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The Love Boat created an enthusiasm for cruising and brought visions of exotic destinations into millions of homes. Go onboard the revamped Regal Princess for a memorable cruise experience.
I remember sitting cross-legged on the shaggy carpeted floor of our family living room, watching ABC on Saturday nights as a child, and being transported into a world of cruise adventures on The Love Boat . I was enthralled with dreams of visiting exotic destinations such as Acapulco or Puerto Vallarta and dressing up for fancy dinners and dancing. TV shows such as The Love Boat and Fantasy Island inspired an eight-year-old girl to imagine herself as an adventuring writer exploring the globe. It is only fitting that Princess Cruises played such an important role not only then but also in today’s world of travels for this now almost 50-year-old woman.
An Introduction to Cruise Travel
Princess Cruises hosted the first-ever Social Media press trip years ago and invited me to participate in the experience. It was my first cruise, and as an adult, I had a stereotype in my mind that cruising was only for the senior demographic. Those childhood visions of the TV show were still there in the corner of my imagination; they just seemed unattainable. And yet, once onboard a Princess Cruise ship, I was transported back to the mindset of escaping into a world of luxurious adventure. This was the start of my journey into the world of cruise writing.
Princess Cruises was the start of my cruise experience.
Birth of the Royal Class Ships with Princess Cruises
Years later, Princess Cruises invited me to document the life of a cruise ship, from shipyard to the inaugural sailing. I traveled to Venice, Italy, for the Float Out Ceremony of the Regal Princess . Upon the ship’s completion, my husband and I traveled to Ft. Lauderdale for the 50th Anniversary of Princess Cruises celebration naming the cast of The Love Boat as godparents, all with the original cast of The Love Boat and the guest stars who appeared in many of the episodes. It was a surreal experience as if that eight-year-old had stepped into the television screen and was a grownup cast in the show, watching the antics of Isaac and Gopher or bumping into Doc in the hallway. It was a brief cruise experience, however, oh, so memorable.
Reconnecting with The Love Boat
Almost a decade later, we returned to the Regal Princess for a romantic cruise around the Western Caribbean . It was like visiting a dear friend, and our welcome was the familiar surroundings of the Piazza and the comforting embrace of our Mini-Suite Stateroom. This time, we would spend an entire week onboard, with a relaxed itinerary giving us many opportunities to explore spaces around the ship and reconnect with each other.
What I love most about cruise travel is the opportunity to disconnect from outside distractions completely. For those wanting to stay connected, the opportunity is there with faster internet connections than a decade ago. However, isn’t the ultimate purpose of a vacation to recharge the personal battery and escape completely?
New Onboard Technology
Since our last cruise on the Regal Princess, Princess Cruises has introduced new technology to enhance the cruise experience. Before boarding, we filled out our documents via OceanReady, on the Princess MedallionClass App. It made the boarding process seamless and stress-free. We were issued our Princess Medallions, which is the new version of a ship key card. This technology allowed us to be hands-free from boarding the ship, entering our cabin, and ordering drinks at the bar.
Promenade deck onboard the Regal Princess. Photo by Shannon DalPozzal
The Princess Plus Cruise Package
We had the Princess Plus Cruise Package, an option when booking for an amenity-included experience. In addition to the standard cruise package, which includes dining, accommodations, and the MedallionClass experience, the Princess Plus package includes crew appreciation (basic gratuities), Wi-Fi, the Plus Beverage Package (15 drinks per day up to $15 per drink), unlimited juice, two premium desserts per day, and two fitness classes per day.
Other notable changes were the updated dining menus at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria and the Crown Grill. Since it had been a while since our previous experience, I was curious to check out all the nooks and crannies for any rust or aging that can sometimes be seen on older cruise ships. Everywhere I looked (even behind the toilets) was clean and spot-free. The deck railing seemed freshly painted, and all the shiny décor aspects were gleaming.
Exploring The Regal Princess
Once we settled into our Mini-Suite Stateroom, I stepped onto the balcony to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine. I wanted to explore the ship more to get reacquainted with the layout. After finishing my glass of bubbly, we pulled out the deck plans on the Princess MedallionClass App and used the direction-finding feature to lead us to the Concierge Lounge. There we met Samel, who confirmed our specialty dining bookings, scheduled my spa treatment, and offered suggestions on how to make the most out of our Regal Princess experience. And there might have been another glass of Champagne in the Concierge Lounge.
Mini-Suite stateroom on the Regal Princess. Photo by Shannon DalPozzal
Our next stop while exploring was the Sports Deck, where we had a prime view of the Sail Away Party on the Lido Deck. It had a Disney production feel, with the guests dancing and singing as the ship lines were pulled and we began to move away from the port. Just as we began to sail away, the ship’s horn blasted the theme from The Love Boat, and we began to glide into the ocean waters for our sea journey.
Food and Beverages on Princess Cruises
The Regal Princess has approximately 22 food and beverage venues onboard. We did our best to enjoy them all. However, our most memorable meal was the Chef’s Table Lumiere. This exclusive specialty dining experience is limited to 10-12 guests on each cruise and can only be booked once onboard. The cost was an additional $150 per person, yet well worth the splurge. It was a six-course wine-pairing dinner in an intimate dining area surrounded by a curtain of sparkles.
Regal Princess Chefs Table Lumiere. Photo by Shannon DalPozzal
On one of our sea days, we wandered to The Sanctuary, an adult-only relaxation area. After settling into our assigned cushioned loungers, my husband napped while I ordered a Bellini and gazed out over the water. I had brought my laptop to work on my book manuscript, opened it, and began reminiscing about how life had brought me to that particular quiet, reflective moment.
Regal Princess Sanctuary loungers were ideal for spending a day relaxing. Photo by Shannon DalPozzal
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Rediscovering The Love Boat Made a Little Girl’s Dream Come True
Later, as I walked back to my cabin to dress for dinner, I came across a glass-covered display showcasing the 50th Anniversary naming of the Regal Princess, complete with a photo of the cast of The Love Boat.
Regal Princess Love Boat memorabilia. Photo by Shannon DalPozzal
I stood there for a moment looking at the photo, then noticed my reflection in the glass. I could see a glimmer of that dreamy eight-year-old little girl staring back at me in wonder. When planning your next cruise or trip to the Caribbean , let Wander With Wonder be your guide.
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Princess Cruises: Rediscovering The Love Boat
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