by Scott Laird
Last updated: 3:32 PM ET, Wed August 7, 2019
Princess Cruises will attempt a world record this winter, and it's planning to seek the accolade in the most on-brand way possible.
For Valentine's Day in February 2020, Princess is hoping to host the largest renewal of vows ceremony ever held at sea onboard a Regal Princess sailing from Fort Lauderdale.
Gavin MacLeod, who portrayed Captain Merrill Stubing on the long-running television series "The Love Boat" will be the officiant for the ceremony, while Jill Whelan, who played his on-screen daughter Vicki, will serve as the matron of honor.
"I'm honored to be officiating this ceremony and can't think of a better way to celebrate and commemorate a couple's love, than by reaffirming their commitment to one another onboard the 'Love Boat' over Valentine's Day," said Gavin MacLeod, who has long served as a Princess Cruises brand ambassador.
Jill Whelan added, "It wouldn't be a Princess cruise unless there's romance. We invite couples of all ages to join us for this celebration of love on the high seas." Like her on-screen Dad, Jill also serves as a Princess brand ambassador.
Princess has long been synonymous with the long-running series "The Love Boat" that introduced a generation of travelers to the notion of vacationing at sea. The series ran from 1977 to 1986.
Set onboard the Princess ship Pacific Princess and filmed onboard both the real-life ship and her identical sister Island Princess, the series featured the main cast acting as crew, and a revolving cadre of guest stars drawn mostly from the television A-List of the day.
The show was also noted for its catchy theme song, sung by Jack Jones. The modern-day Regal Princess and other Royal-class Princess ships are outfitted with ship's horns that play a rendition of the opening notes of the song.
The Regal Princess sailing from February 9-16, 2020 is now open for booking. The seven-night Caribbean itinerary will include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and Princess Cays. Regal Princess is outfitted with the new Medallion Class, which offers guests wearable technology for a personalized onboard experience.
The Love Boat ultimately drove the cruising industry to explosive growth, with Princess being a major beneficiary. Having begun operations with a single, rented ship on cruises to Mexico over fifty years ago, Princess now deploys 17 ships to destinations on every continent.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
