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Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Five essential things to know before you board a Princess Cruises ship
Founded in 1965 and later acquired by British-owned P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises was swallowed up by US giant Carnival Corporation in 2003. Eschewing the swagger of other American lines, Princess wears its heritage in a more refined way, while rolling out inventive concepts that have helped change the face of the cruise industry. Princess led the way in incorporating more private balconies on ships (its fleet still has one of the highest percentages of balcony cabins) and was the first to bring al fresco movie screens on board, with its Movies Under the Stars programme. Other innovations include the exclusive, adult-only Sanctuary deck space, a concept later adopted by rivals, and a wearable device called Ocean Medallion that lets passengers order food and drinks from around the ship and acts as a cabin door key. The California-based line has built up a solid reputation for offering a premium, 'classic cruising' ambience. Its ships are known for popular features such as the central atrium hub, the Piazza, and eateries including Sabatini's Italian trattoria and Crown Grill steakhouse. These are complemented by a signature chef's table and balcony dining experiences. Underpinning all of this is Princess's Love Boat legacy. The line became a household name in the 1970s when its ships Pacific Princess and Island Princess took viewers to exotic destinations for the popular American TV series. Set on Pacific Princess, the show is credited with bringing cruising to a new audience, and Princess still references its Love Boat connections today. 1. Where does Princess Cruises sail? The line's 16-strong fleet covers the world, with sailings to all seven continents and port calls at more than 330 destinations. The Mediterranean and the Caribbean (private resort Princess Cays is located in the Bahamas) are strongholds in summer and winter, respectively, although Princess is also known for imaginative itineraries, particularly to Japan and Australia (where it bases ships), the Panama Canal and Hawaii. Alaska is another region that it dominates, claiming to take more guests to the region than anyone else. Sailings to Alaska can also be combined with stays at the five wilderness lodges it owns. These 'cruise tours', combining cruises and land tours, are also offered in Europe, South America, Australia and New Zealand and Japan. Sailings vary from two-night mini-breaks to grand voyages and world cruises. Princess also bases ships in Southampton – three will be home-ported there in summer 2025. It also offers a handful of departures from Dover. 2. Who does Princess Cruises appeal to? Princess's elegant ships, high-end ambience and varied itineraries appeal to well-travelled couples in an older age range (the average is 59.4) than you would find on livelier lines like Royal Caribbean International or Carnival Cruise Line. Families are catered for with nurseries that take babies aged from six months to teen hangouts that cater for youngsters up to 17. While Princess ships lack the watersides and rides of other family-focused lines, Caribbean Princess has an interactive children's splash zone. Family-friendly accommodation, shore excursions and entertainment also make the line popular with multi-generational groups. Princess was the first line to offer weddings at sea and offers three wedding packages as either legal or symbolic ceremonies. It's worth noting the relatively steep gratuities that will be added to the final bill. 3. Princess Cruises' fleet There are 16 ships in the Princess fleet, though its ranks will be swelled by the arrival of the second Sphere-class ship Star Princess in September. Other ships are grouped as Royal, Grand and Coral. Sphere class Star Princess (4,300 passengers), Sun Princess (4,300 passengers) The newest and ground-breaking ship class for Princess feels more spacious and has a livelier vibe. When Sun Princess launched in spring 2024, it was hailed as the largest and most innovative Princess ship yet, with many new features. The enlarged Piazza is housed in a glass sphere, the main theatre has been replaced by smaller performance venues, including the Princess Arena and The Dome, and there is a themed magic experience called Spellbound by Magic Castle. Favourite restaurants have been joined by new additions, including the romantic Love by Britto, offering a romance-inspired fixed-priced menu. The Sanctuary private deck area has been expanded to The Sanctuary Collection offering a private sun deck with pool and a dedicated restaurant and lounge. Sails to: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal Royal class Discovery Princess (3,660 passengers), Enchanted Princess (3,660 passengers), Sky Princess (3,660 passengers), Majestic Princess (3,560 passengers), Regal Princess (3,560 passengers), Royal Princess (3,560 passengers) These ships have more space than their predecessors, with a larger atrium, a glass-bottomed walkway on the top deck called the SeaWalk, extending over the edge of the ship, private poolside cabanas and a live TV entertainment studio, Princess Live! Dining options include Chef's Table Lumiere – a custom-made table surrounded by a shimmering curtain that encloses diners in a curtain of light. All outside staterooms on these ships also have balconies. Sails to: Alaska, Asia, Australasia, the Pacific coast, Caribbean, US Eastern Seaboard, Mediterranean, Scandinavia, Europe, Canary Islands, British Isles, Hawaii, Pacific coast, Australasia Grand class Emerald Princess (3,090 passengers), Ruby Princess (3,080 passengers), Crown Princess (3,090 passengers), Caribbean Princess (3,140 passengers), Diamond Princess (2,710 passengers), Sapphire Princess (2,680 passengers), Grand Princess (2,610 passengers) These popular ships encapsulate many of the activities and facilities for which Princess is known, while offering a more intimate ambience. The heart of the ship is the atrium and piazza, which is a gathering point for drinks, coffee and live performances. Entertainment is spread across the main theatre and lounges and the line's most popular restaurants are on board. Diamond Princess has features which appeal to the Japanese market, as the ship is largely based there, while Caribbean Princess has a family pool deck. Sails to: Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean, Panama Canal, West Coast US, the Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, Alaska, Pacific Coast, Hawaii, Australasia, World Cruise, Asia, Caribbean, South America, Antarctica, Europe, US Eastern Seaboard, Australasia Coral class Coral Princess (2,000 passengers), Island Princess (2,210 passengers) These are the smallest ships in the fleet. The trade-off is facilities – while there is a good line-up, it doesn't match those of larger, sister ships. Coral Princess and Island Princess generally offer more destination-rich itineraries, along with world cruises and long voyages. Sails to: Pacific Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, the Caribbean, Australasia, Asia (Coral); Panama Canal, the Caribbean, US Eastern Seaboard, Hawaii, Pacific Coast, Alaska, Mediterranean 4. Loyalty scheme Princess's Captain's Circle programme has four tiers, starting with Gold for one sailing, and progressing to Ruby, Platinum and Elite – the highest level reached after 15 cruises or 150 cruise days. Benefits range from early access to new itineraries and members-only events, to discounts on shore excursions and at on-board shops, and priority disembarkation. 5. Access for guests with disabilities Ships have accessible staterooms and public areas. Braille and tactile signage is available on all ships and hearing telecommunications with advance notice. Service animals are welcome. For more details, see or call 0344 338 8663.
Courier-Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Three Aussies a day celebrate their wedding aboard Princess Cruises' Love Boat
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. It is a love story for the ages, and it all began on The Love Boat. When Princess Cruises events and guest services supervisor Louie Engelbrecht looks back on all the weddings he has organised, which averaged around three a day on Royal Princess during the last Australian summer season, one truly stands out. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY 'My most unforgettable wedding was for a couple in their 70s. They had met aboard the original Love Boat many years ago and then by chance met again on another Princess ship,' Engelbrecht says. Cue the theme song from the popular 1980s TV show where special guest stars from Andy Warhol to Betty White found romance on the high seas under the navigation of Captain Merrill Stubing. 'This couple had never forgotten each other so their meeting by chance was very special, (then) they were engaged aboard Royal Princess during her 2023-24 summer season and then decided to marry on Royal Princess last summer season 2024-25.' Engelbrecht says that wedding day was pure magic, a ceremony filled with romance. 'When she walked down the aisle, the groom's eyes sparkled with a love so genuine, as if it was the very first moment they saw each other more than 50 years ago. There were no dry eyes in the house,' he says. The Princess team organise it all, from sunset ceremonies to parties. Picture: Supplied. Forget expensive wedding venues and catering, a wedding at sea could be the perfect way to tie the knot. And it's a destination wedding with a difference – all the guests celebrate with you on your honeymoon. Engelbrecht says the Princess team organise it all, from sunset ceremonies to parties. And unlike land weddings when venues sometimes need to be secured years ahead, there is no such planning needed at sea. 'I would recommend planning your wedding with Princess at least two months in advance,' says Engelbrecht. 'The process begins simply by filling out a form online with your preferences for flowers, cake, music, and vows and upon boarding, you will be greeted by your dedicated wedding co-ordinator, who will guide you through every step of your planned event.' Around three couples a day got married on Royal Princess during the last Australian summer season. Princess Perfect Weddings offer legal or symbolic ceremonies on sea days, officiated by the captain. Planning for a wedding on-board is done via a wedding portal, allowing guests to hold a date while customising, and there are bespoke packages available. For example, the Timeless Ceremony at Sea for a couple plus eight guests includes the ceremony, flowers, a cake, chocolate-covered strawberries, a toast, photography including a digital USB and prints, a romantic breakfast, premium stateroom gifts, and a certificate. The price? From $US3995. Engelbrecht says vow-renewal ceremonies are also popular. 'One highlight over the recent summer season in Sydney was our Valentine's Day mass vow renewal on the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and Australia where several couples renewed their vows with the captain and our crew,' he says. 'It was very special for all involved –we are the Love Boat, after all.' Originally published as A cruise ship is the ultimate destination wedding
Globe and Mail
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
I watched as my daughter found a grad dress that blew away her childhood
First Person is a daily personal piece submitted by readers. Have a story to tell? See our guidelines at My 17-year-old emerges butt-first from the dressing room, asking me to tighten the laces on her corset. The dress is dark seafoam, strapless and sparkly, with ombré poufs of darker, layered chiffon that trails on the floor. In and out of the change room, my daughter is light years away from her regular uniform of jeans, hoodies and Air Force One sneakers. If dresses have names, this one is an obvious Love Boat. I keep my face blank, yet encouraging, careful to read her reaction before saying what I think even as the show's schmaltzy theme song cues in my head. If there's one thing I've learned as a mother of a teenage girl, it's the value of staying mum. On the hanger, this dress was about as close to the stretchy, sparkly Little Mermaid outfit she wore to school when she was four. But today, my daughter isn't playing a game or pretending to be grown-up. She is showing me what she has become. My daughter is taking this job of finding a dress as seriously as a calculus exam. I picture the wheels in her head cranking away as she scrutinizes neckline and hemline, evaluating the quantity of lace and quality of fabric. Beyond mother-daughter politics, the second part of keeping my thoughts to myself is to retain this delicate façade of calm, which is one push-up bustier away from collapse. With every new dress reveal, I press my tongue to the roof of my mouth, clutch the box of Kleenex on my lap, and pray for the strength to keep it together. The curtain opens again and I want to burst into applause. This black strapless gown has a sweetheart neckline that cinches at the waist with a black satin ribbon over a floor-length flume of lightly-layered gauze. It is classic and exquisitely feminine. In this classic and exquisitely feminine dress, my door-slamming teen, who leaves piles of mouldy water bottles and dirty underwear on her bedroom floor, is transformed into calm, cool sophisticate. The dress commands a certain posture, and my daughter obeys. Forget The Love Boat. This is more, 'Prepare the yacht.' I hide behind my phone and take 300 photos. This dress costs around triple this month's rent. 'Too fancy,' she declares, after admiring herself thoroughly. 'Thank God,' I say silently. She appears again, this time in a pale pink sheath that takes my breath right out of my lungs. She angles herself to the mirror for a glimpse of her backside with the smallest of satisfied smiles. She knows exactly who she is looking at, and it's so obvious that the girl in the mirror is someone she really likes. This dress is the killer, the one I'll forever hold responsible for stealing the last fumes of my daughter's childhood that swirl briefly overhead. Just as I've decided to renegotiate the mortgage, she saves me the trouble. 'I love it, but the price is ridiculous,' before going on about how we'd better move on if we really want to find something today. Our family's secularism has excluded us from communions and confirmations, bull jumping and bat mitzvahs. If we were from Latin America, we would have celebrated her quinceanera two years earlier, right in the middle of her physical blooming and synaptic pruning and general violent reordering, corpus callosum. Fancy words for 10,000 eye rolls and three years of extremely snappy backtalk. Hardly the time I'd choose to honour her with a huge party. The change room has become a porthole to Narnia, a magical wardrobe for metamorphosis with a steep learning curve. And the learning curve isn't for her, it's for me, because with every dress, I catch up a little more to where she's been for a while – a place I was unable, or unwilling, to see. My lovable, prickly, youthful caterpillar contains a woman. Seventeen might be late compared to traditional ceremonies, but it's the right time for us. We both know the dress is 'the one' even before I've finished lacing her up. A side-peaked structured bustier with a straight skirt to the ankles and a long slit up the back. Deep burgundy, lightly brocaded with a matching lace overlay. The dress is straightforward with classic lines. Just like my girl. Her dark features warmly complimented by the richness of the red. It fits as if it were made for her. She will wear her long, chestnut hair down in a loose wave. This dress doesn't cue any theme songs and doesn't need a clever name. It is simply The One. The dress is special enough to hold all those missed rituals together. Maybe even more for me than for her. Joanna Baxter lives in West Vancouver.
Travel Weekly
07-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Are you booking or designing travel?
Richard Turen Looking back, I know that I would never have opened up a travel consultancy had I not worked the supplier side for quite a while. And I certainly would not dare write about our industry had I not walked both sides of the street. They are very different, even though they might be in the same neighborhood. I worked for one of the largest cruise lines, starting out on the West Coast. I visited travel agencies four days a week. I was a director of sales, and my job was to drum up business. But my reality was that our ships were starring in a little TV series called "The Love Boat" then, and they were sold out much of the time. I might have been a lousy salesperson, but no one knew it, and I was promoted to be vice president of the East Coast and the Midwest. Now I was responsible for 26 states; lots of agencies to visit. So starting on the West Coast and then taking on the East Coast and the Midwest, I was in and out of more agencies than I could count. During every visit, I was looking forward to discovering dozens of new business models. It would all be so stimulating. But it usually wasn't! There were precious few unique business models, and innovation was rare. Everything was sold on some sort of airline-owned CRM system. Airline sales made up just over 70% of a typical agency's sales. It was always the same scene. Two chairs in front of a desk with the client facing the back of the computer. And so it was for about four decades. Technology improved, and we noticed our clients searching online instead of seeking out a storefront. We were no longer booking robots; that could be done online. We started evolving into advisors. ASTA, an organization I feel has always had the collective backs of the membership it represents, caught on and went so far as to change its organization's name, with that last "A" now standing for "advisors" rather than "agents." We are now advisors -- sort of important to the families we serve. I see us as financial advisors, except our role is less about showing our clients how to grow their money and more about advising them on ways to dispense with some of it. Which leads me to an April article by Julie Bogen in the Washington Post. She explores the growth of the trend for agents to describe themselves as online travel "designers" who concentrate on creating truly personalized itineraries, travel troubleshooting and providing luxury perks. The article explains how contemporary consumers want to hire a "designer" instead of an "agent." The concept of a travel "agent" is now dated. Several successful designers are profiled in the piece, including one who created an itinerary with perks she felt would meet the needs of four prominent influencers. Sure enough, they liked the presentation, and it started being circulated on Instagram. Of course, a true travel designer has to be an FIT specialist, and some of you will surely feel that FITs are unusually time-consuming and less profitable than booking brochure programs. A travel office where every journey is custom-designed to meet the guest's profile may be fashionable, trendy, hip and always personalized, but I can't help but wonder what a travel design firm would need to charge guests in order to be profitable. I actually like the "designer" designation. I also like "travel architect" and "dream creator." It is possible that, at our best, we listen and then design what is best suited for the client instead of trying to sell them a program without taking into account their unique profile. But will we have to start spending more on our business attire if we start describing ourselves as designers? Will we need to be a bit more flamboyant? If we "flamboyantize" our industry in the months to come, I'm just not sure that my blue blazer will survive.
Irish Daily Mirror
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Emmy-winning star of TV favourite dead
M*A*S*H icon Loretta Swit has died at the age of 87. The late actress died of natural causes at her home. She is said to have died at her home in New York City. According to Variety, her representative Harlan Boll has said that the New York police reported that the actor died earlier today of suspected natural causes. Loretta is best known for her role as Major Margaret Houlihan on M*A*S*H, which ran on CBS from 1972 to 1983. She received acclaim for her performance as the character - who was known as Hot Lips - winning two Emmy Awards. Margaret was the head nurse at the mobile army surgical hospital in the show. Her decades-long career in the acting industry also included roles in shows like Hawaii Five-O, Mission: Impossible and the Love Boat in the 1970s. Tributes have been paid to Loretta following the news of her death. One person wrote on X: "Rest in peace [Loretta]. A truly phenomenal actress who will be deeply missed…" Someone wrote: "May you Rest in Peace Loretta. You are off duty now." Another fan said: "This is absolutely devastating news... Loretta Swit was an amazing human being. Exceptional on-screen and off-screen. Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen Loretta." For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @IrishMirror - the official Irish Mirror Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook/irishmirror - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sunday Mirror and
