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We'll break down the costs, offer budgeting advice, and make sure you're ready for your maritime wedding in this guide. Fill out the form below and our founder, Sarah Chancey, will be in touch with you shortly! We’ll connect you with the perfect cruise wedding planner for your needs and get the ball rolling on curating the event experience of a lifetime. Kelsey’s love for all things weddings began when she enrolled in an event management course in college. Kelsey’s favorite part of planning a wedding is creating a genuine relationship with her couples. She knows just how important it is to listen to them and understand what makes them who they are, so that she can design a wedding with them that reflects that.
Princess® Perfect Weddings (And More To Love)
With us, your dream of a wedding out on the water can become a reality. We have included third party products to help you navigate and enjoy life’s biggest moments. If you’re only inviting a few guests or if you have lots of friends to share this moment with, Signature Ceremonies are ideal for you. Beginning this September, passengers will once again be able to work with the cruise line to create their dream wedding or vow renewal ceremony.
Cruise Wedding Planning Guidance & Travel Support
Many cruise lines and companies can accommodate weddings, including Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean, among others. These cruise lines offer a variety of routes and price points so it’s often best to work with a travel agent to find the exact cruise that best suits your desired event. Many couples use the sailing as their honeymoon — yet another aspect of the wedding you won't need to plan.
Embarkation Day Wedding
That means that most legal cruise weddings take place either onboard the ship in port or harborside, docked in a destination. Many cruise ships do have chapels, but some offer more scenic options like a ceremony out on deck. If you’re getting married on the ship, the cruise will typically provide a wedding coordinator with their package. “Generally, the cruise line includes the flowers, music, photographer, and officiant (this could be the captain) in the packages, though some of these might cost extra,” says Heather.
Cruise wedding: Less control, but could be cheaper than land nuptials - USA TODAY
Cruise wedding: Less control, but could be cheaper than land nuptials.
Posted: Wed, 27 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
With just one 500-foot ships accommodating 330 guests, this is the ultimate in intimate cruises. Thanks to the ship’s small size, you’ll be able to slip into small harbors and hug the coastline, which provides once-in-a-lifetime views. Even better, many itineraries include stops at private beaches in Bora Bora and Motu Mahana.
However you spend it, you’ll definitely remember the moment forever. Since Carnival makes fun memories happen every day, just imagine what we can do for an event like your wedding, honeymoon, vow renewal ceremony… or even the proposal itself! Carnival offers a wide variety of packages, the cost of which varies depending (as you might expect) on the number of guests and what type of ceremony the couple is hoping for. If you can't stand the thought of sharing a romantic vacation with your extended family, consider an embarkation-day wedding and bid your guests goodbye after the reception. The trade-off is your pierside event might not be as scenic as an onboard ceremony with expansive sea views.
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. 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 each year with 40 or more guests. As the cruise line returned to service after the COVID-19 pandemic began, it reported that smaller, more intimate ceremonies were becoming more popular. Being married at sea by the captain is still, by far, the most sought-after package, says Princess Cruises.
The caveat, however, is that the further in advance you book, you run a risk of change or cancellation as ships are known to swap itineraries or take ships out of service. In other words, don't play up Aruba or a specific ship — all your guests need to know early on is that it's a Caribbean sailing. 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. As with every aspect of a cruise wedding, it’s important to discuss how any changes (or heaven forbid, cancellations) will be handled with your coordinator so expectations can be managed.
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Considered to be one of the most popular option for cruise ship weddings, Princess Cruise Lines offers what we think is the best combination of services for various wedding styles, whatever your ideal. Note that the cost for in-port marriage licenses vary by destination, from $200 to $700; a shipboard marriage license costs $900. Additional services for floral arrangements, live music and photography can be arranged at an additional cost. Experience premium service and amenities starting with priority boarding for all sailing guests. Prepare for the ceremony with salon treatments including manicures and pedicures.
"We start with a package and design your ceremony to be just for you," says Bernal. But you do need to get your paperwork in order before the wedding day. Andrew also cruised on Celebrity Millennium ship when it first launched in 2002, and has very similar positive things to say about his experience back then.
Think cruising is all about big boats, crowded buffet lines and lazing on deck during days at sea? Star Clippers is breaking all the rules and surprising guests with casual elegance, one-on-one attention and an authentic sailing experience. The fleet of three tall ships, ranging in size from 360 to 450-feet, feature soaring masts and sails to give your wedding a nautical feel. Plus, since Star Clippers ships welcome just 170 to 225 guests per sailing, you’ll get all the personal attention you deserve as the wedding couple. Another option is to get married in port before the ship ever sets sails. If you choose this route, you can invite family and friends to join you for the ceremony, even if they’re not going on the cruise with you.
Reception-wise, couples can choose from a variety of hot and cold appetizers… and even have a specialty cocktail named in their honor! While packages include pre-recorded music for the ceremony, arrangements can be made for live music or a DJ. If you don't like being the center of attention, then a cruise wedding may not be for you. Everyone on board and in port is going to ooh and aah at you as you sashay by in your wedding finery. This type of ceremony is also not ideal for couples who want to invite hundreds of guests or want the flexibility to select the perfect caterer, photographer, cake, florist or musicians.
They say timing is everything, and that’s certainly true for weddings. Step two is when, and that depends on whether you are a morning or night person, and whether you want dynamic daytime photos or images that feature a fabulous evening setting. Taking into consideration how many guests will be in attendance and where they are traveling from will also help in determining the ideal time to get married—as will the season. If you want to share vows during the summer, think about the temperatures you can expect in your chosen city. For example, the heat and/or humidity may be too hot to handle for an August wedding on the water in New York City, so early autumn might be better for those sensitive to warmer weather. You know your preferences, and those of your guests, so make your decision by using that knowledge to your advantage.
In addition to standard marriage packages, many cruise lines also offer vow renewals and even romantic proposal packages. If you can’t find an onboard wedding date, another idea is to go ahead and book your cruise, then organize your wedding with a local planner, instead of the cruise ship planner. For example, if your cruise is spending a day in port at Nassau, you could make arrangements with a local wedding planner. They could set up a ceremony and reception for you, on a nearby beach in the Bahamas. Holland America offers a wide variety of itineraries to worldwide destinations on a fleet of beautiful cruise ships.
Stacie is a certified destination wedding planner with an eye for the details and an obsession with bringing your wedding dreams to life. When you’re working with Chancey Charm, it’s all about a completely custom design and guest experience that represents you as a couple. She strives to take her clients’ breath away at every reveal and enjoys serving a luxury market with the help of her husband. Just like its parks, Disney offers Fairy Tale Weddings on its ships.
