Turning your passion into an adventure!

Pam Rhodes is the very familiar face of BBCTV`s ‘SONGS OF PRAISE’, presenting programmes from tiny country churches to huge outside broadcasts. She’s met everyone from The Pope to Dolly Parton, but her heart is in the sensitive interviews for which she’s well-known as those she meets share their stories. It’s no surprise she loves hymns old and new, always ready with a story about the writer that connects to our everyday lives, as listeners to her Premier Christian Radio series, HEARTS AND HYMNS, know well. She’s also a regular contributor on Radio 2’s ‘PAUSE FOR THOUGHT’. Apart from that, every week she’s on the road presenting events as varied as the huge ‘BATTLE PROMS’ concerts at stately homes throughout the summer months, to church and community gatherings great and small. As a mainstream author of more than twenty popular novels and factual books, Pam’s writing style is down-to-earth, funny and touching. Her trilogy, THE DUNBRIDGE CHRONICLES’ about a new young curate in a Bedfordshire country town, proved so popular that she added another book to the series, ‘SAINTS AND SAILORS’ – the story of a Pilgrimage cruise around the British Isles, where passengers travel together in the footsteps of the Celtic saints with funny and often moving experiences many of us experience on a cruise just like this one!

Dave Bilbrough is a multi-award-winning international song writer and recording artiste and has released over 20 albums. Dave Bilbrough `s well-known hymn, Abba Father became a giant step into international music-writing recognition and at age 19 he was performing at The Royal Albert Hall. Now, several decades and numerous albums later, he is recognised as one of Britain’s foremost worship leaders and songwriters. With a wide appeal, his songs have become a staple part of many a church’s musical repertoire. Dave is also an author and his travels have taken him around the world. He has enjoyed appearances on national television and radio including hosting a special advent series for BBC1 and a two-year judge for BBC Radio’s nationwide song-writing competition. Dave sees his role as a calling rather than a career and enjoys using his skills to encourage others and he will be joined by his wife, Pat for some special musical events on board.

Chris Gidney is your host for the themed cruise and has spent a lifetime as entertainer, producer and author, working with numerous artistes from Frank Sinatra to Sir Cliff Richard. Chris was the Founder and Director of showbiz charity `Christians in Entertainment` 45 years ago! Chris comes from a show business family and at age nine formed a comedy double-act with his father. Chris joined London’s West-End in 1980 to enjoy twelve consecutive London productions before moving to BBC Television and authoring 28 commercially published books and several Pantomimes. Chris created That’s Entertainment Productions’ specialising in family entertainment for the commercial theatre. Chris has enjoyed creating and producing more than fifty themed cruises over the past few years which have taken him around the world. “I am thrilled to be presenting and interviewing some talented performers on this special Christian cruise,” says Chris. “I know that we shall have a lot of fellowship and fun together enjoying time spent with Dave, Pat and Cindy and hearing about their careers in the spotlight and what inspires them personally. I`m sure that there will be some extra surprises along the way as we enjoy this special journey discovering the Saints together.”