Princess Cruises says it has the answer for those still asking themselves: What’s the perfect Valentine’s Day present? It comes in the form of Love Boat-themed Valentine sailings along with a special romantic menu.
The voyages are a nod to Princess Cruises’ ties to the iconic TV show “The Love Boat,” filmed aboard the line’s ships in the 1970s and 80s.
Romantic Perks on Holiday Cruises
As Princess Cruises likes to say, love is in the air, and with Valentine’s Day coming up on February 14, the line is promoting a series of onboard enhancements designed for couples looking to celebrate their relationships.
Cruises still available for booking around Valentine’s Day include a 7-day Mexican Riviera sailing February 4 roundtrip from Los Angeles on the 3,660-guest Discovery Princess; a 14-day Caribbean East/West Adventurer cruise sailing February 5 roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale aboard the 3,560-guest Regal Princess; and a 15-day Hawaiian Islands cruise sailing February 10 roundtrip from San Francisco on the 1,780-guest Royal Princess.
A special menu, which will be served onboard all Princess ships on Valentine’s Day, was created by the line’s head of culinary arts, Chef Rudi Sodamin, who notes that food is the “international language of love.”
The chef’s creations will include delectables like tuna and salmon tartare, beef tournedos, and plenty of sweets such as the Princess Heart of Love Chocolate Mousse, Sweetheart Sugar Cookies and Chocolate-Dipped Fruit. Princess Cruises’ mixologist Rob Floyd has dreamed up two romantic cocktails for the sailings: a chocolate martini and a spicy drink dubbed Sweet Revenge.
Along with the custom-crafted romantic menu and drinks, onboard activities will be all about love. Cruise guests can create a special card for their loved one, dispatch a singing telegram, see romantic movies shown on the ships’ Movies Under the Stars screens, and even renew their vows by booking special packages.
Princess’ ‘Love Boat’ Heritage
The Love Boat theme is part of Princess Cruises’ heritage. The cruise line and its former vessel Pacific Princess are famous as the setting for the hit TV series “The Love Boat,” a romantic comedy/drama that aired from 1977 to 1986.
Viewers will recall the Hollywood names that starred in the show, including Gavin MacLeod, who played Captain Stubing, and actors who portrayed crew members, such as Bernie Kopell, Fred Grandy and Cynthia Lauren Tewes.
Indeed, the show represented the first time that millions of viewers around the world got a glimpse of what it’s like to cruise and to work on a cruise ship. The TV show was filmed aboard Pacific Princess and other Princess ships in destinations around the world.
Princess Cruises retired the 670-guest Pacific Princess in 2002 and sold it for scrap in 2012, but apparently, the magic lives on. A new TV series, “The Real Love Boat,” that debuted last fall also is being filmed onboard Princess Cruises ships, but this one is a reality dating show based in the Mediterranean.
