An exciting and new ‘Love Boat’
The Royal-class Discovery Princess
Image courtesy Princess Cruises
Rational people do not willingly cram themselves into shopping malls at sea with poor service, cafeteria-quality food, screaming children, rooftop waterslides, and inebriated and obnoxious adults (most of whom are straight and unsightly anyway).
And yet I’ve long harbored a secret desire to experience a cruise.
The original cast/crew from the famed ABC Television series Love Boat
Image by ABC Television via Wikipedia
The iconic Love Boat television series is to blame, of course. With a twinkie purser and a balding silver daddy captain, a suave swordsman for a ship’s doctor, and a hip bartender keeping the parade of celebrity guest stars appropriately juiced, the show left me yearning to set a course for an exciting new adventure.
The art of Mazatlán
Image by Donald Padgett
So naturally I booked a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise on an updated Love Boat from Princess Cruises with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta. And since my backpacking boyfriend had similar concerns about cruising, I only revealed the surrender of our mutual cruising cherries after the fact.
Discovery at anchor in Cabo San Lucas
Image by Donald Padgett
The Discovery Princess was the newest and largest vessel in the Princess fleet during our sailing, eclipsed only a few months later by the newer and significantly larger Sun Princess.
Despite its size, Discovery never felt crowded but more like a small-town festival. There was no go-cart racetrack or smokestack-bungee jumping. Instead, the Discovery centered accessible and understated elegance.
RELATED: Introducing the Sun Princess: the Love Boat of your dreams
The Enclave is available for guests of the Lotus Spa
Image courtesy Princess Cruises
The crowd was mostly couples, predominantly older, and with a significant LGBTQ+ presence. Some folks dressed to the nines for dinner, while others sported resort casual the entire cruise.
And amazingly, everything coalesced into a totally chill experience.
We quickly learned that abbreviated port visits aside, the three main activities while cruising center eating, relaxation (including the use of alcohol), and sex. And not necessarily in that order. Yes, we used the gym to work off those extra calories and loved the nightly live music at the Take Five jazz lounge, but our experience worked because we religiously observed the holy trinity of cruising throughout our voyage.
The author (right) and his amazing but exhausted steward Billy
Image by Donald Padgett
The exemplary service we received from the staff and especially our steward, Billy, was instrumental in ensuring our cruise was relaxing and carefree. He was a busy man, but Billy kept our room immaculate (even folding our dirty clothes) and was always a warm and welcoming sight.
Our standard cabin could be described as compact or cozy by detractors, but it was more than adequate for our needs. The bed and linen were upgraded and comfy, and we loved sitting on the balcony and watching everything from sunrises and sunsets to distant rain showers.
Seared scallops at the Crown Grill steakhouse
Image courtesy Princess Cruises
We selected a set dinner reservation in the same dining room because I deserved to be pampered with white linen tablecloths and an impeccable wait staff who remembered my name and wine preferences. But we also enjoyed the buffet, which excelled in international fare — I loved the pho and my boyfriend raved about the dal tadka and pork vindaloo. Complimentary room service for breakfast was also a big hit.
A rare vintage aged under the Mediterranean is uncorked at the 360 Experience
Image by Donald Padgett
The best meals of the cruise unexpectedly came at two of Discovery’s elevated dining experiences. The Crown Grill served great steaks and seafood in a classic steakhouse setting, but the interactive and fully immersive 360 Experience redefined dining. It was a 90-minute culinary and sensory adventure in the round with a surprise virtual host guiding us across the Mediterranean. The wine alone was worth the significantly elevated expense, but the food, story, and concept were equally exceptional.
Elliot and Mark Adderly-Bateman loved their ‘Love Boat’ wedding
Image courtesy Elliot and Mark Adderly-Bateman
Captain Stubing no longer officiates onboard weddings, but Princess offers a dedicated team and packages for LGBTQ+ couples looking to elevate their cruise experience into something more lasting and significant.
Princess certainly made the dreams come true for Elliot and Mark Adderley-Bateman of Worcestershire, England, and the 21 guests who attended their wedding ceremony onboard the Sky Princess.
“Words can’t justify how extraordinary the whole experience was,” the newlyweds said. “The team onboard worked tirelessly alongside us translating our vision into reality.”
The couple described their wedding day as “a serene and relaxed affair,” saying the crew even made sure the two did not cross paths until they met at the altar.
“Choosing to sail with Princess was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made,” the couple concluded.
A Cabo San Lucas storm at sunset from the author’s balcony
Image by Donald Padgett
But this cruise wasn’t about commitment for us — we just wanted time together as a couple. Our journey onboard the Discovery Princess worked for us because we had realistic expectations and the ability to go with the flow. But it was the low-key ambiance of the ship and the service we received from Billy and the rest of the crew that made our experience special and left us yearning for more.
Luckily for us, Princess is celebrating its 55th anniversary cruising Alaska and Glacier Bay National Park this year. We can’t wait to take our holy trinity of cruising through the inside passage.
Latest Stories
