Showbiz
European Cruises and the Art of Savoring the Journey
There is a reason whiskey enthusiasts talk about patience and craft with such reverence. From the careful selection of grains to years of aging in oak barrels, good whiskey is never rushed. It is a product of time, tradition, and balance. In much the same way, travel at its best is not a checklist of rushed stops but an experience to be savored slowly. This is where European cruises for 2025 step into the spotlight, offering journeys that blend exploration, comfort, and depth of experience in a way that mirrors the whiskeymaking process itself.
Europe has long been a dream destination for travelers, with its rich history, diverse cultures, and landscapes that change dramatically from region to region. The idea of exploring multiple countries in one trip without the stress of constant packing and transfers has made cruising a compelling option. What makes these upcoming European cruises stand out is the chance to enjoy a more refined, curated kind of travel, one that speaks to those who appreciate both quality and variety.
Consider the parallels. Just as each whiskey has its own character depending on where it is distilled, each European port has its own story shaped by centuries of culture and environment. One day you might be walking through the cobbled streets of Lisbon, soaking in the sun-drenched atmosphere that feels light and crisp, like a bright single malt. Another day could bring you to the misty highlands of Scotland, where the air is smoky and rich, much like the peated whiskeys that call the region home. Each stop offers a new flavor, a new layer of experience to add to your personal collection of memories.
The appeal of these cruises also lies in their balance of structure and freedom. Much like enjoying a whiskey flight, where each pour comes with tasting notes but leaves room for your own impressions, a cruise gives you a mix of guided excursions and time to explore on your own. You can join a walking tour through ancient ruins one day, then spend the next quietly sipping a local spirit at a riverside cafe. The variety is there, but it is never overwhelming, it is about savoring each destination at a human pace.
Food and drink, naturally, are central to the experience. European cruises in 2025 promise menus that showcase regional cuisine, often paired with wines and spirits unique to the region. For whiskey lovers, this opens an exciting opportunity, sampling local specialties alongside the bottles you already know and love. Imagine finishing a fresh seafood meal in the Mediterranean with a dram of Scotch you brought along or comparing notes between a French cognac and your favorite bourbon back home. These contrasts do more than delight the palate, they deepen your understanding of how culture and geography shape taste.
Of course, part of the draw of any cruise is the ship itself. Much like a well-stocked whiskey cabinet, a cruise ship is built for both comfort and discovery. There are spaces designed for socializing, others for quiet reflection, and always the opportunity to connect with fellow travelers. The smaller group atmosphere that many European cruises foster makes it easy to share stories, trade travel tips, or even exchange recommendations for bottles worth seeking out along the way.
Perhaps the greatest parallel between whiskey and these cruises is their shared commitment to the long view. Whiskey matures over years, even decades, before it is ready to drink. European cruises unfold over days and weeks, encouraging you to immerse yourself in the journey rather than rush through it. Both require you to slow down, appreciate the details, and recognize that some of life’s best experiences cannot be hurried.
For whiskey fans, there is also the added appeal of geography. Some itineraries bring you directly to the homelands of whiskey itself, Scotland, Ireland, or even regions of mainland Europe experimenting with their own craft distilling traditions. Standing in a distillery, glass in hand, with the knowledge that your ship is waiting to take you to the next destination adds an unforgettable layer to the experience. It turns a simple trip into a living story that connects your passion for whiskey with your love of travel.
As 2025 approaches, the options for European cruises are as varied and enticing as the shelves of a whiskey shop. Each itinerary offers its own blend of landscapes, flavors, and cultures. Just as whiskey enthusiasts know that no two bottles are exactly alike, no two cruises deliver the same journey. The beauty lies in the discovery, in finding the one that resonates with your tastes and your spirit of adventure.
Travel, like whiskey, is best enjoyed when it is unhurried, thoughtful, and full of character. A European cruise offers that kind of experience, a chance to slow down, savor each moment, and collect memories as carefully as you would collect bottles. In the end, both whiskey and travel remind us of the same truth, life is richer when we take the time to appreciate it fully.
For many aspiring filmmakers, the ultimate culmination of their cinematic dreams is to be able to live through the art form they love.
Filmmakers don’t just want to make a film. They want to build a career doing it. To achieve that, they need training that equips them with industry-relevant skills of the highest standard.
For the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), this understanding is integral to all of its programmes. Academy graduates are equipped with the precise skills required by their industry, empowering them to become prime-time TV professionals.
Since MTF is a MultiChoice initiative, its three academies – in Lusaka, Nairobi and Lagos – provide training in the specific, high-demand technical skills needed by the industry-leading content producer.
MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, is the largest producer of authentic, original content on the African continent. “Africa’s most-loved storyteller” produced 5 340 hours of world-class local content in 2025.
MTF students are trained to these exacting MultiChoice standards. This leaves them well placed to excel in the industry once they graduate.
And excel, they do. MTF graduates speak with pride of the success they have found since leaving the highly respected hub of African film and television training.
Technical skills
Actor, producer, writer and storyteller Myde Glover went on from MTF West Africa Academy to host film festivals and win Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs).
He credits much of his success to the storytelling skills he learned at MTF, as well as the technical standards the MTF Academy sets.
“The storytelling skills I gained at MTF helped me become a better actor, producer and director. It helps me put the story first,” he says. “However, I was also taught the technical and delivery requirements for submitting projects to platforms like DStv, GOtv, and Showmax. I approach every project with those standards in mind, understanding that quality matters in every aspect.”
Glover says the three most important things for aspiring filmmakers to remember are teamwork, being open to constructive criticism, and staying focused on their goal.
“Strong collaboration improves the quality of any production, feedback helps you grow creatively, and focus ensures you see projects through without losing sight of why you started,” he says.
Lifetime network
Graduating from MTF provides filmmakers with a network that can last a lifetime. Alumni often hire each other as they evolve through their working lives, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem of skilled professionals.
Bahati Kajigi Benjamin from DRC found that MTF gave him the network he needed to tell stories close to his heart.
“My experience with MTF was incredible,” says Benjamin. “I formed a family with my fellow students, and we bonded deeply. We collaborated on numerous films and wrote one that is particularly meaningful to me, illustrating the struggles of my people.”
That film was titled The Canvas, a Zee World project.
Benjamin currently works as a camera operator and editor at Sauti Media Hub in Uganda, producing Kampala Creme, one of the top East African reality shows. He says he secured the position through a recommendation from a fellow MTF alumnus.
Benjamin says his time at MTF was invaluable in honing his skills in cinematography and colour grading.
“I gained extensive knowledge about camera techniques, lighting, and colour harmony in film, which I am currently applying in my role at Kampala Creme.
Benjamin appreciates the importance of paying opportunities forward. He recently shared his cinematography expertise on a three-month online platform called Film Chat, aimed at empowering up-and-coming African creatives.
His advice to young creatives is to never overlook the importance of marketing themselves, and to remember that filmmaking is a business.
“Funders want to understand more than just the script or story,” he says. “You should spend time discussing the financial aspects and the impact the film will create. This is what appeals to investors. Ultimately, it’s an investment for a return.”
Career transformation
MTF West Africa graduate Allen Onyige pursued his passion for human behaviour and storytelling at MTF after leaving university and working in live broadcasting. He describes his time at MTF West Africa as “transformative”.
“MTF refined my creative vision, strengthened my technical skills, and played a pivotal role in shaping my journey as a filmmaker,” he says. “The experience changed my life and set me on the path toward meaningful visual storytelling.”
He says understanding the business side of broadcasting was just as important as the creative skills he gained.
After he left MTF, his production company was commissioned by Africa Magic to produce several series and feature films, including Ikenna’s Trial, Sikiru, Elenini, Kadara, and Dear Future Me.
In 2024, Onyige won the Best Indigenous Language Series award at the AMVCAs for Irora Iya. He also served as director of photography on Grind, now on Amazon Prime. His documentary Sunset in Makoko was nominated for Best Documentary at the AMVCAs. He also worked as a cinematographer on the Emmy Award–winning documentary Mothers of Chibok.
Onyige says young people looking to build a career in film and TV should first look to learn the craft and business of filmmaking, but to master one specific skill. Secondly, he recommends being a team player who sets high standards.
“Be a man or a woman of excellence,” he says. “Integrity will get you jobs that talent alone may not be able to give you.”
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To learn more about the MultiChoice Talent Factory and how to launch a career in African film and television, visit https://
multichoicetalentfactory.com -
Applications for the 2027 intake are still open, and the closing date is 27 May 2026.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
On Thursday, May 28, 2026, the highly anticipated Ready-To-Wear Masterclass, organised by Dear Fashion Designer, will take place.
This event, according to the organisers, will be live and in-person, with topics to be covered including Fashion Product Life Cycle, Manufacturing for Ready-To-Wear, Fashion Law, Marketing Strategy, Digital Literacy, and 3D Fashion Technology.
These six masterclass features will have experts dissecting the topics, with each session curated to give designers practical, real-world insights, no fluff, just the tools needed to build, scale, and sustain a fashion business in today’s fast-evolving market.
Beyond the learning, attendees will also gain access to valuable networking opportunities, connecting with industry experts and like-minded designers shaping the future of African fashion.
The first edition of the initiative was powerful and successful, with participants speaking glowingly of it.
The debut virtual session had over 200 fashion designers across Africa in attendance, sparking strong testimonials around clarity, growth, and direction.
Coming off the momentum of the Dear Fashion Designer Vision Board Retreat held in January 2026, the brand continues its mission to help designers move from ideas to execution, bridging the gap between creativity and structure in the African fashion industry.
Registration for the programme is available via the link in Sonayon Cadmus’ Instagram bio, and intending participants can get more information via [email protected].
Nigeria’s Bovi Ugboma and South Africa’s Nomzamo Mbatha have been officially unveiled as co-hosts for the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award, set to take place on May 9, 2026, at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. This announcement serves as a bold pairing, and it makes sense. Here’s why.
They Represent the Breadth of African Entertainment
The AMVCA has always positioned itself as a continental celebration, not just a Nigerian one. Putting a West African comedian and a South African actress on the same stage reinforces that. Bovi’s comedy is rooted in everyday African life, which has built him audiences well beyond borders. Nomzamo, on the other hand, rose to prominence through the South African drama Isibaya, crossed over to Hollywood with Coming 2 America, and currently stars as Queen Nandi in Shaka iLembe, where she also serves as executive producer. Between the two of them, they cover a lot of ground.
Bovi Knows How to Work a Room
Stand-up comedy is probably the best training ground for live hosting. You have to read the room, recover from dead moments, and keep energy up for hours. Bovi has been doing that at the highest level for years. He’s described the opportunity as significant, noting the platform’s influence across the continent, and says he intends to bring energy and laughs to the ceremony while celebrating African storytelling.
Nomzamo Brings Credibility Beyond Entertainment
Off-screen, Nomzamo is a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, a climate advocate, and founder of the Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation. That kind of profile adds weight to her presence on a stage that’s increasingly watched across the continent and beyond. She’s not just a famous face, she’s someone with a serious body of work and a reputation that extends outside of acting.
The Balance Between Them is Practical
Awards shows need two things from their hosts: someone to keep the energy light and moving, and someone who can anchor the more formal moments. Bovi brings sharp wit and comedic timing, while Nomzamo adds elegance and global star power.
It Fits Where African Entertainment Is Right Now
African storytelling is getting serious global attention, from streaming platforms to cinema screens, the continent’s creative industry is at a defining moment. Having two hosts who reflect different parts of that story is a reasonable way to reflect that reality on stage. The AMVCA, presented by MultiChoice, a subsidiary of Canal+, honours outstanding achievements in television, film, and digital storytelling across Nollywood and the wider African creative landscape and the hosting choice reflects exactly that ambition.
The 12th edition also introduces two new award categories: Best Indigenous Language (North Africa) and Best Indigenous Language (Central Africa), signalling a broader pan-African direction for the awards. The hosting choice fits that direction.
Bovi keeps the energy moving, Nomzamo brings the presence and credibility. Together, they cover everything an awards show of this scale needs.
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