Perhaps the industry’s best-known boat from 1970s television has been sold to a Turkish demolition company and is headed to the scrapyard, according to Italy’s La Republica.
The news outlet says the 40-year-old vessel, recognizable to millions of Americans as TV’s "Love Boat,” has been sold to a Turkish demolition company for just over 2.5 million euro — about $3.3 million at current exchange rates.
The 19,903-ton, 600-passenger ship has been languishing at a dock in Genoa, Italy for more than a year, says USA Today, which adds the vessel last sailed for Spanish-based Quail Cruises after changing hands a couple times since sailing for Princess Cruises from 1975 until 2002.
Cruise industry executives often credit the top-rated show for helping to start a boom in cruise bookings.
By David Wilkening
