Balmoral’s world cruise TV series pulls in £1m sales for Fred Olsen

A TV series which has come in for criticism for making a cruise ship look like a floating old people’s home has nevertheless helped to attract £1 million in advance bookings for world voyages.
The Cruise: A Life at Sea reaches the third of its six episodes on BBC2 next Tuesday. The first show pulled in an audience of 1.9 million viewers.
The series was filmed during a 112-night world cruise earlier this year on Fred Olsen’s Balmoral and follows the work of ship’s chaplain Colin Still.
Nathan Philpot, sales and marketing director for Fred Olsen, said: “It is important to understand that the focus of the series is the chaplain and his ocean parish, not the ship.
“We saw our web traffic increase five-fold while the first episode was aired last Tuesday, and we are delighted to have made more than £1 million of sales for round-the-world and extended voyages in the three days following the series’ launch.”
Reading between the lines though, it would appear that Fred Olsen is not entirely happy with the way the series has been presented or received. Philpot continues:
“World cruises such as the one shown in the series are generally for the older generation because not many younger people can take 100 or so days off work, but of course we have a wide range of different itineraries and durations to suit all tastes and budgets.
“Many people loved the show and it has given them an insight into how relaxed cruises can be.”
He was also keen to point out that the series was commissioned by the BBC’s Religion and Ethics Department, responsible for the successful Island Parish, and was originally to be titled Parish At Sea.
In what some may interpret as a damage-limitation exercise following criticism on the company’s own Facebook page, Philpot adds:
“Fred. Olsen is very proud to have been chosen as the cruise line for this BBC observational documentary series, and as the series continues, viewers will get to see more of the warm and welcoming atmosphere we offer on our ships, get to meet more of the guests and entertainers on board, and come to understand more of the very special experience of taking a world cruise.”