A new three-part series hosted by hotelier and TV personality Francis Brennan, set onboard a Princess Cruises ship is currently being filmed in the Baltics by Waddell Media for broadcast on RTÉ One.
Entitled ‘Francis Brennan - All hands on deck’ the series will follow Francis as he sails the Baltic capitals on the 3,560-guest Regal Princess cruise ship.
The series is being produced and directed by Lee Salisbury, Dave Perry and Matt Gould feature are on cameras, sound is by Mark McMaster, Milene Fegan is assistant producer with Jannine Waddell featuring as executive producer.
During each hour-long episode, he will gain an insight into what life is like for the ship’s 1,600 crew members by stepping into the shoes of three of the most senior onboard roles: Maitre ‘D, Entertainment Director and Hotel General Manager.
Under the watchful eye of each crew member, Francis will see if he has what it takes to give the ship’s guests the holiday of a lifetime. Francis will try and meet a wide range of challenges, from learning first-hand what it takes to be Maitre’ D and ensuring a smooth service in the ship’s seven restaurants and numerous eateries; to arranging onboard activities for guests with the Entertainment Director; to overseeing the entire ship with its 5,000 guests and crew alongside the Hotel General Manager.
In keeping with Francis Brennan's Grand Tour, this new series will see Francis host a number of guided shore excursions, exploring all that the Baltics have to offer. The ship will sail from Copenhagen as guests explore Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Berlin, and Oslo.
At a length of 1,083 feet, Regal Princess is longer than the Eiffel Tower. And at 217 feet high she is taller than 15 double-decker London buses stacked on top of one another. The ship has 17 decks, 16 bars and restaurants, a luxury spa and a fitness centre.
Jannine Waddell, MBE, Managing Director, Waddell Media said:
“Francis is the ultimate ‘people person’ but he has his challenges this time, not least having to find different passengers daily to join him on his escapades. We are always looking for new TV formats to keep our content fresh and relevant for viewers and this new series sees Francis at his best. He should be completely out of his comfort zone as he’s learning the ropes for some of the most demanding jobs onboard Regal Princess but he’s taking it all in his stride so far so viewers are in for a real treat."
Tony Roberts, Princess Cruises' vice president UK and Europe, said:
“We are thrilled to confirm that we will be appearing alongside Francis on RTE. As more and more Irish guests choose to book a holiday with Princess, viewers will have the opportunity to see much of what we have to offer and our premium onboard experience. Meanwhile the destinations Regal Princess will sail to are steeped in history and all wonderful places to visit.”
Francis Brennan added:
“I’m approaching this series as basically running a floating hotel, that’s really what these luxurious cruise ships are, so I should be perfectly at home. I’m so looking forward to getting into my uniform and learning the tricks of the cruise trade as well as stopping off to explore some amazing destinations. I’m sure we’ll have time for a few laughs along the way.”
‘Francis Brennan - All hands on deck’ will be shown on RTÉ One.