Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Cruise weddings: Everything you need to know about getting hitched at sea

can you get married on a cruise ship

Just like its parks, Disney offers Fairy Tale Weddings on its ships. Disney Cruise Line offers six venues, including indoor and outdoor spots on its ships (accommodating up to 40 guests) and on Castaway Cay (the line's private island in the Bahamas, which can host up to 100 guests). You can have costumed Mickey and Minnie join you for photos or offer a Dole Whip unity ceremony, as one couple did. "We find most weddings are celebrated on board during embarkation day. This allows attendees who aren't sailing with the couple to visit the ship for the ceremony," says Matt Lupoli, of Carnival Cruise Line media relations. This option allows you to not only invite friends and family to your wedding but also enjoy a private honeymoon — without your mother-in-law or best man tagging along. If privacy post-ceremony is a priority, and you’re inviting guests who are also sailing, consider the implications.

We Make It Easy To Plan And Customize Your Group Cruise

The simplicity here is appealing; it’s just like getting married onshore but with the added charm of a cruise setting. The one place I suggested that surprised our photographer the most was the main dining room. Our amazing wedding coordinator followed us around, deflating the decorations so we didn’t have ghosts and vampires in our photos then set them all back up again.

Coolest Perk of a Cunard Cruise Wedding:

For those looking for a classic at-sea wedding experience, Cunard Line offers packages starting at USD 3,300. Lastly, MSC Cruise steps into the arena with a variety of packages including Classic, Romantic, Deluxe, and Ocean Cay Celebration, catering to a wide range of tastes and budgets. Deciding whether to have your wedding ceremony on board a majestic cruise ship or at a picturesque port calls for a bit of nautical know-how and personal preference.

Embarkation Day Wedding

You can add more hours with the photographer that includes all of your photos digitally. Since the Bahamas does not allow same sex marriages, those could not be done legally on the ship itself. If you're considering having a cruise wedding, here is essential info to help you with the cruise wedding process. Pressing of the couple’s attire and complementary hair and makeup for the bride are a nice addition to both packages on P&O cruises. Pamper yourself with a couples' massage, a warm towel shave or prepare for your special day with salon services.

Do my guests have to be on a cruise in order to attend my wedding?

One of the first decisions couples need to make is whether to schedule their nuptials for embarkation day, at sea or in a port of call. If you dream of a large wedding or have specific requirements for vendors, a cruise wedding might pose limitations due to space constraints and the cruise line’s set vendor list. However, while early booking has its perks, it also comes with certain risks, particularly if you book too far in advance. Cruise ships may alter their itineraries or even withdraw ships from service, which could impact your plans.

More Royal Caribbean

can you get married on a cruise ship

With cruise ships often registered in specific countries and sailing in international waters, the legalities can become complex. For instance, Celebrity Cruises, with its ships registered in Malta, provides notary public or religious officiants as part of their wedding packages to navigate these intricacies. Additionally, opting for a Concierge Class elevates the experience with added luxuries and personalized services, making it ideal for couples celebrating their nuptials.

Your Wedding Day Video

can you get married on a cruise ship

Grabbing the hand of your fiancé and planning a wedding ceremony that's just for two can feel intimate and personal in its own way — a shared moment of exchanging vows both sentimental and sacred. Some couples who opt for a memorable wedding at sea are frequent cruisers who use the moment to celebrate their favorite way of traveling as well as their shared love for one another. Ilene and Carl had each been on dozens of cruises when they met on a cruise.

If you want to get married onboard and want to choose the clergy to perform the ceremony or invite people who won't be sailing, consider having your wedding onboard while the ship is still docked at its homeport. Clergy and guests can come aboard for the wedding and after-party, then debark before the ship sails, and you get the cruise as a honeymoon. Weddings in ports of call can be fabulous, but what happens if the ship has to cancel the call? Consider very carefully ports that require ships to tender; Grand Cayman, for instance, can be a highly unpredictable site, as winds often hamper tender operations, causing cruise ships to skip stops at the island. For the same reason, we don't recommend planning a shoreside wedding at a Caribbean or Mexican locale during hurricane season (June through November). Using a travel advisor who specializes in cruise weddings could be helpful in selecting the right vessel for your preferences and perhaps most importantly, your budget.

At-sea nuptials have many selling points — including a wedding planner and a built-in honeymoon — especially for couples looking for smaller, more intimate weddings (up to 125 guests). Yet before you decide to get married on a cruise ship, you'll want to understand all the pros and cons. For those envisioning something different, consider a cruise wedding in one of the international ports or on the line’s private island. This option, while potentially more costly due to all attendees needing to be passengers, offers a unique blend of travel and celebration in an exotic locale. For the most part, it's the big-ship, mass-market cruise lines that have embraced full-service weddings.

You can say 'I do' at sea and save money. Plus the honeymoon is all arranged. - Los Angeles Times

You can say 'I do' at sea and save money. Plus the honeymoon is all arranged..

Posted: Sun, 10 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT [source]

This arrangement is perfect for couples who want a larger gathering for the ceremony but prefer a more intimate cruise experience thereafter. However, some cruise lines like Royal Caribbean allow a maximum of 75 nonsailing wedding guests out of the total 150 guests. When it comes to the guest list for a cruise wedding, size does matter, but perhaps not as much as you’d think. This allows for a grand celebration with all your loved ones, ensuring that your special day is as inclusive as it is memorable. As a final note, you should account for the possibility of bad weather if you’re at sea.

For those considering a wedding ceremony in a domestic port, like Miami, Seattle, New Orleans, or Fort Lauderdale, the process is quite straightforward. You can bring your officiant to conduct a legal wedding, much like you would at a land-based venue. This package includes everything from the ceremony to the reception to celebrate with your whole crew (includes the couple and up to 18 guests). The perfect package for couples getting hitched before only a few of your favorite people (includes the couple and up to 2 guests).

However, if you’d like your ceremony to be officiated by a ship’s captain, then you’ll need to get married while sailing international waters. The cost of getting married on a cruise ship will vary depending on the port destination where you decide to tie the knot. Don't worry — you don't have to find an available officiant in Jamaica or the Bahamas. For example, all three of Princess Cruises' wedding packages include either a legal ceremony by the captain or one performed by a local officiant in port.

Then dance away at your reception with a live band, pianist, or DJ. On the other hand, if guests are traveling just for the ceremony, be sure to advise them to fly in well before the day so they don’t miss the big event. Malta officially legalized same-sex marriages in 2017, therefore same sex partners are now able to tie the knot while at sea on Celebrity Cruises. Same-sex marriages can also be conducted on land in countries where they are legally recognized. Choose a romantic cruise itinerary that includes a stop in one or several honeymoon hotspots such as Hawaii, the Bahamas, or the French Riviera. Then, research different wedding ports and compare details, such as pricing and marriage licensing details, before making your selection.

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