<P> Among the series' attractions was the casting of well - known actors in guest - starring roles, with many famous film stars of yesteryear making rare television appearances . The Love Boat was not the first comedy series to use the guest - star cast anthology format--Love, American Style had used the formula seven years earlier--but it had such success with the formula that future series in similar style (such as Supertrain and Masquerade) always drew comparisons to The Love Boat . The series was followed on Saturday nights on ABC by Fantasy Island, which was likewise produced by Aaron Spelling, and had a similar format . </P> <P> The one - hour sitcom was usually set aboard Pacific Princess, at the time a real - life Princess Cruises cruise ship . Other ships used were twin sister Island Princess, Stella Solaris (for a Mediterranean cruise), Pearl of Scandinavia (for a Chinese cruise), Royal Viking Sky (for European cruises) and Royal Princess and Sun Princess (for Caribbean cruises). In 1981, P&O Cruises' Sea Princess was also used for the special two - hour episode "Julie's Wedding", set in and around Australia . Only the latter four ships still exist . </P> <P> The series was filmed primarily on sets in California--20th Century Fox Studios for seasons one through five, and Warner Hollywood Studios for the remainder of the series . After being renamed MS Pacific and owned by a cruise line in Spain, Pacific Princess was retired to Turkey in 2013, where she was scrapped by a ship breaking company after no buyer could be found . </P> <P> Episodes set and filmed in European and Asian locations became more frequent as the show continued . They traditionally aired as season premieres or during the sweeps months of February, May and November . </P>

Who does julie marry on the love boat