Globetrotting
Princess Cruises passengers will be joined by a variety of intriguing special
guests aboard Pacific Princess during its 107-day World Cruise departing Jan.
13, 2012. Whether they want to
hear about the golden age of Hollywood, get the scoop on modern-day filmmaking,
or find out what it’s really like in outer space, world cruise travelers can
get first-hand stories throughout the sailing.
Among
the celebrated speakers scheduled to appear onboard are screen idol Tab Hunter;
“Leave it to Beaver” star Jerry Mathers; “The Love Boat’s” Gavin MacLeod;
legendary Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump; Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of silent
film star Harold Lloyd; Oscar-nominated Filmmaker Leslie Iwerks and Space
Shuttle Astronaut Robert C. Springer.
In addition, a variety of expert lecturers will join the cruise to
inform passengers on topics such as World War II history and computer
forensics.
The
special guest appearances are part of an enrichment program designed especially
for the Ft. Lauderdale to Venice cruise, which will visit 38 destinations in 28
countries, with calls on six continents as it sails through Latin America, the
South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East and Egypt,
finally ending in the Mediterranean.
Special
guests scheduled to appear aboard Pacific Princess include:
■ Rolly Crump – Disney Imagineer
(January 13-28: Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego
One of the original Disney
Imagineers, Crump joined Disney in 1952, first in animation, contributing to
legendary films such as “Lady and the Tramp,” but soon moved to the new group
of designers who were creating Disneyland’s groundbreaking latest
attractions. Crump worked
alongside Walt Disney himself to create the Haunted Mansion, Enchanted Tiki
Room and other attractions, and later designed projects for Disney’s EPCOT
Center. Crump will talk about Walt
Disney the man and the early days of designing iconic Disneyland rides.
■ Gavin MacLeod – TV and Film Actor
(January 28-February 10: San Diego to Pago Pago)
Perhaps best known as
“Captain Merrill Stubing” from the long-running television show The Love Boat,
MacLeod also earned acclaim for his role in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, as well
as numerous film roles. A
long-time fan of cruising, MacLeod has served as an ambassador for Princess
Cruises since 1986. He will
present a selection of his favorite episodes from these classic series for
passengers, and will reminisce about his career and famous co-stars.
■ Colonel Robert C. Springer –
Space Shuttle Astronaut (February 10-18: Pago Pago to Auckland)
A two-time space shuttle
astronaut, Springer has spent more than 237 hours in space. After joining NASA in 1981, Springer
served as a mission specialist on shuttle flights in 1989 and 1990. Now retired from NASA and the U.S.
Marine Corps, Springer currently works for The Boeing Company as director of
quality systems, Integrated Defense Systems. Springer will talk about the shuttle program, his adventures
in space, and the future of NASA.
■ Jerry Mathers – Former Child Star
(February 18-26: Auckland to Sydney)
Although best known for his
role as “Beaver” Cleaver in the television sitcom series Leave It to Beaver,
Mathers also had roles in films such as Hitchcock’s “The Trouble with Harry” and
“The Seven Little Foys” with Bob Hope.
More recently, he made his Broadway debut with a starring role in the
Tony Award winning play “Hairspray.”
Mathers will screen favorite episodes from his TV series, plus several
of his films, and will talk about working with legends such as Alfred
Hitchcock, Bob Hope and Shirley MacLaine.
■ Suzanne Lloyd – Granddaughter of
Harold Lloyd (March 12-20: Tokyo to Hong Kong)
The granddaughter of one of
Hollywood's founding fathers and silent film legend Harold Lloyd, Suzanne Lloyd
will screen a mini film festival of her grandfather's silent comedy classics
and talk about growing up on her grandfather's legendary Bel Air estate: Green
Acres.
■ Leslie Iwerks – Oscar Nominated
Filmmaker (March 29-April 12: Singapore to Dubai)
A noted documentary
filmmaker, Iwerks is also the daughter and granddaughter of Disney
legends. Her first feature
documentary, “The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story,” chronicled the
life of her grandfather, Ub Iwerks, the animator who designed Mickey Mouse. Her 2006 Academy Award-nominated film,
“Recycled Life,” documents the lives of Guatemalans who live and work on a
landfill. In addition, her 2007
film, “The Pixar Story,” was nominated for a Primetime Emmy. Onboard, Iwerks will introduce a
showing of “Recycled Life,” and discuss her work with George Lucas' special
effects company, and the computer animation work of Pixar Entertainment.
■ Tab Hunter – Actor, Screen Idol
(April 12-30: Dubai to Venice)
A screen idol from
Hollywood’s golden age, Tab Hunter starred in more than 50 major films,
including the Academy Award-nominated “Damn Yankees.” Hunter also reached the top of the music charts with the hit
song Young Love, and starred in his own television series. In the 1980s and ‘90s, Hunter starred
in several John Waters films as well as the comedy Western “Lust in the
Dust.” The ship will screen
several of Hunter’s films, and he will talk about his career, his famous
co-stars, and his autobiography.
In addition, World Cruise
passengers will also have the benefit of a variety of expert lecturers who will
share their knowledge on diverse topics, including:
■ Concorde Pilot – A former British
Airways Concorde pilot will speak about the glamour and technology of the
Concorde. (January 13-28: Ft.
Lauderdale to San Diego)
■ World War II Historian – Bruce Petty,
the author of several books about World War II in the Pacific, will talk about
topics such as Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and aircraft carriers in
the Pacific. (January 28-February
18: San Diego to Auckland)
■ South Pacific Naturalist – Ann Burgess, an expert on
the natural history of the South Pacific region, will talk about a variety of
related topics including Polynesian explorers and indigenous wildlife in the
area. She will also host animal spotting sessions on the top deck to help passengers
catch a glimpse of sea life such as dolphins and whales. (February 18-March 12:
Auckland to Tokyo)
■ Ambassador/Diplomat -- Douglas Hartwick, a former ambassador to Laos and
State Department diplomat, will talk about the life of a diplomat living
abroad. (March 12-29: Tokyo to Singapore)
■ Computer Forensics Expert -- Mark Harrington, computer forensic company
executive, will lecture on how computer footprints can find terrorists and
criminals. (March 20-29: Hong Kong to Singapore)
■ Astronomer -- An astronomer will join the ship to teach passengers about the night
sky, the solar system and the latest space exploration from NASA, plus will
host stargazing sessions on deck. (March 29-April12: Singapore to Dubai)
■ United Nations Official -- John Renninger, a UN official and adjunct
professor at NYU, will talk about the UN's peacekeeping role and Middle East
topics. (April 12-30: Dubai to Venice)
All special guests and
expert lecturers are currently scheduled to appear, but modifications may be
made subject to changes in speaker availability.
Additional information about
Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling
1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at http://www.princess.com.