Through the course of its nearly 10-year run as a hit TV show, “The Love Boat” enlightened millions to the romance and adventure of cruising. Fans of the show, which was set aboard a Princess Cruises’ ship, have an opportunity to cruise with members of the original cast on a special themed cruise in summer 2024.
Original Cast Members to Reunite For Special Sailing
Princess Cruises announced it will host a theme cruise celebrating the popular TV program “The Love Boat,” which delighted viewers from 1977 to 1986. The voyage will feature four of the original cast members — Bernie Kopell (Doc), Fred Grandy (Gopher), Jill Whelan (Vicki Stubing), and Ted Lange (Isaac). Gavin MacLeod, the actor who played the star role of Captain Stubing, sadly passed away in 2021.
The cruise will be operated aboard Enchanted Princess, as she sails a 7-night Canada/New England voyage roundtrip from New York on August 31, 2024. Port calls will include Newport, Rhode Island; Boston; Rockland, Maine; and Saint John and Halifax, Canada.
The themed sailing is the second time that members of the cast came together for a special at-sea adventure. In October of 2022, several original cast members joined a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise onboard Discovery Princess, where they appeared with hosts of CBS’s romantic dating show “The Real Love Boat.”
On that cruise, Lauren Tewes, who played Julie McCoy, participated along with Kopell, Grandy, Lange, and Whelan, who also serves as Princess Cruises’ Celebrations Ambassador.
“We had such a blast connecting with fans on our theme cruise in 2022, so bringing it back in 2024 feels like it was meant to be, especially with the addition of some surprise guests,” said Jill Whelan, Celebrations Ambassador for Princess Cruises.
“Sailing with our fans brings us so much joy and this cruise will undoubtedly be a special reunion, taking us back to where it all began – on a Princess Cruise,” added Whelan.
As Celebrations Ambassador, Whelan is active with Princess Cruises’ special events. She is slated to sail a special voyage in Australia marking Valentine’s Day 2024, as part of a promotional campaign to highlight the cruise line’s various Princess Perfect Weddings packages.
Themed Activities Promise Celebrity Interactions
The upcoming Canada/New England theme cruise will offer fans a wide variety of fun activities and interactions with the celebrities, such as a sailaway party where the cast will be introduced; photo and autograph opportunities; a cocktail demonstration with Lange, who played the ship’s bartender; trivia contests; a symbolic renewal of vows ceremony officiated by the actors; and other events.
Cruisers will enjoy watching episodes of “The Love Boat” in the Movies Under the Stars outdoor screen, and in their staterooms, and of course, merchandise tied to the hit show will be offered for sale on the ship.
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Princess Cruises will soon reveal pricing and more details on a special Love Boat VIP Package it is creating. The package is expected to include an invitation to an exclusive cocktail party with the celebrities, dinner at the Captain’s Table, and souvenirs like a T-shirt and mug.
Enchanted Princess is a Royal-class ship that entered service in 2019. With a capacity for 3,660 guests, the ship offers nine stateroom categories, including four suite levels. The top accommodation, called Sky Suite, features nearly 1,900 square feet of living space, including the balcony.
Five specialty restaurants offer various meal choices: seafood at The Catch by Rudi; Italian fare at Sabatini’s Trattoria; steak and seafood at Crown Grill; pub favorites at O’Malley’s Irish Pub; and upscale cuisine at Chef’s Table Lumiere, a gala multi-course event hosted by the ship’s executive chef.
Three pools, children’s programs, a full spa, and several entertainment venues and lounges round out the ship’s offerings.
