New online options from Princess highlight romance

Love is “exciting and new” at Princess Cruises in celebration of Valentine’s Day, as the line announced the christeners of Ruby Princess, Trista and Ryan Sutter, will join its Department of Romance as its newest experts, and that a new online community for all Princess Cruises romantics has debuted on Facebook.

Trista and Ryan are known as one of the most romantic duos in recent broadcast history following their courtship and marriage on the popular TV series The Bachelorette, and this past November they marked their fifth wedding anniversary by christening Princess’ latest cruise ship, Ruby Princess. As part of their new role, the Sutters will offer their advice on love for Princess’ exclusive online home (princess.com/romance) for all things romantic.

“We’re thrilled to join Princess’ Department of Romance and share our unique perspective on dating, falling in love, getting married and having a family,” said Trista Sutter. “We’ve seen firsthand the romantic ambiance of a Princess cruise and we look forward to offering our tips for helping couples reconnect and make romance a priority.”

The cruise line is also launching an “I’m a Princess Cruises Romantic” group on Facebook. This special group will let passengers share their memorable love stories and moments from their Princess cruise vacation. Group members are encouraged to post their personal stories, photos, videos and engage in discussions about romance-related topics.

Princess’ Department of Romance, a tribute to the company’s decades-long legacy as the setting for the iconic TV show The Love Boat, is made up of noted experts on a variety of romantic topics and includes actor Gavin MacLeod, The Love Boat’s “Captain Stubing;” Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the always-provocative couples therapist; and Lisa Light, destination wedding expert and author. Throughout 2009 the Department will feature a changing array of expert topics, advice and points of view on everything from reinvigorating romance to tips on planning a destination wedding.

Trista and Ryan, the first and only couple from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette franchises to have actually gotten married, met in 2002 when Trista was America’s first Bachelorette. The couple wed on Dec. 6, 2003 in an elaborate television ceremony watched by 26 million viewers. After their highly visible courtship, Trista and Ryan moved to Vail, Colo., where they currently reside with their son, Max, and are awaiting the birth of their second child, a daughter, this spring. He is a firefighter and she is a stay-at-home mom and designer for her eco-friendly diaper bag line, Trista Baby.