Donald MacBride was listed in the cast in a news item, but is not seen in the film.
Frank Sinatra makes his film debut as a singer with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Also look quickly for Broadway star John Raitt as a young sailor.
One song "I Fell In Love (With the Leader of the Band)", by Jule Styne and Herb Magidson, was filmed but not used. The footage was used in The Great Morgan.
The title was changed from "I'll Take Manila" to "Ship Ahoy" because the Philippines had already fallen to the Japanese in the war. The ship destination was changed from Manila to Puerto Rico, and the song "I'll Take Manila" was changed to "I'll Take Tallulah".