Which Cruise Ship Was the Love Boat?

By Robert Palmer

The ‘Love Boat’ was a popular American television series created by Aaron Spelling and aired on ABC from 1977-1986. The show followed the crew and passengers of a fictional cruise ship, the Pacific Princess, as they sailed around the world. It was a smash hit from the start and ran for nine seasons, with a total of 250 episodes.

The show combined elements of drama, comedy, and romance to create an entertaining journey for its viewers. It featured stars like Gavin MacLeod as Captain Stubing, Bernie Kopell as Dr. Bricker, Ted Lange as Isaac Washington, Lauren Tewes as Julie McCoy, Fred Grandy as Gopher Smith, and Jill Whelan as Vicki Stubing. Alongside these regulars were guest stars who appeared in each episode such as Charo, Robert Urich, John Ritter, Florence Henderson and many more.

The Pacific Princess was the star of the show and became one of the most iconic cruise ships in history. The ship was originally built in 1971 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in St. Nazaire France for Flagship Cruises and was named the Sea Venture.

In 1976 it was purchased by P&O Cruises who renamed it The Pacific Princess. In 1978 it began filming for Love Boat and its popularity skyrocketed due to its appearances on television screens all over America every week.

The sets of the ship were recreated on sound stages using blue screens for shots that required special effects such as when the ship left port or when shooting outside views from balconies or decks etc.. The sets still exist today at Paramount Studios where they are used for various projects including other television shows such as Big Bang Theory or How I Met Your Mother.

In 1987 after filming for Love Boat had finished The Pacific Princess was sold to Princess Cruises where it served until 2002 when it was retired from service due to age and maintenance costs being too high. The ship is now part of a museum exhibit at Marinturk Marina in Istanbul Turkey where visitors can view memorabilia from ‘The Love Boat’.

Overall there is no denying that ‘The Love Boat’ captivated audiences across America with its charming characters and memorable storylines which made it one of the most beloved shows ever created by Aaron Spelling!

So which cruise ship was ‘The Love Boat’? The answer is The Pacific Princess – originally built in 1971 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in St Nazaire France – which served during Love Boat’s nine-season run and is now part of an exhibit at Marinturk Marina in Istanbul Turkey!