PRINCESS, 'SOUND OF MUSIC' CELEBRATE 50 YEARS

Question: What do Princess Cruises and the movie, The Sound of Music, have in common? 

Answer: They are both celebrating a 50th anniversary.

Here's the release:

"Beginning mid-April, Princess Cruises will partner with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment to screen the biggest movie musical of all time, The Sound of Music, onboard all 18 of its cruise ships and feature sing-a-longs, trivia games, and other movie-themed experiences throughout the year. The offerings celebrate the 50th anniversaries of both the cruise line and the musical and are part of a year-long campaign to honor the classic film.

PRINCESS DEBUTS 'THE ISSAC' COCKTAIL

Ted Lange, center, shows off "The Issac" (Princess Cruises)

Princess Cruises has announced something special for Valentine's Day -- a new cocktail. Inspired by the "Love Boat" TV show of the 70s and 80s, it was created by Ted Lange, who played everybody's favorite ship's bartender, Issac Washington.

Fittingly called "The Issac," the new drink is debuting on all Princess cruise ships in time for Valentine’s Day.

Lange recently visited Crown Princess to demonstrate how to make his new creation for the ship’s bartenders. Check out this video:


To enjoy “The Isaac” at home, here’s the cocktail recipe:

Ingredients:

2 oz white rum
2 oz pomegranate syrup
½ oz fresh lime juice
splash of club soda
lime slice(s)
2 pineapple leaf spears
Glass: highball glass

Preparation:

Fill highball glass with 2/3 ice or desired amount of ice. Into a cocktail shaker, add ice, white rum, pomegranate syrup and lime juice. Shake and strain into highball glass, filling just to the top of the ice. Top off with club soda and garnish with a fresh lime slice and two pineapple spears.

PRINCESS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS AT SEA

Princess Cruises will mark their 50th anniversary in 2015, and they will be giving passengers plenty of ways to celebrate, as detailed in this news release:

Love Boat Disco Deck Party – To honor the iconic role The Love Boat played in the line’s history, a new Love Boat Disco Party will celebrate the beloved program by creating an exciting 70’s theme night with a few surprises. Movies Under the Stars will showcase video messages from the original Love Boat cast, special montages from the show, a Love Boat sing-a-long and show trivia, 70’s music videos and even a live kiss cam. The party will also feature a production number, a celebration of weddings and anniversaries of guests onboard, a photo opportunity with a Love Boat life ring and plenty of dancing with a party band.

PRINCESS DEBUTING NEW CRAFT BEER

Credit: Princess

Craft beer is the new trend in cruising, and Princess Cruises is joining in by introducing a new craft beer to toast its upcoming 50th anniversary. The “Seawitch” was developed exclusively for Princess Cruises, in partnership with San Francisco's Strike Brewing Company, and is the first in the line’s new series of craft beers. It will be introduced aboard Regal Princess when the cruise ship debuts in Florida for a season of Caribbean cruises this November.

More details from Princess:

"The Seawitch West Coast IPA will retail for $6.25 and be available in bars and lounges throughout Regal Princess. It is expected to be available fleetwide by early 2015.

"The cruise line will roll out additional Seawitch craft beers in partnerships with regional breweries that specialize in local flavors and represent some of the cruise destinations Princess ships visit.

"Princess Cruises will officially kick off its 50th anniversary year with the naming ceremony of Regal Princess on Nov. 5 in Ft. Lauderdale. The company is honoring the role the The Love Boat played in its five-decades-long history by having the original Love Boat cast members serve as godparents for its newest cruise ship." -- Gerry

PRINCESS ANNOUNCES NEW SHIP FOR 2017

Cruise lines are keeping the shipyards busy. Today Princess Cruises announced "it has reached an agreement with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build a new ship, which will enter service in 2017. The as-yet unnamed 143,000-ton vessel, which will be built at an all-in cost of approximately 600 million euros, will carry 3,560 passengers, and feature the successful design platform introduced by sister ships Royal Princess in 2013 and Regal Princess which entered service this past May. Specific features and amenities for the ship, along with deployment details, will be revealed in the coming months."

PRINCESS DEPLOYS TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES

In this age of uber-connectivity, we are never far away from our smartphones, tablets and computers that stream news and entertainment to us on a 24/7 basis. And while we cruise to relax and unwind -- and even disconnect when we want to -- we still want our technology to be at the ready.

Along those lines, Princess, in partnership with UIEvolution, Inc. and VIDELIO-HMS, has announced they have deployed UIEvolution's Guest Evolution platform on the Sapphire Princess, the Sun Princess and the Diamond Princess. The three ships were successfully upgraded with improved guest in-room experiences using much of their existing network and ship infrastructure.

Previously, the system was rolled out on Royal Princess, delivering "the world’s first truly HTML5-based next generation TV solution to passenger and crew TVs." What does that mean? The platform features:

• A vast library of video and premium movie content.
• A completely open App Store that allows for HTML5 apps to be easily loaded and run across the in-room entertainment system.
• On-board ship location, mapping and routing
• Information on ship activities, shore excursions and port guides with video assistance and information
• Streaming radio channels
• Fully localized options for native language and accessibility

Now, if only it could reserve that lounge chair by the pool, we would be all set. -- Gerry

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 'ROYAL PRINCESS'

Has it really been a year? (Credit: Princess)

Princess Cruises is celebrating the first birthday of Royal Princess, launched a year ago by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. Princess notes that "during the past 12 months Royal Princess has traveled 120,000 miles and carried 150,000 guests. The ship has set sail on 44 cruises, and visited 39 ports in 20 countries throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean." Pam and I spent a memorable week onboard last December -- our review is here. 

PRINCESS MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A QUEEN

Glitz and glamour go hand-in-hand with many ships cruising the seas of the world. We have grown accustomed to great service,  heavenly cuisine, trendy clubs and fabulous amenities of all sorts. Again, I say, fabulous!

 Special gift bags add something special to a cruise.

We tend to immerse ourselves in as much as possible while gliding to exotic, or simple, locales. Isn't that why we go on a cruise?

However, I also enjoy and appreciate the simple things some cruise lines provide in staterooms.

It is lovely, and we feel quite special, when we discover a nice bottle of champagne chilling, along with appetizers and fruit in our stateroom. Nothing better than that for sail-away, in my opinion.

However, as nice as that is (and it really is), I also appreciate a small gesture such as a little gift bag containing  linen spray, lip balm, special lotion and other unexpected items.

So, thank you Princess Cruise Lines, it is noticed and you make me feel like a queen. --Pam

PRINCESS NAMES ENTERTAINER FINALISTS

It's that time again. Princess Cruises is getting ready to again crown its top guest entertainer during the cruise line’s third annual Entertainer of the Year competition. Four finalists have been selected to compete for the title during Princess’ upcoming Entertainer of the Year cruise. Passengers will also be able to get in on the act by casting their ballots for their favorite performer aboard Caribbean Princess during the ship’s March 22, 2014 Western Caribbean cruise. The four finalists competing to hold the title of “Entertainer of the Year” are:

Troy Thirdgill – Comedian Troy Thirdgill has not only performed for audiences on cruise ships, but also entertains at comedy clubs, military bases, colleges and large corporate events. His busy schedule has taken him to more countries than almost any comic in the world. His act features witty material and very real characters, evoking laughs by presenting a unique perspective.

Zach Winningham – Vocalist Zach Winningham hails from the Midwest farm town of Belleville, Indiana, where long country drives with his father introduced him to 50s and 60s rock n' roll, country, and bluegrass music. His passion to keep this music alive has driven his musical career and blossomed into a love of performing, which has taken him to stages across America and cruise ships all over the world.

Hawley Magic – Illusionist Jonathan Hawley has performed around the world with his wife, Trisha, by his side as his featured assistant. Together as Hawley Magic they make a powerful team, offering audiences much more than just a few tricks. Their artistic act leaves a lasting impression on audiences of any age.

Walk Like a Man – This dynamic tribute show captures the feel of a live concert performance from one of America's living legends, Frankie Valli. The world-class entertainers who make up the cast have collectively performed on television, in national shows and on major recordings. One of the lead vocalists, Val Martinez, even toured with Frankie Valli himself.

Each finalist will offer several live performances during the cruise, after which passengers vote for their favorite entertainer. The winner will be announced on the final night of the cruise at a celebratory event in Princess’ signature venue, The Piazza.

The finalists have been determined by the Princess Cruises Entertainment department based on passenger surveys and onboard audience response.

The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and will hold the title of “2013 Princess Cruises Entertainer of the Year.”

The first two Princess Cruises Entertainer of the Year contests named comedian Carlos Oscar and singer Tony Tillman as the top entertainers of 2011 and 2012, respectively.

PRINCESS SETS 'TAILGATE AT SEA' PARTIES

Are you ready for some football? (Credit: Princess)

If you love football -- and who doesn't, right? -- Princess Cruises has some good news for you. How about a tailgate party at sea? Today Princess announced they'll be showing all Monday Night Football games on its "Movies Under the Stars" screens and throwing a tailgate party each week to celebrate. Since we will be sailing on Royal Princess soon, expect a first-hand account direct from the ship. (At least, from one of us. Pam may choose to visit the spa.) Here's more from their release:

"Passengers will now be 'ready for some football' while sailing through the balmy waters on a Caribbean cruise or enjoying cruising from the West Coast, with the game showing on a giant LED screen above the pool.

"Each Monday, ships are serving up the first-ever Tailgate at Sea parties, bringing the best of the American football experience on deck. Passengers can enjoy their favorite nibbles such as hot wings, burgers, hot dogs, chips and salsa, pizza (voted best pizza at sea by USA Today), and other party foods football fans would enjoy during a BBQ in a stadium parking lot or while hosting a football get-together. Beer buckets and team-inspired drink specials will add to the tailgate experience.

"Fans will also enjoy Princess’ exclusive in-game entertainment, including live commercial break commentary, Fantasy Football stat updates, onboard half-time show and fun-filled contests with prizes.

"Games will be shown on U.S.-based departures aboard Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, and Star Princess.

"The giant LED screens are more than 300 square feet in size, with a 69,000-watt sound system and have sufficient lighting power to be seen clearly at mid-day and heard even while the ship is moving at full speed – offering cruise passengers a movie experience comparable to the best shoreside movie theater."

'REGAL PRINCESS' TO DEBUT SOONER

Princess Cruises has announced the Regal Princess will debut next year earlier than originally announced, prompting the addition of two new sailings to her maiden schedule. The ship’s first voyage, which was previously scheduled for June 2, will now be May 20, 2014. Passengers can select from two new week-long Mediterranean cruises traveling between Venice and Athens. The two new Regal Princess Mediterranean cruises are:

May 20, 2014 (New maiden voyage) – Seven-day cruise from Venice to Athens including stops in Corfu, Mykonos and an overnight call in Istanbul.

May 27, 2014 – Six-day cruise from Athens to Venice including calls to Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Santorini, Katakolon (for Olympia) and Dubrovnik.

PRINCESS RELAXATION SURVEY RESULTS

Pam definitely knows how to relax

Are you relaxed? You should be. That's because today is National Relaxation Day. I'm afraid i didn't get the memo! Regardless, Princess Cruises did get the memo and today released results from its fourth annual Relaxation Report. Surprise! "The national survey revealed that men and women have different notions of what makes a vacation truly relaxing. In fact, maybe there is validity to the idea that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, because almost one in four women would rather read more, whereas 34 percent of men would rather have more sex on vacation than at home." More reading or more sex ... is that really a choice?

The survey also revealed that men might know how to better relax than women. In fact, 45 percent of men feel relaxed when they return home from vacation as opposed to 43 percent of women who feel tired and need a vacation from their vacation.

More results from the Princess survey:

PRINCESS PARTNERS FOR CUTTING EDGE TV

In this age of smart TVs and "24/7" digital, cruise ships have their share of cutting edge technology. Take for example the just-launched Royal Princess. In partnership with IEvolution, Inc., their Guest Evolution system "delivers the world’s first HTML5-based TV solution to passenger and crew TVs, as well as to digital signs throughout the ship."

It features a browser-based smart TV application on interactive TVs that can be extended to support innovative features such as:

-- Screen shifting live TV, movies and music to the passenger’s smartphone or tablet
-- On-board mapping and routing
-- Information on ship activities, shore excursions and port guides with the ability for
passengers to book from their in-cabin TV, smartphone or tablet
-- Restaurant and wine menus

Amazing. Now if only it could tell me the winning roulette numbers. -- Gerry

DUCHESS WILL NAME 'ROYAL PRINCESS'

The Duchess of Cambridge
(Credit: Princess)

Who better to name the new Royal Princess than a Royal? Princess announced that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge will name the new ship at Southampton on June 13, culminating a week-long inaugural celebration. The traditional British ship-naming ceremony includes the blessing, a performance by the Royal Marines Band and the pipers of the Irish Guards. Royal Princess will arrive at the Ocean Terminal in Southampton on June 7, prior to her  maiden voyage on June 16. She will sail Grand Mediterranean cruises throughout the summer, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the autumn. More information and video previews of the ship are available at www.princess.com/royalprincess.

SHARE YOUR STORY AND WIN A CRUISE

Princess Cruises is in a mood to celebrate. They have received "more than 1,000 stories, images and videos from passengers sharing memorable moments of how they escaped completely on a Princess Cruises vacation."  The cruise line has also surpassed 1,000,000 likes on Facebook. The celebration continues at www.princess.com/celebrations, where Princess passengers who have recently celebrated a special occasion on board can submit their own stories at www.princess.com/sharestory before March 31, 2013 for a chance to win a 7-day Caribbean cruise for two aboard the new Royal Princess. --Gerry

TILLMAN 'ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR'

Cruise director Lisa Ball and Tony Tillman (Princess)

Congratulations to Tony Tillman, the new Princess Cruises 2012 Entertainer of the Year winner. Tony competed against four other finalists aboard Crown Princess. A star of “The Rat Pack is Back” tribute show in Las Vegas, Tillman receives a  cash prize of $5,000. Passengers aboard the Feb. 9-16, 2013 Crown Princess sailing voted on live performances from each finalist, including comedy and dance duo Alfredo and Seymour, comedian Sarge, and mentalist Wayne Hoffman. -- Gerry

PRINCESS POSTS CRUISE STORIES

Gather thousands of people on a ship and what do you get? Lots of stories about their experiences, some of which are extraordinary. Princess Cruises is choosing the best of those stories for their new blog, “Linked by the Sea.” The first five have been published, and touch on subjects like romance, friendship and weddings. Each week Princess will post a story that "will illustrate how a cruise not only offers a relaxing retreat from which to explore the world, but often includes the discovery of new friends that lead to meaningful or lifelong relationships." Readers are encouraged to share their own “Linked by the Sea” stories through the blog as well. Submit at www.linkedbythesea.com/share-your-story to be considered. Here are capsules from Princess of the first five:

PRINCESS INVITES SHARING OF CELEBRATIONS

Princess Cruises is taking "word-of-mouth" to the next level by giving passengers video cameras to tell first-hand what inspired them to cruise. The videos are the centerpiece for their new “Celebrations” campaign. They note that stories can be viewed at www.princess.com/celebrations, and Princess passengers who have recently celebrated a special occasion on board can submit their own stories at www.princess.com/sharestory before March 31, 2013 for a chance to win a 7-day Caribbean cruise for two aboard the new Royal Princess. Here is a sample story from Jason, who cruised with his wife on Island Princess to the Panama Canal. Now that's a reason to celebrate. -- Gerry

PRINCESS ADDS NEW CRUISES IN 2014

Crown Princess (Credit: Princess)

Fancy going to Carnaval in Rio? Or visiting the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu? Or soaking up the natural beauty of French Polynesia? Princess Cruises is offering that and more with new cruise options in spring, 2014. Here are details from Princess:

"The new Exotics sailings include:

PRINCESS DEBUTS 'LINKED BY THE SEA'

Princess Cruises does a good job of inviting guests to share their cruise experiences online via blogs such as “50 Essential Experiences” and “Inspired to Cruise." Today they announced their latest effort, which they call “Linked by the Sea.” Princess describes it as "exploring the many relationships that begin, or are rekindled, at sea. Featuring touching stories from both passengers and crew members, the blog will recount personal tales of friendship, romance and meaningful connections forged at sea."

Princess relates that in the first post, "passenger Steve Deas tells how wearing a kilt on board became an icebreaker that led to an ongoing friendship with Princess Maître d’ Generoso Mazzone. This friendship led to a unique opportunity for Steve to surprise his wife with a secret vow renewal ceremony during a visit to Emerald Princess. What was supposed to be a friendly visit became an anniversary to remember."

You can submit your own “Linked by the Sea” story for consideration at http://linkedbythesea.com/share-your-story/. -- Gerry