Cruising to the Ends of the Earth

A guide to far-flung corners of the world, filmed on board cruise ships. In this first episode, a ship navigates the low-slung bridge that spans Yokohama Harbour, while another voyages to Alaska's glacial ice fields. In the Mediterranean, another ship glides into the Sicilian port of Messina, where guests Claire and Guy scale the smoking craters of majestic Mount Etna.

The Diamond Princess glides into the port of Busan in South Korea, where Nigel and Caitlin from Oldham are swept up in the spectacle of the Gamcheon Culture Village, a vibrant hillside community with brightly painted houses and maze-like alleys. In Alaska, four guests have their hearts set on witnessing the majestic Mendenhall Glacier, a natural wonder carved over thousands of years, and in the Mediterranean, ship's dancers Jess and Amber charter a small boat to explore caves on the island of Corfu.

The Royal Princess drops anchor in Alaska's state capital Juneau, where a family from Preston travel off the beaten track to Auke Bay, a wildlife haven where bald eagles soar above snow-capped peaks and the ocean stirs with the presence of giants. Half a world away in the sun-drenched Mediterranean, shipmates Millie and Jon discover the timeless beauty of Corfu, journeying to an ancient olive mill that's been in the same family for six generations.

In Alaska, the Royal Princess docks in the small city of Ketchikan, where towering evergreens meet mist-shrouded mountains. Two of the ship's crew take part in a show celebrating the traditional skills and daring feats of North America's logging heritage. In Aomori in northern Japan, guests immerse themselves in the ritual of bathing in mountain hot springs.

The Diamond Princess glides into Yokohama port, a global gateway to Tokyo, and two of the ship's British dancers experience this modern metropolis for the very first time. In the rugged wilderness of Alaska, crew members are disembarking in the state capital, Juneau, where rivers, streams and creeks provide the perfect breeding ground for Alaskan salmon.

Discovery Princess cruisers enjoy Alaska's Endicott Arm fjord and a spot of whale watching, while the Diamond Princess passengers have a mindful meander to Busan's Buddhist temple. . Meanwhile, in Montenegro, another ship in the fleet has docked in Bar, where passengers travel by small boat from the historic coastal town of Perast to an iconic offshore islet that is home to a collection of spectacular artworks.

The Diamond Princess docks in stunning Kagoshima, the home of Japan's most active volcano, Sakurajima. Three of the ship's guests are on a voyage of discovery that takes them to a sacred shrine. In the wilds of Alaska, the Discovery Princess drops anchor in the tiny city of Ketchikan, where guests are embarking on an off-road adventure through the rugged and untamed Tongass National Forest.