''The Suite Life on Deck'' is an American
teen sitcom
A teen situation comedy, or teen sitcom, is a subgenre of comedic television program targeted towards young people (Preadolescence, tweens, Adolescence, teenagers and, to a lesser extent, Young adult, young adults). In general, these types of prog ...
created by
Danny Kallis and
Jim Geoghan, and developed by Kallis and
Pamela Eells O'Connell
Pamela Eells O'Connell (born August 29, 1956) is an American television producer and writer.
Her credits include '' Charles in Charge'', '' Family Matters'', '' Mad About You'', ''The Nanny'', '' Brotherly Love'', '' Married... with Children'', ...
. The series aired on
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...
from September 26, 2008, to May 6, 2011. It is a
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
/
spin-off
Spin-off, Spin Off, Spin-Off, or Spinoff may refer to: Entertainment and media
*Spinoff (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*''The Spinoff'', a New Zealand current affairs magazine
* ''Spin Off'' (Canadian game show), a 2013 Canad ...
of ''
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' is an American teen sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series aired on Disney Channel from March 18, 2005, to September 1, 2008. The series was nominated twice for the Primetime Emmy Award for ...
''. The series follows twin brothers
Zack and Cody Martin
Zack and Cody Martin are fictional characters and the central protagonists of the American television teen sitcom series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,'' its sequel/spin-off series ''The Suite Life on Deck'', and the television film ''The Suite ...
and hotel heiress
London Tipton
London Leah Tipton is a fictional character in Disney Channel's ''Suite Life'' franchise, which consists of ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', its spinoff, ''The Suite Life on Deck'', and the made-for-TV '' Suite Life Movie''. London has also ap ...
in a new setting, the
SS ''Tipton'', where they
study-abroad at Seven Seas High School and meet
Bailey Pickett while
Mr. Moseby manages the ship. The ship travels around the world to nations such as Italy, France, Greece, India, Sweden and the United Kingdom where the characters experience different cultures, adventures, and situations.
The series' pilot aired at an earlier date in the UK on September 19, 2008, and in U.S. markets on September 26, 2008. The series premiere on the
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...
in the U.S. drew 5.7 million viewers,
[Gary Levin (September 30, 2008).]
Nielsens: Presidential debate fights for numbers
. ''USA Today''. Retrieved December 12, 2008. and it became the most watched series premiere in Canada on the
Family Channel.
[Scott Campbell (October 20, 2008)]
The Suite Life on Deck sets sail on Family Channel with record-breaking premiere ratings
Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved December 12, 2008. The show was also TV's No. 1 series in Kids 6–11 and No. 1 scripted series in tweens 9–14 in 2008, outpacing veteran series ''
Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cy ...
'' and ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wi ...
'' in the ratings.
On October 19, 2009, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a third season, which began production in January 2010
and debuted on July 2, 2010. The series was also 2009's top rated scripted series among all children ages 6 to 14
The series has been broadcast in more than 30 countries worldwide, and was shot at
Hollywood Center Studios
Sunset Las Palmas Studios, formerly General Service Studios and Hollywood Center Studios, is an American independent entertainment production lot located at 1040 North Las Palmas Avenue in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles. It has stage f ...
in Los Angeles (as was the original series). The series was taped in front of a live studio audience, though a laugh track is used for some scenes. The series is the second spin-off of a Disney Channel series (after the short-lived ''
That's So Raven
''That's So Raven'' is an American television fantasy teen sitcom that was created by Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman, and aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between January 2003 and November 2007. The series centers on Raven Baxter ( ...
'' spinoff ''
Cory in the House
''Cory in the House'' is an American television sitcom which aired on the Disney Channel from January 12, 2007, to September 12, 2008, and was a Spin-off (media), spin-off from the Disney Channel series ''That's So Raven''. The show focuses o ...
''); as well as the last Disney Channel series to debut broadcasting exclusively in
standard definition
Standard-definition television (SDTV; also standard definition or SD) is a television system that uses a resolution that is not considered to be either high or enhanced definition. ''Standard'' refers to offering a similar resolution to the ...
, and the first of three Disney Channel shows to transition from standard definition to
high definition, which occurred on August 7, 2009, with the season 2 premiere, "The Spy Who Shoved Me", and the second multi-camera comedy (after ''
Sonny with a Chance
''Sonny with a Chance'' is an American teen sitcom created by Steve Marmel that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons between February 2009 and January 2011. The series centers on Sonny Munroe, portrayed by Demi Lovato, a teenage comedian f ...
'') to utilize a
filmized appearance instead of the
Filmlook appearance that was used in the first season.
On March 25, 2011, a film based on ''The Suite Life on Deck'' and its parent series, titled ''
The Suite Life Movie
''The Suite Life Movie'' is a 2011 American science fiction comedy-drama television film directed by Sean McNamara, written by Michael Saltzman, and starring Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Brenda Song, Debby Ryan, Matthew Timmons, John Ducey, Matth ...
'' aired on Disney Channel. The series' forty-minute finale episode, "
Graduation on Deck", aired on Disney Channel on May 6, 2011, officially ending the series.
Premise
Sometime after the events of the
previous series, Mr. Moseby has been transferred to manage the SS ''Tipton'', a cruise ship owned by Mr. Tipton. Aboard the ship, Zack and Cody Martin enroll at Seven Seas High School, a
Semester at Sea-like
study-abroad program offered on the ship, receiving affordability discounts due to their mother being a Tipton employee. London Tipton is also forced to attend the program under the direction of her father, with Mr. Moseby remaining responsible for her. A small-town farm girl named Bailey Pickett also enrolls for the program. The twins set on a range of new adventures and make new friends, as they begin attending classes on the cruise ship, while the ship sails around the world.
Cast
Main
*
Cole Sprouse
Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Cody Martin on the Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' (2005–2008), and its spin-off series ''The Suite Life on Deck'' (2008– ...
as
Cody Martin, the intelligent, kind-hearted, and sensitive twin. Cody performs well academically, is a straight A student, and has shown to have a great interest in academics; however, he does not perform well in sports. Cody has been noted to be ten minutes younger than Zack and often plays into Zack's crazy schemes. Cody is usually picked on by Zack, but Zack becomes very defensive when other people do it. Likewise, Cody cares very deeply for Zack, despite his picking on him constantly. At the end of season one, Cody begins dating Bailey Pickett, but they sever their romantic relationship in the second-season finale due to a misunderstanding in Paris. However, near the end of the third season, they get back together again after confessing that they never stopped loving each other. In "
Das Boots", it is revealed that he has multiple allergies. Also, in "
A London Carol", a future version of Cody and Bailey are married, though it's not certain if it was their real future.
*
Dylan Sprouse as
Zack Martin
Zachary Edward Martin (born November 20, 1990) is an American former professional football player who was a guard for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), all for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fig ...
, the fun-loving, rebellious, and immature twin. He works in the juice bar on the ship as a result of using up both Cody's and his money for the semester. Cody is forced to obtain the job as a towel boy.
Zack does not perform particularly well academically, but he manages to graduate in the series' finale episode. He performs very well physically and enjoys physical sports, especially basketball and football. Zack acts selfish at times but he also sincerely cares for his brother and friends, even if he does not always show it. He flirts with most of the girls on the ship by using various pick-up lines, although he rarely ever stays with them for more than one episode. At the beginning of the third season, he starts to develop strong feelings for a new student on the ship named Maya. At first, she refuses to go out with him since he was a "player," but eventually he wins her over by throwing a surprise party for her. He then surprises his friends by being a good boyfriend. Although initially there is confusion as to whether he loved her or whether he was just taking her on as a challenge, he proves to have strong feelings for her in later episodes. She breaks up with him in the episode "Graduation on Deck" because of a Peace Corps assignment she accepts, but they remain close friends.
*
Brenda Song
Brenda Song (born March 27, 1988) is an American actress of Hmong and Thai descent. Born in Sacramento, California, Song began her career at the age of six, working as a child model. She made her screen debut with a guest appearance on the ...
as
London Tipton
London Leah Tipton is a fictional character in Disney Channel's ''Suite Life'' franchise, which consists of ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', its spinoff, ''The Suite Life on Deck'', and the made-for-TV '' Suite Life Movie''. London has also ap ...
, the
socialite
A socialite is a person, typically a woman from a wealthy or aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having ...
of the four main teenage characters. She is a parody of
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, and socialite. Hilton was born in New York City and raised there partially; shuttling between Los Angeles and New York City; she is a great-grandda ...
. She is the daughter of
Wilfred Tipton, a multi-billionaire and the owner of the Tipton Hotel chains, including the one in Boston and the SS ''Tipton''. London is typically selfish, dim-witted, spoiled, gullible and meticulous about her appearance but she is happy and heartwarming, and she does care for her friends (even if she can't remember the difference between Zack and Cody). She also has a
pomeranian pet dog named Ivana. When she is happy, she usually claps her hands and repeatedly jumps up and down while saying her catchphrase, "Yay me!" Mr. Moseby fools London into thinking that she is on the SS ''Tipton'' for a vacation, to trick her into boarding the ship. London gets enrolled at the Seven Seas High School program because her father wants her to live in the real world. London does not live in a first class suite on the SS ''Tipton'', but a small cabin. London reluctantly agrees to accept Bailey Pickett (Debby Ryan) as her new roommate, although she does so after unsuccessfully trying to bribe Bailey into leaving as she did with her previous roommate. The two later become good friends. In ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', when London resided at the Tipton Hotel, it seemed that she was living in her own bubble. On the SS ''Tipton'', London became more aware of the real world and faced several difficulties to help her when she takes over her father's business.
*
Debby Ryan
Deborah Ann Ryan (born May 13, 1993) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She started acting professionally onstage at the age of seven, and was later discovered during Disney Channel's nationwide search for new talent. She had starrin ...
as Bailey Pickett, a teen girl from the fictional town of Kettlecorn,
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
. She is very intelligent just like Cody, seemingly the perfect girl-next-door and has been described as a "small town, down-to-earth girl." She shares a room with the wealthy London Tipton, in which the two later form a close friendship and end up becoming best friends. Bailey is a student at Seven Seas High and attends classes with her new friends Zack, Cody, London, and Woody. She boarded the ship to leave Kettlecorn, where she lived on a farm, because she longed for the big city. She pretends to be a boy in the pilot in order to get a room on the SS ''Tipton'' because the girls' cabins were filled. Eventually, she moves in with London after people find out she is a girl. London tries to bribe her not to move in, but Bailey refuses. Both Zack and Cody have a crush on her at the beginning of the series, but when they find out more about Bailey's life and her ex-boyfriend, Zack lets Cody have her, claiming that she was "carrying too much baggage." However, a couple seasons later he says that he doesn't blame Cody for not being able to get over Bailey and called her "smokin'," showing he still thinks she's beautiful even if he doesn't like her "that way". Cody tries several times throughout the first season to attract Bailey, but is unsuccessful until the crossover episode "
Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana" in which they start dating. They eventually end their romantic relationship in the second-season finale due to a misunderstanding in Paris. However, near the end of the third season, they get back together again after confessing that they still loved each other. In "
A London Carol", a future version of Cody and Bailey are married, though it's not certain if it was their real future. In the series finale, she reveals that she chose to attend Yale University.
*
Phill Lewis
Phillip David Lewis (born February 14, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, and director. He is best known for playing hotel manager Mr. Moseby on the Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' and its spin-off, ''The Suite Life ...
as Marion Moseby, the uptight and serious former manager of
the Tipton Hotel in ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', is now the chaperon and manager of the SS ''Tipton''. He speaks with a wide vocabulary and an urbane vernacular, minimal tolerance for fun of any kind, and is therefore often annoyed by Zack and Cody's schemes. He has raised London Tipton like his own daughter. His repeated catch phrases, "Good luck with that," and "If you'll excuse me," have become his trademark. He often refers to the children as "Hooligans," yet in many episodes he seems to have a soft side. He loves bad jokes, has a passion for collecting handkerchiefs, and has a penchant for ballet, which becomes a running joke throughout the series. Though he acts as though he does not care about Zack and Cody, he actually has a great deal of affection for them and tells them he will miss them in the end of the Graduation on Deck episode. He's constantly running from stem to stern keeping the Martin twins and London out of trouble. Moseby is a father figure in London's life, because of London's father's absence in the series. He looks after her constantly and cares for her very deeply. Moseby reportedly tricked London in order for her to be enrolled in the Seven Seas High School program. He told London she was going on a vacation on the SS ''Tipton'' to get her on the ship. Mr. Moseby is continuously trying to "court" Ms. Tutwieler and, in the final episode of the series, proposes to her, deciding he wants them to be together rather than apart. In an act of true bravery in the final episode, Moseby tells off Mr. Tipton for having the ship dismantled during graduation; he follows up by telling the shocked crowd that he was already losing his job anyway.
*
Doc Shaw as Marcus Little (s. 2–3), is a former singing sensation, Lil' Little, who comes aboard the SS ''Tipton''. After hitting
puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a female, the testicles i ...
, causing his voice to change, he lost his fame and career. He attends Seven Seas High and shares a room with Zack. Marcus lived in
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, as mentioned on his sash in "The Beauty and the Fleeced." He first appears in the second-season episode "
Roomies". He has a crush on London, and is shown to be quite gullible, often believing Woody's tall tales. Marcus has as many famous contacts as London does; however, he is sensitive about the loss of his fame because he believes his celebrity friends won't like him, though he was later proven wrong in the episode "Crossing Jordin." Marcus eventually leaves the ship in the episode "Bon Voyage" after choosing to star in a musical based on his hit song "Retainer Baby." Cody is proud of him for this because he'll be entertaining people while promoting proper dental care.
Recurring
Special guest appearances
*
Kim Rhodes
Kim Rhodes (born June 7, 1969) is an American actress who is known for portraying Cindy Harrison on the soap operas '' Another World'' (1996–1999) and ''As the World Turns'' (2000–2001), Carey Martin on the Disney Channel sitcoms ''The Suite ...
:
Carey Martin (1: "The Suite Life Sets Sail", 1: "Mom and Dad on Deck", 3: "Trouble in Tokyo", 3: "Graduation on Deck")
*
Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Michelle Tisdale (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress and singer. During her childhood, she was featured in over 100 advertisements and had minor roles on-screen and in theatre. She achieved mainstream success as Maddie Fitzpatric ...
:
Maddie Fitzpatrick
''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' is an American teen sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series aired on Disney Channel from March 18, 2005, to September 1, 2008. The series was nominated twice for the Primetime Emmy Award for ...
(1: "Maddie on Deck")
*
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...
:
Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana (1: "Double-Crossed")
*
Emily Osment
Emily Jordan Osment (born March 10, 1992) is an American actress, singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Osment began her career as a child actress, appearing in numerous television shows and films, before co-starring as Gerti Gi ...
:
Lilly Truscott/Lola Luftnagle (1: "Double-Crossed")
*
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...
:
Alex Russo
Alexandra Margarita "Alex" Russo is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Disney Channel sitcom ''Wizards of Waverly Place'', portrayed by Selena Gomez. In 2008, AOL named her the twentieth greatest witch in television history. Sele ...
(1: "Double-Crossed")
*
David Henrie
David Clayton Henrie ( ; born July 11, 1989) is an American actor, writer, and director. He is noted for playing Ted Mosby's future son Luke on ''How I Met Your Mother''; Justin Russo in ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' and its sequel '' Wizards B ...
:
Justin Russo (1: "Double-Crossed")
*
Jake T. Austin
Jake Toranzo Austin Szymanski (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Jake T. Austin, is an American actor. Beginning his career as a child actor at the age of seven, Austin is best known for his role as Max Russo on the Disney Channel ...
:
Max Russo (1: "Double-Crossed")
*
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks (born December 22, 1989) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the American Idol (season 6), sixth season of ''American Idol'' at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. He ...
: Herself (2: "Crossing Jordin")
*
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathryn Lee Gifford (Given name, née Epstein; born August 16, 1953) is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show ''Live with Kelly and Mark, Live! wi ...
: Cindy (2: "Model Behavior")
*
George Takei
George Takei ( ; born April20, 1937), born , is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS ''Enterprise'' in the ''Star Trek'' franchise.
Takei was born to Japanese-American parents, with w ...
: Rome Tipton (2: "Starship Tipton")
*
Sean Kingston
Kisean Paul Anderson (born February 3, 1990), known professionally as Sean Kingston, is an American former singer and rapper. Born in Miami, Florida, and raised in Jamaica, he signed with J. R. Rotem's record label Beluga Heights Records ...
: Himself (3: "Party On!")
*
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard II (born December 8, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Superman" for his athletic prowess, he is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defen ...
: Dwight Moseby Howard (3: "Twister, Part 1")
*
Deron Williams
Deron Michael Williams ( ; born June 26, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball, Illinois Fighting Illini before being drafted third overall in ...
: Himself (3: "Twister, Part 1")
*
Kevin Love
Kevin Wesley Love (born September 7, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a five-time All-Star and a two-time member of the All-NBA Second Team, winning an N ...
: Himself (3: "Twister, Part 1")
*
Hutch Dano
Hutchings Royal Dano ( ; born May 21, 1992) is an American actor and painter. He is known for playing co-lead character Zeke Falcone in the Disney XD comedy series ''Zeke and Luther''.
Early life
Dano was born in Santa Monica, California. He ...
: Moose (1: "Mulch Ado About Nothing", 3: "Twister, Part 2")
*
John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor, comedian and game show host whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's '' The Late Shift'', and a starring role in the ...
:
Wilfred Tipton (3: "Twister, Part 3")
*
Jennifer Tisdale: Connie Fitzpatrick (1: "Flowers and Chocolate", 1:"Cruisin For A Bruisin")
* Cody Kennedy as Mischa (3: "Das Boots")
Notable guest appearances
*
Brian Stepanek
Brian Patrick Stepanek (born February 6, 1971) is an American actor known for his role as Arwin Hochhauser on the Disney Channel original series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' and Brian on '' Brian O'Brian''. He was also a Sector Seven Agen ...
:
Arwin Hawkhauser/Milos Hawkakapolis (1: "It's All Greek To Me", 3: "Computer Date", 3: "Graduation on Deck")
*
Brittany Curran:
Chelsea Brimmer (1: "Flowers and Chocolate")
*
Sophie Oda:
Barbara Brownstein (1: "Flowers and Chocolate")
*
Charlie Stewart:
Bob (1: "Flowers and Chocolate")
*
Jennifer Tisdale: Connie the Activities Coordinator (1: "Flowers and Chocolate", 1: "Cruisin' for a Bruisin")
*
Jacopo Sarno
Jacopo Furio Sarno (; born September 1, 1989) is an Italian actor, Dubbing (filmmaking), voice actor and singer. Since 2013 Sarno has been known as "Jake Sarno". Active in the world of acting as a child, he began starring in several sitcoms, mos ...
: Luca (1: "When in Rome...")
*
Robert Torti
Robert Felix Torti (born October 22, 1961) is an American actor of stage and screen.
Torti was honored with a Tony Award nomination for his Broadway debut as Greaseball in ''Starlight Express'' (1984). He returned to Broadway as the Pharaoh in ...
:
Kurt Martin (1: "Mom and Dad on Deck", 3: "Graduation on Deck")
*
Justin Kredible: Armando the Magician (2: "Ala-ka-scram!")
*
Elizabeth Sung: Khun Yai (2: "Family Thais")
*
Ed Begley Jr.: Mayor Ragnar (2: "The Swede Life")
*
Adrian R'Mante
Adrian R'Mante (born February 3, 1978) is an American actor best known for his role as Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramírez in '' The Suite Life of Zack & Cody''.
Early life
R'Mante was born and raised in Tampa, Florida
Tamp ...
:
Esteban Ramírez (2: "Mother of the Groom")
*
Charo
María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, professionally known by her stage name Charo, is a Spanish-born actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco guitarist who rose to international prominence in the 1960s on American television, as well ...
: Señora Ramírez (2: "Mother of the Groom")
*
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene Warner (born June 22, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. His career, whi ...
: Himself (2: "Any Given Fantasy")
*
Charles Shaughnessy
Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy (born 9 February 1955) is a British actor. His roles on American television include Shane Donovan on the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', Maxwell Sheffield on the sitcom ''The Nanny ...
: Constable (2: "Rollin' With the Holmies")
*
Camilla and Rebecca Rosso
Camilla "Milly" Rosso and Rebecca "Becky" Rosso (born 6 July 1994) are British identical twin former actresses and singers from London. They are best known for their roles as Janice (Milly) and Jessica (Becky) Ellis on '' The Suite Life of Zac ...
:
Jessica and Janice (2: "Model Behavior")
*
Matthew Willig
Matthew Joseph Willig (born January 21, 1969) is an American actor and former professional football offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL).
Early life and college
Willig was born in La Mirada, California. He played football and ...
: The Genie (2: "Rock the Kasbah")
*
Andy Richter
Paul Andrew Richter (born October 28, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and talk show announcer. He is best known as the sidekick for Conan O'Brien on O'Brien's talk shows: '' Late Night'' and ''The Tonight Show'' on NBC and '' Cona ...
: Brother Theodore (3: "The Silent Treatment")
*
Lisa K. Wyatt: Frankie (3: "Bon Voyage", "Graduation on Deck;")
*
Fabio Lanzoni
Fabio Lanzoni (; born March 15, 1959), known List of one-word stage names, mononymously as Fabio, is an Italian actor, fashion model, and spokesman. Lanzoni is known for his wide-ranging career including work as a romance novel cover model thro ...
: Captain Hawk (3: "Senior Ditch Day")
*
Brian Posehn
Brian Posehn (; born July 6, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, voice actor, musician, and writer. After numerous appearances as a television guest star, Posehn acquired his first major recurring role in HBO's '' Mr. Show with Bob a ...
: Dr. Cork (3: "Frozen")
*
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard II (born December 8, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Superman" for his athletic prowess, he is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defen ...
: Himself (3: "Twister, Part 1")
*
Deron Williams
Deron Michael Williams ( ; born June 26, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball, Illinois Fighting Illini before being drafted third overall in ...
: Himself (3: "Twister, Part 1'")
*
Kevin Love
Kevin Wesley Love (born September 7, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a five-time All-Star and a two-time member of the All-NBA Second Team, winning an N ...
: Himself (3: "Twister, Part 1'")
*
Michael Ralph: Sergeant Pepper (3: "Twister: Part 3")
Production
Development
On February 4, 2008, it was announced that the
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...
was developing a new contemporary sequel to the Disney channel sitcom ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody''. The announcement was made by
Gary Marsh
Gary Marsh is an executive who was President and Chief Creative Officer for Disney Branded Television, where he used to develop and produce Disney Channel Original Series, Disney Channel Original Movies, and Disney Junior Series (formerly Playh ...
, the President of the Disney Channel. He stated, "Our audience has shown us that after 88 episodes, ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' remains one of their favorite sitcoms ever, we decided to find a new way for Zack, Cody, London, and Mr. Moseby to live 'The Suite Life' in a whole new setting – this time aboard a luxury cruise liner."
The series original creator,
Danny Kallis was announced to be involved with the project. The elements from the original series remain the same though the setting is completely different.
In December 2008, it was reported that the Disney Channel had renewed the series for a thirteen episode second season.
On May 11, 2009, Disney issued a press release stating that the second season had been extended to include a larger number of episodes than the original thirteen.
Gary Marsh
Gary Marsh is an executive who was President and Chief Creative Officer for Disney Branded Television, where he used to develop and produce Disney Channel Original Series, Disney Channel Original Movies, and Disney Junior Series (formerly Playh ...
, the president of Disney Channels Worldwide said: "With this second-season extension, the cast of ‘The Suite Life’ makes Disney Channel history by becoming the longest running continuous characters on our air – 138 half-hour episodes. We are thrilled for them, and for the brilliant, inspired production team that made this extraordinary run possible."
As of 2024, ''The Suite Life'' series still holds the record (162 episodes) for having the longest running characters on air in a Disney Channel franchise produced without interruption. However, the
That's So Raven
''That's So Raven'' is an American television fantasy teen sitcom that was created by Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman, and aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between January 2003 and November 2007. The series centers on Raven Baxter ( ...
/
Raven's Home
''Raven's Home'' is an American family sitcom television series developed by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas that aired on Disney Channel from July 21, 2017 to September 3, 2023. The series stars Raven-Symoné, Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson, ...
franchise (222 episodes) and the
Boy Meets World
''Boy Meets World'' is an American coming-of-age sitcom created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly that aired on ABC for seven seasons between September1993 and May2000. The series centers on Cory Matthews ( Ben Savage) and his friends and f ...
/
Girl Meets World franchise (230 episodes) have since supplanted it in the overall total by being relaunched years after being taken off of the air with certain characters that were consistently on both shows.
Settings
According to show creators and producers, the choice of setting was made to appeal to an international audience with different ports-of-call, such as India, Greece, Italy, Morocco, the United Kingdom and Thailand. An on-board theater serves as an "organic" set-up for musical numbers.
Most of the action in the series occurs on board the SS ''Tipton''. However, the ship travels to a variety of places around the world, which are often unfamiliar places to both Zack and Cody Martin.
SS ''Tipton''
The SS ''Tipton'' is a
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports of call, where passengers may go on Tourism, tours k ...
belonging to
London Tipton
London Leah Tipton is a fictional character in Disney Channel's ''Suite Life'' franchise, which consists of ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', its spinoff, ''The Suite Life on Deck'', and the made-for-TV '' Suite Life Movie''. London has also ap ...
's father. The ship had its first canon appearance in ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' episode "
Let Us Entertain You". Unlike most cruise ships it also includes a study-abroad school, Seven Seas High School, which is a common setting on the ship, as are the Sky Deck, the lobby, the corridors outside the students' cabins and the cabins themselves. In the third season, the Aqua Lounge, a newly refurbished space on the ship, was shown, and it replaced the Sky Deck as the main hangout (although the Sky Deck is still commonly shown). There are also various areas on the SS ''Tipton'' that are mentioned, but never seen, including several decks and the ship's putt-putt golf course, where the captain spends most of his time. In the
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Music
Albums
* ''Cross Over'' (album), a 1987 album by Dan Peek, or the title song
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'', an album by Intrigue
* ''Crossover'', an album by ...
episode of ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wi ...
'', "
Cast-Away (To Another Show)," Mr. Moseby reveals that the ship itself weighs 87,000
ton
Ton is any of several units of measure of mass, volume or force. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses.
As a unit of mass, ''ton'' can mean:
* the '' long ton'', which is
* the ''tonne'', also called the ''metric ...
s. After the events in "Graduation on Deck" the SS ''Tipton'' was sold and later dismantled. Moseby mentioned in the season 1 episode "Cruisin' for a Bruisin'", that the ship was not the first ship with the SS ''Tipton'' name (indicating that the Tipton cruiseline had been in service long before the events of the first series).
Mr. Tipton commissioned a scale model "replica-in-a-bottle" of the first SS ''Tipton'' as a gift for Captain Lunsford.
Other settings
*
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...
in the season three episode "
Frozen"
*
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
in the season three episode "
Party On!"
*
Galapagos Islands in the season one episode "
Sea Monster Mash"
*
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
in the season one episode "
It's All Greek to Me"
*
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
in the season one episode "
The Mommy and the Swami"
* The
International Dateline
The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South Pole, South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180th meridian, 180.0� ...
in "
International Dateline
The International Date Line (IDL) is the line extending between the South Pole, South and North Poles that is the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180th meridian, 180.0� ...
"
* Kettlecorn,
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
– A fictional location in the season three episodes "
Twister: Part 1", "
Twister: Part 2", and "
Twister: Part 3"
* Lichtenstamp – A parody of
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...
in the season one episode "
Maddie on Deck"
*
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
in the season two episode "
Rollin' With the Holmies"
*
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
in the season three episode "
The Silent Treatment"
*
Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
in the season two episode "
Rock the Kasbah"
*
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
– in the series finale "
Graduation on Deck"
*
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
– in the season two episode "
Breakup in Paris"
* Parrot Island – A fictional location in the season one episode "
Parrot Island"
*
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
in the season one episode "
When In Rome..."
*
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
in the season two episode "
Can You Dig It?" and season three episode "
Senior Ditch Day"
*
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
in the season two episode "
The Swede Life"
*
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
in the season two episode "
Family Thais"
*
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
in the season three episode "
Trouble in Tokyo"
* Unnamed
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
island in the season two episode "
Lost at Sea"
Theme song and opening sequence
The show's theme song, "Livin' the Suite Life," was written by John Adair and Steve Hampton (who also wrote the themes for fellow Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', ''
Phil of the Future
''Phil of the Future'' is an American science fiction comedy television series that originally aired on Disney Channel for two seasons from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006. It was created by Douglas Tuber and Tim Maile and produced by 2121 Pr ...
'', and ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wi ...
'', as well as the theme for the
ABC Kids series ''
Power Rangers: RPM''), with music composed by Gary Scott (who also composed the music cues to signal scene changes and promo breaks, some of which are styled similarly to the theme), and is performed by British singer
Steve Rushton (who is only credited for performing the theme in the second season).
Episodes
Note: The show's first ever air date was in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2008.
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' and ''Hannah Montana''
The episode "Double-Crossed" is the second part of a three-way crossover that begins on ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wi ...
'' and concludes on ''
Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cy ...
''. Cody promises to get tickets for himself and Bailey to a concert in Hawaii featuring Hannah Montana, who has boarded the SS ''Tipton''. In the meantime, the Russo siblings enjoy a cruise of their own until Alex pulls a prank that causes Justin to turn blue.
Film
On September 20, 2010,
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...
announced that production had begun for a
Disney Channel Original Movie
Since its launch on April 18, 1983, American cable and satellite pay television channel Disney Channel airs and/or releases/distributes original first-run television films under the banner names of Disney Channel Premiere Films until October 1 ...
based on ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' and ''The Suite Life on Deck''.
''The Suite Life Movie'' premiered on the Disney Channel in the United States and Canada on March 25, 2011.
Cancelled revival
In 2013, during an interview with ''
Gawker
''Gawker'' was an American blog founded by Nick Denton and Elizabeth Spiers that was based in New York City and focused on celebrities and the media industry. According to SimilarWeb, the site had over 23 million visits per month in 2015. Fo ...
'', Dylan Sprouse revealed he and his brother had pitched an idea to the Disney Channel about continuing the ''Suite Life'' series. The show would see Zack and Cody return to the Tipton Hotel in Boston to live with their mother, and would become mentors to a boy who lived with his father at the hotel. Disney rejected the idea initially, but contacted the twins a year later with an edited concept that retained the boy and his father storyline, but Zack and Cody would move to a
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
hotel instead,
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...
would also star and the twins would not get producer credits like they had requested. The Sprouses rejected the concept, leaving the project abandoned.
Broadcast
''The Suite Life on Deck'' premiered in Australia and New Zealand October 6, 2008. It is broadcast on
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...
and on NZ MediaWorks TV3 and FOUR.
Merchandise
DVD releases
Other media
An activity book based on the series was released on July 13, 2009. The book is called "The Suite Life on Deck Sink or Swim Sticker Activity Book". A photo album based on the series was also released, and it includes several posters, colored images from the series, captions and activities for the reader.
In August 2009, two new books titled "Suite Life on Deck: A Day in the Life" and "Suite Life on Deck Party Planner" were released by Disney.
Reception
U.S. Nielsen ratings
The show's pilot premiered on the
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...
in the U.S. on September 26, 2008, and gathered 5.7 million viewers on the night of its premiere.
The series premiere in Canada was also the most watched series premiere on
Family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
channel.
In December 2008, Business Wire reported the show was 2008's #1 top scripted television series for children between the ages of 6 and 11 and pre-teenagers between the ages of 9 and 14, beating the veteran series ''
Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cy ...
'' and ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wi ...
'' in the ratings.
The show was in the #1 spot for the top rated children's television series for many months. The show has been one of the top 4 live-action television series for many months. Since then, "The Suite Life on Deck" held a commanding lead in the time slot (Friday 8:00 p.m.), ranking as TV's #1 program among the key children demographics, virtually doubling
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...
among children between the ages of 9 and 14, and defeating it by a 6% among children between the ages of 6 and 11. In addition, the series would reach #1 in total viewers on all cable, outperforming #2 networks Fox News and Nickelodeon by 800,000 more viewers.
As of August 2009, the highest rated episode of ''The Suite Life on Deck'' was "Double-Crossed," the second part of ''
Wizards On Deck with Hannah Montana'', a trilogy of
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Music
Albums
* ''Cross Over'' (album), a 1987 album by Dan Peek, or the title song
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'', an album by Intrigue
* ''Crossover'', an album by ...
episodes featuring guest stars from ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wi ...
'' and ''
Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cy ...
'' which premiered on July 17, 2009, on Disney Channel. The special was viewed by more than 10.6 million viewers, program of the night across both cable and broadcast television, and ranks as one of the highest-rated episodes for a Disney Channel original series. This was the first episode that Cody and Bailey go out on a date.
In early October 2009, the series one-hour special episode "Lost at Sea" became the most watched episode of the series, with 7.6 million total viewers, including 3.2 million in the Kids 6–11 demographic, and 2.8 million in the Tweens 9–13 demographic.
The episode delivered Disney Channel's best numbers in the hour with regular programming in the net's history.
[ In 2009, the series was the most watched scripted series in the children and tween demographic (6–14), outpacing ''Hannah Montana'' and several other teenage shows.] The series second season's ratings grew 25% higher than the show's season one ratings, the second season has averaged approximately 5.1 million viewers.
Season premiere ratings
Record breaking episodes
iTunes
Before the series officially made its debut on air, the first episode entitled "The Suite Life Sets Sail" was made available as a free download on iTunes
iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
. All series have since been made available.
Resurgence of Zack and Cody's dinner reservation episode
In November 2023, an episode entitled "When in Rome..." went viral over social media due to Zack and Cody's restaurant reservation date. The episode featured Zack and Cody attempting to reserve a table at an Italian restaurant, only to find out their table was reserved for November 16, 2023.
Accolades
References
External links
*
*
*
''The Suite Life on Deck''
on Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suite Life on Deck, The
2008 American television series debuts
2011 American television series endings
2000s American high school television series
2010s American high school television series
2000s American teen sitcoms
2010s American teen sitcoms
American sequel television series
American television spinoffs
Disney Channel sitcoms
American English-language television shows
Television series set on cruise ships
Television series about brothers
American television series about teenagers
Television series about twins
Television series by It's a Laugh Productions
Works about twin brothers
2000s American multi-camera sitcoms
2010s American multi-camera sitcoms