From Mission to Seafarers

In January 2013, the cruise liner Balmoral set sail on a 112-day world cruise. She is embarking on a 33,000 mile voyage, stopping at 33 ports of call on her trip around the globe. On board are 1,700 passengers and crew and their chaplain for the journey, the Revd Colin Still.

This gentle, heart-warming observational documentary, produced by the BBC's Religion and Ethics Department, is based on The Mission to Seafarers' Anglican chaplain, Colin Still, as he travels around the globe on Balmoral's 'World Cruise', giving advice, support and solace to his floating 'parish at sea'.

With over so many guests and crew on board Colin is very much in demand. During this epic 'Grand Voyage', we see him conducting services, renewing wedding vows, escorting shore tours, giving spiritual advice and guidance to guests and crew, whatever their religion, and taking part in all the fun aboard this sunshine cruise – Fred. Olsen's longest ever.

Colin said: "I am delighted to have been a part of this new BBC programme and work with Fred. Olsen and The Mission to Seafarers. This job is a valuable piece of Christian ministry, listening to and supporting those who wanted to talk to me.

"I most enjoyed building a bond of trust with passengers and the crew on the long voyage, and I particularly enjoyed the marriage renewal ceremonies, as they are such happy occasions. In terms of the challenges I faced, the work takes a lot of creative energy, being on duty all the time. That said, this important work has given me the opportunity to see so much of the world; we passed through both the Panama and Suez canals, visited New Zealand and Australia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. The Mission to Seafarers has seafarers’ rest and support centres in all of these places, so I valued meeting new faces in the global Mission family."

To view some photos from the programme, visit our Facebook page

Colin gew up in Kingston-upon-Thames, and served in the Royal Artillery during his National Service. On leaving the army, he worked for Shell International, and it was during his time there that he discovered the Mission, while living in Hamburg. After some years of travel, Colin returned to the England to study theology at Cambridge, Durham and in the USA. He was ordained in York Minster and served his title as a curate in Hull, before becoming domestic chaplain to two Archbishops of York. He later moved to London to work as recruitment secretary for the Church of England and was also a parish rector in Surrey.

Colin became a Canon of Guildford Cathedral and worked as diocesan missioner, ecumencial officer and rector of Ockham before he retired. He now lives in Brighton, where he is an assistant priest of St John's Church.

If you would like to find out more about Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, please visit their website.

'The Cruise: A Life at Sea', will be broadcast on BBC2 from Tuesday 9 July 2013, at 8.30pm

To read an article by the Telegraph newspaper about Mr Still visit http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/10169112/Life-at-sea-with-a-cruise-ship-vicar.html