Ann Sothern's character proved so popular in this movie, it was spun off to create series of "Maisie" films.
First movie in which Joan Bennett appeared as a brunette, the hair color for all of her subsequent films.
At the time of the film's release, reviews noted that it used more process photography than any previous non-documentary feature.
The film's original title was World Cruise.
Tay Garnett and cinematographer James B. Shackelford shot a lot of the Far East location footage during a 1937 yacht trip. Reportedly, Garnett had so much unused footage he tried unsuccessfully to work it into another feature.