A cruise ship wedding can be
very romantic but there are a number of other reasons why more and more couples are getting married at sea. In the last decade,
cruise weddings have become more and more popular. Luckily for marine-minded brides, more cruise lines are able to offer weddings at sea which of course will be combined with a romantic cruise honeymoon.
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Photo courtesy of MSC Cruises
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Planning a wedding on a cruise can be
very easy. Talk to the ship’s wedding coordinators and they will begin organizing the ceremony, the flowers, the menu, the music, and the wedding cake. They will even help you customize your event down to the smallest detail, within reason.
Couples appreciate the opportunity to have their event in spectacular destinations whether it’s on a beautiful tropical beach, on a spectacular glacier in Alaska, or on the top deck of the ship as the sun sets at sea. Couples who want something different find a ship-board wedding appealing.
An on-board wedding can be a
great value too. A basic package starts at about $2.000 and includes three hours of planning with a consultant, priority check-in, non-denominational official, ceremony, recorded music, bridal bouquet, marriage certificate, photographer (but not photos: they’re purchased separately) and more. The average cost of a wedding ceremony and reception with RCCL costs about $10,000 for a 100-person event, excluding the cruise cost and the airfare for sailing guests.
At least
three months advance notice is required for getting the marriage licence and other information. Most couples allow six to nine months advance notice to get the necessary licenses.
Captains on some cruise lines can perform the wedding ceremony, but most cruise lines book an official from the port –of-call. Permission is based on where the ship is registered and what the government allows.
Four cruise ship lines including Celebrity, Princess, Disney, and Carnival Cruises allow marriages at sea.
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Photo courtesy of MSC Cruises
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However,
Princess is the prime choice because, of all the lines offering ship-board wedding options, it offers the best combination of features, services and facilities. Princess' Weddings at Sea packages are available on all ships, but only
Caribbean Princess,
Crown Princess,
Coral Princess,
Diamond Princess,
Emerald Princess,
Golden Princess,
Grand Princess,
Sapphire Princess and
Ruby Princess have dedicated wedding chapels. Princess offers three wedding packages starting at $1,800 plus a $450 license fees and goes up from there. Receptions, photography packages, and enhanced ceremony options are available at extra cost. Not only can your ceremony be conducted at sea by the captain, but the line has also installed state-of-the-art technology that allows you to
broadcast the ceremony live, via Web cam, to friends and family on land.
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Photo coutesy of MSC Cruises
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So if you’re thinking of getting married, set sail on a magical getaway, and
enjoy the wedding of your dreams!--------------------------------------------------
Muriel MacRae, owner of
Del Sol Travel and
Del Sol Destination Weddings, is a travel consultant and wedding planner who specializes in destination weddings and romantic getaways to tropical areas such as Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Located in Calgary, Alberta, she plans destination weddings and honeymoons for couples in and around the Calgary area and throughout North America. For more information about planning your destination wedding, honeymoon, or romantic getaway, please contact her at
travelinfo@delsoltravel.ca or phone 403-477-0643.
