While it doesn’t sound like Carnival Corp. is trying to bring back the over-the-top popular "Love Boat" TV series, the company is putting 10 of its ships in starring roles on national television. The company has dreamed up three original series that will run beginning Oct. 1, 2016, on ABC, NBC and the CW on Saturday mornings.
There will be a total of 80 episodes designed to teach people more about the world of cruising and to get them on board. A fourth series will debut in early 2017.
— CEO Arnold Donald
“We are excited to launch our first original TV programs and to share compelling content and stories with millions of people,” Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corp., said in a statement. “We have taken great care to develop TV shows that we believe families and people of all ages will truly enjoy watching, with interesting stories, charismatic hosts and spectacular video, showing how much fun people have traveling the world by ocean on our fleet of more than 100 cruise ships. The shows will also help dispel outdated myths about cruising and expose a much broader consumer audience to why cruising is the fastest growing segment of the vacation industry.
“This strategy to create original content across multiple media platforms is just one of the innovative approaches we are taking to expand the market for cruise vacations," he added. “These programs will show people in a highly engaging way why cruising is such a great vacation at an exceptional value.”
The experiential content, which is designed to engage viewers by showcasing exciting adventures, exotic cultures and popular global destinations, will feature ships from Carnival Cruise Line, Fathom, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK).
Adventures at sea & in ports of call
The first of the 30-minute shows starting Oct. 1 will be “Ocean Treks With Jeff Corwin” on ABC. It will broadcast nationally as part of the sixth season of the Daytime Emmy-winning block "Weekend Adventure," a three-hour programming block airing Saturday mornings on 98 percent of the country’s ABC affiliate channels. The show follows Emmy-winning host Jeff Corwin as he embarks on adventures in some of the world’s most exciting destinations, such as rappelling down cliffs, flightseeing to glacier landings, mountain climbing in a national park and ziplining through a rainforest.
“The Voyager With Josh Garcia” on NBC follows the video journalist and world traveler as he goes off the beaten path in seaside ports to meet locals who share their rich history, life stories and exotic foods, and introduces viewers to the hidden beauty, cultural diversity and amazing flavors native to each destination. The program will air as part of NBC’s all-new, three-hour programming block that extends the network’s “The More You Know” brand with inspiring stories on NBC stations throughout the country.
“Vacation Creation” on the CW will star “In Living Color” comedian Tommy Davidson and YouTube celebrity Andrea Feczko as hosts, goes beyond the typical travel show by personalizing vacations of a lifetime for couples, individuals and families facing hardship, in need of hope or seeking much-needed time together. From bringing three generations of women together to visit Russia for the first time since their grandmother escaped a war to giving a father whose life was threatened by illness a trip to remember, the show follows Davidson and Feczko as they tell inspiring stories and surprise guests with a dream vacation. The series will air as part of the CW’s Saturday morning block.
