The (movie and TV) Love Boat

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Randall King and Brad Oswald

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MS Zaandam

Update: Due to circumstances beyond our control the Free Press readership cruise to the Mexican Riviera has been cancelled.

Cary Grant did it, and fell hopelessly, tragically, in love with Deborah Kerr.

Bob Denver did it, and it ended up lasting a bit longer than the three hours advertised to passengers.

Gavin MacLeod did it, again and again and again and again and again and AGAIN, more than 250 times and for more years than anyone is willing to admit they kept watching.

And Leonardo DiCaprio did it, and ended up developing a rather unsettling sinking feeling.

What'd they do? They each went on a cruise. And if it's good enough for them, and countless other movie and TV icons in Hollywood's considerable screen history, well, heck, maybe it's worth a try for us, too.

And we think it'd be an awful lot of fun if you'd join us.

Following in the grand tradition of An Affair to Remember and Gilligan's Island and The Love Boat and, well, Titanic, the Free Press is sending movie writer Randall King and TV writer Brad Oswald cruising on the high seas this spring, acting as co-hosts of the first-ever Winnipeg Free Press Readership Cruise aboard Holland America's luxurious Zaandam.

The eight-day, seven-night journey will visit tropical ports-of-call on Mexico's west coast and, while at sea, will feature a series of pop culture-themed events hosted by Randall and Brad that will take full advantage of their extensive knowledge of -- and deep, abiding love for -- movies and TV.

From a '50s Hollywood-themed party to insider glimpses of the movie and TV business to trivia contests, TV theme-song revivals, a big-screen/small-screen ping-pong tournament -- and an inevitable continuation of the ongoing King/Oswald debate over which is better, movies or TV -- the cruise promises to be a memorable week of showbiz-flavoured adventure and fun.

Departing from San Diego on Saturday, March 30, the MS Zaandam will spend a day at sea before cruising through Bahia Magdelana (Magdelana Bay), an aquatic region rich in marine wildlife, including dolphins, sea lions and gray whales. The ship then makes an overnight stop in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where Liz Taylor and Richard Burton steamed things up in 1963 while he filmed Night of the Iguana alongside Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr, and where Arnold Schwarzenegger shot Predator in 1986.

After that, the Zaandam heads back up the coast to Cabo San Lucas (where portions of the 2007 remake of The Heartbreak Kid and 2005's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants were filmed). Surely, local barkeep and erstwhile rock 'n' roll frontman Sammy Hagar will be waiting at the dock to greet us (?!?). OK, maybe not.

The MS Zaandam will spend one more day at sea before returning to San Diego on Saturday, April 6.

Prices for the cruise (taxes included) are $1,585 per person for an inside stateroom, $1,834 and up for an oceanview stateroom, and $2,432 for balcony.

A $250 non-refundable deposit (per person) is due by Dec. 12, with final payment required by Jan. 11.

For more information, or to book your spot to join Randall and Brad on this unique pop-culture excursion for Free Press readers and lovers of all things Hollywood, contact tour consultant Lisa Cliburn at Flight Centre (1-866-514-3710, Lisa.Cliburn@flightcentre.ca) or go to www.winnipegfreepress.com/readercruise

brad.oswald@freepress.mb.ca randall.king@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 1, 2012 D4