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Most wedding ceremonies on a cruise ship are performed by a notary public in the United States and a non-denominational officiant in international ports. 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. Cruise ships set sail on almost every corner of the world, allowing you to combine your wedding with anything from island-hopping to climbing glaciers to circumnavigating the entire globe. Check out our list of seven great cruises for first-time cruisers. Getting married legally while at sea is complicated, so understand all the logistics before signing on, and plan well in advance. Legalizing a wedding in a foreign port can also be tricky, so ask your wedding planner to explain all the details and suggest which cruise port on your itinerary is your best bet for a wedding spot.
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An MSC wedding on Ocean Cay features a blend of the three onboard packages, with a ceremony taking place in the wedding pavilion adorned with flowers on the line’s private island. Since wedding planning is notorious for involving a lot of work and decision-making, some people find themselves pleasantly surprised when they start browsing cruise wedding packages. Booking a wedding on a cruise ship can be a one-stop shop that simplifies the process. Princess Cruises' three packages (At Sea Wedding Cruise, Harborside Wedding Cruise and Ashore Wedding Cruise) fold in all the details for a flat fee and also offer a registry so that guests can help amp up the luxuries on their honeymoon at sea. Guests and friends can gift shore excursion credits, specialty-dining experiences, spa treatments and a private breakfast or dinner on the balcony.
Travel Is Our Tradition
If your heart is set on getting married on a specific beach in Jamaica, be sure you’re okay with having a back-up plan. For those longing to say “I do” with a beautiful ocean backdrop, on a sandy white beach or plush garden setting, we offer idyllic island settings for your special day. If you're considering having a cruise wedding, here is essential info to help you with the cruise wedding process. With our Cruisetours, you can combine your cruise with an exciting land tour where you’ll stay in authentic lodges and travel remote roads and railways in deluxe transportation. Decorations, which can range from balloons to flameless candles and towers of Champagne glasses, can be customized to your vision, with advance approval of the cruise line. Part of deciding whether marrying at sea will be cheaper than marrying on land is asking yourself the right questions.
NCL Wedding Package Details:
If you’re planning on combining your wedding with a honeymoon, a five to seven-day cruise will likely be ideal. “If the wedding party can sail along with the couple, then the party continues for the entire cruise and that could also be a very memorable event for all,” says Frank. The answer is a resounding yes, but there are some caveats, and some couples choose to make a trip to city hall before or after their cruise to get the legality out of the way and marry however they like during their sailing.
Timeless Ceremony at Sea (Ceremony Only)
Passengers in an 'uproar' after P&O cruise ship turned away from New Zealand, ruining couple's wedding - ABC News
Passengers in an 'uproar' after P&O cruise ship turned away from New Zealand, ruining couple's wedding.
Posted: Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
We added extra time with the photographer so we had photos done on the island before the ceremony. We had the ceremony itself in the Cloud 9 card room on Deck 14 (which is now the suite lounge). If you get married onboard the ship, your marriage will be legal in the Bahamas as that is where the ship is registered.
Many couples use the sailing as their honeymoon — yet another aspect of the wedding you won't need to plan. But if your guests are joining the sailing, your romantic getaway may not be very private. If you want family and friends to attend your at-sea wedding, consider whether you can sneak away when needed without hurting anyone's feelings. The average price for a cruise wedding falls between $7,000 and $20,000, according to GroupTravel.org, a sliver of what a land wedding normally costs (an average of $30,000).
Engaged couple on P&O cruise forced to turn back from New Zealand fume after dream Lord of the Rings wedding w - Daily Mail
Engaged couple on P&O cruise forced to turn back from New Zealand fume after dream Lord of the Rings wedding w.
Posted: Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
You can have costumed Mickey and Minnie join you for photos or offer a Dole Whip unity ceremony, as one couple did. If you're getting married on embarkation day at a domestic port such as Miami, Seattle, New Orleans or Fort Lauderdale, you can bring your own officiant to conduct a legal wedding, the same as you would at any land-based wedding venue. If your ceremony will take place during the cruise, either a local notary public (for ports in the U.S.) or a nondenominational officiant (international ports) will preside over the ceremony, making the wedding legal. Weddings can only take place on sea days and on cruises lasting at least seven nights.
Plus, you'll pay above and beyond the price of whichever wedding package you choose every time you invite more people. Inviting family on a cruise ship for your wedding means they’ll be there on your wedding night and honeymoon. That works great for some families, but others may want more space and privacy. Speaking of receptions, you can book a venue and add bar services, hors d’oeuvres or food stations. Since the Bahamas does not allow same sex marriages, those could not be done legally on the ship itself. A ceremony at sea is the perfect way to celebrate your nuptials, with family and friends, during the cruise.
Annoying Mistakes I've Made on Cruises
Most cruise lines sail through multiple destinations, offering you quite a lot of potential spots not only for your ceremony, but for photos. You’ll have tons of stunning backdrops as you sail from one spot to the other. Before you book your tickets, it’s best to get acquainted with the most important details you need to know about getting married on a cruise ship, both good and bad.
Weddings on Celebrity cruises include the option to have the captain perform either a legal or symbolic ceremony at sea -- including legal same-sex weddings -- under the line’s Malta registration. The line's fleet of ships offers a pleasant mix of fun and luxury, leaving the happy couple and their guests with plenty to do before and after the big day. Celebrity's newest ships are also upping the luxury factor on their Edge Class ships, with The Retreat -- an exclusive suite-only complex with its own deck, pool, and dining option. Carnival‘s wedding packages start at $249 per person, for a simple and lovely ceremony. Of course, the sky is the limit, with add-ons and luxury packages that can include everything from a trio of live musicians to custom wedding cakes, glamorous floral arrangements, and full video services. Norwegian Cruise (NCL) weddings come in a vast array of options, which can turn basic packages into full-blown extravaganzas.
Ceremonies at sea officiated by the ship’s captain abide by the laws of the country where the ship is registered. To get married at sea on a Celebrity Cruises ship, you’ll need to obtain a Maltese wedding license beforehand. Once you get married on a cruise ship, you’ll receive an official marriage certificate that can then be used as legal proof of your marriage. In order to make sure your wedding on board or on shore is legally binding, you’ll need to secure a marriage license first. You should also read your package details carefully to determine who will be performing the ceremony.
"We're starting to see more weddings on the islands, whether their whole group is sailing with them or meeting them there," says Bernal. Pamper yourself with a couples' massage, a warm towel shave or prepare for your special day with salon services. 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. Whether you’re in a wedding or going to one, there’s something here for everyone.
In order for a wedding ceremony at sea to be legal, ceremonies need to be conducted under the laws of the country in which the ship is registered, and all of Celebrity Cruises ships are registered in Malta. Whether you want to organize a destination wedding at an international port, or hold an intimate ceremony onboard with a handful of guests, here’s everything you need to know about getting married at sea. Further, while some packages enlist the captain to perform the ceremony, it's important for you to be aware that most don't have the authority to legally marry passengers (Select Princess Cruises captains do). This applies to the cruise line and ship you choose, the destination you pick and the wedding package you purchase, as they can all affect how much you enjoy your voyage and how smoothly your big day goes.
The answer also depends on whether you want to get married while docked in a U.S. port, at sea in international waters, or in a port mid-sailing, as well as the critical issue of whom you would like to officiate. Captains, for example, can perform marriage ceremonies once the ship is in international waters, and the marriage will be legally recognized in the Bahamas. But Bahamian marriage licenses require at least 90 days to process, so you'll want to plan ahead if this is your choice. In addition to selecting an officiant and a ceremony spot, you can plan as simple or as extravagant a reception as you choose. Receptions range from simple cocktail hours to takeovers of whole dining venues, aka a restaurant buy-out.
If you’ve recently gotten engaged (congratulations!) and are looking into celebrating your wedding on a cruise, there are a couple of things you should decide before saying “I do”. Or, if you'd simply like some extra cash to spend onboard, nothing beats cruise line gift cards. This also allows for a redo if your planned shoreside wedding is affected by unforeseen circumstances the first time around.
Be sure to check with your cruise line wedding planner for all the requirements. Some couples get married legally at home and simply have a ceremonial wedding on the ship. Carnival launched same-sex Bermuda weddings in 2018 and Cunard‘s first same-sex wedding is set to take place in November 2018. A wedding onboard a cruise ship or in an exotic port of call is the epitome of romance. If you are considering tying the knot or a vow renewal, you may not have any idea where to start.
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