Hollywood has a remarkable ability to stir up virtually any emotion inside us, be it fear, joy, anger, sadness, or the sudden and irrepressible urge to go on a cruise.
It’s the latter film category that we like the best, so here, we’ve picked out our favourite movies that make us want to hop onto a cruise ship and sail our worries away.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
It’s perhaps easy to forget that one of Marilyn Monroe’s most famous flicks was set on a cruise ship, such was the sparkling on-screen chemistry between her and fellow showgirl Jane Russell.
In the 1953 classic, Monroe’s character, Lorelai Lee, is followed onto a Transatlantic ocean liner by a detective hired by her wealthy fiance's father, who wants to ensure that she is not marrying purely for money, a suspicion that can’t be denied with the performance of the song-cum-mantra ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’.
Watch ‘Diamonds...’ below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbf_o5NF9vU [1]
Out To Sea (1997)
A compulsive gambler, played by Jack Lemmon, convinces his recently widowed friend to come on an all-expenses-paid luxury cruise, but waits until the ship has left the port to reveal the catch: they have to work as dance instructors.
The idea behind Lemmon’s scheme is that with so much female interaction and focus, both will be able to find new partners easily. After some ups-and-downs and emotional truths, the idea is eventually a success: a touching reminder that cruise ships can spark romance even in the most ridiculous and unlikely situations.
There will be plenty of opportunities to strut your stuff during your all-inclusive cruise with MSC.
Are you and yours the next Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire? Then you’ll be able to prove it during the ‘Dancing Shoes’ classic dance contest.
Ladies, you’ll having the chance to act, sing and dance your heart in a bid to be crowned Queen of the Sea.
Elsewhere, ‘Officers & Gentlemen’ is an elegant formal evening with a traditional glamorous twist, with MSC Cruises’ officers inviting the ladies to dance in a traditional maritime style.
Finally, ‘Stardust’ is a dance contest with a difference with each competing couple pairing a guest contestant with a professional dancer from MSC Cruises’ theatre cast.
Find out more on how you can dance the night away at sea.
You’re more likely to remember this Disney-helmed remake of a 1961 classic for the fact that both of the identical twins were played by Lindsay Lohan, but the entire plot is based on the twins trying to reunite their parents at a wedding onboard a cruise ship.
Further evidence that cruise ships have a unique ability to bring people together.
You can stage your wedding or renew your vows with MSC Cruises.
Click here to enquire.
An Affair To Remember (1957)
The remarkable Cary Grant starred in many phenomenal pictures in his time (‘Charade’ and ‘North by Northwest’ to name just two others) and this ship-based romantic drama was one of them.
Considered to be one of the greatest romantic films ever by the American Film Institute, ‘An Affair To Remember’ opens with sparks between Grant and Terry McKay, played by Deborah Kerr.
Each is involved with someone else back at home but so strong are their feelings that they agree to meet again at the Empire State Building in six months’ time if they succeed in ending their current relationships.
Romance regularly blooms at sea with MSC Cruises too, with many guests choosing to celebrate their honeymoon and anniversaries aboard our ships.
You can even tie the knot in the unique setting of a cruise ship: find out how here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFWwFfRvClM
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
One for the kids now and while much of the third entry in the live action Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise finds the furry trio as castaways on a desert island, the film’s opening act sees Alvin and co. getting up to all sorts of antics aboard a cruise ship, hitting the casino and dance club.
Even if the thought of sitting through 90 minutes of CGI’ed chipmunks fills you with dread, the adults will find solace in some of the voice acting provided by the genuinely hilarious Amy Poehler, Anna Faris and Alan Tudyk, as well as the real-life onscreen presence of Jason Lee, David Cross and Jenny Slate.
Boat Trip (2002)
When brainstorming which films to include in this list, ‘Boat Trip’ was one of the first titles on the page purely because its title makes it impossible to exclude.
Following on from the success of 2000’s ‘Road Trip’, relocating the wacky teen comedy concept to sea felt like the next logical step. While the film didn’t receive a positive critical reception, it did highlight how cruise ships can help people discover things they never knew about themselves.
