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Artwork for Deck Tales: Secrets From The Sea. Behind the Scenes Stories from Cruise Ships and Crew Members from Maritime and Sea Life

Deck Tales: Secrets From The Sea. Behind the Scenes Stories from Cruise Ships and Crew Members from Maritime and Sea Life

Sam Catling - Sea Life Story Teller
Cruise Industry
Cruise Ships
Cruise Ship Life
Covid-19
Marine Pollution
Magic
Mental Health
Shipwrecks
Social Media Influencers
Entertainment Industry
Entertainment
Arctic
Sustainability
Community Education
Carnival Cruise Line
Ocean Liners
Crew Life
Medical Emergencies
Stand-Up Comedy
International Cuisine

DeckTales plunges you into the unbelievable reality of crew life! Join former cruise ship entertainer Sammy Catling as he collects the wildest, most hilarious sea stories from those who work on cruise ships, naval vessels, ferries and beyond. Ever wonder about the true secrets of ship life? We go beyond the brochures to expose the raw crew life and hidden corners of a maritime career. Hear from ev... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes58Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ComedySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Deck Tales: Secrets From The Sea. Behind the Scenes Stories from Cruise Ships and Crew Members from Maritime and Sea Life

Latest Episodes

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Ep 57: Captain Samarth Sinha AKA Captain Sams

In this episode, Captain Sams—36-year merchant navy veteran—shares gripping, funny, and deeply insightful stories from life at... more

Ep56: Nelson Aspen

Today I’m joined by Nelson Aspen—an entertainment reporter turned author and Titanic expert—about his lifelong fascination with maritime history, especially the Titanic. Nelson shares how his career evolved from Hollywood journali... more

Please make sure to like and subscribe to help support the channel. Cheers!

This episode of Deck Tales features veteran mariner Eric Takakjian, who reflects on nearly 50 years at sea across an extraordinary range of vessels—from Coast Guard rescue b... more

Ep54:Moss Hills

This episode of Deck Tales follows Moss Hills, a self-taught musician turned cruise director, whose career at sea includes surviving not one—but two—major maritime disasters.

The story centers on the sinking of the Oceanos, where Mo... more

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Recent Guests

Eric Takakjian
Maritime professional with five decades of towing, ship handling, and offshore drilling experience
Episode: 50 Years at Sea: The Captain Who Survived Capsizes, Blowouts & Chaos
Moss Hills
Self-taught musician turned cruise director who survived the Oceanos sinking and later worked on the Achille Lauro
Oceanos, Achille Lauro (ships)
Episode: Inside the Oceanos Disaster: The Night a Sinking Cruise Ship Was Left Without Its Officers During a Violent Storm
Jennifer Sellitti
Criminal defense attorney and deep-sea shipwreck explorer
Atlantic Wreck Salvage
Episode: Carrying On a Deep-Sea Explorer’s Legacy
Rod Scher
Author and maritime historian, expert on shipwreck narratives
Author of shipwreck books
Episode: Why Lifeboats Failed: The Forgotten Chaos of Early Shipwrecks
Ted Lund
Captain, journalist, and self-described modern-day whaler
Juneau-based operations; media/academic engagements
Episode: Whales Are Fighting Back — And We Might Deserve It
Orel Federman
Founder of Nautical Miles Club; former Navy and cruise ship security professional
Nautical Miles Club
Episode: Stranded at Sea During COVID
Martin Barmby
Former Royal Navy Submariner, engineer and mentor
Royal Navy
Episode: Inside a Royal Navy Submarine Where Failure Isn’t an Option
Richard Jones
A naval weapons engineer and author specialized in maritime disasters and air disasters.
Episode: The Man Who Turns Forgotten Disasters Into Memorials
Zamira Chevrestt
Sustainability ambassador and volunteer wrangler for In The Same Boat
In The Same Boat
Episode: Sailing Into the Arctic to Clean Up Humanity’s Mess

Host

Sammy Catling
Host of Deck Tales: Secrets From The Sea and related cruise/maritime storytelling content; long‑time interviewer of crew, historians, and maritime professionals.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 39 ratings
  • You should interview Christopher Buckley

    If you haven’t already, you ought to read “Steaming to Bamboola”, Christopher Buckley’s first book, his sea stories sailing on a tramp steams between prep school & Yale.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    another RJF
    United States3 months ago
  • Bruce Allen for host

    It’s okay… but why does the host have guests, only incorrectly summarise what they say before telling his own unrelated stories? It’s like he wants a podcast but has nothing to provide, like he said in Ep 4, he just can’t generate content on his own. Why make a podcast then??

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Upsetman
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Very interesting - what a great find

    Stumbled into this podcast because I love Bellow Deck. This feels like bellow deck on steroids! Great genuine stories.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jomi Cruz2
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • Unexpectedly entertaining

    Not knowing anything about this industry, i had no expectations going in, but after listening to a few episodes I’m really enjoying it. Its so funny, very informative, and Sam is genuinely a good host.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Russberrypie
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Excellent work by a top guy!

    Having worked at sea for 10 years, I’ve enjoyed all of episodes so far, and looking forwards to upcoming shows.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dave Pa.
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Host keeps the vibe engaging while guests share surprising insider details.
Some episodes tackle tough topics with candor, which may polarize some listeners but is appreciated by others.
Provides authentic, entertaining stories from the industry that aren't sugar‑coated.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

50 Years at Sea: The Captain Who Survived Capsizes, Blowouts & Chaos
Q: What's the most important practical skill for a mariner who comes up through the ranks without formal academy training?
Mastering ship handling and the ability to think several steps ahead, understanding how vessels respond to wind, current, and rudder, and maintaining safety through a strong safety culture is essential.
50 Years at Sea: The Captain Who Survived Capsizes, Blowouts & Chaos
Q: What sparked your interest in a life at sea, and how did you end up in tug operations?
Growing up by the Hudson, with a ship-model maker mother and early boating experience, I fell into maritime life young and gradually moved into tug operations where hands-on ship handling and leadership shaped my career.
Carrying On a Deep-Sea Explorer’s Legacy
Q: What are the safety measures that make deep rebreather dives possible?
Our divers use closed-circuit rebreathers with bailout bottles as backups, extensive planning, and redundancy in gear, allowing safer deep dives by recycling gas and maintaining surface intervals.
Carrying On a Deep-Sea Explorer’s Legacy
Q: What does a typical day look like on deep offshore expeditions?
We run two dive types—overnight multi-day trips and shorter local dives—typically two deep dives per day, with careful planning, meals, and wheel watches on long offshore legs.
Carrying On a Deep-Sea Explorer’s Legacy
Q: So how did you get into this field, and what drew you to shipwreck salvage?
I didn't grow up with a lifelong ocean obsession; my draw was history and the stories of people, and through my partner, Joe Mazraani, I fell into the world of shipwreck salvage and diving as a labor of love.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Deck Tales: Secrets From The Sea delivers behind‑the‑scenes maritime storytelling, focusing on the real lives of cruise ship crew, naval vessels, ferries and other seafaring roles. Through candid anecdotes, interviews cover leadership under pressure, crew culture, safety, and the peculiarities of life at sea—often with humor and sharp observations that cut through glossy cruise line gloss. Episodes frequently feature veterans, insiders, and storytellers who bring historical maritime events, crisis moments, and everyday work life to life, making it a standout for listeners who crave authentic, human-centered sea stories and industry context.

What makes it noteworthy is the blend of firsthand sea experiences with broader industry critique and... more

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Joy of Cruising Podcast
2. Cruise Radio: Weekly Cruise News & Travel Tips
3. Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs
4. Cruise Talk Weekly
5. Cruise Conversations Podcast

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 58 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Eric Takakjian
2. Moss Hills
3. Jennifer Sellitti
4. Rod Scher
5. Ted Lund
6. Orel Federman
7. Martin Barmby
8. Richard Jones

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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