Jeraldine Saunders

Jeraldine Saunders was an American author and writer.

She was best known for writing the 1974 book The Love Boats, which the ABC comedy/drama series The Love Boat was based on. The book documented her experience as the first female cruise director for a major cruise line, Princess Cruises.

The Love Boat ran from May 1977 until May 1986 with an additional four three-hourlong specials which aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. Aaron Spelling was the executive producer of the series.

In 1966, Saunders was married briefly to astrologer Sydney Omarr, who had a popular syndicated newspaper column. When Omarr died in 2003, Saunders took it over, and was still writing it at the time of her passing.

In May 2018, Saunders celebrated her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony with the original cast of The Love Boat.

At the time of her death, Saunders was in the process of negotiating a project for the Broadway stage: Love Boat, The Musical.

Saunders died February 26, 2019, in Glendale, California. She was 96.