“Love, exciting and new. Come Aboard. We’re expecting you.”
Those lyrics were the part of the theme song that Americans heard each week as they tuned their television to watch the show that changed the face of cruising forever – “The Love Boat.”
The show first aired in 1977 and was set aboard the Princess Cruises cruise-ships Pacific Princess, Island Princess, and a few other Princess vessels. It ran for ten seasons and featured a bevy of Hollywood stars including Tom Hanks, Florence Henderson, Charo, Debbie Reynolds, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Ethel Merman and Ginger Rogers, to name a few.
The show is credited with breaking the stereotype that cruising was meant for retirees and introduced the concept of a cruise vacation to a younger audience looking for fun, romance, and excitement on the high seas.
The captain of “The Love Boat,” Captain Stubing, played by Gavin MacLeod, has been the brand ambassador for Princess Cruises for more than 30 years and is one of television’s most recognizable faces.
“‘The Love Boat’ offered us many opportunities to see the world, create lifelong friendships and of course introduce the joys of cruising. People still approach me and say that the show gave them something to dream about – falling in love, finding happiness all while sparking the desire to travel. Now more than 40 years later, cruising is a vacation option for everyone and the growth of the industry just proves that dreams really do come true,” said MacLeod.
On May 10, 2018 the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, superintendent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, will honor Princess Cruises and the original cast of “The Love Boat;” Gavin MacLeod (Captain Stubing), Jill Whelan (Vicki), Ted Lange (Isaac), Bernie Kopell (Doc), Lauren Tewes (Julie) and Fred Grandy (Gopher) during a ceremony on in front of the Dolby Theatre on the famed Hollywood Boulevard.
“We’re proud to welcome the original cast of ‘The Love Boat’ and Princess Cruises as Friends of the Walk of Fame recognizing their contribution to the history of television and support for the preservation of the Walk of Fame,” said Leron Gubler, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.