A cruise ship can be a beautiful, exciting venue for a wedding. Everything you need – from airy spaces to amazing food and drinks – is on board. Many cruise lines offer complete wedding packages and will be happy to work with you to arrange a personalized and memorable ceremony.
Options for shipboard weddings include having a ceremony:
On the ship before it sails. This means guests can come on board for the
ceremony but don’t have to cruise along with you. It’s a nice option if you
want the cruise to be a honeymoon for two, without your entire wedding party coming
along.
On the ship while at sea. With this choice, the people you want to have
at your wedding can sail along with you. While an on-deck ceremony can produce
stunning photos, be sure to select an indoor backup in case it gets a bit
windy.
In a port of call. Saying “I do” on a tropical island or in a historic
park can be wonderful. Just know that you may not have much control over the
surroundings; if you’re on a public beach or in a town square, people may stop
to watch.
Do you want to be married by a ship’s captain? That’s possible on some
cruise lines, although the ship may have to be in international waters at the
time of the ceremony. Also, not all captains perform wedding ceremonies. For
the ceremony to be legally binding, the captain must also be a justice of the
peace, minister, notary, or judge. Don’t worry: if the captain can’t perform
your ceremony, the cruise line will arrange for another officiant.
Here are some additional tips for getting married on a cruise:
Make your cruise and wedding package reservations early. Some cruise
lines ask for at least two or three months of advance notice if you want an onboard
or onshore wedding.
You may need to limit the number of guests. Many cruise wedding packages
specify a maximum number of guests; no problem if you want a smaller, more
intimate wedding.
Some choices may be limited to what’s on board. You may not have as wide
a choice of cakes, music, or flowers as you would on land. However, a
streamlined set of choices can also remove some of the usual wedding stressors.
To learn more about weddings at sea or to get started planning yours,
talk with Anita, your professional travel advisor.
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