If photos are your thing, a cruise ship wedding offers some of the best and most creative backdrops in the world, both on the ship and in port. You can hire a full photography team of the cruise ship, with edited and printed photos, or do it yourself. Another popular option is to get married while the ship is at sea. This is a fantastic option, as you won`t have to deal with the time pressure of boarding day, fun activities, or time spent at the beach at the port. Princess Cruises reports that 75% of its weddings take place at sea. Think of cruise ships as floating hotels that offer all the essentials a wedding venue needs, including food, drinks, and overnight stays for guests. You`ll have space to host wedding-related events over several days — like a cocktail party before the reception, a day at the spa before the ceremony with the girls, and brunch the next morning. Cruise ship employees are trained in the hotel industry, photographers, bakers and DJs are already on board. Also imagine how beautiful your wedding photos will be with the vast sea as a backdrop! Deciding where you and your guests will sleep and eat is very easy on a cruise. Newlyweds can dive into the honeymoon suite, and guests have several cabins to choose from — from interior to suite — depending on their budget. Norwegian`s freestyle dining plan means there are plenty of dining options on board, as well as specialty options for romantic dinners for two. On the other hand, if you want to plan an easy and stress-free wedding, it doesn`t get much easier than that. Cruise weddings are ideal for couples who want a small event and love the one-stop shop, where all the details of the event are taken care of by the cruise line.
No matter where you want to get married, you`ll need to apply for a marriage license in the United States or at a foreign port well in advance of your cruise. Policies vary from country to country, so you`ll save yourself a lot of headaches if the wedding service or cruise line advisor helps you with the details. Check with these people before booking your cruise to make sure the wedding hall is available on the date you want. If you`ve always dreamed of choosing each flower yourself or getting married in your hometown in front of 300 people, you may not be satisfied with this simple approach. Also think about the realities of the honeymoon on a ship – your cabin may be small, you may have to eat with other people, and if you invite friends and family to your wedding at sea, you might have an entourage for your romantic vacation. At the time of writing this article in March 2022, one cruise line we reviewed was fully booked for the rest of the year (for weddings). It`s surprising when you know it`s not even spring yet! However, other lines have been opened and available, but this suggests that it is better to book early if you have set your sights on a particular company or route. Before you get married at a cruise ship wedding, take the time to educate yourself about the fine print and important decisions you need to make. The last option is to get married on a cruise line`s private island or during a stopover in another country. About 5% to 10% of Princess Cruises weddings take place in port.
For a local touch, mix reggae music in the background while offering in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, or guests in Honolulu. The downside is that you can`t control your entire environment. For example, the ceremony could take place on a public beach. On the more casual and festive side, Carnival Cruise Line weddings start at $1,499. MSC Cruises weddings cost about the same. At the luxurious end, Cunard`s Royal Ceremony at Sea package starts at $3,300. Of course, you`ll still have to pay your own cruise fare on top of the wedding package prices, just like your guests. Talk to other Frommer cruise lines in our cruise forum. If you invite the family on a cruise ship for your wedding, they will be there on your wedding night and honeymoon. This works well for some families, but others may want more space and privacy.
Before booking your tickets, it`s best to familiarize yourself with the most important details you need to know about getting married on a cruise ship, good and bad. A downside of a wedding at sea is that you may be forced to hold events indoors due to strong winds, rain, or limited deck space, and the rental hours for a particular venue must match the other requirements of the ship`s schedule, including other weddings. If you want guests at your ceremony, they`ll have to book and pay for the entire cruise (or you`ll need pony for their cabins). Don`t worry, you don`t need to find an official available in Jamaica or the Bahamas. The cruise line`s wedding planners will do this for you. For example, the three Princess Cruises wedding packages include either a legal ceremony by the captain or a ceremony performed by a local official at the port. There are many advantages to getting married on a cruise ship, among some disadvantages to consider, but it is certainly something worth investigating. And if you think cruise ships are obsolete, think again! Most cruise lines, especially after COVID, have adapted to modern times and modern couples. In other words, you can have a spectacular wedding at sea that syncs with your style. And often, it can be much more luxurious than you can imagine, while still costing a fraction of the price.
The exact inclusions of the wedding package depend on the cruise line you are sailing, whether you are getting married at sea or in port, and the amount of the package you choose. After the wedding, your honeymoon starts at the next port. And your guests can enjoy a real vacation. Cruise ships sail to almost every corner of the world, allowing you to combine your wedding with everything from island hopping to glacier climbing to circumnavigating the globe. Need help deciding which cruise to book? Check out our list of seven major cruises for first-time cruise passengers. Since many cruise lines now offer wedding packages that are essentially all-inclusive or at least half of that, you can actually save a lot of money with a cruise ship wedding. There are packages that cost only a few thousand dollars for a guest list of up to 10 people that includes champagne, dinner, cake, and even breakfast in bed. And almost all packages offer the service of a wedding planner at no extra cost. However, this does not apply to you or your guests. But it`s safe to say that it`s definitely a better deal than any earthly place you can find. Of course, this is not true in all cases.
Weddings on cruise ships can be quite expensive, at around $1,000 per guest, depending on the package. Therefore, it is best to do your own research. If you wish to marry the captain at sea, you are limited to a handful of cruise lines due to legal restrictions based on the countries of registration of the ships. The list of “can amiciates” includes Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, whose ships are registered in Malta; Norwegian Cruise Line, through the Bahamas; and Princess Cruises and Cunard, with ships in Bermuda. If you don`t like to be the center of attention, then a cruise wedding may not be for you. Everyone on board and in port will be watching you as you pass through your wedding jewelry. This type of ceremony is also not ideal for couples who want to invite hundreds of guests or who want the flexibility to choose the perfect caterer, photographer, cake, florist or musician. Related: 5 Best Honeymoon Cruises for Newlyweds For the most part, it`s the major mass-market cruise lines that have embraced full-service weddings. Some do not offer weddings on board at all.
Others – mainly in the high-priced luxury category, such as Seabourn and Crystal – have no problem with wedding or vow renewal plans, but they avoid packages and choose to provide these passengers with bespoke amenities for small events. Getting married at sea or in a foreign country can be complicated and requires paperwork in advance. Check with your cruise planner for all requirements. Some couples legally marry at home and simply have a ceremonial wedding on the ship. According to Princess Cruises, two-thirds of its weddings have fewer than 10 people in the group and the average size of larger weddings is 25, with about two weddings a year with 40 or more guests. When the cruise line resumed operations after the COVID-19 pandemic began, it reported that smaller, more intimate ceremonies were becoming increasingly popular. The captain`s wedding at sea remains by far the most coveted package, says Princess Cruises. Most cruise lines have a dedicated team of wedding planners who organize and plan everything on your behalf. Other than choosing your package and adding custom options, the bride and groom don`t have much to do except introduce themselves and say “I want.” Some cruise lines even offer free wedding websites to keep your guests informed and organized.
Princess Cruises` three packages (Wedding at Sea Cruise, Port Wedding Cruise and Shore Wedding Cruise) include all the details for a flat fee and also offer sign-up so guests can amplify the luxury on their honeymoon at sea. Guests can offer shore excursions, specialties, spa treatments and a private breakfast or dinner on the balcony. Celebrity Cruises also offers legal weddings at sea by the captain. On the other hand, planning a cruise wedding comes with logistical challenges that a land wedding doesn`t bring. You`ll need to figure out how to get a Jamaica marriage license or think about a plan B if bad weather or mechanical issues cause your ship to cancel a port visit on your wedding day.
