A retired duplicate bridge director decides to become the bridge director of a new and exclusive bridge league in which competitive games are only played at sea aboard cruise ships. The inaugural bridge cruise is beset from its beginning with trials, tribulations and intrigue as the bridge director is intimidated and coaxed to have the new nautical bridge league expanded to include a rival cruise line to the one he is committed. Throughout the cursed cruise there is an ongoing ransom demand made for precious kaftans aboard ship from the Imperial Wardrobe collection from Topkapi Palace Museum that is in route back to Istanbul from a tour abroad. Added to this is rivalry between two singers in the production company aboard ship which spills over into endangering the ship's security.