Princess Cruises is an American cruise line and one of the best-known brands in the premium segment of the cruise industry. It was founded in 1965 by Seattle entrepreneur Stanley McDonald, who began by chartering a ship for cruises from Los Angeles to Mexico. The brand gained worldwide fame in the late 1970s and 1980s when its ships Pacific Princess and Island Princess served as the setting for the television series The Love Boat, which made cruising mainstream for American vacationers and remains central to the brand's identity. Princess was acquired by the British shipping company P&O in 1974 and became part of Carnival Corporation & plc in 2003 following the merger of Carnival and P&O Princess Cruises; Carnival Corporation remains its parent company today. The line operates a fleet of well over a dozen large cruise ships, including the newer Sphere-class vessels Sun Princess and Star Princess, sailing itineraries to destinations including Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Australia, and world cruises. Princess is one of the leading cruise lines in Alaska, where it also owns wilderness lodges and rail operations that support land-and-sea cruisetour packages. The brand is known for its MedallionClass experience, built around a wearable OceanMedallion device that enables keyless cabin entry, onboard payments, and location-based food and drink delivery. Princess carries millions of guests per year and markets itself with the long-running tagline inviting guests to come back new.
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