4 Reasons to Sail the Love Boat in 2015

Celebrate 50 Years of 

Princess Cruises

2015 marks the 50th anniversary of Princess Cruises.   Step aboard the Love Boat for an amazing journey that you will remember for years.   Learn more about what lies ahead on your cruise by watching this short video.  We had an early taste of what's to come during our 2014 National Conference on Regal Princess.



Anticipating the Celebration

From the time you arrive at the pier you'll realize that you are about to be part of a historic milestone.   Signs hang overhead announcing the 50th Anniversary of Princess Cruises.   Once you get inside the waiting room, you'll find even more evidence of the historic event.

Once onboard the ship, explore the milestones since 1965 when it all began.  Who could forget the Love Boat?

A Special Meal

On formal night, the chefs will prepare a commemorative menu featuring some of the best dishes served over the past 50 years. 

Shown here is our dinner onboard Regal Princess during it's inaugural Eastern Caribbean sailing - another milestone to add to the pillars in the lobby.

(Click images to enlarge)

Chocolate Journeys

Princess has teamed up with Norman Love, well-known master pastry chef and chocolatier, to create unforgettable desserts and other creations just in time for the anniversary celebration.   Chocolate Journeys will be rolled out fleet-wide starting in January. 

The highlight of our anniversary meal was this Chocolate Raspberry Mousse with Vanilla Crème Brulee and Crunchy Shortbread.

Celebratory boutique items, keepsakes & more

Be sure to visit the logo shop onboard for once in a lifetime gift items for yourself, family, and friends. Select from commemorative clothing to magnets, ornaments, and coins.

There's plenty more in store for you during your cruise:

• Special onboard events including Love Boat® deck parties
• Onboard celebrations tied to regional and global festivities such as Mardi Gras and Carnival
• Musical performances from tribute bands, like The Beatlemaniacs, bringing the greatest hits over the decades to life
• Exclusive new Princess® Seawitch 50th Anniversary craft beer

Princess Cruises began in 1965 with just one ship, Princess Patricia®.  Today, you can choose from among 18 ships sailing to destinations like Alaska, Caribbean, Europe, the Panama Canal, and many more sought-after destinations. 

This is the time for you to "Escape Completely and Come Back New" on a Princess Cruise.

There is so much more that we can share with you from our preview of 2015 during our Regal Princess Cruise last month.   Contact us for all the details and to start planning your getaway.
Browse the 2015 Princess Cruise itineraries and current special offers.

Congratulations Princess Cruises on this achievement.  We look forward to the next 50 years.

Princess Ships Spotlight Alaska Culture for 50th Anniversary

Princess Ships Spotlight Alaska Culture This Summer for State’s 50th Anniversary Year

Passengers Will Experience Local Flavor Right Onboard with Alaska Cuisine, Guest Experts,
Cultural Presentations and Special Children’s Programs

Princess Cruises begins their Alaska Season this weekend offering passengers more local tastes and culture onboard than ever before, giving them a rich “Great Land” experience not only on land, but also while at sea.

Princess’ 2009 Alaska season begins May 9 and runs through September 14, featuring a total of 130 sailings aboard Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, Coral Princess, and Island Princess traveling on the line’s signature Gulf of Alaska sailings; Golden Princess, Star Princess and Sea Princess sailing the Inside Passage routes from Seattle and San Francisco and Pacific Princess offering the line’s small ship experience on 14-day Connoisseur voyages to some of the state’s less-visited ports.

“Alaska’s 50th anniversary year is the perfect time to celebrate the wonders of this magnificent state,” said Jan Swartz, Princess executive vice president. “And this summer, especially, our passengers will enjoy a multi-faceted shipboard program to immerse them in the flavors, culture, history and natural wonders of Alaska throughout their cruise.”

The Princess Onboard Alaska Program:

Sanctuary Glacier Viewing Experience - Aboard Golden Princess, Star Princess and Island Princess, The Sanctuary will become a prime location for glacier viewing of the unforgettable Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm. It will offer passengers a variety of ammenities to make their viewing comfortable. It will be educational as Park Rangers and Naturalists will be on hand to provide commentary to Sancturary guests. A variety of special food and beverage offerings will also be avaialable.

Tastes of Alaska – Passengers can experience the flavors of Alaska with a number of special opportunities. Food dishes that reflect the state’s culinary delights, featuring fresh local fish, savory meats, and an assortment of seafood specialties will be served throughout the Alaska fleet. Some of the highlights include:

• Glacier Bay Champagne Breakfast
• Glacier Bay Gala Buffet
• Alaskan Dinner
• On Deck Fish Barbecue
• Reindeer Chili & Rockfish Chowder Cook-off
• Warm up on Deck
• Alaskan Beers/Hot Toddy
• Chef's Table
• Culinary Demonstrations

Local Experts – Passengers can learn about many aspects of life in Alaska and the state’s natural wonders from a variety of special guests onboard:

• Iditarod Champion Libby Riddles: Sled Dogs and Adventure
• Alaska Naturalists
• Park Ranger Programs in Glacier Bay
• USDA Forest Service Partnership – Ketchikan/Misty Fjords

Award-winning video presentations – Passengers can learn more about the wonders of Alaska from the comfort of their own stateroom, with these specially produced videos, including a series of Telly Award-winning port videos.

• “The Heart of Alaska”
• Glacier Bay Videos
• Alaska Port Presentations

Alaska Youth Program – Special programs especially for younger cruisers will give them an appreciation for the wonders of the state’s wildlife, people and natural beauty

• Glacier Bay Junior Ranger/Teen Explorer
• Ketchikan/Tongass National Forest

Alaska Mementos – Princess ships offer a number of opportunities for souvenirs and unique Alaska gifts

• Alaska’s 50th Anniversary Statehood Commemorative Souvenirs
• Art Auctions to Feature Alaskan Wildlife
• Exclusive Cruise Companion Book/Map and Video
• Gold Rush Marketplace

There are a limited supply of cabins still avaialable for the remainder of the Alaska Season. If you are interested in celebrating Alaska's 50th Anniversay of Statehood, I suggest you contact me very soon. This will be one of your most memorable cruise vacations ever, so don't let it pass you by.

Cruise to Hawaii for Golden Anniversary of Statehood

On August 13, 2008, members of Hawaii's 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission announced a comprehensive plan to commemorate Hawai‘i’s golden anniversary of statehood, with a year-long series of events and activities.

50 is a landmark anniversary to celebrate, and Hawaiians plan to do it in style. There's plenty of time to join in the festivities which will be held around the state. A cruise is an excellent way to see the Islands of Aloha.

Hawai‘i’s Governor Lingle spoke about the Commission's plans saying “In emphasizing education and passing on of Hawai‘i’s rich history to a new generation of leaders, I believe that we are giving this milestone the weight and attention it deserves".

"The plan’s varied components will provide residents and visitors of all ages with opportunities to reflect on how statehood has contributed to the Hawai‘i of today and the direction we are headed as the youngest and most ethnically and culturally diverse state in America,” the Governor added.

Road to Hawaii Statehood

The road to statehood began on May 18, 1959 when Congress passed a bill proposing that the Territory of Hawaii become the 50th state of the union. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill making it official on August 21, 1959.

Planned Events

To commemorate the day in 1959 that the U.S. Congress passed the bill which allowed Hawai‘i to be admitted as a state, the Commission will host a public event at the State Capitol on March 18, 2009, which will include various family activities from noon until 1:30 p.m. in the Rotunda and Capitol grounds. A special joint session of the Hawai‘i State Legislature has also been requested.

In addition, a Memorial Day commemorative event and an arrival ceremony for the first commissioned submarine named for the State of Hawai‘i, the USS Hawai‘i, are being planned for summer 2009 to recognize the invaluable contributions made by the military to Hawai‘i both before and after statehoodCoordinated by neighbor island representatives to the Commission and their local planning committees, each county will host several island-specific events to commemorate statehood.

The year-long activities will culminate with a one-day public conference on August 21, 2009 called Commemorating the 50th State: New Horizons for the Next 50 Years, at which local, national and international leaders will gather to discuss topics about Hawai‘i’s past, present and future, including technology in our daily lives, education for the next generation, the 21st century economy, and a break-out session entitled “Native Hawaiians: Cultural Navigation in a Sea of Change.”

For additional information see the following websites:

• Hawaii 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission
• Hawaii the Islands of Aloha - Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
• Statehood Hawaii
• Hawaii Statehood Postage Stamp
• U.S. Mint - Hawaii Statehood Coin
• Cruise Destination - Hawaii

I'll take a closer look at the Islands of Aloha in future columns.

Cruise to Alaska for 50th Birthday Celebration

Alaska’s celebration of 50 years of statehood

It's the morning of January 3, 2009, and the temperature in Anchorage, Alaska ranged from a low of -14.4 °F to a high temperature of -4.7 °F. That did not stop the native Alaskans from celebrating a historic event - the 50th Anniversary of Statehood. The celebration actually began the night before with the 50th Anniversary Gala at the new Dena’ina Convention Center. National and International dignitaries attended this historic event for a sit-down dinner and entertainment which included dance, symphony, and opera.

January 3rd saw the downtown area of Anchorage taken over for a huge birthday bash. A procession of Alaska’s diverse people kicked it off with performances at three separate venues. And, of course, there was a fireworks show.

50 is a landmark birthday to celebrate, and Alaskans plan to do it in style. Alaska’s 50th birthday will be celebrated all year long so there's plenty of time to join in the festivities which will be held around the state.

We were in Alaska in September, 2008, for our National Conference. Celebrity Cruises was our host for our 8 Night Alaska Northbound cruise. You can see the Alaska 50 banner on the lightpost in Juneau.

The cruising season in Alaska is from May - September. The cruises usually book up fast, but there are still cabins available. I always recommend extending your stay in Alaska to include some time on land. A cruisetour is the best way to really experience Alaska if you can spare the time.

Road to Alaska Statehood

The road to statehood began on May 28, 1958 when the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill proposing that Alaska become the 49th state of the union. The bill was passed by the Senate in June of that year. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill making it official on January 3, 1959.

For more information about Alaska consult the following websites:

• Alaska Statehood Celebration Commission (ASCC)
• State of Alaska
• Alasks Turns 50
• Arctic Focus
• Cruise Destination - Alaska

In a future column I'll describe our most recent Alaska cruise on Celebrity Mercury.