We flew out a few days ahead of our cruise aboard Tahitian Princess along with my manager and good f

After 10 seasons portraying Captain Stubing on "The Love Boat," actor Gavin MacLeod became an iconic symbol of cruising and romance.  Since the show ended in 1986 Gavin has also been our ambassador at events around the world.  We consider him part of the Princess family.  So for the week of Valentine's Day we've asked him to share his own essential experience … and could you guess it's a travel adventure filled with romance?
The deep blue waters of Tahiti are a long way from the world I knew as a child.  I had a modest upbringing in upstate New York, and then cruises were a luxury I couldn't even dream of.   It wasn't until years later that I set foot on my very first cruise ship – and amusingly, I was instantly the captain!  I'm pretty sure I'm the only "captain" who can say that.
I was lucky.  I spent 10 memorable years playing "Captain Stubing" on "The Love Boat" – what a dream job!   Every week I got to act in stories about love and romance … and I had the chance to meet some incredible guest stars.   I couldn't believe I was actually working alongside these amazing actors I had admired since my childhood – like Lana Turner and Ginger Rogers.   Some were interesting folks, like Andy Warhol, and others were up and comers just starting out, such as Tom Hanks.  It was an unforgettable experience.
We didn't just shoot "The Love Boat" in our Los Angeles soundstage.  Several times a year we actually boarded a Princess ship and shot scenes on an actual cruise.  We sailed to Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Alaska.  But one place we never got to on the show was Tahiti.
Tahiti!  Doesn't it sound magical?  I envision Mitzi Gaynor "washing that man right out of her hair" in "South Pacific."  The wonderful tales of James Michener, who I had the great fortune to sail with aboard a Princess cruise years later. real tropical hotel negril jamaica images And, the colorful art of Paul Gauguin.
But most of all, when I think of Tahiti I think of romance.   Maybe it's all those years on a show that focused on love and happy endings.   However, when I did finally get to Tahiti I was very glad my wonderful wife, Patti, was by my side.
We flew out a few days ahead of our cruise aboard Tahitian Princess along with my manager and good friend, Lee.  Appropriately, Patti and I would be performing the two-person play "Love Letters" on the ship, so it was something of a working vacation.  But really what this trip became was discovering one of the world's most romantic places.
Our first glimpse of Tahiti from the air was one of vast expanses of turquoise water, punctuated with the occasional island.  We were all seasoned travelers, but the excitement of descending closer and closer to this lush paradise felt like a new experience.  The colors popped out even from the air – bright greens and blues as far as the eye could see.
Tahiti is famous for its beaches, and that was where we spent the bulk of our time before the cruise.  Years before, I had travelled to Hawaii to shoot an episode of Hawaii real tropical hotel negril jamaica images 5-0, and thought the waters around those islands were amazingly beautiful.  And yet I now discovered that they had serious competition with Tahiti's sparkling blue seas.
That, to me, is Tahiti.  Sparkling white or black sands.  Water as clear and placid as a sheet of glass.  And nothing and no one else for as far as the eye could see.  Those picturesque overwater bungalows.  No commotion or craziness.  No worries except maybe when to go to dinner or which beach to try next.  Just this tremendously lush landscape and the feeling of total relaxation and time to focus on your loved one.
There's something about the mystique of Tahiti that brings out the romantic in all of us.  Surrounded by this tranquil atmosphere with nothing to disturb us but the lapping of the waves and the scent of tropical flowers in the air, Patti and I were able to relax, talk and really connect.
We did leave our reverie to visit some of the island's sights.  We saw historic Matavai Bay, where many early European navigators anchored, including the HMS Bounty – of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame – and Captain Cook.   We met warm, wonderful people speaking French, Tahitian and, thankfully, some English. real tropical hotel negril jamaica images  We saw the open air Le Truck buses that run around the island and the Les Roulottes mobile restaurants serving movable feasts along the waterfront.  But mostly we enjoyed time together marveling at the stunning vistas everywhere.
This peaceful feeling continued once we set sail on Tahitian Princess to tour the other islands of French Polynesia.   We were in awe of the towering pinnacles and spectacular waterfalls of Moorea, we learned about the fascinating Polynesian culture in Raiatea, and we felt we had surely found the mythical "Bali Hai" when we first glimpsed the shimmering lagoon and lush greenery of Bora Bora.  Every island seemed as if it was painted by an artist using the brightest palette of colors.
One day onboard, I joined my wife who was standing on our balcony, looking out at the sun setting just beyond jagged peaks of the islands.  It was a picture postcard moment if ever you saw one.  As I approached she mused, "Do you think heaven's as beautiful as this?"
Well, I don't know if heaven could be any lovelier than these stunning islands, but I do know I was lucky to share this little bit of heaven on earth with someone I love so dearly.   It was our own personal "Love Boat."
I love to cruise at Princess !!!! Now I am dreaming with this round trip from LA to Hawaii and French Polynesia, but you only offer this itinerary on Oct 19/2913, and for 28 days!!!!! Are you sure this is a good season to cross Pacific to go and to return????
Thinking of booking a cruise in January from Tahiti to Hawaii on a small ship(690 passengers) and would have 5 days at sea,any comments about the crossing on a small ship? Please let us know ! Thanks
Have done this cruise four times but from LA AND 67 62 DAY CRUISES WHILE ON ROUTE FROM HAWAII real tropical hotel negril jamaica images AND ASIA. THIS IS A CRUISE THAT SHOWS YOU THE BEAUITFUL ISLANDS AND THE VERY RICH LIFE STYLE OF THE TAHITIAN PEOPLE. WELL WORTH THE TIME AND MONEY. THERE IS/WAS A NITE STYLE MARKET IN THE PARKING LOT JUST OFF THE PEIR WERE THE SHIP DOCKS.
ellagator real tropical hotel negril jamaica images Hi Mahlon,Do you still have the snake around your neck? Tell me about Tahiti. Did you eat while you were there? What did you eat? Was it like food here? So is it dmtiyae there when it is dmtiyae here? It has been warm here still. No snow, no ice. Maybe it will happen when you get back so you can have a snow day to recuperate real tropical hotel negril jamaica images from your trip.Take care and give your mom a hug for me.Love Ms Robin
We have travelled the Tahitian Islands on both the Tahitian Princess real tropical hotel negril jamaica images and Pacific Princess -mid size ships and so enjoyable, but a cruise to the Marquesas a few years ago -a once only left me longing to see more of this wonderful group of islands. In July we cruised on the freighter Aranui3 to do so and enjoyed the experience immensely.
I will be sailing to Hawaii and Tahiti in october on the sapphire princess wanted any feedback on excursions and being a single woman will there be other single people or will I be around a lot of newlyweds. ( 1st time princess sailor) ? 
On our Cruise real tropical hotel negril jamaica images Personalizer the shore excursions can be filtered according to your interests (site seeing, activity/ adventure etc.). The Most Popular badge will identify those excursions most often picked by our sailed passengers. real tropical hotel negril jamaica images Also, there should be a mixture of passengers onboard.
we ll miss cruise tour frm S.F. to Sydney Sep.2011 real tropical hotel negril jamaica images for we ve booked Euro tour. I wonder real tropical hotel negril jamaica images if there will be any 29 day cruise tour frm S.F. to Sydney in 2012? We don t want to miss it again. Also we want to know if we need visa issued to visit Tahiti. thxs!
What a wonderful vision of the French Polynesian Islands. I have been looking at a Tahitian cruise and would like to know if anyone has sailed in January and if there is any time of the year that the ocean is a bit calmer. Most of the ships that sail around French Polynesia are smaller and therefore there will be more movement felt. I generally don t have an issue with sea sickness but then again I don t want to chance it since I would have to travel so far just to begin the cruise. Any suggestions?
We sailed in January 09 .From SanDiego .I took sea bands but never used them once.we were also on a top floor which cant take on a little real tropical hotel negril jamaica images movement no problem itwas amazingly calm..We found the weather amazing real tropical hotel negril jamaica images .We rented cars before real tropical hotel negril jamaica images arrival as .the islands were small enought to get around .The views were spectacular.with the exception of Papete( largest city) all the people were friendly.if you know any french it is a bonus. In Nuka Hiva (we set up our own tour as there are not any) though real tropical hotel negril jamaica images the internet We with a organised group of locals with SUVs led by a NZ fellow wonderful excursion .Enjoy its well worth the cruise.It truely is paradise.Ive been on 20 cruises now.This was a top 3.
We sailed March 3, 2011 on the Royal Princess. There was CALM seas the entire 11 days. It was a trip in a lifetime for us. The islands are exactly like the pictures you see in the Princess brochures. The water is that blue. Totally amazing! We would not have traveled with any other cruiseline. The small ship was so much more personal the large ships. Princess is the BEST hosts. GO GO GO and enjoy the trip!
We spent our 30th wedding anniversary (November 2010) aboard real tropical hotel negril jamaica images the Royal Princess visiting Tahiti, Papeete, Moorea, real tropical hotel negril jamaica images and Bora Bora, It was one of the most beautiful places in the world, fabulous people,fabulous ship. We have sailed with Princess Cruises visiting the Caribbean and Europe but so far you cannot beat Tahiti.. We are planning Europe again for this year and Alaska next. Happy Cruising All!
Been to Papeete, Moorea, and Bora Bora in April 2011 on board the Royal Princess. Spent 4 days in Papeete real tropical hotel negril jamaica images before boarding the ship. Being from Honolulu we know just what wonderful beaches can be. I gree Tahiti is a huge competition for Hawaii. But, there is no comparison when factoring