User reviews

There's something wonderfully fresh, cheery and bright about Carry on Cruising. 1962 gave us the first Carry on Film in colour, and it does feel different to the early Black and White entries.

It's slightly cheekier in several ways, we're not talking Carry on Behind, but it does have its moments, that naught, picture postcard brand of humour is just about starting.

It worries me that repeats have dried up, as has comedy, some of the reviews.....you'd wonder if people have any sort of sense of humour.

For me the addictive element is the diminutive Australian actress Esma Cannon, who is hilarious, a total joy from start to finish, the drunken scene between her and Dilys Laye is side splitting. The usuals are on great form, Sid and Kenny contrast well, it is missing Joan, Charles and Hattie, but there are enough lovely performances to make it enjoyable, Liz Fraser and Dilys Laye in particular are utterly lovely.

A nice film for all the family to sit down and enjoy.

7/10.

When captain Wellington Crowther (Sid James) boards his ship the S.S.Wanderer he finds several of his crew replaced by apparent incompetents. Kenneth Williams is a sarcastic know-it-all, Kenneth Connor is a love-hungry doctor, and Lance Percival plays a chef with strange ideas about cake ingredients. Soon he realises the passengers are just as loopy: tiny old dear Esma Cannon is a "mad pixie" with a passion for mixers, Ronnie Stevens plays an alcoholic who drinks himself around the world without leaving the ship's bar, and Dilys Lane is on the prowl for a man much to the annoyance of her best friend (Liz Fraser).

The replacement crew do their best to please their temporary captain, but all efforts only serve to frustrate him. When they find out this cruise is to be his last on the ship they set about organising a surprise party to make amends.

The first colour Carry On is slightly smuttier than the earlier films, an indication of things to come, and boasts a large and realistic ocean liner set. Due to obvious budgetary limitations the action doesn't leave the ship, so brief stock footage is used to establish foreign locales when the ship drops anchor.

Sid James is rather underused in his mainly straight (and non-lecherous) role as ship's captain, his trademark cackle only appearing once or twice. Kenneth Williams doesn't get to do much more, as here the talented Kenneth Connor takes centre stage. He shyly pursues Dilys Lane's husband hunting young woman, who stalks both the gym tutor and the captain before realizing the doctor's intentions. Lance Percival (a face created for comedy) amuses as the ship's chef, and Esma Cannon provides a few laughs as a dizzy pensioner.

Those who prefer the earlier Carry Ons may find this one falling between two stools, as the transition to the series' middle period is much in evidence here. As always though, it provides enough real laughs and remains as watchable and good-natured as any in the series. A good example of vintage British humour for those interested.

I enjoyed Carry on Carry on Cruising, but I don't consider it one of the better entries. The story is pretty basic, some parts aren't as funny as others and this film could have done with a Barbara Windsor, a Hattie Jaques or a Jim Dale. It looks great though, and the score is nice and quirky. While there is nothing absolutely hilarious, some dialogue is funny and there are some decent gags. The acting is good if nothing more than that. Sidney James and Kenneth Williams are both underused but they do a fine enough job with what they have, though James does appear somewhat more subdued here. Kenneth Connor is amusing here, Liz Fraser is pleasant enough and Dilys Lane is good too. Overall, unexceptional but charming and pretty entertaining. 7/10 Bethany Cox

The format of the early Carry On's is continued in this 1962 outing, Sid James is the Captain of a cruise liner on his final voyage before retirement, who is landed with a load of bumbling new recruits.

While Sid James is again under used, as he was in many of his early Carry On outings, it is Kenneths Connors and Williams who shine once again. Connors especially with a touching performance as the doctor in love with one of the passengers.

This film shows why the early Carry Ons were the best.

Before the 'Carry On' series had busty Barbara Windsor and more than a subtle touch of the bawdy about it, this funny example took to sea with some of the regulars (the crumpled Sid James, the priceless Kenneth Williams, and boggle-eyed Kenneth Connor). With the wonderful Esma Cannon getting tiddled in the bar, and Lance Percival as a disgustingly inventive cook, it couldn't miss.

The best bits by a long way include Connor's clumsy courtship of Liz Fraser; alongside Williams' stilted and self-righteous officer, all nostrils and hardly-hidden indignation. Very funny, as most of the 'Carry Ons' were.

Based on a suggestion by Eric Barker to base a film around a package holiday - for which he received a story credit - the fifth 'Carry On' in many ways marked an attempt to make something more ambitious.

Anglo were beginning to invest in colour and sanctioned its use on 'Carry On Cruising' since it a was lot cheaper than filming on location (only the second-unit actually left Shepperton, and they only got as far as Southampton).

The result is one of the most charming and mellow of the series, as indicated by the fact that Kenneth Williams is still a clever dick and Sid James for once doesn't play a lecher. (The lack of an appearance by Charles Hawtrey is that he was replaced by Lance Perceval after being placed on suspension for demanding a star on his dressing room door.)

Colour! The first Carry-on in colour and it benefits greatly for it, it looks great, and it helps with Dilys Laye and Liz Fraser's changing clothes and styles.

It s a lot better than the last one - '...Regardless' about the same in quality to '..... Sergeant', but because of the colour looks much better, the acting is good, particularly Liz Fraser and Dilys Laye, it doesn't have a big cast, the situation sees to that, its a cross between Carry on and Love Boat. A few of the current Carry on team are missing, no Hattie Jacques, Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Bill Owen, but Sid James is lead again, with Kenneth Williams creeping up the ladder, he is second pegging while Kenneth Connor has slipped to third billed, Liz Fraser, Esma Cannon and Cyril Chamberlain are here again also.

A new edition in this is the beautiful Dilys Laye and she looks stunning and provides the glamour along with Liz Fraser, making a cracking pair and not too shabby in the acting stakes either, there's not many like Dilys and Liz that can look that great and act great as well, this is their Carry On.

Lance Percival of a long career in British TV and film makes his one and only Carry On, and is pretty good, unfortunately Lance passed away in 2015 aged 81.

It's funny and charming and not much daft stuff so makes it the best so far, it's a bit better than C.. O. Sergeant and C... O. Teacher which I also rated a 7 and this is a 7 also but more like a 7.8, but I cannot give it an 8, close though.

With a story by "Carry On" alumnus Eric Barker, this is a fairly weak entry in the series – and, as I said with respect to ANTS IN THE PANTRY (1936; The Three Stooges short which preceded it), going through a succession of films featuring the same actors, one becomes rather weary of the repetition. In this case, it's the characterization of individual members which hardly changes from one outing to the next (particularly at this early stage in the series, when the style of comedy more or less followed established rules rather than going all the way for double entendres and general tastelessness)!

For instance, Sid James is once again the flustered authority figure who has to mould his underlings – these are forever eager but incompetent, led by know-it-all Kenneth Williams and nervous Kenneth Connor (who, invariably, is given a hesitant romantic attachment); their effeminate usual cohort, Charles Hawtrey, is absent here but his replacement is the resistibly goofy Lance Percival as the new chef on James' ship. In fact, what drowns the film (pardon the pun) is the latter's schtick – as well as the presence of diminutive and dotty old lady Esma Cannon (also seen in CARRY ON REGARDLESS [1961] and CARRY ON CABBY [1963]). It doesn't help, then, that the most prominent actresses during this early phase of the "Carry Ons" – Hattie Jacques and Joan Sims – are also missing from this one…though it must be said that the two young female leads (Liz Fraser – also from REGARDLESS and CABBY – and Dilys Laye, who proves to be a surprisingly adept comedienne) are highly appealing.

Incidentally, this was the first film in the series to be shot in color and, as such, has added curiosity value – even if the overall quality isn't really up to the usual standards.

Sid James and Kenneth Williams can't salvage this very weak Carry On offering. Sid plays the captain of Mediterranean cruise ship who has a completely new and thoroughly inept crew thrust upon him just when he needs a perfect cruise to earn the promotion he so thoroughly deserves. Kenneth Williams, Lance Percival and Kenneth Connor are the crew who make Sid's cruise so difficult.

The inept crew bumble through some timid Carry On farce with an over reliance on falling over and a weak script to pull it all together. It doesn't have the warmth that the best films in the series have and just drifts through to its inevitable cheesy ending without any real laughs.

Although missing some of the regular cast members (Joan Sims and Charles Hawtrey), this Carry On is one of the better ones in the series. The script is sharp with some great gags deftly delivered by the ensemble. Sid James plays the experienced Captain of a cruise liner in charge of a crew with some inexperienced new recruits. This is the perfect setup for a series of disasters and the film duly delivers. Cruising is one of the earlier Carry Ons (first in colour) and maybe because of this, everyone seems fresh and on top of their game. The editing complements the script and the cast seem to have an energy which sometimes flags later in the series. The newer cast members keep the mix interesting and stand out performances from the wonderful Esma Cannon, Kenneth Williams (shower scene !) and Sid James combine to produce one of the definitive Carry Ons.

1962's "Carry On Cruising" (the 5th in the iconic Brit-com 'Carry On' series (not counting clip compilation 'Carry On Regardless')) was again written by Norman Hudis and directed by Gerald Thomas (with his bro Ralph this time) BUT was the first to be shot in colour (gloriously) AND it shed many previous regulars while welcoming newcomers like Lance Percival, Esma Cannon, Liz Fraser & Dilys Laye. Sid James is a cruise ship Capt coping with new staff like Percival, Kenneth Williams (at his best) & Kenneth Moore - and passengers like Cannon, Fraser & Laye. The many missing faces were missed... but 'Cruising' was still the brightest of the first five 'Carry Ons'.

Captain Wellington Crowther is bemused to find that for his 10th anniversary cruise aboard the SS Happy Wanderer, his crew consists of some newbies. Who on a first meeting with the Captain appear to be inept and destined to make a hash of the job in hand.

The Carry On movies are of course something of a British institution. Blending saucy postcard humour with slap-stick, it's a film franchise that has as many fans as it does detractors. One thing most British cinema fans can agree on is that when the series was good (Carry On Cleo) it was bona fide funny, and naturally the flip-side of that was when it was bad it was darn near desperate (Carry On England). Carry On Cruising falls somewhere in the middle.

After securing a budget of almost £150,000, director Gerald Thomas and producer Peter Rogers decided to make this film the first Carry On picture in colour. Minus franchise stalwart Charles Hawtrey (who after having an attack of star-man ego was promptly replaced by Lance Perceval), Carry On Cruising lacks a certain character dynamic that was a mainstay in the series highlights. Perceval is actually very good (it was his only Carry On appearance), but with no Joan Sims, Jim Dale, Bernard Bresslaw, Hattie Jacques and Barbara Windsor, it's left to Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor and Sid James to carry the weight of the film. But with James in an unusually light and restrained role (Crowther), there's just not enough mirth to fully please the majority of viewers.

I've personally been in lust with both Liz Fraser and Dilys Laye since forever, but they are poor comedy substitutes for the absent buxom comedienne's mentioned prior. Both ladies, in fact all in the film are outshone by Esma Cannon who is on excellently endearing Batty Biddie form. Williams and Connor do well enough with Norman Hudis' weak, and what was to be his last Carry On screenplay, and some well put together skits just about save the film from being a stinker (or should that be sinker?). So average at best, and not one to readily be revisited often, but with this franchise you sometimes have to take the rough with the smooth. 5.5/10

After a long and distinguished career on the ocean wave, Captain Wellington Crowther is on his last voyage as captain of an ocean liner when he learns that five of his usual crew are unavailable. With the short notice, Crowther is forced to take whomever he can get to act as replacements and ends up with a group of some of the most unseaworthy sailors he has ever seen. Mind you – they fit right in with the passengers who include several women hunting husbands, a serial drunk and a flirty old woman.

The Carry On films are hardly the height of comedy at the best of times but in this entry they seem content to just find the middle ground and settle of an average comedy with few highs but few lows either. The plot sees the usual collection of innuendo and physical humour placed onto an ocean liner but basically just doing the same stuff they do in all the other films. The plot is not as good as the best of the series and is far too thin to really support a film of any substance but, luckily, this is not a film of any substance! Therefore we have a collection of romantic misunderstandings and aspirations that barely manage to set up enough opportunities for joking. This is not a massive problem of course, because there really aren't that many clever, witting or imaginative jokes, scenes of lines (maybe a handful at best). I was amused but I rarely laughed out loud even once and it was only a spattering of funny lines that made the film worth seeing. The one thing I did appreciate about the film was that it was almost totally lacking the lazy and obvious crude humour that can often date the Carry On films very badly.

With little material to really work with, the cast are left to just try their best. James doesn't get much to do apart from look annoyed by the various clowns in his service. Williams is his usual camp self and is blessed with a great character name (Marjoribanks). Connor doesn't have that much to do in terms of laughs and is left carrying much of the plot himself – and in fairness he does his best with it. Fraser and Laye are hardly the best looking women in the world but they are flirty and quite sexy in a 1960's type of way. The rest of the cast are OK but mostly just clown around – a few Carry On faces are there but the absentees make more of an impact that those that are present.

Overall this is an OK film but it is far from the high points of the Carry On series (although happily far from the lows either). The jokes are mostly basic and involve physical clowning or innuendo and it is unlikely you'll get any big laughs out of it even if you're amused for most of the time. Fans of Carry On films will like it but the rest of us should stick with the acknowledged 'greats' from the series.

Generally amusing Carry-On farce with a smaller than usual Carry-On cohort (James, Williams and Connor the only regulars aboard) sees hijinks on the high seas as the crew of a cruise ship encounter zany guests like the imbibing old duck Esme Cannon who can apparently drink anyone under the bar, even Ronnie Stevens who remains permanently submerged in a cocktail binge to mark each destination. Meanwhile Liz Fraser supports Dylis Laye desperately seeking a husband, initially enamoured with James, later settling for the romantic doctor Connor who's smitten by the vivacious blonde (there's a great scene where he serenades the drunken Stevens by mistake).

Light, early Carry-On isn't nearly as bawdy as the series later became, with James playing a straight character for a change, while occasional Carry-On alumni Liz Fraser has her chance to impress with a sizeable supporting role showcasing her comic seductions. Good also to see Australian actors Ed Devereaux and Vincent Ball in small roles, while future "Fresh Fields'" Anton Rodgers also appears in the cast.

The best scenes include Esme Cannon as the seemingly kindly old lady whose mental alacrity and physical stamina bely her age, while the stern and stoney-faced James cheerfully conceals his inner child as a bystander to the unfolding madness. Williams as usual is a scene-stealer and his jealous exchanges with most of the other characters at some stage throughout the cruise make for rib-tickling humour. If you prefer the more austere Carry-On variety, then your ship's come in with "Cruising".

You have to feel for poor old "Capt. Crowther" (Sid James) when he discovers that half of his crew have gone down with something and their replacements don't even know what ocean they are sailing in. His problems don't stop there as the SS "Happy Wanderer" has a clientele that would probably have made the "Titanic" iceberg jump out of the way. As ever, it's Esma Cannon who steals the show as the lively, doddery, "Miss Madderley", but there are also some fine contributions from Liz Fraser; Ronnie Stevens - always pickled - and Kenneth Williams as the hapless second-in-command. The jokes are all the usual round of nautical, innuendo-ridden, quips (though I am not sure I heard "avast behind" in there) and the cast look like they are all enjoying themselves as the story plots it's predictable, but entertaining, course. Somehow I felt the "Carry On" films worked better in black and white, the humour pertained more to the past rather than the colour of the future, but this takes a swipe at all things cruising: snobbery, excess, boredom and the middle classes who tended to occupy the cabins when not getting blotto on cocktails they had never heard of - and it does it quite well. It's a chortle, not a laugh out enterprise and is anchored well by some pithy writing and Messrs. James and Williams.

The sixth Carry On caper, and the second to be filmed in colour, Carry On Cruising takes place aboard the S.S. Happy Wanderer, a British cruise-ship sailing the Mediterranean, experienced seafarer Captain Wellington Crowther (Sid James) at its helm. With several new crew-members, none of whom seem particularly capable, the captain is naturally concerned about the smooth running of his vessel, but despite a journey full of crazy mishaps, he eventually learns to trust and respect his eccentric shipmates.

Much tamer than the later films, Cruising sails smoothly through the family friendly comedy with only a handful of relatively tame double entendres to gently rock the boat. The majority of the gags revolve around people getting drunk, the romantic endeavours of ship's doctor Arthur Binn (Kenneth Connor) and passenger Flo Castle (Dilys Laye), and the receiving of injections in the butt for seasick cook Wilfred Haines (Lance Percival); but even though this one lacks the ribald humour and general sauciness that the series is famed for—and is missing some key members of the Carry On team (Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtree)—it does possess a quaint, easygoing charm that should still make for fun viewing, especially for avid fans of the series.

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

The first colour Carry on film and one of the dullest, I didn't have much interest in any of the characters and I can't remember one memorable moment in the entire film. Sid James and Kenneth Connor weren't in it as much as I would have liked either, the jokes are sort of just there, nothing too outrageous but nothing too horrendous either, it just ends up as a rather dull comedy.

3/10: Took my two viewings to watch this as the first time I got too bored, probably should have just skipped it.

I love the Carry On movies but this entry is awful. Esma Cannon is there and as always has some fine moments but her character is over drawn and there is not much any one can do with a really awful script.At times the things Esma C is asked to do by the director is almost humilating. The scene when she falls into the pool made me cringe. This is set on a cruise ship so there should have been many comedic possibilities but it is a creepy boring cruise for this viewer. Pity as I looked forward to the first one in colour.What I found odd is that a cruise ship has lots of great opportunities for gags but it is all so pedestrian, it could have been set any where. The slap stick of Kenneth Connor makes you cringe. Next one was Cabby and it was in b/w and ten times better. The pace of the movie is slow and laboured.I will try it again but as a huge fan of the series I hated this one.Sid James looks as though he would rather be else where and Kenneth Williams is wasted. Kenneth Connor is awful, at times you feel so annoyed with him you want to fast forward or better still push him over board.. He gives the worse performance of all.By the way, he plays a doctor on this ship. Interesting how times changed. That doctor would be struck off for sexual harassement today. You really miss Hawtrey, Sims and Hatti Jaques. Lance Percival is awful as a cook. He is no stand in for Hawtrey and he gives a wooden unfunny performance. It simply is not funny. I loved Dilys Laye in this film. Her drunk scene is great fun. I liked the gym routine with the gym instructor.There is no warmth in the film and the slap stick is just childish and forced. This one is very contrived and the slap stick is simply embarrassing. Its looks like it was made for kids. Maybe thats why I think I liked it when I was a kid. The other Carry ons seem to have stood the test of time but not this one. It sure puts you off travel by sea. When a laugh is needed do a prat fall. Its pretty horrible. Australian audiences however will love seeing English actor Ronnie Stevens. He is the best thing in the film and plays a drunk. He came here and starred in Australia's most loved sketch show The Mavis Bramston Show. He is the best thing in the movie although there is not much for him to do. Pity he never got the break he deserved. At least Australia saw his talent. What a pity we don't see more of this great performer. Its trite and sadly boring movie.Cabby on the other hand is a delight, it was next!

CARRY ON CRUISING is, so far, my favourite of the CARRY ON series. Watching it, this film feels like a natural progression from the earlier black and white entries, retaining the same successful set-piece/gag rate and level of innocent charm that made those first films so endearing.

The cruise ship setting provides the perfect backdrop for the on-board antics of Sid James and co as they muddle their way through a series of increasingly hilarious hijinks. Much of the humour comes from Kenneth Connor's besotted ship's doctor and James's exasperated Captain, while Kenneth Williams lurks on the sidelines as the first officer.

The presence of other notable regulars is missed - there's no Hawtrey, Sims or Jacques here - but the film makes up for it by some alternate engaging casting choices, not least Esma Cannon's delightfully dotty old bat and Lance Percival as the seasick cook.

The success rate of the jokes is high with plenty of memorable moments, not least an impromptu table tennis match which marks the series highlight. Altogether this is a true gem of a comedy, with unforced laughs and a real wittiness to it.

Just as I am getting used to who these people are, three of them aren't in this movie.

Hattie Jacques, Joan Sims and Charlie Hawtrey aren't in "Cruising."

I thought at first the bartender was Hawtrey. I wonder if they wanted him for the part.

Yes, the cook was the funniest person here.

After six movies, there still seems to be some uncertainty as to what Kenneth Williams is capable of.

Still a bit confused as to what the appeal of Kenneth Conner could have been, and Sid James seems a bit lost to me as well, after him in three of these movies.

The movie didn't play up the exotic holiday feel as Love Boat would later do on television. I get the impression they could have done that very well.

As the first Carry On in color, this one could have been better. A bit disappointed to not hear the familiar theme. Thought at first it was a bit of a nautical version, but it was an entirely different tune.

Well, on to the next Carry On: Carry On Cabby.

Captain Wellington Crowther is in charge of the SS Happy Wanderer and is none too pleased when he discovers that nearly all of his crew have been replaced with crew members whom he deems to be incompetent. As if that wasn't bad enough for Crowther, he also has some rather strange passengers on board whom only seem to add to his woes...

I'll hold my hand up and admit I'm something of a Carry on novice (this is the 4th film that I've seen), but the first 3 films that I've watched are the actual first 3 films in the series (all of which I loved) and sadly Carry On Cruising just doesn't quite cut it...

I think what lets Cruising down is the writing; a lot of the jokes are half-hearted, some work, but many don't. The romantic trysts (which act as a driver to the story) aren't all that funny and many of the characters suffer the same plight; they are all flawed in one capacity or another, but never in a way that generates any big laughs.

One thing that served the earlier films so well is that they had decent stories with a good amount of slapstick, but in Cruising you don't really get much of either. The story seems to just be everyone trying to cop off with everyone and the slapstick humour evident in the earlier films seems to have been all but abandoned in this film. There's an elderly female guest and an inebriate male who show promise at the start, but sadly, with poor writing, they don't really add anything.

The bar was set very high with the first 3 films so perhaps I expected too much from Cruising, and whilst it's not a bad film and has its moments compared to the high standard set by the first 3 films it is disappointing by comparison.