Cruises represent a pretty common and mainstream form of family entertainment today. But that was not always the case. In 1970, only around 500,000 people considered hopping onto a big ship for their holidays. But about 50 years ago, Princess Cruises entered into a novel and unprecedented with a television show, and the industry has never been the same.

The brainchild of the legendary Hollywood producer Aaron Spelling, The Love Boat premiered in 1977. It was a success from the start. The show featured a cast of zany regular characters, who served as the boat’s crew. Each week, a new set of famous guest stars appeared as passengers on the ship, and the storylines consistently involved romantic connections. It was all silly and a bit contrived, but millions of viewers followed the show regularly—and the madcap hijinks apparently led them to believe that boat travel would be fun in real life too. 

By the early 1980s, scores of new ships were being constructed by various cruise lines, though none of them benefitted as much as Princess Cruises, which provided the boats on which The Love Boat was filmed. The cameras moved among its different ships and filmed episodes during actual cruises, leading fans to clamor to book passage on those boats, in the hope of being cast as background actors.

The ships being built also kept getting bigger and bigger, and many of the features that now represent basic requirements among cruise travelers were introduced and installed during these years. For example, somehow no one had thought to add balconies to the ocean view and porthole cabins until Princess Cruises installed them and thereby found a new feature for which it could charge higher prices.

Beyond the very idea of cruises as vacation options, the storylines and antics featured on The Love Boat informed and inspired the types of entertainment provided onboard in reality too. For example, the show frequently starred famous, recognizable musicians in its weekly episodes, and in turn, cruise lines developed a supportive infrastructure for hosting concerts by similar entertainers while under sail. The atriums of the ships also were built to be bigger, with heightened ceilings and sweeping staircases meant to replicate the drama provided by sets created just for the show.

Today, the cruise industry annually generates an estimated $154 billion worldwide. It attracts around 30 million passengers, seeking a range of accessible, all-inclusive vacation plans. The different cruise lines have established diverse offerings to appeal to the many segments of customers who cruise, including families seeking safe supervision and playgrounds, fans who want to rock out with their favorite bands, gamblers who enjoy playing poker every night, or singles looking for love (just like on The Love Boat!). 

For all these segments though, cruise lines continue working to make the process of sailing easier and safer. Most of them provide passengers with linked bracelets or apps so that they can easily pay for food and amenities on board. They schedule staffed excursions at ports of call to introduce passengers to local points of interest. Or if they prefer to stay put, smart televisions in their cabins enable them to order room service with just a few clicks.

There are even modern options for nostalgic travelers: Princess Cruises announced a renewal of its original partnership with The Love Boat,hosting themed cruises for fans. Joined by most of the original cast from the show, guests enjoyed branded opportunities to interact with their favorite characters. It was a full circle moment, for a new era—as well as a swimming marketing success.

Discussion Questions

1. To which customer segments do cruises appeal most?
2. What other nostalgic pop culture content, such as that linked to other television shows from earlier eras, might provide meaningful partnerships and marketing ideas for today’s brands?

Sources: Tamara Hardingham-Gill, “‘The Love Boat’: How a TV Show Transformed the Cruise Industry,” CNN, February 14, 2025; Judy Koutsky, “From Love Boat to Family Boat,” Forbes, March 31, 2023; “Princess Cruises Announces VIP Package for ‘The Love Boat’ Cruise,” Cruise Industry News, June 23, 2024