Pacifc Princess goes for scrap

[RedmondCruiser]

The orginal Love Boat, the Pacific Princess, has been sold for scrap. Though all cruise ships will eventually meet this fate its sad to see an icon in the industry disappear under the cutting torch. We have cruised for over 25 years and remember seeing her in several ports.

http://maritimematters.com/2012/03/no-love-for-this-boat-former-pacific-princess-sold-for-scrap/

[MilliesMom]

What a shame. This makes me very sad. This is the ship I met my husband on during a cruise to Alaska. So many wonderful memories.

[skippyy]

Hmmmm, would this be the same Pacific Princess I enjoyed last November on the Holy Land Cruise ? Renamed ? The 1st Pacific Princess. Wonderful,

old style cruise experience with only 650 some passengers.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you Ron for the information.

I saw pictures of her when she was seized and stripped down.

We sailed on her in 2000 -- Bermuda cruise -- when it was announced that she would be sold. She was a lovely old ship.

[arzz]

It is always sad to see any ship taken to the breakers -- they are all full of memories and truly have spirits of their own.

 

I hate to nit-pick, but I will anyway.

 

The Pacific Princess was the original Love Boat on the TV series The Love Boat -- but the first "Love Boat" was the old Sun Princess (aka Spirit of London) that starred in the pilot movie titled "The Love Boat" -- this boat was our first cruise.

[rkacruiser]

I remember seeing her in New York when she was the Sea Venture. Was able to visit her prior to a sailing and she was a lovely ship, certainly small by today's standards. I last saw her at dock in Barbados a few years ago and she looked a bit sad at that time.

 

Her sister, Island Venture, then Island Princess, still sails as the M.S. Discovery. I have some friends who are veterans of several HAL cruises and they prefer her to any ship on which they have sailed.

[erewhon]

Thank you for posting the information.

[Topsham]

You are correct...

 

It all began in the mid-70s when television producer Douglas S. Cramer, who had created the popular television series Love American Style, decided to transplant his popular comedy vignette series from its studio setting to the environs of a modern cruise ship. Originally, in searching out a location for the movie pilot of what was to become his Love Boat television series, Cramer found the ideal setting on a Princess Cruises ship.

 

After the 1977 pilot show, which was shot aboard the line's original Sun Princess in Mexico, Cramer teamed up with top television producer Aaron Spelling and The Love Boat went on to enjoy phenomenal success, \

 

quote]

 

 

Kevin,

 

There is more to the story. I think your information is only partly correct.

 

In 1974 Pinnacle Books published a book by Jeraldine Saunders titles 'The Love Boats'. Jeraldine Saunders was the worlds first female Cruise Director and the book tells the story of some of her experiences... written as a novel to protect the innocent!

 

It was later taken up by ABC-TV and made into the famous series wwe know so well.

 

I have a copy published in 1976 and on the cover.....

 

"The naughty but funny novel that has now becomee a star-studded ABC-TV Special!"

 

"Exotic ports and erotic games on a sea of sun, sex and booze!" LA Times.

 

Originally the producers approached Bahama Cruise Line about filming on board one of their ships. BCL thought the ideaa was frivilous and turned them down! They went to Princess and .... made history!

 

Interestingly, in the book Jeraldine never mentiones the name of the compaany she was working for or the ships she was sailing in. It was in fact the old Princess Cruise Line... PRINCESS CARLA.

 

I sailed with Jeraldine in 1990 on the VISTAFJORD. At the time she was looking for a producer to make a full length movie of The Love Boats... as a serious drama... based on the book but poducers wanted a full comedy and a ship with two captains... Robbin Williams.... and some otehr well known actor. The deal fell thrrough.

 

Jeraldine was a great lady aand I still have my autographed copy of the book.

 

I also have happy memories of the little PACIFIC PRINCESS. Made three cruises in her. A perfect little ship! RIP

 

Stephen

[Topsham]

Hmmmm, would this be the same Pacific Princess I enjoyed last November on the Holy Land Cruise ? Renamed ? The 1st Pacific Princess. Wonderful,

old style cruise experience with only 650 some passengers.

 

 

 

No, not your PACIFIC PRINCESS. Rest easy!

[ginger and professor]

I hope that Capt. Stubing will be reassigned.

[Himself]

Thanks for posting this story and the links. It is sad but eventually they do not sail anymore. As one person told me when I asked about the Enchanted Isle, it has been made into razorblades.

[ASIWISH]

Disclaimer, Stephen: Most of my information is only partly correct...

 

:D:D

[Topsham]

Disclaimer, Stephen: Most of my information is only partly correct...

 

:D:D

 

 

 

Kevin, Well that is better than most of us!!!!

 

Either way, it is a lovely story and it was a great series.

 

The Germans still run a cruise ship seris called DAS TRAUM SCHIFF.. (the Dream ship) filmed on board the m.s. DEUTSCHLAND.

 

You would think thaat someone at Carnival Corp would sponsor a new series.... filmed on board Carn Corp ships.

 

Stephen

[Typhoon1]

How about the Costa Concordia?

[ariawoman]

You know I never really thought that the love boat was filmed on the actual boats. I presumed it was sets like everything else is these days, but i guess today's "these days" are different than in the 70s.

 

I just watched the theme song and thought to myself how lucky Vicky was to get to sail her childhood away on a cruise ship. Why didn't I get born into that? LOL

[cruisequeen10]

That was my first cruise in 1980 to Mexico. That is what started me off on cruising. 20 some cruises later.....

[Copper10-8]

ms Sea Venture (1971-present) Built in 1971 as ms Sea Venture by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke GmbH, Emden, (then) West Germany for Norwegian-based Flagship Cruises. She departed on her maiden voyage on 8 May 1971 and would operate on the New York City to Hamilton, Bermuda run as well as on Caribbean cruises for Flagship but only for one month shy of four years.

 

 

In April 1975, she was sold (along with her sister Island Venture) to the UK-based P&O Group and assigned to Princess Cruises as Pacific Princess with her sister becoming Island Princess. Princess would initially use her for cruises to The Mexican Riviera out of Los Angeles (San Pedro), summer itineraries to Alaska and a gradual expansion via the Panama Canal into the Caribbean. Later on, she would be used for world-wide cruising.

 

 

Princess Cruises agreed to have both these ships featured in the televison romantic weekly sitcom "The Love Boat", which debuted in May 1977 and would stay in production for nine seasons. The ship featured in nearly every episode of the series (which was filmed primarily on sets in a production studio) was Pacific Princess, although other ships also appeared, including Island Princess. The term "Love Boat" was heavily used by Princess Cruises in their marketing, and became synonymous with the Pacific Princess. The success of the television show, which remained on the air until 1986, is largely credited with the increase in popularity of cruise ship travel in Nortn America.

 

Pacific Princess was sold in 2001 to Seahawk North America Inc, Nassau, Bahamas, but was leased back immediately and continued to operate as part of the Princess fleet until 2002, when the former Renaissance Cruises R-Three replaced her and took her name. Pacific Princess made her final voyage with Princess Cruises in October/November 2002, sailing from New York City to Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.

 

 

She then began operating for Spanish-based tour operator Pullmantur Cruises under the new name Pacific, sailing in the Caribbean as well as in the Meditteranean from Valencia, Spain.

 

 

In December 2007, she was aquired by Brasilian tour operator Viagens CVC Tur Ltda, Sao Paulo. They operated her out of Sao Paulo during the Southern hemisphere summer. Between April and October 2008 she was chartered to newly-established Spanish-based Quail Cruises to operate Western Med cruises out of Valencia.

 

 

In October 2008, she was seen in Valencia, still in Quail Cruises livery, and listing slightly to port. She had failed certain safety tests, and consequently had been "arrested" by the Spanish

Authorities. This cancelled her South American winter cruise and forced Quail to use the former Cunard Countess (now Ocean Countess) as a replacement.

 

Pacific, subsequently arrived at the San Giorgio Del Porto shipyard in Genoa, Italy in November 2008 for repairs as a result of corrosion and generator problems. She was due to go back in service for Quail in July 2009, sailing seven-day cruises once again from Valencia, Spain through November.

 

 

On 15 July 2009 however, Pacific was seized by the Guardia Costiera/Italian Coast Guard while still at Genoa due to a financial debt of U.S. 14 million owed to the shipyard by Quail Cruises and her owners, Templeton International Inc..

In order to liquidate the debt amount, the Italian authorities tried to sell the Pacific by auction three times between 2010 and 2011, but no one made any offer for her. On March 6th, 2012, it was announced that the ship had been sold for 2.5 million euros to the Turkish company "Cemsan", which specializes in ship breaking, officially declaring the end for the Pacific. Current plans are for the ship to be towed to her final destination in Aliaga, Turkey

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

Sailed on her twice, and neither cabin had beds that could be put together, so the running joke with DH and I was why was it called the "Love Boat"?? LOL. Will dearly miss her! It was great having a covered pool when it rained on our way to Bermuda.

[Live4cruises]

My mother and I sailed on Pacific Princess is 1990 to Alaska, on my mother's last cruise. I was elated to encounter the ship SEVERAL years later in Antigua (maybe?) as Pacific. I hate to hear it's the final port for the Love Boat.

[airlink diva]

Thanks for the info!

I hate that she is going to be turn to scrap!

I loved Saturday nights watching "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island".:D

One of the reasons that I wanted to cruise was because of Love Boat.

[2cruisecats]

I have fond memories of the Pacific Princess. We sailed from Hong Kong to Bangkok in the late 1990s. It was a great trip. Great ports. The ship was small (though not in the best shape) and it could dock everywhere. No tenders! And the best room steward ever. It was Captain Mike's Magical Mystery Tour -- you never knew where you were going to dock next due to the storms! (Now if I could forget the bad food and the dining staff ....)

[ariawoman]

Thanks for the info!

I hate that she is going to be turn to scrap!

I loved Saturday nights watching "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island".:D

One of the reasons that I wanted to cruise was because of Love Boat.

 

Wow I remember that line up. I was too young to be allowed to stay up and watch tv (i believe love boat was 9 and fantasy island was 10pm) but they were shown on ABC and we were able to get them on the FM dial on the radio so my mom would let me have it on, on the radio. I still remember that to this day.

 

Time flies.

[crusinbanjo]

Mrs Banjo & I cruised on that Pacific Princess twice, (and also on the original IslandPrincess). I guess I am showing some age here, we cruised on her from Tahitti to Hawaii,(1992) and again from Japan to Hong Kong, (1994). Great experiences as young cruisers on a wonderful ship. We last saw her in Puerto Rico, looking in some disrepair. A wonderful ship, we will miss her!

[jayteeaitch]

There appears to be a gap in copper 10 8's timeline.

 

I am sure I sailed on this ship making her maiden voyage (Passage) from Southampton to Australia (46 days) in Nov 1995

We gad a great cruise -as such - stopping at ports that were very unusual to the then cruise ship ports of call --- EG - I took the attached in DJAKARTA in Sommalia.

 

I always thought that she might have been the original love boat - unless the latter had a twin :confused: - but at this time She was the MS Southern Cross - recently purchased by a Russian Cruise line and crewed almost 100% by Russians and Ukranians.

 

She stayed in Australian waters for 4 months and then sailed back to the UK via Pananma. What happened then - who knows - but I actually thought I had come across her again in the last couple of years sailing as "Discovery" - in the South American/South Antartic area - most recent as a normal cruise ship .

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/1f3281ed#/1f3281ed/1

[Copper10-8]

There appears to be a gap in copper 10 8's timeline.

 

I am sure I sailed on this ship making her maiden voyage (Passage) from Southampton to Australia (46 days) in Nov 1995

We gad a great cruise -as such - stopping at ports that were very unusual to the then cruise ship ports of call --- EG - I took the attached in DJAKARTA in Sommalia.

 

I always thought that she might have been the original love boat - unless the latter had a twin :confused: - but at this time She was the MS Southern Cross - recently purchased by a Russian Cruise line and crewed almost 100% by Russians and Ukranians.

 

She stayed in Australian waters for 4 months and then sailed back to the UK via Pananma. What happened then - who knows - but I actually thought I had come across her again in the last couple of years sailing as "Discovery" - in the South American/South Antartic area - most recent as a normal cruise ship .

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/1f3281ed#/1f3281ed/1

 

 

JT, the vessel you are referring to and sailed on is Pacific Princess' former sister Island Princess. She began life in 1974 as Island Venture and is still sailing today as Discovery for a company by the name of Voyages of Discovery!