Cruises are a top vacation destination for Iowans, especially as snowflakes start to fly. Now, the world’s biggest cruise line is getting bigger as Carnival buys one of its top rivals, Princess. Iowa travel agent Sharon Brown says she does -not- think Iowa vacationers will see any shift in cruise prices due to the merger. She says long-term, it should be a good deal.The Princess line gained world fame through the popular 1970s and ’80s “Love Boat” T-V series, which starred Sioux City native Fred Grandy as “Gopher,” who later became a real-life Iowa Congressman. Brown says those same big white ships with the blue trim will continue cruising, under the same names, like the best-known Pacific Princess.There are about two-dozen other big cruise lines in the world. Brown says years from now, we may start to see a change in the way cruises are conducted and what they cost based on this merger.Brown says it’s a three-way tie in popularity for her Iowa clients between taking cruises, going to Las Vegas or to Disney World.
