Oakland Tribune/ANG Newspapers Sunday, April 21, 2002

"Another chance: 'Love Boat' is back, cruising Mexican Riviera"
By Deborah Grossman - CONTRIBUTOR

The Love Boat is back.

After a two-year hiatus, Princess Cruises is sailing the original Love Boat itinerary from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera.

Along the way, we discovered, you can swim with dolphins in Puerto Vallarta, gawk at lithesome Acapulco cliff-divers, and foray into never-ending flea markets.

My husband and I had previously sailed four times with Princess - but never to the Mexican Riviera. Our last journey at sea was six years ago. Embarking on a 10-day Sea Princess cruise featuring the revived Love Boat itinerary in March, we were on the lookout for changes in the realm of security, entertainment and 24/7 food options.

We found many changes: we could pick our own dining times, simulate our golf game at Pebble Beach, or rejuvenate with chakra stone therapy.

Yet we recognized the margarita-fueled, streamer-strewn deck parties, the waiters' parade of baked Alaskas, and formal night tux-and-ball-gown photo opportunities. The cruise environment still offers limitless deck chair reading and kindles romance on the dance floor.

Captain Tony Yeomans of England commanded the Sea Princess on our cruise. Yeomans attests to its romantic lure, having sailed the Pacific Princess, the original TV Love Boat, where he fell in love with the Social Hostess, his future wife.

pt. Tony Yeomans of England commanded the Sea Princess on a 10-day Love Boat itinerary in March. Yeomans attests to its romantic lure, having sailed the Pacific Princess, the original TV Love Boat, where he fell in love with the Social Hostess, his future wife.

"Cruising the Mexican Riviera is quite delightful, says Yeomans with a grin and strong British accent, reflecting on his role overseeing the 855 crew members and 2,050 sun-hungry passengers.

"The weather is good and stable. And what could be more beautiful than sailing this 77,000-ton vessel into tiny, picturesque Puerto Vallarta harbor with only 45 spare meters to maneuver in?"

After Sept. 11, the cruise industry faced more pressing challenges - no one wanted to fly (to debarkation ports or anywhere else). Targeting the California market, Princess quickly switched itineraries and cut prices to attract the West Coast market.

The marketing campaign worked its magic on Dale and Diana Cristol of Danville.

"In October, we wondered into a cruise store while enjoying the Art on Main fair in Walnut Creek. A Princess representative described the new L.A. itineraries; we booked the next day. I don't want to fly anywhere. We drove to L.A. and stayed overnight, explained Diana Cristol.

The Cristols and others expressed comfort with security procedures. Princess has long hired security guards from ex-British army Gurkha soldiers from Nepal. Princess was the first to implement a credit-card-sized photo ID for crew and passengers. Carry-on baggage and port purchases are screened through x-ray units.

Increased maritime security is obvious - several Coast Guard officers mingled with passengers before the ship left L.A. A Coast Guard clipper and Port Police boat escorted the liner from the harbor.

Before Sept. 11, passengers chatted during the pre-sail muster exercise in the main lounges. Now, you could hear a pin drop while the staff demonstrated lifejackets for use on survivor craft."

Tours of the bridge area, where the captain and his staff run the ship, are cancelled. At each port, a gray Mexican gunboat lay anchored. Princess security officers unobtrusively patrol activities and among sunburned vacationers, an unidentified Sea Marshal may amble the decks.

But the priority of the Passenger Services Director (formerly known as the Purser), according to Giacomo Manfredi of Italy, is to ensure a memorable vacation. Last year he personally helped achieve that objective for one passenger from Novato - she is now his girlfriend.

"This ship is truly a floating resort. I manage everything except the deck and engine room," said Manfredi.

The majority of Manfredi's 700 staff works in the accommodations group. Among the maintenance staff, 20 crewmembers clean only outside areas where the brass gleams and chrome shines. The food and beverage department boasts12 sous-chefs (two for each galley) and 13 pastry chefs.

The biggest change in Princess sailing, notes Manfredi, is personal choice programming, with flexible dining and entertainment options. Over half the passengers choose restaurant-like personal choice dining, selecting variable seating times. Some shows are presented early to attract late diners.

Senior Assistant Cruise Director Liz Combes, who grew up in England, and whose mother grew up in Oakland, is ideally suited to entertain the passengers, one-third of whom are Californians. Combes spent every summer visiting her grandmother in Oakland. "While my friends visited Europe, we went to Fairyland and Raging Waters."

Combes also succumbed to the lure of the Love Boat-she met her Welsh boyfriend, an assistant purser, onboard.

After sailing for four years, Combes observes, People select a cruise for either the specific ports or the specific attributes of the ship.

The hottest new Princess Adventures Ashore options were in Puerto Vallarta: swimming with the dolphins, a $140 "once-in-a-lifetime experience" according to participants, and the Sierra Madre nature expedition with off-road adventures.

Other favorites: whale watching and scuba in Cabo San Lucas and beachcombing in Ixtapa while anchored at Zihuatanejo.

We opted for two popular city tours. In Acapulco, we eagerly awaited the La Quebrada cliff divers whom we'd seen on TV. But watching them freefall 130 feet into a tiny inlet only 28 feet wide and 16 feet deep was another matter. Several hundred of us simultaneously held our breath as they gracefully - and seemingly effortlessly - dove into the rough waters. These athletic young men hold part-time jobs, depending on tips for their daredevil livelihood.

Scenic views of Acapulco Bay were breathtaking. The city also affords glimpses into the lives of the rich and famous. We saw the former vacation pads of the Kennedys, Sylvester Stallone and Elizabeth Taylor and the famous Black Lagoon where the "African Queen" And "Romancing the Stone" were filmed.

During the Mazatlan tour, we received an unexpected bonus stop along the picturesque shore. Skilled cliff divers sailed off a rocky promenade known as "The Observatory." We enjoyed the open markets at the famous Golden Zone shopping area. Our driver negotiated the narrow, hilly roads leading to vista points with aplomb and expertise. Here we found additional shopping opportunities for Mexican ceramics and leather goods.

For onboard entertainment, Combes extols the Sea Princess' size - not too large to negotiate within a few days and jammed-packed with activities. But, she adds, don't expect a social hostess to lead arts and crafts.

Now, instead of napkin-folding or scarf-tying classes, Combes says, "I choreograph your life on board. She and her staff lead energetic, make-a-fool-of-yourself games like Musical Men, a riff on Musical Chairs, where you grab a man instead of a chair.

She organizes scavenger hunts and Trivial Pursuit games and ensures that bands are strategically located for Mexican mariachi or oldies nostalgia.

Combes leads raucous cheering for the wooden derby horse races and bingo. The Grand Casino, located smack in the middle of the ship near Lago's Pizzeria, draws in folks like Pat Grosskopf of Brentwood who especially enjoyed the slots tournament: Though they pay well, we haven't come out ahead. But you get a lot of slot play for your money.

As for evening entertainment, Grosskopf expected to see more Broadway-style productions. Paul Keiser of Roseville echoed her sentiment: Entertainment seems stripped down. Finally, we saw Las Vegas-type costumes but only during a brief song.

But Keiser liked the juggler tossing bowling balls and toilet plungers. The traditional pub show with audience participation (think strangers pouncing on each others' laps to pop balloons) garnered rave reviews.

The Love Boat kids program entertains young cruisers in their own secure area with Mexican craft-making and sleep-overs. Older kids create tequila worms and play video games. On cruises packed with teens, a dedicated DJ entertains. Princess recently teamed with the California Science Center to present award-winning education materials from the National Wildlife Federation.

Though the swimming pool and basketball court are busy with kids and adults, the popular Cruisercise program, yielding Princess T-shirts from chits given out in exercise activities, is gone.

Times have changed, said Combes - passengers don't need incentives to exercise. The Seaview Spa houses cardio-equipment and limited free aerobics classes. But most yoga and pilates classes cost $10; health-niks hire personal trainers for $75 an hour.

Traditional beauty treatments - or new hot stone therapies and lime-ginger salt glows - are available from cheery professionals. They also sell products - think well-being souvenirs.

Daily flyers stuffed in your cabin mail slot tout other shopping opportunities: champagne-flowing art auctions staged by the onboard art director, corsages from the ship's horticulturists and boutique gifts. Best deals are at cruise-end.

Considering the complex logistics of a floating hotel, the kitchen creates appealing food. You can still nibble scones served by white-gloved waitstaff at afternoon tea and enjoy lobster in the main dining rooms. But you'll pay extra for name brands: Haagen Dazs sundaes on the pool deck cost $3.95. Sterling Silverbrand filet mignon in the Sterling Silver Steak House carries an $8 cover charge.

The Horizon Court buffet, in a sheltered topsides location, feeds three-quarters of the passengers at breakfast and lunch. The upgraded culinary presentations reflect the buffet's predominance over set-meal-times options.

The lunch buffet may include beef bourguignon, seafood cioppino, coconut-sauced sea bass, carved turkey, deli meats, mounds of spring greens, an occasional sushi bar with cooked shrimp and smoked salmon, and maitre d' prepared cherries jubilee.

In the main dining rooms, the menu features continental favorites such as escargot, rack of lamb and pheasant, and desserts such as cream-filled vacherin (meringue rings) and Love Boat Dream-chocolate mousse with Lady Godiva liqueur.

Healthy options abound, a nod to the retired set and aging baby boomers.

Grilled salmon and chicken are always available. Lower-fat venison is offered one evening. But don't expect green tea or olive oil in lieu of butter for bread.

And don't wait for the maitre d-prepared pasta course; it's gone, much to the chagrin of Diana Cristol, who also pines for tableside preparation of peach melba. The sommelier is missing, too, replaced by a wine line expert. Wines are inexpensive. Local Wente Vineyards' Chardonnay is the best-selling white at $18 a bottle.

Whether you graze the gastronomic delights, lie by the pool, scuba, or shop until you drop, a Mexican Riviera cruise cultivates much-needed R&R.

As for the Love Boat captain, Tony Yeomans recently traded in his red Ferrari for a maroon family station wagon.

But the mystique of the Love Boat is alive and well. His secretary, Louise Chalmers of Scotland, is sailing on her first Princess ship. She is single and optimistic: I'm hoping to meet a wealthy passenger. I can't date him onboard, but I wouldn't mind seeing him on shore.

For more information on Princess cruises: 1-800-PRINCESS (800-774-6237) www.princess.com