Cruising with Jane McDonald
Updated March 2023
For those that love cruising and are looking for some travel inspiration, Cruising with Jane McDonald is the ultimate show to watch. An immersive travelogue, each episode within the seven series is filled with incredible cruise ships, extraordinary destinations, exquisite food and magical entertainment; both at the hands of the charismatic Jane and on the cruise ships themselves.
The popularity of Jane McDonald’s cruise programme has grown immensely throughout the years, to showcase a mixture of cruise ships from 5-star luxury cruise ships to river cruises and budget-friendly cruise ships; giving audiences a flavour of what it’s like to experience a getaway onboard each of them.
So, if you’re planning your next holiday, Jane McDonald’s cruising adventures are bound to give you some much-needed inspiration and useful information that you can use!
Where is Jane McDonald from?
Born in Wakefield, Jane McDonald started out as a cruise singer in the 1990s, before finding fame on the hit BBC One docusoap The Cruise. After Jane McDonald presented The Cruise, she appeared in several shows and even one film - Death on the Tyne.
Now a daytime TV host on Loose Women, her experience within the cruising industry, her down to earth airs and her genuine love of cruising made her the perfect presenter for this remarkable Channel 5 show.
How many series are there of Cruising with Jane McDonald?
There are seven series of Cruising with Jane McDonald, currently available to watch on My5. First airing in 2017, each of the series showcases different destinations and different cruise ships, giving audiences a taste of what it would be like both onboard and ashore.
Series 1
Destinations: Bahamas, Scotland, Budapest and Vienna, Canada & Alaska.
Cruise Ships: MSC Divina, Glen Tarsan (Majestic), S.S Maria Theresa (Uniworld) and Nieuw Amsterdam (Holland America Line)
Series 2
Destinations: The Baltics, Italy, France and Cuba.
Cruise Ships: Viking Sky, MSC Meraviglia, Avalon Poetry II and Celestyal Crystal.
Series 3
Destinations: California, Iceland, Vietnam & Cambodia and New Orleans
Cruise Ships: Ruby Princess (Princess Cruises), Ocean Diamond (Iceland ProCruises), AmaDara (AMAWaterways) and American Queen (American Queen Steamboat Company).
Series 4
Destinations: Australia & New Zealand and South America.
Cruise Ships: Silver Muse (Silversea) and Noordam (Holland America Line).
Series 5
Destinations: Greece, Portugal and India.
Cruise Ships: Celestyal Crystal, Emerald Radiance and Uniworld Ganges Voyager II.
Series 6
Destinations: North America & Canada, The Mediterranean, The Balkans, The Adriatic and Norway.
Cruise Ships: MIV Victory, Marina (Oceania Cruises), APTouring River Cruises, Silver Shadow (Silversea Cruises) and MS Polaryls (Hurtigruten).
Series 7
Destinations: The Caribbean and The UK.
Cruise Ships: Sky Princess (Princess Cruises) and a River Cruise.
How many episodes of Cruising with Jane McDonald are there?
There are 31 different episodes of Jane McDonald’s cruise programme spanning seven series, showcasing a variety of itineraries - from the Mediterranean to Australia. Visiting a selection of popular and less-known destinations, you can cruise with Jane McDonald and see what it’s like to explore the world in this unique way.
Cruising with Jane McDonald Season 7
Spread across four episodes, Cruising with Jane McDonald season 7 takes Jane across the Caribbean on a tropical cruise, before heading on a luxury river cruise down the relaxing River Thames.
Episode 1 - The Caribbean: Part 1
In the first episode of series 7 Jane heads on a 14-night Caribbean cruise onboard the stunning Sky Princess. Sailing from Fort Lauderdale, the episode includes a variety of activities and destinations, including an airboat ride in the Everglades (within easy reach of the port) a trip to the Bahamas to see Princess Cruises’ private resort (Princess Cays) on the picturesque islands of Eleuthera, then to St.Thomas (U.S Virgin Islands) and Sint Maarten.
Onboard Sky Princess, which carries an impressive 4,000 passengers, Jane showcases how to check in on the ship and how to use Princess Cruises’ Ocean Medallion. To give viewers a taste of what’s on the ship, Jane also shows her balcony cabin (including what amenities are within it) alongside the features on the ship itself.
Episode 2 - The Caribbean: Part 2
A continuation of episode 1, Jane finishes her journey on Sky Princess by visiting Grand Cayman where she enjoys a horse riding experience along the beach before heading to the island of Roatan (off the coast of Honduras) where she discovers wonders of the ocean aboard a submarine. The last destination Jane visits on her Caribbean cruise is the awe-inspiring Mexican island of Cozumel, where she attends the vibrant carnival.
Episode 3 - The UK
Differing to the start of series 7, in episode 3 and episode 4 Jane McDonald isn’t on a cruise ship. Instead, she enjoys a river cruise along the River Thames to celebrate her friends’ birthdays. Renting a four-berth luxury boat, in episode 3 she sails through Shepparton Lock where an expert describes to Jane the process of opening and closing a canal lock, before heading down the river to historic Windsor.
Episode 4 - The UK
Continuing her UK river adventure, in episode 4 Jane McDonald’s Thames cruise sails from Windsor to the Waterside Inn at Bray (a popular Michelin-starred restaurant) before reaching Cliveden House - a beautiful National Trust estate. Towards the end of the episode, Jane visits Cookham (a small village with a pretty art gallery) ahead of enjoying a delicious roast dinner in Henley-on-Thames, which is the last stop on the river cruise.
Series 6
Cruising with Jane McDonald series six takes viewers across a wide range of destinations, from the Great Lakes of America and Canada to the Mediterranean, the Balkans and the Adriatic Sea.
Episode 1 - The Great Lakes of North America
In the first episode of the series Jane takes viewers to the breathtaking Great Lakes of America and Canada. For the first stop she visits Cleveland, before heading to the iconic Niagara Falls. Along the way she enjoys plenty of exhilarating activities, including zip-lining across the falls and jet boating in Montreal. Jane cruises around Lake Michigan on MIV Victory, a small Victory Cruise Line ship.
Episode 2 - Mediterranean Riviera
In series 6, episode 2, Jane McDonald’s cruising adventure continues with a voyage through the Mediterranean, including a car tour in Rome, visiting luxury hotels in Monaco and trying delicious tapas in a food market in Barcelona. Sailing on Oceania Cruises’ Marina, this exciting episode gives viewers a real taste of what it would be like to travel through the Mediterranean, along with some great travel inspiration!
Episode 3 - The Balkans
In episode 3, Jane cruises along the picturesque Danube River with APTouring River Cruises. During the episode, she enjoys a journey aboard a vintage steam train, visits Bratislava’s waterway, watches traditional folk performances and tours the world-renowned Dracula’s Castle in Romania.
Episode 4 - The Adriatic Sea
To end the series, Jane takes a cruise around the Adriatic on the luxurious Silversea Cruises’ Silver Shadow, starting in the breathtaking city of Dubrovnik, where she tries delicious cuisine and sees the top attractions, before heading to Venice and Croatia. The episode ends in the Bay of Kotor, a stunning area in Montenegro.
Christmas Episode
In this bonus episode, Jane takes viewers on a 7-day winter cruise that begins in Bergen, Norway. Sailing on MS Polarlys, throughout the episode viewers are treated to dozens of festive delights from a trip on the Coastal Express to a Viking banquet and a visit to the beautiful arctic cathedral in Tromso.
Series 5
Series 5 sees Jane McDonald’s cruise experience continue with visits to an array of new locations including Greece, Portugal and India. Sailing with a variety of cruise lines and seeing all of the top attractions in each location, series 5 is entertaining from start to finish.
Episode 1 - Greece
For those who have always wanted to visit Greece, the first episode in series 5 is bound to be a hit. In this episode, Jane enjoys a, island-hopping tour of Greece, including a visit to the historic capital of Athens, before heading aboard Celestyal Crystal, and venturing to Mykonos. She also visits the island of Santorini during her trip, alongside learning fascinating facts about ancient Greek history.
Episode 2 - Portugal
Starting the episode in Porto, episode 2 is immersive from start to finish. Along the way she learns about how they make the popular fortified wine, boards the luxurious Emerald Radiance and visits Lamego. Jane also makes a brief visit to the Spanish city of Salamanca where there is plenty of delicious food and drink. She ends her cruise around Portugal in its historic capital of Lisbon.
Episode 3 - India (Part 1)
On the first leg of her Indian adventure, Jane visits the city of Kolkata (Calcutta) and sees Asia’s largest flower market, before heading to a traditional wrestling match. She then boards a river cruise on Uniworld’s Ganges Voyager II, stopping off in Kalna and Murshidabad - the former home of the East India Shipping Company.
Episode 4 - India (Part 2)
The second part of Jane’s adventure across India takes her to the home of the Hare Krishna movement, and the city of Mayapur where she sees temples, ceremonies and masses. The episode ends with Jane visiting the popular city of Jaipur, with one last stop in Agra to see the world-famous Taj Mahal.
Series 4
In series 4, Jane McDonald’s cruising programme not only visits Australia but New Zealand and South America - three fascinating destinations. Sailing once again on two fantastic cruise ships, Holland America Line’s Noordam and Silversea’s Silver Muse, viewers can get an insight into what it’s like on these cruise ships along with discovering a variety of attractions along the way.
Episode 1 - Australia and New Zealand (Part 1)
Kicking off this Jane McDonald cruise series is a two-part episode, starting in Sydney. Jane discovers the top sights on an open bus tour, before heading to the iconic Sydney Opera house. She then heads to Tasmania to visit the native wombats. Towards the end of the program, Jane ventures to New Zealand, visiting the city of Dunedin known for its Scottish heritage and the popular city of Christchurch. Throughout episode 1 and 2 Jane sails on Holland America’s Noordam.
Episode 2 - Australia and New Zealand (Part 2)
In the second episode, Jane’s adventures around Australia and New Zealand conclude as she visits an array of sights in New Zealand, including Hobbiton (the set used in the beloved Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series), the Sky Tower in Auckland, the North Island and the capital of Wellington. At the end of the episode, Jane visits Napier and Rotorua, learning about the traditional Maori tribe and seeing breathtaking landscapes.
Episode 3 - South America (Part 1)
In episode 3 and episode 4, Jane travels to South America aboard the luxurious Silver Muse, showcasing the opulence of the ship in all of its glory. Starting the episode off in the colourful Chilean city of Valparaiso where she enjoys a street art tour before sailing to the beautiful glacier on Laguna San Rafael. Later on in the episode Jane also visits Patagonia, including a stop off in Punta Arenas.
Episode 4 - South America (Part 2)
The end of the series sees Jane visiting the vibrant country of Argentina where she finds out about the life of Eva Peron, the former first lady. The episode continues with Jane sailing once again on Silver Muse to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, where she discovers one of the oldest wineries in the country.
Series 3
Series 3 of Cruising with Jane McDonald begins with a trip to California, before heading to Iceland, Vietnam and finishing up in New Orleans. Sailing on Ruby Princess, Ocean Diamond, AmaDara and American Queen, series 3 has something for everyone - whether you love the arctic temperatures of Iceland or the tropical heat of Louisiana.
Episode 1 - California
In the first episode, Jane visits California aboard the popular Ruby Princess. During her California trip, Jane takes viewers to several prominent landmarks in Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills and the Hollywood sign, before heading to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge. Jane also makes a brief stop off in Santa Monica to see the world-famous Muscle Beach.
Episode 2 - Iceland
In the second episode Jane stays closer to home, visiting the incredible country of Iceland. Starting the episode in Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik aboard Ocean Diamond, she not only discovers the beauty of the city, but enjoys a voyage along Iceland’s coastline, visiting geysers, the Blue Lagoon, a whale watching trip and more exciting activities.
Episode 3 - Vietnam and Cambodia
Jane’s Vietnam and Cambodia adventure starts off in the largest Vietnamese city of Ho Chi Minh. In the bustling city Jane tries delicious traditional cuisine and sees all the top sights before boarding AmaWaterways’ AmaDara where she sails along the Mekong River to Cambodia. In Cambodia, Jane visits the temple of Angkor Wat, alongside a floating market.
Episode 4 - New Orleans
In the final episode of series 3, Jane heads to the energetic city of New Orleans, where she boards American Queen - a traditional steamboat run by the American Queen Steamboat Company. Onboard, she experiences a theatre show and a piano bar, then takes a trip to the Louisiana State Penitentiary, alongside a former plantation.
Series 2
Series 2 of Cruising with Jane McDonald once again features a variety of destinations, from the freezing Baltics to the tropical Caribbean of Cuba. The array of destinations visited in series 2 is bound to entertain viewers, alongside Jane’s charismatic charm throughout.
Episode 1 - The Baltics
Beginning the series is a trip to the Baltics, where Jane boards Viking Sky - exploring all that the Viking Cruises’ ship has to offer. On the cruise, she stops off in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia to explore its captivating history before visiting the Russian city of St Petersburg. Jane then sails to Finland’s capital, Helsinki, where she visits an eccentric local before ending the episode in Stockholm where she enjoys a tour of the ABBA Museum.
Episode 2 - Italy
In the second episode of Jane McDonald’s cruise show she visits Naples before heading on a ferry to the picturesque island of Capri. A poignant episode as Jane visits one of her favourite actresses’ graves, Gracie Fields, the sights that Jane sees throughout the episode are both beautiful and unique. Throughout episode 2, Jane enjoys a cruise on MSC Meraviglia - a stunning and spacious cruise ship.
Episode 3 - France
Sailing down the Rhone on a river cruise aboard Avalon Poetry II, Jane visits Lyon to discover the famous food market of Marche Paul Bocuse, along with several mediaeval villages and towns. She also gets the chance to enjoy a hot air balloon ride, above the beautiful rural countryside.
Episode 4 - Cuba
Cruising with Jane McDonald series 2 ends with a trip around Cuba aboard Celestyal Crystal. Visiting the bustling city of Havana, Jane tries delicious food and wanders around the city getting a sense of what it’s like on the Caribbean island. She also takes part in a traditional salsa dance lesson in Cienfuegos before taking a short trip to Jamaica where she visits beautiful beaches and enjoys delicious food.
Series 1
Series 1 starts off the programme with a bang. In the four episodes, Jane visits the Caribbean, Scotland, Europe and Canada. Due to the attractions she visits and the destinations she stops off in, it’s clear to see why so many people love to virtually cruise with Jane McDonald and how this show has 7 incredible seasons.
Episode 1 - The Bahamas
The first episode of the programme begins in the tropical port of Nassau - a famous stop off for many cruise lines. In Nassau, Jane visits a variety of sights from the oldest baptist church and St Martin in the Leeward Islands to discover the local wildlife. Sailing on MSC Divina, she tours the cruise ship exploring all of its amenities, including the activities and cuisine onboard.
Episode 2 - Scotland
In the second episode of series 1, Jane visits the Inner Hebrides (on Majestic’s Glen Tarsan) alongside a few other passengers. Exploring an array of locations including Fingal’s Cave, this intimate cruise varies hugely to the previous cruise aboard MSC Divina.
Episode 3 - Hungary and Austria
Episode 3 takes Jane along the River Danube aboard the opulent S.S Maria Theresa. In Budapest, Jane enjoys a trip to the popular Szechenyi Baths alongside other sights, before heading to Austria’s awe-inspiring capital of Vienna.
Episode 4 - Canada
Series 1 ends in the beloved Canadian city of Vancouver, known for its bustling nightlife and picturesque surroundings. From there, Jane boards Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam where she cruises around the incredible state of Alaska. There, she enjoys a dog sled ride, explores the Glacier Bay National Park, takes part in a cooking class onboard Nieuw Amsterdam and meets the cast of the theatre shows.
Jane McDonald’s Popular Cruising Programme Lives on
It’s clear to see why Cruising with Jane McDonald is such a popular and beloved programme. The variety of destinations she visits, the cruise ships she experiences and Jane’s bubbly personality are all factors into why so many people watched the series at the time, and want to relive it via My5.
Jane McDonald has now officially handed over the baton to comedian, writer and presenter Susan Calman for her new series Cruising with Susan Calman, where she also visits and experiences a wide array of international destinations on some of cruise’s most exciting ships!
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