Princess Cruises recently partnered with celebrity Kylie Minogue as part of its new Love Line Premium Liquors Collection that features her non-alcoholic beverages,
Princess Cruises
Cruise lines and their partnerships with celebrities go hand-in-hand, just like mega ships, and big anchors.
It actually all started way-back-when with the uber-famous Kathie Lee Gifford – and Carnival Cruise Lines. Says Ted Karbowski, a cruise travel agent who owns Cruisin’ With Ted in North Carolina: “It all has to do with pairing —- Kathie Lee Gifford was the face of Carnival Cruise Lines in the late Eighties – letting everyone know what cruising was about.”
Indeed – that campaign was SO successful, that even today, when I tell people that I am a cruise writer, they automatically assume that I’m traveling on Carnival. (In other words, to my complete surprise, so many folks out there don’t know about the super-premium, upscale cruise lines, such as Viking, Crystal, or Regent Seven Seas, for example. I have to explain to people all the time, that these luxury cruise ships, which do NOT hold thousands of people, are really five-star-hotels at sea. Go figure!)
However, I do also find that many folks do know about the luxury line Princess Cruises – “Princess connects with multi-generational families, due to the TV show, The Love Boat,” said Mr. Karbowski. “They are not as flashy as the other lines, but they are a dominant cruise line, especially to Alaska.”
Mr. Karbowski also told me – which I was not aware of – that the uber-famous, and uber-rich (and uber-blonde) Gwyneth Paltrow introduced her wellness brand Goop at Sea on Celebrity Cruises a few years ago, which was another highly successful VIP venture. Currently, world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud is Celebrity Cruises’ Global Culinary Ambassador. Through the partnership, Chef Boulud created his first signature restaurant at sea, Le Voyage, as well as several other culinary experiences on board Celebrity. He is one of the world’s most highly respected and successful culinary authorities — so this is quite a coup for Celebrity, and certainly, Chef Boulud wouldn’t have agreed to it unless he believed it would be a smashing success (in my opinion).
Said Mr. Karbowski: “As time goes on, there will be more and more celebrity-themed initiatives as cruise lines become more competitive, to attract more of the demographic that fits their base.”
Do you have a favorite celebrity — maybe one who you follow on Insta? Perhaps it’s Matthew McConaughey, Liev Schreiber, Pitbull, Blake Lively, or Kylie Minogue — to name a few?
Well, now there’s yet another unique way to share in their boldfaced names.
And I’m sure they are downright delicious.
Princess Cruises recently introduced The Love Line Premium Liquors Collection following the debut of Sun Princess, the newest ship in its fleet. This special, spirited ensemble currently includes:
- Pantalones Organic Tequila by Camila and Matthew McConaughey
- Sláinte Irish Whiskey by Liev Schreiber
- Voli 305 Vodka by Pitbull
- Betty Booze and Betty Buzz by Blake Lively
- Melorosa Sauvignon Blanc, Red Blend and Cabernet Sauvignon by Jason Aldean
- Love Prosecco by Romeo Britto (made with winemaker Villa Sandi)
And just recently, Princess Cruises introduced a splash of pink, as the cruise line added music icon and entrepreneur Kylie Minogue’s award-winning No Alcohol Sparkling Rosé to its exclusive “Love Line Premium Liquors” collection. This delightful, alcohol-free sparkling wine has vibrant notes of fresh strawberries and has just 22 calories per 100 ml. (This means that you can indulge on the pool deck and still fit into your bikini.)
In my professional opinion, this excellent initiative is quite on trend right now, with so many people implementing “Dry January” and trying to stay away from alcohol in general. And what will the public response be to this? Spectacular, says Mr. Karbowski. “Princess will be extremely successful with this concept, and Kylie Minogue will become more successful than ever…It positions Princess as wholesome, fun, high-energy and familiar.”
Quite impressively, Minogue’s signature No Alcohol Sparkling Rosé Wine is crafted with the same expertise that has made her wine collection a global success selling 17 million bottles worldwide since launching in 2020. It blends European premium grapes with green tea from Yunnan, China. The tea is meticulously hand-plucked and brewed into a strong infusion, enhancing the grape ferment. This process results in a complex, finely balanced Rosé with added mouthfeel and dried tannins, all without generating any alcohol.
So what kind of cocktails can you expect – if you do like a little kick?
- Filthy Molly – Sláinte Irish Whiskey, Filthy Bloody Mary Mix, Assorted Olives, Celery Salt and Basil
- Passion of the Irish – Sláinte Irish Whiskey, Passion Fruit Puree, Galliano, Vanilla, Orange and Soda
- Pants on Fire – Pantalones Organic Reposado Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Campari, Smoked Paprika Agave, garnished with a salt rim and Green Tabasco
- Sea Legs – Pantalones Organic Reposado Tequila, Luxardo, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Grapefruit Juice, Agave, topped with soda water
These were created by Rob Floyd, the cruise lines’ resident mixologist, and these dandy drinks are available on all 16 ships in the Princess fleet.
They are available in two drink packages. Princess Premier includes top-shelf spirits and craft cocktails up to $20 each, along with bottled water, specialty coffee, and juice bar access. Princess Plus includes a wide selection of alcoholic beverages up to $15 each, along with bottled water, non-alcoholic soft drinks, specialty coffee and juice bar access.
I’ll end this with something quite humorous. Mr. Karbowki told me a funny story that just happened to him, by pure coincidence, and happenstance, as he rested in a Jacuzzi at a hotel he was staying at in Florida. He struck up a conversation, purely by happenstance, with another man in the Jacuzzi, and Mr. Karbowski told the gentleman that he was a travel agent for cruisers. “That man told me he had already been on 70 Princess cruises,” Mr. Karbowski told me with a big laugh. “This just demonstrates that Princess clearly knows what they are doing.”
For more about my Wanderlust and Wellness travels, please Follow me in Instagram at @DebbiKickham.
