LONDON, UK. September 9th, 2026 – A podcast lifting the lid on the realities of life at sea is returning to production for a fourth season, promising more stories from the people who work across the maritime industry.
Deck Tales, hosted by former cruise ship entertainer and author Sam Catling, explores the experiences that passengers and people on dry land rarely get to hear about, from dramatic incidents and onboard emergencies to unusual characters, workplace challenges and the pressures of spending months at sea away from home. Since its launch in 2024, it has been listened to in over 100 countries.
Previous seasons have featured guests sharing first-hand accounts of passenger-overboard incidents, experiences during the pandemic lockdowns, environmental controversies, paranormal encounters and organised criminal activity onboard. Discussions with past guests have included crew insights into working on a nudist cruise, and how a comedian handled the death of a passenger sitting in the front row, in the middle of his show.
Other stories have explored what happens when large numbers of people are confined to a floating city for months at a time, often thousands of miles from home.
While Deck Tales is designed to entertain, the podcast also provides a platform for serious conversations about some of the realities of working at sea, including mental health, workplace pressures, safety, inappropriate behaviour and the challenges faced by crew members away from their families.
Sam, who is also the author of the comedic memoir Seems Like Smooth Sailing, says the idea behind the podcast is to give maritime workers a safe space to tell their stories.
Sam said: “People see the cruise ships with their waterslides, roller coasters, poolside selfies and beautiful destinations, but that’s only half the story.
“The people working at sea across the entire shipping sector experience hardships we just can’t imagine on land. I wanted to create a safe space for crew from all types of ships, backgrounds and careers to come forward and share their stories, so others can learn about some of the realities and be better prepared if they’re about to go to sea for the first time.”
The fourth season will continue to feature candid conversations with people from cruise ships, merchant vessels, naval service and the wider maritime sector.
Listeners can expect humour, drama, unexpected twists, disasters and extraordinary characters, alongside insights into an industry that remains largely unseen by the travelling public.
For Sam, the aim is to ensure that the remarkable experiences of seafarers do not remain hidden.
“People who work at sea have some of the best stories in the world,” he added. “Sadly, most of them never make it ashore. Deck Tales intends to change that.
We dive deep into a range of topics, from shipboard jobs and career paths to sustainability in the maritime industry. Whether you’re dreaming of a career at sea, an experienced maritime professional, or simply fascinated by life on the water, this podcast offers an inside look at what it really means to work on a ship.”
The first episode of the next series of Deck Tales will be released in December. For more information, visit www.decktales.co.uk.
ENDS