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Except for those who readily get seasick, there’s arguably no experience on earth that can match the thrill of living above blue, turquoise waters, hopping from one secluded island to another, and enjoying some of the best views that are lawful for human beings to partake in. Of course, a cruise ship vacation will depend on the particular journey or destination that one sets out for. But it’s not just about a particular route. In many cases, a cruise ship that one boards will also influence whether an individual will get the dream experience—he or she desires.
Yet, although we now accept cruise vacations almost as a standard, at least in the luxury range or domain, it hasn’t always been so. It took a show that first premiered in the tumultuous ’70s for the travel world to see the promise and potential of cruise ships in vacations. That show was called “The Love Boat.”
The Forgotten Story Of The Loveboat Series
It was in the mid-'70s. Douglas Schoolfield Cramer, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, had already cut his teeth in the production industry. In what would become a defining decision, he joined hands with Aaron Spelling in 1976. During this time, Aaron Spelling had become the most prolific American television producer of the era. Before this time, Douglas Cramer’s own series “Love American Style,” popular in its own right, was set in the prosaic background of a typical studio. That would change. From a lackluster studio setting, Douglas would shift his setting to the decks of a cruise ship. In the timeless words of Robert Frost, that less traveled road— is what ultimately made the difference.
The show, christened “Love Boat,” went on to become among the highest-rated shows on television. But that’s not all. It was also the longest-running. 1977 to 1986 is an impressive nine years for a television show to consistently rack up public interest. In the words of a New York Times article, this series was a cultural reference point. While it holds many palms and wears a dozen purples, perhaps its most enduring legacy is introducing millions of mesmerized viewers to the concept of contemporary cruise vacations. The series was based on the lives and loves of those on board. The attendant intrigues, passion, and controversies would keep the nation glued for nine years. But it’s the setting that gets the crown.
How The Princess Cruises Inspired A Revolution In Luxury Vacations
Maybe the “Love Boat” show would still have been great without the novelty and consequent charm—of its cruise ship setting. We will never know. However, there’s no denying that the setting played an outsized role in propelling it to dizzying fame and popularity. Yet the choice of the Princess looked like a coincidence. It’s as if the stars were all aligned in Cramer’s favor. When he was looking for a location for the pilot, Cramer stumbled upon a cruise line that operated from its nerve center in Los Angeles, California. That cruise ship is known today as the Princess. Cramer would go ahead to shoot the pilot aboard the cruise line's original Sun Princess in Mexico. It was a phenomenal success. Subsequent episodes only reinforced that achievement. The effect was two-fold. One, on the series. The other is on the cruise line.
The Princess cruises would go on to become the quintessential image and representation of a cruise vacation. It was a significant head start. Even today, many people still call it the “The Love Boat cruise line. Aside from the original ship that was used to pilot the series, many other Princess ships were subsequently used as a setting for episodes in many far-flung destinations, such as the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
The Princess Cruise Line Today
Today, the Princess cruise line has fleets that take vacationers to many haunted destinations all over the globe. So whether one is looking for tropical locations to soak in the sun—or time-frozen European cities, the theaters of history that travel the gamut from the famous to the infamous, the Princess cruise line is, for many vacationers, the first choice. There’s always that persistent association with a dreamy romance that ends in living “happily ever after.” The cruise line provides vacationers with a delightful world of onboard activities. And if the entertainment is world-class, the delectable gourmet cuisine is out-of-the-world.
How Much Is A Vacation On Princess Cruise? This will depend on several factors, including destination, particular ship, the room booked, and of course, the season. But for perspective, a two-week trip to Hawaii will cost between $1,000 to $3,500.
The Princess cruise line has won countless awards. It has won Best In Travel in the Money Magazine as well as Best Ocean Cruise Line Overall in the Cruise Passenger Reader's Choice. It’s ideal for a romantic getaway and perfect for a family retreat. The range of family-friendly onboard activities is sure to please a restless toddler, a curious teenager, or even a mother-in-law.