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Crest Cruise Speakers

Crest Cruise Speakers , a London based speaker agency, believe in the 3 E’s-   Entertainment ,   Education   &   Enrichment    …….  and we have the speakers to prove it.

Dedicated to the cruise industry, Crest Cruise Speakers provide dynamic speakers who deliver compelling topics presented with enthusiasm, heart and expertise.

Our speaker roster is built from a broad range of speaker subjects and categories, delivered by professionals or celebrities, all who host riveting stories with charismatic appeal.  

Come see who we can offer for your next sailing!

• Recruiting Cruise Speakers

Michael Scott - Cruise Ship Speaker

Cruise ship speaker, ** for details of past cruise experience, click here **, ** for details of forthcoming cruise bookings,  click here  **.

I had my first engagement as a cruise ship speaker in 2005, and, especially since 2015, I have spent a good part of each year as a guest speaker aboard various cruise ships around the world, usually covering all aspects of the natural history of our sea days and our days ashore. I am often joined by my wife, Sue Scott, who is a marine biologist, and we're both always happy to be on deck, helping passengers to spot whales, dolphins and seabirds. We are always keen to meet old friends on these cruises – and to make new ones – so for full details of our forthcoming cruises, click the link above.

Michael in his natural environment, as a guest speaker in Greenland.

Michael on duty with deck commentary, Jan Mayen Island

Enjoying the Aurora Borealis on a winter cruise to Tromsø

For cruise companies:  In recent years, I have been l argely booked by  Viking Ocean Cruises   and  Regent Seven Seas Cruises   (see my current Cruise Bookings here )   but we are always happy to hear from other companies looking for wildlife speakers (although I am experienced in including destinations material as well, if that helps). In the past, I have also worked for  Oceania Cruises, Noble Caledonia ,  Fred Olsen Cruise Lines ,  Voyages of Discovery,   Saga Cruises  and  Spirit of Adventure . I have talks available on wildlife and 'destinations' material for Norway, Iceland, Greenland, the Mediterranean and Adriatic, all of the Atlantic Islands, the Caribbean, South America and the Amazon, West and South Africa, the Indian Ocean and its islands, Canada, Alaska, New Zealand and Australia. As a guide to our experience and reliability,  visit this page for the full list of cruises on which we have worked since 2005 .

The photos below are a random selection of highlights from the last ten years of cruising. Hopefully, they also illustrate the quality of images used in my talk presentations, in which I always use my own photographs, if at all possible, to give guests a realistic impression of what they might be able to see themselves.

Photographing Magellanic Penguins on Isla Martillo, from Ushuaia, Argentina in 2019.

A breaching Humpback Whales, photographed on a boat trip from Vancouver Island, Canada, 2016.

Meeting a Takahe, a species that was once almost extinct, on Tiritiri Matangi, New Zealand, 2017.

Taking advantage of good weather to reach north of 80ºN, off Svalbard, 2015.

Visiting the Komodo Dragons on one of three visits to their island home in 2017.

An early-morning visit to the King Penguin colony at Volunteer Point in the Falkland Islands, 2019.

Getting up close and personal wih Walruses on a boat trip from Longyearbyen, Svalbard in 2023.

Michael on the canopy walkway high above the Kakum National Park rainforest in Ghana, 2015.

My second visit to Tristan da Cunha, the world's most isolated inhabited island, in 2013.

Apply To Become A Speaker

PEEL Talent Ltd

Phone 01756 703601

Email [email protected]

Address Pinetum, Broughton Hall Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3AE

Have a Question? View our frequently asked questions.

• Our Artists

WAVE ENTERTAINMENT -  Leading UK based agency, specialised in cruise entertainment, in DIRECT partnership with all the major US cruise lines.

Probably the only cruise entertainment agency with it's management having over 16 years of previous work experience as musicians on board of the finest cruise liners in the world.

Join our team ! 

Based in Manchester UK, with an U.S. associate office in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Wave Entertainment prides itself on representing world-class quality musicians and entertainers.

Sourcing artists since 2001 and having 16 years first-hand experience in the cruising industry as working musicians, we have achieved a great deal of insight knowledge of the  business. We are proud to have introduced many musicians to their first experience as cruise ship entertainers and many have followed a long and successful career in the industry, becoming part of the entertainment team for some of the finest cruise lines today.

“Fantastic service received from Wave Entertainment. No question too big or small and always find the time of day to fully explain everything. Very knowledgable of the cruise ship industry with very helpful advice on how to be a successful cruise ship band. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Wave Entertainment to anyone!”

Helen Firth 

Band Leader (Hot Funk)

More testiomonials here

Click HERE to get a gig around the world! Hesitating? Just watch the video below...

courtesy of The Drop party band

Copyright © WAVE ENTERTAINMENT UK ltd. All rights reserved

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Home Blog Cruise Ship Guest Speakers

Cruise Ship Guest Speakers

Guest speakers and lecturers aboard cruise ships are nothing out of the ordinary, but occasionally we come across a selection of names that instantly stand out and naturally, we want to know more. They are often those that the public would consider experts at their craft, those who have influenced many generations and dedicated their lives to making a difference in more ways than one.

With so many wonderful people lined up to guest lecture in the coming months we decided to take a closer look at some of the people that really stood out to us. We think you will agree they will make for a rather interesting cruise experience.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu – Holland America Line, MS Amsterdam

Between March 22 and April 02 2014, the former archbishop of Cape Town and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, shall be lecturing aboard MS Amsterdam during a small segment of her 2014 Grand World Voyage. He shall sail from Durban to Cape Town.

There shall be two speaking engagements about his role as the first black African to serve as archbishop of Cape Town and about his work forging racial equality throughout the world. There will also be open an open question and answer session allowing guests to really gain a personal insight into his remarkable life.

For details on the 2014 Grand World Voyage please click here

Roger Cook – Silversea, Silver Wind

Award winning investigative journalist, Roger Cook, shall join Silver Wind as she sails an 18-day itinerary from Las Palmas to Cape Town on December 03 2013.

Cook began his career with The Australian Broadcasting Company and in 1968 started work with BBC Radio Four as a reporter on The World at One. In 1973 he created Checkpoint, which he would go on to produce and present for 12 years. In 1985 he joined ITV and brought us the Cook Report, this would become one of the most popular current affairs programmes with audiences often reaching ten million.

He has won 11 major national and international awards, culminating in a British Academy Special Award ‘For 25 years of outstanding quality investigate reporting’.

Having spent 40-years travelling the globe, you can be assured he will have more than a few tales to tell and minds to keep intrigued during his guest lecture aboard Silver Wind.

For full details on this transoceanic cruise please click here

Edwina Currie – Crystal Cruises, Crystal Serenity

On March 10 th 2014, Edwina Currie shall sail from Singapore to Cape Town aboard Crystal Serenity and offer guests some interesting insight into her life.

Having had an impressive career in teaching and then politics, Currie is best known for her role as Minister in the Department of Health under the late Margaret Thatcher. She was on the first team to tackle AIDS/HIV in Britain and brought nationwide screening for both breast cancer and cervical cancer.

In 1998 she turned whistle-blower to warn the public of the dangers of serious food poisoning after more than 500 people fell ill with salmonella through eggs. When Tony Blair came to power in 1997 she lost her parliamentary seat, this bringing the end to a 22-year career in elected office.

Since then Currie has written several hugely successful books including the best-selling novels ‘A Parliamentary Affair’ and ‘A Woman’s Place’.

For full details on this Temples and Safaris cruise please click here

Dr Kathy Reichs – Crystal Cruises, Crystal Serenity

Dr Kathy Reichs shall sail from Cape Town to Southampton from March 28 th 2014 on a wonderful 21-night all-alluring Africa itinerary.

Her first novel, Deja Dead, set the standard of what was to come from Dr Reichs after it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Awards for Best First Novel.

From teaching FBI agents how to detect and recover human remains, to separating and identifying commingled body parts in her Montréal lab, as a forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs has brought her own dramatic work experience to her mesmerising forensic thrillers. For years she consulted to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina, and continues to do so for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Québec.

Dr Reichs has travelled to Rwanda to testify at the UN Tribunal on Genocide and helped exhume a mass grave in Guatemala. She is one of only 77 forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.

She is also known as the producer of the smash hit TV series, Bones, which is based around her novels and its title character, Temperance Brennan, is named after the protagonist of her crime novel series.

For more information on this Africa cruise please click here

If you would like more information regarding any of the voyages we have selected above, please call one of our Cruise Experts 0800 008 6677.

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Princess Cruises Announce New Guest Speakers For 2023

Princess Cruises has announced their new guest speakers line-up for 2023, from various fields such as television, sports, literature, and more, in its list of special Sky Princess voyages from Southampton this year.

The UK homeport ship speaker programme, now in its sixth year, has returned due to its high popularity and is a part of Princess Cruises’ collaboration with Discovery Channel. The 2023 speaker series, called ‘Encounters with Discovery at SEA,’ is set to feature:

• Andy Reid MBE – Motivational speaker, writer and war veteran Reid is the first triple amputee to reach the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. The author of ‘Standing Tall’ and co-founder of the Standing Tall foundation, a charity that provides veterans free mental health support and counselling, his charitable work was awarded an MBE in 2019. Onboard 14-night Spain, France and Portugal cruise departing 1 April.

• Andy Wyatt – Widely known Red Arrows display pilot and Royal Air Force pilot, Wyatt’s skills in teamwork, leadership and planning make him a popular motivational speaker. Onboard 14-night Baltic Heritage cruise departing 8 July with stops in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Denmark and Norway.

• Dame Kelly Holmes MBE – British icon and double Gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics Game. Holmes is a global inspirational speaker, an award-winning author and an advocate for fitness, wellness and mental health. Onboard seven-night Scandinavia cruise departing 22 July with stops in Denmark and Norway.

• Dwain Chambers – British track sprinter and one of the fastest European sprinters in the history of athletics, Chambers took part in the latest series of SAS: Who Dares Wins . Onboard seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise departing 12 August.

• Grant Harrold – joining Sky Princess for the King’s Coronation, Grant is a former British Royal Household member and a leading etiquette expert, royal commentator, entertainer, and broadcaster. Onboard seven-night Spain and France cruise departing 6 May.

• Simon Weston – Former member of the Welsh Guards, known for his charity work and recovery from severe burn injuries suffered during the Falklands War.  Onboard 14-night Land of the Midnight Sun cruise departing 19 August.

• Warwick Davis – famous British actor known for his roles in Ewok Wicket in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films. Nominated in 2001 for Best Actor at the Video Premier Award. Onboard 14-night Iceland and Norway cruise departing on 13 May.

Moreover, Sky Princess’ guests are in for a treat with the debut of a new Princess Cruises original production show, Spotlight Bar , which premiered on Discovery Princess in April 2022. This captivating show immerses guests in a lively bar ambiance, introducing them to local storytellers who share their life stories through music. The show features a contemporary musical playlist that evokes nostalgia and encourages dancing, engaging both bar owners and patrons alike. The creative team behind Spotlight Bar includes Karen Bruce, the Director & Choreographer who produced acclaimed West End shows like Bodyguard, Fame, and Drifters, and Morgan Large, a UK Theatre award winner and the Scenic Designer. Currently, the show is being performed in the Princess Theatre onboard Discovery Princess, Enchanted Princess, and most recently, Sky Princess.

Princess Cruises has also announced the introduction of two themed cruises as part of its entertainment programme onboard Sky Princess this summer. The Comedy Stars seven-night cruise to Scandinavia departing from Southampton on 1 July features popular comedians Ed Byrne, Julian Clary, and Paul Merton & Suzi Webster in the lineup. Additionally, the Culinary Stars seven-night cruise to Spain and France departing from Southampton on 16 September will have renowned chefs Jean-Christophe Novelli MBE, Si King, and Ainsley Harriott hosting a series of cooking demonstrations onboard.

For more details, fares and availability, please call our team of talented Cruise Experts on  02380 658 386 , or search for your next Princess Cruises holiday .

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An award-winning BBC playwright and BBC Young Film Maker of the Year, Susannah has had a love of all things theatrical from an early age.

Susannah formed Peel in 1999 after working as Head of Theatre at the National Media Museum, and creating theatrical installations and educational programmes for museums and visitor centres across the UK.

Alan joined Peel in September 2006 and made his name developing Belinda King Presents’ – an award-winning entertainment production company responsible for Cunard’s fleet of cruise ships.

Recently appointed President of The Agent’s Association, Alan’s knowledge and industry experience helps Peel book the best guest acts around.

When Peel was formed in 1999, Kerry’s experience in national museums and visitors centres meant she was the perfect person to take the lead on production and creative as the company ventured into the cruise industry.

Boasting a keen eye for figures too, Kerry now runs Peel’s Financial Department, as well as heading up the Creative Department.

Since joining the company back in 1994 Martin’s racked up nearly 25 years’ worth of experience with Peel – and in that time he’s done it all!

After joining the Daley Partnership as an Actor/Manager he’s become an integral part of the team who’s always at the heart of our most exciting projects.

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Chris has been with PEEL for over 11 years and 6 of those as Head of Technical for Peel AV.

He has a strong problem-solving leadership style, having been thrust into many cutting-edge projects which have required his ingenuity and out of the box thinking. He works tirelessly for the client and end-user to make the quality of Peel AV’s work exceptional. He has amassed a vast knowledge of AV technology and has worked on projects that include: museum design and hardware installation, large scale marine technical installation and technical upgrades, restaurant and event space technical fit-outs and much more.

He has recently won an award for individual contribution for a major contract and technical installation for Marella Cruises (TUI UK) and has designed and installed more than 10 major multimillion-pound installations.

Mark’s been part of the Peel family for over a decade and as one our Cruise Product Delivery Managers he focuses on the important role our hosts and Assistant Cruise Directors have to play.

Having worked on some of the world’s biggest cruise ships too, Mark also uses his vast experience and expertise to create incredible onboard entertainment programmes.

Sara joined Peel in July 2017 as our Cruise Ship Speaker Coordinator, which means she’s responsible for over 1000 different guest speakers & tutors.

With everything from artists, authors, politicians and policeman to choose from it’s Sara job to find the perfect guest speaker for some of the world’s biggest cruise lines.

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Seabourn Announces Powerhouse Lineup of Speakers for Onboard Enrichment Program

By: Author Carrie Ann Karstunen

Posted on Published: June 7, 2023  - Last updated: June 8, 2023

The luxe cruise line will host an Apple co-founder, a royal butler, and the former head of MI5 as part of its Seabourn Conversations program.

Ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn has announced a stellar lineup of speakers for its summer and fall Seabourn Conversations program.

The comprehensive onboard enrichment program, designed to enlighten, inform, and entertain, allows guests to interact with the best brains in science, history, culture, and dining.

Scheduled speakers include Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak, Royal Butler Grant Harrold, former head of MI5 Dame Stella Rimington, and Michelin Star Chef Robert Thompson, among others.

The discussions will take place on Seabourn sailings between June and November 2023, and will cover a variety of topics ranging from royalty and wine interests to expedition and culture. Throughout the cruise, each speaker will provide unique insights, expert opinions, and insightful dialogues while presenting lectures, sharing meals, adventuring ashore, and socializing with guests.

“Seabourn is known to provide extraordinary experiences for extraordinary people. We are proud to offer a phenomenal lineup of accomplished speakers for our Seabourn Conversations program, creating truly enriching ‘Seabourn Moments’ for guests while they experience Seabourn’s uncompromising luxury and intuitive, genuine service,” said Seabourn president Natalya Leahy in a press release.

“Seabourn attracts like-minded, accomplished, and outstanding people. This program lives up to this promise, and we are so delighted to bring onboard these distinguished speakers who are leaders in their respective fields,” Leahy continued.

Related: Which Cruise Lines Have All-Inclusive Cruises

Notable speakers and topics for Seabourn Conversations’ Summer/Autumn 2023 season

Upcoming speakers in the Seabourn Conversations program include the following:

Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-founder

When and where: June 11 – 25, 2023, Seabourn Ovation roundtrip from Copenhagen

Steve Wozniak , a Silicon Valley icon, technology entrepreneur, and philanthropist for over 40 years, helped influence the computing industry with his design of Apple’s original line of products, the Apple I and II. He also influenced the popular Macintosh computer. With Wozniak’s Apple I personal computer, Wozniak and Steve Jobs established Apple Computer Inc. in 1976.

Explorers and adventurers

When and where: July 2 – 16, 2023, Seabourn Venture roundtrip from Reykjavik

Alison Levine , Seabourn Venture ‘s godmother, is a world-renowned polar adventurer and mountaineer. She led the first American Women’s Everest Expedition and is one of just 20 people to have climbed the highest peak on each continent as well as skied to both the North and South Poles. When she isn’t pushing herself physically, Levine works on developing people to become effective leaders. She is the author of On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest and Other Extreme Environments .

Related: What Is a Cruise Ship Godmother (or Godfather)?

Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper is a former astronaut and United States Navy Captain who served in the United States Navy for 30 years. She was selected as an astronaut by NASA and completed two space flights in 2006 and 2008—totaling over 28 days in space—and five spacewalks.

Dr. Beth Healey has worked in extreme and remote environments including Svalbard, Siberia, Greenland, and the North Pole. Healey overwintered in Antarctica at spaceflight analog Concordia (aka “White Mars”) where she researched the effects of isolation and extreme environment as a research M.D. for the European Space Agency.

Chef Robert Thompson, youngest chef to receive a Michelin Star

When and where: Aug 1 – 25, 2023, Seabourn Quest London to Québec | June 29 – July 13, 2024, Seabourn Sojourn Lisbon to Dover | Sept. 7 – 21, 2024 Seabourn Sojourn roundtrip from Dover

Chef Robert Thompson was born in Bedfordshire, England, and began cooking at the age of ten. Robert was the youngest chef to earn a Michelin Star (awarded to Winteringham Fields in England) in 2007. Thompson’s work also earned a Michelin Star for The Hambrough on the Isle of Wight. Guests will be able to see a live culinary demonstration, sample Robert’s Guest Chef evening meal in the Colonnade, and book a bespoke tasting menu with premium wines.

Dame Stella Rimington, Former Director General of MI5

When and where: Oct 29 – Nov 5, 2023, Seabourn Ovation from Barcelona to Rome

Dame Stella Rimington is perhaps most known as the inspiration for Dame Judi Dench’s character “M” in the James Bond 007 movies. She was the first woman to be appointed Director General of MI5 in 1992, and the first to be officially named in the Government’s new culture of openness. Rimington retired in April 1996. She is a best-selling thriller author who chaired the Judging Panel for 2012’s Booker Prize for Fiction.

Royal Interest Voyage

When and where: Nov 5-11, 2023, Seabourn Encore from Athens, Greece to Tenedos, Türkiye

Former royal butler Grant Harrold is a leading UK etiquette expert, royal commentator, entertainer, and broadcaster. Harrold also works with and advises Royals and their households across the globe. A popular Seabourn speaker, Grant will talk about his life as the Royal Butler and will host a royal etiquette class.

Brian Aris has been a royal photographer for many years, photographing Princess Margaret’s son David Linley’s wedding, the Queen Mother at Clarence House, Princess Margaret at Kensington Palace, producing official portraits of Queen Elizabeth’s 70th birthday, photographing Kate Middleton, and more. Aris has also photographed celebrities including Sting, Trudy Styler, David Bowie, Liza Minelli, David Beckham, and others.

Justin Van Breda, Renowned Interior Designer

When and where: Nov 5-12, 2023, Seabourn Ovation from Rome to Barcelona

Justin Van Breda was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and studied English and Politics at Stellenbosch University before moving to the creative field of design. He attended Design Time School of Interior Design in Cape Town before heading to London. Van Breda began working with Nicky Haslam at NH Design in 1999 and was soon promoted to Creative Director.

He returned to South Africa in late 2001 to curate his first furniture collection, elements from which still form the foundation of his designs. Van Breda coordinates community outreach and workshop initiatives, and has great respect for the artisans and designers he brings together for creative collaborations.

Wine Interest Voyage

This sailing departs from Istanbul and offers special specialty wine and cuisine experiences ashore. World-renowned wine experts will entertain guests onboard with talks, tastings, matching suggestions, and premium ‘wine and dine’ possibilities.

When and where: Nov 12-19, 2023, Seabourn Encore from Istanbul, Türkiye to Athens, Greece

Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen—better known as World WIne Guys —are wine, spirits, cuisine, and travel writers, educators, television presenters, emcees, and hosts, as well as award-winning journalists and best-selling authors. DeSimone and Jenssen are the wine editors at Robb Report , and Jenssen is also Wine Enthusiast ‘s official taster for Spanish wines.

Will Lyons , Wine Critic for the Sunday Times , is a journalist, newspaper columnist, award-winning wine writer, and presenter best known for his work in The Wall Street Journal and The Sunday Times . Lyons also serves as Vice President of the Sunday Times Wine Club. He has written a weekly drinks column for over a decade for The Wall Street Journal and now The Sunday Times . Lyons’ witty, intelligent, and down-to-earth writing has earned him recognition from both the Glenfiddich and Roederer wine writing awards.

You may also like: Norwegian Cruise Line Announces 2023 Meet the Winemaker Series

Latest news about Seabourn

Who would you most like to sail with as part of the Seabourn Conversations program? Have you listened to any remarkable speakers on a prior Seabourn cruise? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Cruise Ship Jobs - United Kingdom

• 29 January 2013

Welcome to the Free Guide to Cruise Ship Jobs, one of the most popular web sites dedicated to helping you find cruise ship employment. We aim to offer comprehensive advice to help you, job seekers from the United Kingdom, secure your dream cruise ship job.

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Cruise Ships operate like floating 5* hotels, and require thousands of qualified, dedicated, hard working staff in every department. It is expected that in the next few years the number of cruise ships operating will continue to increase, thus creating a huge amount of job opportunities. This, together with the normal high turnover rate on board cruise ships means they are always recruiting new personnel. Qualified candidates from the United Kingdom are always on demand.

All cruise jobs are subject to contract, therefore it is vital to consider all the pros and cons before signing on the dotted line. It will not be a holiday, but shift work with long hours. You will definitely not enjoy the same perks as paying passengers during your time off, ie not able to use the leisure / dining facilities reserved for passengers.

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The criteria for UK candidates varies according to the cruise line. However native English speakers are usually preferred for management positions, chefs, entertainers, retail staff, photographers, receptionists etc.

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A former corporate lawyer died after falling from a luxury liner, reports say. One expert says cruise safety is outdated.

• Nigel Blythe-Tinker, a top UK lawyer, died after falling to his death from a luxury cruise balcony, reports say.
• The 72-year-old died in 2023, the London High Court determined. 
• A cruise industry expert told BI that updates to maritime safety requirements are infrequent and inadequate. 

A top UK lawyer who vanished after falling from a cruise has been declared dead by London's High Court of Justice, The Telegraph reported.

Nigel Blythe-Tinker, 72, was on board the Seven Seas Mariner when he fell to his death in July 2023.

Blythe-Tinker, the former head of legal at gambling firm William Hill, was vacationing on a Mediterranean cruise while planning to return to England after a stint in Australia.

Blythe-Tinker died after falling from his balcony while the cruise liner was en route from Marseille to Barcelona on 21 July, CCTV footage revealed, per the Telegraph.

While the chances of falling overboard on a cruise ship are extremely low , a cruise ship expert told Business Insider that the industry's safety protocols needed updating.

The late lawyer's daughter, Sophie Elizabeth Blythe-Tinker, filed a claim for a declaration of presumed death in October. The directions hearing took place on March 25.

Sophie Elizabeth Blythe-Tinker told the court her father "wasn't himself" and had become "increasingly abnormal" during his time on board, per the Telegraph.

"I have viewed the video evidence," she said. "Something descends from the ship at 4:28 a.m. I'm prepared to accept that that was a body, and the direction is consistent with it coming from the suite Mr Blythe-Tinker was in."

Judge Chief Master Karen Shuman concluded, per The Telegraph, "I'm satisfied on the evidence before me that Mr Blythe-Tinker died at 4:28 central European time by falling to his death from the ship that he was on."

The reason for the fall remains unclear.

Related stories

A Regent Seven Seas Cruises spokesperson told BI, "We are very sorry to the family of Mr. Blythe-Tinker for their loss, and hope that they find some comfort and closure in the High Court's findings."

Cruise ship safety

Ross Klein, an international authority on the cruise ship industry , told BI he believes cruise ship safety rules are outdated. He said no substantial changes have been made to cruise ship safety since the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010.

"There have been no improvements. Absolutely none, zero," he said.

Klein said the majority of cases of passengers falling or jumping overboard could be traced to intoxication.

"That's something that's entirely within the control of the cruise line. But they'd rather sell their all-you-can-drink packages than take some responsibility for people's overconsumption of alcohol," he said.

"Ninety percent of people who are going overboard go overboard between midnight and 7 a.m.," said Klein, adding that "those are the hours that people would be the most intoxicated."

It comes amid after a 20-year-old Royal Caribbean passenger has been missing since April 4 after jumping overboard at 3:30 a.m., reports say. Witnesses told the New York Post that the man appeared to be "pretty drunk."

The father of Levion Parker who went missing questioned why his son was able to consume so much alcohol while on the ship, in an interview with a local Florida news outlet, the Sun North Port.

"We don't drink. I'd like to know how my son was served so much alcohol," said Francel Parker.

Ross Klein said that suicides make up only a small fraction of cruise deaths but that "there's really no intervention available" for any passengers struggling with suicidal ideation.

Klein is "not very hopeful" about actionable change regarding cruise safety in the near future "because nobody's pushing for changes."

"I think legislation has been dreadfully inadequate," he said.

"Going on a ship today would be like going on a ship in 1990. There have been no improvements. Railing heights are the same," Klein said.

Watch: Cruise ship captain breaks down 8 cruise ship disasters in movies and TV

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Israel says Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which were intercepted

JERUSALEM (AP) — Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war. A military spokesman said the launches numbered more than 300 but 99% of them were intercepted.

Calling the outcome “a very significant strategic success,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Iran fired 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. Of those, several ballistic missiles reached Israeli territory, causing minor damage to an air base.

Rescuers said a 7-year-old girl in a Bedouin Arab town was seriously wounded in southern Israel, apparently in a missile strike, though they said police were still investigating the circumstances of her injuries.

In Washington, President Joe Biden said U.S. forces helped Israel down “nearly all” the drones and missiles and pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response.

The Iranian attack, less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building, marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Condemnation from the United Nations chief and others was swift, with France saying Iran “is risking a potential military escalation,” Britain calling the attack “reckless" and Germany saying Iran and its proxies “must stop it immediately."

Hagari said the vast majority of the intercepts came outside Israel’s borders, including 10 cruise missiles that were intercepted by warplanes.

"A wide-scale attack by Iran is a major escalation,” he said. Asked whether Israel would respond, Hagari said only that the army “does and will do whatever is required to protect the security of the state of Israel.” He said the incident was not over, and dozens of Israeli warplanes remained in the skies.

Israel’s military said its Arrow system, which shoots down ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, handled most interceptions and noted that “strategic partners” were involved.

“At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week,” Biden said in a statement. “Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our service members, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.”

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a separate statement that U.S. forces “intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel, launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.”

Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke early Sunday, Israeli time, their governments said. Biden said in his statement that he reaffirmed “America’s ironclad commitment” to Israel's security — a departure from his growing criticism of Israel's conduct in its war on Hamas in Gaza.

Iran had vowed revenge since the April 1 airstrike in Syria , which Tehran accused Israel of being responsible for. Israel hasn’t commented on it.

Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month war against Hamas militants in Gaza. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials.

Almost immediately after the war erupted, Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon, began attacking Israel’s northern border. The two sides have been involved in daily exchanges of fire, while Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have launched rockets and missiles toward Israel.

In a statement carried late Saturday by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard acknowledged launching “dozens of drones and missiles towards the occupied territories and positions of the Zionist regime.”

In a later statement, the Revolutionary Guard issued a direct warning to the U.S.: “The terrorist U.S. government is warned any support or participation in harming Iran’s interests will be followed by decisive and regretting response by Iran’s armed forces."

IRNA also quoted an anonymous official saying ballistic missiles were part of the attack. A ballistic missile moves on an arch trajectory, heading up into space before gravity brings the weapon down at a speed several times faster than the speed of sound.

Israel has a multilayered air-defense network that includes systems capable of intercepting a variety of threats including long-range missiles, cruise missiles, drones and short-range rockets. However, in a massive attack involving multiple drones and missiles, the likelihood of a strike making it through is higher.

Iran has a vast arsenal of drones and missiles. Online videos shared by Iranian state television purported to show delta-wing-style drones resembling the Iranian Shahed-136s long used by Russia in its war on Ukraine. The slow-flying drones carry bombs. Ukraine has successfully used both surface-to-air missiles and ground fire to target them.

Some Israelis watched the interceptions light up the night sky.

Air raid sirens were reported in numerous places including northern Israel, southern Israel, the northern West Bank and the Dead Sea near the Jordanian border.

Israel's army ordered residents in the Golan Heights — near the Syrian and Lebanese borders — as well as the southern towns of Nevatim and Dimona and the Red Sea resort of Eilat into protective spaces. Dimona is home to Israel’s main nuclear facility, and Nevatim has a major air base. Loud booms were heard in Jerusalem and northern and southern Israel.

The army’s Home Front Command canceled school Sunday and limited public gatherings to no more than 1,000 people. Israel and some other countries in the region closed their airspace.

Earlier, Netanyahu warned: “Whoever harms us, we will harm them.”

In Washington, Biden convened a principals meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the attack.

Gen. Erik Kurilla, the head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, was in Israel over the weekend consulting with Israeli defense officials. The Central Command oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations issued a warning to both Israel and the U.S. “Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe,” it wrote online. “It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!”

For days, Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had threatened to “slap” Israel for the Syria strike.

In Iran’s capital, Tehran, witnesses saw long lines at gas stations early Sunday as people appeared worried about what may come next. Dozens of hard-liners demonstrated in support of the attack at Palestine Square.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported heavy Israeli airstrikes and shelling on multiple locations in south Lebanon following Iran's launch of drones. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it launched “dozens” of Katyusha rockets at an Israeli military site in the Golan Heights early Sunday. It was not immediately clear if there was any damage.

Iranian missiles or drones were intercepted in the sky above the Jordanian capital, Amman. In Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, and elsewhere in the country, residents reported seeing missiles in the sky and hearing explosions, likely from interceptions. In Syria, explosions were heard in the capital, Damascus, and elsewhere. Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Syrian air defenses tried to shoot down Israeli attempts to intercept Iranian missiles.

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AP correspondents Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, Michael Balsamo in New York, Krutika Pathi in New Delhi, Stephen Graham in Berlin, Thomas Adamson in Paris, and Zeke Miller and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

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Spain to deport dozens of cruise passengers after removing them from ship

Spain will deport more than 60 people who arrived last week by cruise ship in barcelona, article bookmarked.

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Spain will on Thursday deport more than 60 Bolivians who arrived last week by cruise ship in the northeastern port of Barcelona but were not allowed to disembark because their visas were false.

The Spanish government’s office in Barcelona said 65 of the 69 Bolivians who arrived will be flown to the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz. The plane will be paid for by MSC Cruises , which owns the ship in which they arrived from Brazil .

Four members of a family with Spanish relatives will be allowed to enter Spain.

Spanish authorities said the Bolivian passengers had false visas to enter the European border-free Schengen area, an ID-check-free travel zone comprising 29 European countries.

The Bolivians’ visa problems meant that the cruise ship with more than 1,000 passengers was stuck for two days in Barcelona and unable to continue on its route in the Mediterranean Sea until the situation was resolved.

The cruise ship set sail after the Bolivians were temporarily accommodated in another boat while police interviewed them.

MSC Cruises said last week the Bolivian passengers’ documentation appeared correct upon boarding in Brazil.

MSC Armonia, with more than 1,000 passengers reportedly on board, plans to sail to Italy on Thursday, the cruise company said.

Solange Duarte, a Bolivian diplomat in Barcelona, told The Associated Press on Wednesday she had received reports that some of the stranded Bolivians had been duped into obtaining fake visas but had no further information.

“We have asked the families to indicate who has processed this visa and we have not gotten answers,” she said.

Spain ’s national police were looking into the possibility of a fake visa scam, Duarte said.

MSC Cruises said in a statement Wednesday the Bolivian “passengers appeared to have proper documentation upon boarding in Brazil ” but Spanish authorities later said the visas were not valid for entry into the Schengen area.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Couple fly through seven countries to catch up cruise ship that left them behind

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An American couple who flew thousands of miles to rejoin a cruise ship after it abandoned them on a remote African island are now having second thoughts about getting back on board.

Jay Campbell and his wife Jill were among nine passengers abandoned on São Tomé and Príncipe by the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship when they were late to return from a shore excursion on March 27.

But after jet-setting through seven countries in 48 hours to catch up with the ship in Dakar, the couple are beginning to feel disillusioned with the luxury liner.

‘After what we witnessed, we truly believe that although there’s a set of rules or policies that the ship may have followed, they followed those rules too rigidly,’ Jill Campbell told  USA TODAY .

‘I believe that they really forgot that they are people working in the hospitality industry and that really the safety and the well-being of the customers should be their first priority, and that should be placed first.’

‘We believe there was a basic duty of care that they’ve forgotten about so it does concern us,’ she added.

The couple, from South Carolina, had been eight days into a 21-day cruise from Cape Town to Barcelona when they embarked on a third-party tour of the island, located around 190 miles west of mainland Africa.

But when they arrived back at the port, where the Norwegian Dawn was still docked, the captain refused to let them board as they had missed the 3pm deadline for re-entry.

The São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard then ferried the stranded passengers to the cruise ship, but they were once again denied entry by the captain.

Upon their return to the island, the Campbells encountered a number of additional passengers who had been denied entry and abandoned by the cruise operator, including four elderly passengers, a pregnant woman and a person in a wheelchair.

The group later encountered an 80-year-old woman who had been on a separate tour organised by the cruise line, who had been left behind after becoming hospitalised while suffering a concussion while on the tour.

The Campbells were the only members of the group who had access to credit cards, and say they spent $5000 on accommodation for the group while they planned their next move.

The couple say they were grateful for the hospitality received by the people of São Tomé and Príncipe and had been receiving consular assistance from the US embassy in Angola. They were due to fly to Gambia on Sunday to try to rejoin the cruise.

‘I truly believe sometimes we’re put in certain places for a reason and I believe we were put in this place for the 80-year-old woman that was left alone,’ Campbell told ABC. ‘God forbid, what would have happened to that lady if we were not here.’

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told the Mail that the eight remaining guests have been provided authorisation to rejoin the ship in Dakar today.

‘Despite the series of unfortunate events outside of our control, we will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjul, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal,’ the spokesperson said.

Norwegian Cruise Line said it was the passengers’ responsibility to ensure they returned to the cruise ship on time and that they had returned the group’s passports to the relevant port authorities before departing.

A previous statement from the operator read: ‘While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel.

‘Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed if the guests were to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call.’

Were you one of the passengers stranded on São Tomé and Príncipe? Contact us at [email protected] and tell us your story.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

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