was wearing underpants and his waist downwards was not visible on the camera.

But then he was asked to touch himself.

‘And then I snapped,’ John said. ‘I was like, “No, this is ridiculous. This is not OK what you’re doing.”

‘It was the strongest combination of anger and of feeling upset I’ve ever felt – to the point where I was literally shaking. I was completely disrespected.’

Hollywood Con Queen Hargobind Punjabi Tahilramani

When Doug apologised to John for Donna’s behaviour, only to ask for more money minutes later, it dawned on John he had been scammed.

A con artist had been impersonating the Hollywood power players and swindled $5,000 (£3,989) out of him.

After the realisation, John said: ‘[I thought] this is a really horrible person who uses people for sport.’

Donna and Doug had been impersonated by one man, Hargobind Punjabi Tahilramani, also known as the Hollywood Con Queen, whose crimes have been explored in the Apple three-part series.

Scott Johnson of The Hollywood Reporter

Tahilramani had pretended to be multiple Hollywood executives to dupe more than 300 victims out for more than $1m (£797,999) by offering them non-existent film work in Indonesia between 2013 and 2020.

With the help of The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Johnson, who first broke the story, filmmaker Chris Smith, who also directed the Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, has turned the extraordinary case into a gripping documentary.

For the three-part docuseries, Tiger King executive producer Chris even spoke to Tahilramani, who was born in Indonesia but had been living in the UK, via Zoom, as he recounted to Metro.co.uk ahead of its release.

On his first impression of Tahilramani, Chris said: ‘He was very in control of the way that he presented himself and the way that he revealed information.

Chris Smith

‘I think he was attempting to manipulate and control our dialogue and communication.

‘But what makes him so masterful is that it felt very genuine and real. I sympathise with the victims.’

Chris also said that during the making of the Hollywood Con Queen, he had concerns he had been sucked into Tahilramani’s web of manipulation.

He added: ‘By the end of the series, we found ourselves in Indonesia exploring all these things that he wanted us to explore.

‘We realised that maybe we had fallen prey to the same sort of manipulation that his victims have fallen prey to.

Hollywood Con Queen Hargobind Punjabi Tahilramani

‘It was hard to understand always what was real, and there’s part of him that feels very relatable and genuine.

‘But it was trying to disentangle what was real, and what was not real, that was the constant push and pull of the process of trying to make this series.’

What also emerges from the Hollywood Con Queen is that Tahilramani’s motivation was not purely financial.

‘It’s hard to say [what his main aim was],’ Chris, who worked on the documentary for four years, explained.

‘He was living a good life in London and had nice clothes and went to nice restaurants. I don’t think the money was immaterial.

‘But from our perspective, it felt like it wasn’t the primary motivation, it felt like it was more about something else. It was about psychological manipulation, and destroying people’s dreams.

‘I don’t think we can ever fully know.’

Tahilramani was arrested following an FBI investigation on November 25, 2020 in a £60-a-night Aparthotel in  Manchester .

On June 6, 2023 a British judge ruled that he be extradited to the US to face trial for his crimes.

Tahilramani remains in the UK and is fighting extradition.

*Names have been changed.

Hollywood Con Queen is available to stream on Apple TV Plus from May 8.

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    1-16 of 682 results for "cruise ship documentary" Results. The Secret Life of the Cruise. 2018 | CC. 4.6 out of 5 stars. 189. Prime Video. $0.00 with a Prime membership. Starring: Jason Done; ... cruise ship mysteries submarine documentary sailing documentary ...

  12. Mighty Cruise Ships

    This series takes luxury vacations on opulent cruise ships across the globe, elaborating on their construction, amenities and cultural contexts. Watch Season 4, Ep 1. Season 4. Episodes. S4 • E1. Seven Seas Explorer. S4 • E2. AIDAnova. This series goes to sea on a global set of luxury liners with amenities -- entertainment, cuisine and ...

  13. Inside The Megacruise Documentary

    Inside The Mega cruise Documentary - World's Biggest And Luxurious Cruise Ship - Prehistoric TVA cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for ple...

  14. HBO's 'The Last Cruise': Watch the Exclusive Trailer

    Published on March 16, 2021 11:00AM EDT. HBO's latest documentary takes on the nightmare aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a PEOPLE exclusive ...

  15. Mega Food

    Mega Food - The World's Biggest Cruise Ship Full DocumentaryAbout MegaFood:Take a tasty adventure across the world from behind the scenes of the biggest kitc...

  16. 'Hell of a Cruise' examines being trapped in a superspreader ship

    1:48. About halfway through "Hell of a Cruise," a new documentary streaming on Peacock, a traveler films herself on a Costa Luminosa cruise just as COVID-19 was beginning to spread around the ...

  17. Tonight's Channel 5 Watch: MSC On 'Secrets Of The Mega Cruise Ship'!

    MSC Seaside will feature in a new 90-minute Channel 5 documentary tonight: "Secrets of the Mega Cruise Ship.". The fly-on-the-wall-style TV programme will offer a rare and exclusive glimpse of life below deck for the ship's 1,500 crew members. Viewers will also see behind-the-scenes access to show rehearsals, dining and entertainment ...

  18. The Secret Life of Cruise Ships documentary : r/Cruise

    The Secret Life of Cruise Ships documentary . Just watched a fascinating documentary on Amazon Prime about the behind the scenes stuff that staff are doing on cruise ships. ... We spent last winter running to the cruise ship docks at the port of LA and occasionally San Diego. It's a fun trucking job in a lot of ways and considering we get paid ...

  19. Disasters at Sea

    Through a combination of interview, reenactment and documentary-style storytelling, nautical experts examine the records of modern shipwrecks and other seafaring tragedies. 2019 | series | TV-14. Uncover the shocking causes to the most mysterious shipwrecks in recent history. Watch Season 3, Ep 1. Season 3. Episodes.

  20. CRUISE SHIP Harmony Of The Seas

    With its length of 363 meters, width of 66 meters and height of 72 meters, the Harmony Of The Seas is one of the largest cruise ships in the world. The 120,0...

  21. 14 Binge-Worthy Cruise Ship TV Shows

    The Dream Ship, ZDF (1981 - 2005) From Spanish, we will jump to German in this next series. The Dream Ship (or Das Traumschiff in its original German) is a long-running German drama that whisks viewers away on luxurious cruises to exotic locations around the globe. Each episode features heartwarming stories of the passengers taking the cruise ...

  22. Meta's Oversight Board overturns takedown decision for Pakistan child

    Meta's external advisory group, the Oversight Board, has overturned the social media company's decision to take down a news documentary revealing the identities of child victims of sexual ...

  23. Meryl Streep Says In Awe Of Actresses Who Produce

    Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep revealed her admiration for actresses who move into production having achieved fame on the big screen in an onstage conversation at the Cannes Film Festival on ...

  24. City At Sea: How To Keep The World's Biggest Cruise Afloat

    A floating city on the sea, the MSC Seaside is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world. With privileged access to every part of the cruise's operation, ...

  25. Roberto Minervini on Making His U.S. Civil War Drama 'The Damned'

    Roberto Minervini discusses making his naturalistic U.S. Civil War Drama 'The Damned' while the 'Rust' shooting tragedy broke.

  26. 'I thought I had been cast in in a Tom Cruise film

    An aspiring movie star believed they were starring alongside Tom Cruise in a space film (Picture: Steve Cho Kyewoong/Penta Press/REX/Shutterstock) On an otherwise unremarkable day in 2019, jobbing ...