This was Desi Arnaz Jr.'s final appearance as a cast regular (he would return for one more episode in the fifth season with Joe Namath. In this outing, he does an impression of Don Ho, singing "Tiny Bubbles."
Vivian Vance sings "Yellow Bird," the last full musical solo number she sings on a Lucy program.
Originally, the episode was to be filmed aboard the real SS Lurline and on location in Hawaii. When costs proved prohibitive, Lucille Ball productions (LBP) had a three-quarter scale model of the ship built on the Paramount lot. At the time it was the second largest ship ever built at the studio. The sets occupied three sound stages. It even included a real swimming pool.
In 1955 Desilu recreated the SS Constitution on their Hollywood sound stage the same way LBP does the SS Lurline in 1971. Both episodes were filmed with the cooperation of the shipping lines, American Export Lines (1955) and Matson Steamship Lines (1970), respectively.
The episode's director (Jack Donohue) and choreography (Anita Mann) had small roles in the show.