Saga Cruises has partnered with BBC Studios to offer guests a chance to go behind the scenes of many of its BBC programs, such as Strictly Come Dancing and The Sky at Night.
According to Saga, tThis marks the first time that BBC Studios has partnered with a cruise line to offer exclusive access to its stars and experts, such as Dr Michael Mosley, Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Ella Al-Shamahi and Strictly Come Dancing professionals Luba Mushtuk and Vito Coppola, as well as the visual effects team behind Doctor Who and Silent Witness. They will join selected Saga Cruises to give insights into the making of their TV shows.
Nigel Banks, Saga Cruises CEO, said: “I am delighted that we are welcoming celebrity guests and experts from BBC Studios onto our ships. This is the first time BBC Studios have partnered with a cruise line and a variety of experts, bringing these unique experiences from the television screen to our beautiful boutique ships! We are both iconic British brands, trusted for many years, and this is a fantastic opportunity to enhance our onboard entertainment offering. We expect these cruises to be popular, so I recommend booking soon.”
Richard Curwen, BBC Studios Live Entertainment Executive Producer said: “Everyone at BBC Studios is excited to bring our new live entertainment programme to Saga Cruises. This is the first time people will be able to enjoy a variety of BBC Studios’ shows with their presenters and entertainers, live on a cruise ship. Whether it’s Strictly Come Dancing, Dr Michael Mosley or The Sky at Night, we look forward to taking guests behind the scenes with the magic of BBC Studios!”
The program will initially run between July 2024 and March 2025 across seven selected itineraries aboard the Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery.
Strictly Come Dancing professionals, including Luba Mushtuk and Vito Coppola, will join guests onboard to give an insight into their careers. They will also deliver routines in two performances in the ship’s Playhouse theater.
The cruises featuring Luba and Vito both set off from Portsmouth and include the 22 night Croatia and the Treasures of the Adriatic, which departs on 28th February 2025 and the 18 night Western Mediterranean and Italian Riviera cruise, departing on 26th March 2025.
Over two appearances onboard, The Sky at Night star Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE will share stories of her career and the world of science and space exploration. She will also talk about the making of The Sky at Night and its history.
Evolutionary biologist, paleoanthropologist and writer, Ella Al-Shamahi will give an insight into her career and work, from researching Neanderthal history to exploring for fossils in danger zones around the world. She will be joining the 19-night Arctic Summer: Iceland and the North Cape cruise, departing Dover on July 17, 2024, and the 29-night Contrasts of Canada and the USA cruise, departing Portsmouth on September 21, 2024.
Millennium FX Director, Kate Walshe, will tell guests about the world of visual effects, and how they are created on BBC Studios-produced programs. The Millennium FX team will be onboard the 49-night Caribbean and Central America Discovery, departing Portsmouth on January 6, 2025.
