According to a recent survey, one quarter of respondents are not able to make time for romance in their daily lives and, not surprisingly, it appears as though work is the culprit. Forty-five percent of those questioned report that their jobs are the main obstacle to romance, though roughly half do make time to regularly say "I love you" to their partner. The survey was conducted by Princess Cruises' Department of Romance in honor of Romance Week (August 13-17).

To help inspire passengers to put romance back into their lives on a daily basis, Princess has also debuted its "Certified Romantic" course on Crown Princess this week. Hundreds of passengers have already been certified as romantics aboard sister ship Emerald Princess, which debuted the unique course this past spring. The light-hearted presentation offers a history of romance, humorous stories and practical tips from the company's Department of Romance experts - Trish McDermott, former vice president of Romance at Match.com and a founder of Engage.com; couples therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer; and former Love Boat captain, Gavin MacLeod.

Romance expert McDermott concurs with the survey findings, saying that most couples leave romance mostly for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries or Valentine's Day. "People need to make time every day for romance," she says. "It takes a conscious effort to do this, but the results are well worth it."

Some of the suggestions McDermott offers couples are to agree upon a time of day when TV, cell phones and computers are turned off, as well as setting a date night each week. "Couples need to remember why they fell in love, to disconnect to reconnect," says McDermott. "Romance Week is a great time to remember just that. Not to think about gifts or cards, flowers or chocolate, but to remember what they love about each other and to incorporate ways to express that into their everyday lives."

"Who else but Princess is uniquely qualified to help inspire passengers to re-discover romance," says Jan Swartz, the company's senior vice president of customer service, alluding to the 30-plus years the company has been known as "The Love Boat" line. "We celebrate romance 365 days a year onboard our ships, so celebrating Romance Week is just an extension of our efforts to help passengers escape from their everyday routines and re-invigorate their relationships with loved ones."

Princess Cruises unveiled its Department of Romance this past Valentine's Day, along with several romantic initiatives including a Romance-By-Room-Service menu that includes a special presentation of champagne and chocolate, scattered fresh rose petals and candlelight, all set to a background of romantic music. A special section of the line's website, www.princess.com, which will be launched this fall, will focus solely on romance and offer tips and trends from the Department experts.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel