Love Boat theme - is it really helping Princess?

[CT D&N]

Curious how the Princess community feels about the whole Love Boat theme and is it really helping Princess?  I'm probably in the the minority but I'm finding the whole Love Boat thing a little tacky and wondering if it really is a good marketing choice for Princess to the extent it has and continues to be promoted.  I've cruised with Princess several times and do so based on the staff, service, and overall experience.  However, if I had never cruised Princess I certainly wouldn't be persuaded to do so because of the Love Boat theme.  Actually, the whole Love Boat thing would likely have me looking at other cruise lines such as Celebrity, HAL, etc.  While I appreciate the historical connection Princess has to Love Boat, I'm left wondering if it's time to move on so Princess can best market and compete moving forward.

[j4lambert]

The Real Love Boat has been canceled by CBS after 4 episodes due to extremely low ratings.

[billco]

11 minutes ago, CT D&N said:

Curious how the Princess community feels about the whole Love Boat theme and is it really helping Princess?  I'm probably in the the minority but I'm finding the whole Love Boat thing a little tacky and wondering if it really is a good marketing choice for Princess to the extent it has and continues to be promoted.  I've cruised with Princess several times and do so based on the staff, service, and overall experience.  However, if I had never cruised Princess I certainly wouldn't be persuaded to do so because of the Love Boat theme.  Actually, the whole Love Boat thing would likely have me looking at other cruise lines such as Celebrity, HAL, etc.  While I appreciate the historical connection Princess has to Love Boat, I'm left wondering if it's time to move on so Princess can best market and compete moving forward.

I think Princess has gotten a lot of mileage out of the original Love Boat. I have to wonder what they were thinking with their promotion of the Real Love Boat. 

[Daniel A]

14 minutes ago, CT D&N said:

Curious how the Princess community feels about the whole Love Boat theme and is it really helping Princess?  I'm probably in the the minority but I'm finding the whole Love Boat thing a little tacky and wondering if it really is a good marketing choice for Princess to the extent it has and continues to be promoted.  I've cruised with Princess several times and do so based on the staff, service, and overall experience.  However, if I had never cruised Princess I certainly wouldn't be persuaded to do so because of the Love Boat theme.  Actually, the whole Love Boat thing would likely have me looking at other cruise lines such as Celebrity, HAL, etc.  While I appreciate the historical connection Princess has to Love Boat, I'm left wondering if it's time to move on so Princess can best market and compete moving forward.

Why be a grinch?  Although I rarely watched the Love Boat when it was on in the 70's and 80's I have to say that it put the idea in my head that someday, maybe I would take a cruise to see if it was for me.  I still don't watch Love Boat re-runs or on my cabin TV, but I do get a good chuckle every time I hear the Love Boat horn on the Royal class ships.

 

I agree that the show was campy and that it's a little tacky, but sometimes campy and tacky can be amusing and fun.

[LACruiser88]

Another JP flop!

[JimmyVWine]

Advertising is all about making an emotional connection and sparking a memory that makes you recall the product when it is time to make a purchase. The Love Boat tie in has served Princess well and will continue to do so as people who watched the show between 1977 and 1987 continue to be potential customers. It causes an instant connection to Princess. By way of example, what comes immediately to mind when you say “Holland American”?  Nothing. Or “Celebrity”? Nothing. “Carnival”? Party ships. “Royal Caribbean”?  Amusement park decks. “Princess”?  That’s the Love Boat company!

 

[Wakepatrol]

[tonit964]

I remember watching the show when I was a teenager and loved it. Couldn’t wait until I was old enough to take a cruise.

 

When the 50th Love Boat celebrations started, I was so excited with the Disco Deck parties and the special ‘Isaac’ cocktail. Sailing on Princess for me is so much fun and when I was on Discovery last spring, my first time on a Royal class ship, when they played the Love Boat song on the ships horn, it was great!

[rideev]

Had they redo a series and make it similar to the original live boat, it might have really helped.  However, crossing is a lot different now than it was in the 70s.  Also quite a bit less expensive.  (Also remember that when people flew back then they were in suits and dresses.)

 

As for the Real Love Boat, I think they were trying to capture the magic of The Bachelor and Love Island, etc.  (Also, that guy they have as a host is too goofy.). People that cruise just don't seem to be too be anything like those people on The Real Love Boat.  

[PrincessLuver]

13 minutes ago, rideev said:

Had they redo a series and make it similar to the original live boat, it might have really helped.  However, crossing is a lot different now than it was in the 70s.  Also quite a bit less expensive.  (Also remember that when people flew back then they were in suits and dresses.)

 

As for the Real Love Boat, I think they were trying to capture the magic of The Bachelor and Love Island, etc.  (Also, that guy they have as a host is too goofy.). People that cruise just don't seem to be too be anything like those people on The Real Love Boat.  

 

Agree, if they would have stayed closer to the original show I think they could have made it more entertaining.  The original Love Boat show was described as the "greatest product placement" ever and really helped launch the cruise industry to what it is today.  In those days less than 500,000 people cruised a year.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/love-boat-cruise-industry/index.html

[Coral]

I grew up watching the original Love Boat and loved it. I am fine associating the original Love Boat with Princess though we all knew it wasn't real.

 

I absolutely hated the Real Love Boat show (recently on TV) and if I had watched it and had not cruised on Princess - I would have looked for any other line out there to sail. I thought the show was really tacky and awful (best words I can use on social media).

 

I like how they have done original Love Boat reunions on the ship (though I have not attended any of them). I am fine with these.

 

I don't think the new show did Princess any justice. Not sure whose idea it was.

[Buckeye10640]

11 minutes ago, Coral said:

I grew up watching the original Love Boat and loved it. I am fine associating the original Love Boat with Princess though we all knew it wasn't real.

 

I absolutely hated the Real Love Boat show (recently on TV) and if I had watched it and had not cruised on Princess - I would have looked for any other line out there to sail. I thought the show was really tacky and awful (best words I can use on social media).

 

I like how they have done original Love Boat reunions on the ship (though I have not attended any of them). I am fine with these.

 

I don't think the new show did Princess any justice. Not sure whose idea it was.

I agree with you. I too grew up with the TV show and loved it. I made it thru exactly 1 episode of The Real Love Boat and that was only because I sail Princess and was curious. Even my 20 something kids who watch stuff like The Bachelor/Bachelorette thought it was dumb. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Buckeye10640

[kywildcatfanone]

I mean, it was a fun show for the 70's - 80's, and it makes sense that Princess would capitalize on it's success, but this new show is detracting from that.

[JimmyVWine]

57 minutes ago, Coral said:

I absolutely hated the Real Love Boat show (recently on TV) and if I had watched it and had not cruised on Princess - I would have looked for any other line out there to sail. I thought the show was really tacky and awful (best words I can use on social media).

Honestly, if you had never cruised on Princess before and then watched that show, you’d hardly know that they were on a Princess ship. The show had many faults, including not really featuring the Regal Princess, Princess Cruise Lines or the enjoyment of cruising generally. The show could just as easily been filmed at a local zoo. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by JimmyVWine

[Daniel A]

Maybe the OP can clarify if it is the whole Love Boat concept with showing photos of the original cast onboard and the Love Boat horns or is it just the new piece of garbage CBS made.

 

I got the impression that it was the ongoing connection to the original series that prompted the thread, not the "Real Love Boat" show, but I could be wrong.

[koreakruiser]

35 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Maybe the OP can clarify if it is the whole Love Boat concept with showing photos of the original cast onboard and the Love Boat horns or is it just the new piece of garbage CBS made.

 

I got the impression that it was the ongoing connection to the original series that prompted the thread, not the "Real Love Boat" show, but I could be wrong.

That was my initial impression also.  The Love Boat connection probably doesn’t resonate much with younger people, for us old timers the nostalgia is there.

 

Hearing the dueling horns of a Disney ship and the Discovery Princess playing their respective theme music in San Diego last March was fun.

 

And we do watch The Love Boat reruns on the cabin TV.

[Astro Flyer]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I don't think the new show did Princess any justice. Not sure whose idea it was.

In the closing credits they give special thanks to Princess President John Padgett and Jon Pilling (Corporate Guest Services Manager).

 

Ratings were bad for the preferred 18-49 demographic so the program didn’t attract many younger viewers. Back in my 30s it was their “casual elegance” that attracted me to Princess which their marketing is now moving further away from that experience…sad.

 

Their VP of Sales touted the new series as being more beneficial than the original series which is doubtful to me but that’s the “Real” Princess management’s direction they’re taking Princess.

 

[Daniel A]

4 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

Their VP of Sales touted the new series as being more beneficial than the original series which is doubtful to me but that’s the “Real” Princess management’s direction they’re taking Princess.

Uh-Oh, I hope they don't start voting people off the ship...  That would make me sad...☹️

[MamaFej]

34 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Uh-Oh, I hope they don't start voting people off the ship...  That would make me sad...☹️

How about only the people who wait until they get to the front of the security line, and only then finally start preparing for security after they get to the conveyer belt? It seems like I am always behind people who act as if they've never been through a security queue in their entire lives, even on day 11 of a 12 day cruise. 

 

Can we only consider those folks to be voted off? 

 

For anyone who can't tell, I'm kidding! 

 

 

 

(mostly)

[SumoCitrus]

I'm in my 40s. My memories of the original Love Boat TV show are from when I was a small child. You know, from times I stayed at my grandparents house, etc. It's nostalgic but not compelling. I find the Love Boat horn to be cute. I would consider my generation to be the last with any memory of the Love Boat. The recent attempt to "revive" it on CBS went nowhere fast. My guess is that its days as a marketing tool are just about over. Maybe they will maintain a little corner of the ship w/ a shrine to the original show for a few more years.

[geocruiser]

I did love the old TV show.  And I enjoyed listing to the Love boat horn.

[srpilo]

1 minute ago, geocruiser said:

I did love the old TV show.  And I enjoyed listing to the Love boat horn.

 Me too 😎

[Lizabu]

Nostalgia sells. You see Disney world and all these places using nostalgia to draw interest. At the same time, they know they’re going to have to generate interest among a younger crowd which is probably why they thought a dating show would work. Plus games shows and dating shows cost less to make than other shows. They have to pay Jerry and Rebecca but contestants are rarely paid anything or the compensation is minimal. Few writers are needed too so that’s also cheaper. They only had to dress the set instead of build one too. I would have rather seen a Love Boat reboot though. Modernize it by getting a Shonda Rhimes in to made it steamy and scandalous.

[Kay S]

The original Love Boat did a lot of good for Princess.  In fact, it was still doing it a lot of good when some teenaged executive decided old stuff was bad for business.  People are still excited to meet the original cast members when they appear on a ship.  Ted Lange did not need some wanna-be to remind people how much they loved Isaac.  (One wonders what Gavin MacLeod would have made of the reality show.)

 

I have mentioned before the 2015 Princess Anniversary cruise on the Pacific Princess, two weeks repeating (modified) the Mexican itinerary from the old show.  All of the original cast members were there, and Jack Jones sang the theme song at sail away.  That cruise was sold out for literally years before it sailed, and those of us who were lucky enough to be there knew it was something special.  (caribill has a great photo of the cast along with Sammy, the world's best Cruise Director.)  I always wondered why Princess didn't use that cruise to advertise, but maybe the "new Princess" was already in someone's mind.  

 

Well, that was then.  This is now.  Princess decided it didn't want to run on nostalgia (and the old people it attracted.)  It seems their reality show stunt hasn't worked out, but I have faith that the "new Princess" can find something even worse to attract the demographic they really want.

[Guest ldtr]

6 hours ago, Daniel A said:

Why be a grinch?  Although I rarely watched the Love Boat when it was on in the 70's and 80's I have to say that it put the idea in my head that someday, maybe I would take a cruise to see if it was for me.  I still don't watch Love Boat re-runs or on my cabin TV, but I do get a good chuckle every time I hear the Love Boat horn on the Royal class ships.

 

I agree that the show was campy and that it's a little tacky, but sometimes campy and tacky can be amusing and fun.

If the networks got rid of everything that was campy and/or tacky they would lose most of their current programming.