Women love a good romance story, especially when it takes place aboard an exotic cruise ship. The formula has worked time and again in classic films such as “An Affair to Remember” and “Titanic” as well as TV show “The Love Boat.” Now, Princess Cruises hopes the love-cruise connection will extend to the age of the Internet. The Santa Clarita cruise line has partnered with Amazon.com Inc.’s online romance community Kindle Love Stories to offer three original tales on the Kindle app this month. The free short stories take place aboard Princess ships and are inspired by real-life experiences. “We strive to provide engaging experiences for our guests and we know they love to read, especially while on vacation, so teaming up with Kindle Love Stories is a perfect match,” Adrian Fischer, the company’s vice president of entertainment experiences, said in a statement. Of course, blending a marketing message with entertainment is nothing new. Procter & Gamble Co. did it in the 1930s when it helped develop television series called “soap operas” to promote its products. Coca-Cola Co. did it in the 1970s when it included the popular jingle “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” in its commercials. Even Princess has used the concept before. In 1977, “The Love Boat” debuted aboard the Pacific Princess and Island Princess ships. During the next 10 years, Princess became a household name and branded itself as the cruise line of love. But the new campaign offers old-fashioned romance yarns through low-cost online distribution, coupled with the marketing clout of Amazon and brand-name authors. The company has recruited best-selling writers Heather Burch, Carolyn Brown and Barbara Longley to write the original stories inspired by each author’s personal experience on a Princess cruise in the Caribbean. The three stories – “Kiss Me Maybe,” by Burch; “To Catch a Bouquet,” by Brown; and “Once Upon a Night at Sea,” by Longley – can be accessed using the Kindle app from any device. “Princess comes up with different concepts when it involves love,” said cruise industry expert Stewart Chiron, chief executive of South Florida website TheCruiseGuy.com. “No other cruise line focuses on the subject more than Princess.” The literary campaign also ties in with Princess Book Club, an onboard activity during the cruise. The company hosts at least one club meeting every voyage, where passengers meet others who enjoy reading and engaging in bookish discussions. “As part of our newly relaunched Princess Book Club, avid readers will be able to participate in exciting onboard events and enjoy great stories inspired by a Princess cruise,” Fischer said, referring to the romance stories. In addition, Princess will host a book-signing aboard the Regal Princess on Nov. 3 to celebrate the three authors, who will be available for meet-and-greets before the cruise departs for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as part of a five-day tour of the eastern Caribbean. “Why does Princess do it? They are re-embracing their lineage as ‘The Love Boat,’” Chiron said. – Champaign Williams
