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Princess Cruises Honors “Love Boat” Captain Gavin MacLeod for 30 Years Serving as Global Ambassador
MacLeod to Appear asCelebrity Judge on "The Voice of the Ocean"
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (July6, 2016) – Princess Cruises celebrated Gavin MacLeod today, thebeloved award-winning actor who played Captain Merrill Stubing on the iconic "Love Boat" TV show, for his 30 years serving as the cruise line'sglobal ambassador. The City of Santa Clarita, Calif., home of the worldheadquarters of Princess Cruises, honored MacLeod by proclaiming July 6 "GavinMacLeod Princess Cruises Ambassador Day" during a special ceremony hosted byCaptain Stubing's TV daughter Jill Whelan, aka "Vicki Stubing," which wasattended by hundreds of Princess employees and fans.
MacLeod has now served as the cruise line'scelebrity ambassador for three decades, exclusively promoting the premiumcruise line to millions of consumers through thousands of media interviews,public appearances, travel industry conferences and on board the PrincessCruises fleet,proudly sharing the joys of cruising.
Princess Cruises president, Jan Swartz, alsomade an exclusive announcement at the event. MacLeod will continue hisambassador duties for the line with an upcoming role as celebrity judge on theship's newest onboard entertainment offering, "The Voiceof the Ocean."The show is based on the excitement andspectacle of TV's wildly popular international singing competition and isbrought to life throughout the cruise with auditions, mentor rehearsalsessions, the iconic "I Want You" chairs, three charismatic team coaches andultimately a live finale performance where guests choose the winner.
"We are so proud to honor Gavin MacLeod asour beloved global ambassador and treasure the impact he's had on not onlyPrincess Cruises but the entire industry over the last 30 years," said JanSwartz, Princess Cruises president. "In this role, Gavin has truly touchedmillions of people, sharing and listening to cherished cruise memories. Ifyou've been lucky enough to swap stories with Gavin, shake his hand or take aphoto, you've been lucky enough to experience his pure passion for cruising andlove of life."
From 1977-1986, MacLeod won the hearts ofmillions of viewers playing everyone's favorite cruise ship captain on "TheLove Boat," as Princess Cruises served as the backdrop for what became one ofthe highest-rated primetime television shows in history. The show has beenwidely credited with introducing millions of viewers to contemporary cruisevacations sparking a dramatic expansion of the industry.
"I am deeply humbled by this occasion markingmy 30th year serving asglobal ambassador for Princess Cruises," said MacLeod. "Promoting Princess hastruly been one of the highlights of my life. People still come up to me andtell me that ‘The Love Boat' gave them something to dream about and now allthese years later, cruising is a reality for millions and the growth of theindustry just proves that dreams really do come true."
With a successful career spanning more than60 years, MacLeod is a celebrated television, film and theater actor widelyknown for his leading role as Merrill Stubing on "The Love Boat" and Murray Slaughteron "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Recently he published a best-sellingautobiography, "This is Your Captain Speaking," starred in a two-man play"Happy Hour" in his hometown Palm Springs, Calif., and received a star on thePalm Springs Walk of Stars.
Additional information about Princess Cruisesis available through a professional travel consultant, by calling1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at princess.com.
About Princess Cruises:
One of thebest-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise line and tourcompany operating a fleet of 17 modern cruise ships renowned for theirinnovative design and wide array of choices in dining, entertainment andamenities, all provided with the experience of exceptional customer service. Arecognized leader in worldwide cruising, Princess carries 1.7 million guestseach year to more than 360 destinations around the globe on more than 150itineraries ranging in length from three to 111 days. The company is part ofCarnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).
Newsroom:
Additionalmedia information is available atwww.princess.com/news.
For furtherinformation, contact:
BreaBurkholz,bburkholz@princesscruises.com, 661- 753-1542
Negin Kamali, nkamali@princesscruises.com, 661-753-1539
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