Channel 4 has commissioned Cruising Paradise: Above and Below Deck, a new ten-part E4 travel series from Crackit TV. Narrated by Callum Scott Howells (It’s a Sin), the series will follow life onboard contemporary cruise liners, focusing on both passengers and the young crew members working behind the scenes. It is giving Below Deck vibes with a twist, and frankly, we are very here for it.
Filmed aboard Princess Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships, Cruising Paradise will explore the highs and lows of working life at sea, from long shifts and missing home to off-duty adventures in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations. It will also follow groups of passengers, from first-time cruisers to more experienced travellers, as Channel 4 taps into the growing number of younger holidaymakers choosing cruises.
Genna Gibson, commissioning editor for reality and entertainment at Channel 4, described a cruise ship as “a floating city where nobody gets to nip home after work,” adding that the series will give viewers both the passenger experience and the crew stories happening below deck.
The commission follows Crackit TV’s recent cruise-focused titles for Channel 4, including Cruising to the Ends of the Earth and Supercruising: Life at Sea. Elaine Hackett and Jon Connerty executive produce for Crackit TV, with WPP Media Motion Entertainment partnering on the series and Blue Ant Studios handling international distribution.
For CultureCues, this feels like a smart E4 commission. Cruise-based TV has a built-in mix of travel, workplace stories and big personality potential, and focusing on younger passengers and crew gives this a slightly different angle. We will be watching to see whether it becomes E4’s next easy comfort-watch.
Cruising Paradise: Above and Below Deck is coming soon to E4 and will also stream on Channel 4.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.