ONTD Original: Even More Cruise Ship Movies!
It has been awhile since I had an ONTD original dedicated to movies/shows that take place on cruise ships, and since I have found even more that take place on the high seas, I thought I would make a post highlighting some additional entries to the list. I can't actually find my original post ( only my cruise disaster movies one), but if I have any duplicates, oops! Let me know in the comments what your favorites are!
BOAT TRIP - 2002 (USA)
After Nick (Horatio Sanz) makes an insensitive remark, his travel agent decides to get some payback by sending him and his best friend, Jerry (Cuba Gooding Jr.), on a cruise for gay men. As the true nature of their situation gradually dawns on them, they start to get over their feelings of homophobia and meet potential mates. For Nick, love takes the form of a gorgeous model, Inga (Victoria Silvstedt), while Jerry develops feelings for dance instructor Gabriella (Roselyn Sánchez).
This movie is actually far more hated than loved or remembered, and many called it downright homophobic. Filmed in Greece aboard the MV Olympic Voyager (now sailing in China as the Chinese Taishan), the Olympic Voyager is more famous for its memed storm video than it is for hosting this movie's production.
YUCATAN - 2018 (Spain)
Posing as crew members, two con men compete to see who can swindle an elderly baker out of his lottery winnings while he is on a cruise from Spain to Mexico with his family.
Ignore the terrible dubbing of this Spanish-language comedy caper, filmed aboard the MV Sovereign (formerly Royal Caribbean's Sovereign of the Seas). This ship was scrapped during COVID times when its line, Pullmantur, went out of business.
GOLDEN YEARS - 2022 (Germany/Switzerland)
A retired couple prepare to enjoy their life as pensioners on a cruise trip through the Mediterranean. They end up going on separate journeys of self-discovery and find unexpected ways to spend their golden years.
Released in the US in 2024, this German-language movie was filmed on the Costa Smeralda (yes, same line as Costa Concordia) and judging by the trailer, this movie is an advertisement for Costa Cruises.
GOING OVERBOARD - 1989 (USA)
A struggling young comedian takes a menial job on a cruise ship where he hopes for his big chance to make it in the world of cruise ship comedy.
Adam Sandler's first role and one of the worst rated movies of all time. I tried to find out what ship this was filmed on but could not. It went from conception to completion in less than three months, and the producers hired 50 former beauty pageant winners for the film. Also stars Billy Zane for those Zaniacs in the audience.
CITY HUNTER - 1993 (Hong Kong)
U.S. criminals hijack a cruise ship with a gluttonous private eye (Jackie Chan) aboard who is seeking a magnate's missing daughter.
This slapstick martial arts comedy crime movie was not filmed on a cruise ship - all the cruise ship scenes were filmed on sets.
MEU PASSADO ME CONDENA - 2013 (Brazil)
Fábio (Fábio Porchat) and Miá (Miá Mello) are two newlyweds who decided to get engaged after only a month of dating. The couple decides to spend their honeymoon on a cruise from Rio de Janeiro to Europe. However, the two soon discover that an ex-boyfriend of Miá and an old Platonic passion of Fábio are also on board.
This movie also has a sequel of the same name (except with a 2 in the title) and involves a trip to Portugal. The first film, though, was filmed aboard the Costa Favolosa on a real cruise from Brazil to Italy.
FINAL VOYAGE - 1999 (USA)
After an ocean liner has been restored, it embarks on an extended cruise with the rich and famous on board, including actress Gloria (Erika Eleniak) and her dutiful guard, Aaron (Dylan Walsh). Given its abundance of riches, the ship becomes a target for piracy, with the ambitious criminal Josef (Ice-T) leading a group of thugs onto the vessel in hopes of scoring a major haul. But, when an explosion occurs on the ship, everyone has to struggle for survival as the boat sinks into the sea.
Filmed aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, this movie (and the trailer) heavily features footage from the 1974 movie Juggernaut, because the people who made this movie were very fucking cheap. Yes, this also has the exact same plot as Juggernaut. Speaking of Juggernaut...
JUGGERNAUT - 1974 (UK)
When a luxury cruise ship reaches the high seas, its owner (Ian Holm) receives a disturbing phone call from a man known only as Juggernaut (Freddie Jones) : Pay a steep ransom or he will explode the ship. Soon after the demand, explosives expert Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Fallon (Richard Harris) and his squad parachute onto the cruise ship to defuse the rigged time bombs. On land, Superintendent John McLeod (Anthony Hopkins), who has family on board, searches for the terrorist.
Juggernaut was filmed after the ship TS Hamburg had been sold to a Soviet company, giving the film crew a charter before it went to the USSR. Yes, this also has the exact same plot as Juggernaut.
HERBIE GOES BANANAS - 1980 (USA)
Pete (Stephen W. Burns) is excited when he learns he's inherited a car from his uncle. His enthusiasm wanes when he and his friend, D.J. (Charles Martin Smith), travel to Puerta Vallarta and discover the car is a rusty old Volkswagen Beetle. But they quickly realize their car has extraordinary abilities. They set off on a road trip across Central America to enter the special Beetle in a high-stakes race, encountering pickpockets, counterfeiters and other obstacles along the way.
Heavily features the Sun Princess (not the current one given that Princess Cruises reuses names, but the one built in 1970). The prop Herbie dropped in the ocean was never recovered.
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BOAT TRIP - 2002 (USA)
Click to viewAfter Nick (Horatio Sanz) makes an insensitive remark, his travel agent decides to get some payback by sending him and his best friend, Jerry (Cuba Gooding Jr.), on a cruise for gay men. As the true nature of their situation gradually dawns on them, they start to get over their feelings of homophobia and meet potential mates. For Nick, love takes the form of a gorgeous model, Inga (Victoria Silvstedt), while Jerry develops feelings for dance instructor Gabriella (Roselyn Sánchez).
This movie is actually far more hated than loved or remembered, and many called it downright homophobic. Filmed in Greece aboard the MV Olympic Voyager (now sailing in China as the Chinese Taishan), the Olympic Voyager is more famous for its memed storm video than it is for hosting this movie's production.
YUCATAN - 2018 (Spain)
Posing as crew members, two con men compete to see who can swindle an elderly baker out of his lottery winnings while he is on a cruise from Spain to Mexico with his family.
Ignore the terrible dubbing of this Spanish-language comedy caper, filmed aboard the MV Sovereign (formerly Royal Caribbean's Sovereign of the Seas). This ship was scrapped during COVID times when its line, Pullmantur, went out of business.
GOLDEN YEARS - 2022 (Germany/Switzerland)
A retired couple prepare to enjoy their life as pensioners on a cruise trip through the Mediterranean. They end up going on separate journeys of self-discovery and find unexpected ways to spend their golden years.
Released in the US in 2024, this German-language movie was filmed on the Costa Smeralda (yes, same line as Costa Concordia) and judging by the trailer, this movie is an advertisement for Costa Cruises.
GOING OVERBOARD - 1989 (USA)
A struggling young comedian takes a menial job on a cruise ship where he hopes for his big chance to make it in the world of cruise ship comedy.
Adam Sandler's first role and one of the worst rated movies of all time. I tried to find out what ship this was filmed on but could not. It went from conception to completion in less than three months, and the producers hired 50 former beauty pageant winners for the film. Also stars Billy Zane for those Zaniacs in the audience.
CITY HUNTER - 1993 (Hong Kong)
U.S. criminals hijack a cruise ship with a gluttonous private eye (Jackie Chan) aboard who is seeking a magnate's missing daughter.
This slapstick martial arts comedy crime movie was not filmed on a cruise ship - all the cruise ship scenes were filmed on sets.
MEU PASSADO ME CONDENA - 2013 (Brazil)
Fábio (Fábio Porchat) and Miá (Miá Mello) are two newlyweds who decided to get engaged after only a month of dating. The couple decides to spend their honeymoon on a cruise from Rio de Janeiro to Europe. However, the two soon discover that an ex-boyfriend of Miá and an old Platonic passion of Fábio are also on board.
This movie also has a sequel of the same name (except with a 2 in the title) and involves a trip to Portugal. The first film, though, was filmed aboard the Costa Favolosa on a real cruise from Brazil to Italy.
FINAL VOYAGE - 1999 (USA)
After an ocean liner has been restored, it embarks on an extended cruise with the rich and famous on board, including actress Gloria (Erika Eleniak) and her dutiful guard, Aaron (Dylan Walsh). Given its abundance of riches, the ship becomes a target for piracy, with the ambitious criminal Josef (Ice-T) leading a group of thugs onto the vessel in hopes of scoring a major haul. But, when an explosion occurs on the ship, everyone has to struggle for survival as the boat sinks into the sea.
Filmed aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, this movie (and the trailer) heavily features footage from the 1974 movie Juggernaut, because the people who made this movie were very fucking cheap. Yes, this also has the exact same plot as Juggernaut. Speaking of Juggernaut...
JUGGERNAUT - 1974 (UK)
When a luxury cruise ship reaches the high seas, its owner (Ian Holm) receives a disturbing phone call from a man known only as Juggernaut (Freddie Jones) : Pay a steep ransom or he will explode the ship. Soon after the demand, explosives expert Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Fallon (Richard Harris) and his squad parachute onto the cruise ship to defuse the rigged time bombs. On land, Superintendent John McLeod (Anthony Hopkins), who has family on board, searches for the terrorist.
Juggernaut was filmed after the ship TS Hamburg had been sold to a Soviet company, giving the film crew a charter before it went to the USSR. Yes, this also has the exact same plot as Juggernaut.
HERBIE GOES BANANAS - 1980 (USA)
Pete (Stephen W. Burns) is excited when he learns he's inherited a car from his uncle. His enthusiasm wanes when he and his friend, D.J. (Charles Martin Smith), travel to Puerta Vallarta and discover the car is a rusty old Volkswagen Beetle. But they quickly realize their car has extraordinary abilities. They set off on a road trip across Central America to enter the special Beetle in a high-stakes race, encountering pickpockets, counterfeiters and other obstacles along the way.
Heavily features the Sun Princess (not the current one given that Princess Cruises reuses names, but the one built in 1970). The prop Herbie dropped in the ocean was never recovered.
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