Sea of Romance
Tie the knot at sea on your very own 'Love Boat'
Don't waste your time and money, spending what should be the happiest time of your life, stressing over wedding plans. Instead, opt for something unique and romantic - a cruise ship ceremony!
P&O Cruises UK says it's married 371 couples at sea last year (2008), 32% more than in 2007, and 64% more than in 2006.
Never slow to catch on to a trend, cruise lines are going all-out to promote cruise weddings - both aboard ship and ashore in some exotic port.
More couples than ever are taking the plunge at sea, due to the ease and convenience that goes along with it. Carnival Cruise Lines alone estimates it will plan over 2000 weddings this year, and those weddings will also have a built-in honeymoon. You can have a wedding and then sail off on your honeymoon!
No time wasted between the "I dos" and the fun.
Leave the planning to the professionals
Best of all, you can leave all the stress and decision-making to the cruise line's wedding planners and crew.
Wedding packages are available from American Hawaii, Cape Canaveral, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Holland America, Norwegian, Premier, Princess, Regal, and Royal Caribbean International.
Most cruise wedding packages offer options such as ceremony, priority boarding and VIP treatment for the bride and groom, floral arrangements, wedding certificate, champagne, music, photographers and wedding videos, and even the wedding invitations and thank you notes! Some even offer a live webcam stream, so that friends and family back home can witness the happy couple's happiest moment.
No need to blow the budget either! Most major cruise lines offer wedding services and packages in a wide range of budgets that appeal to every couple, no matter what their financial situation.
The cost of a shipboard wedding can be as affordable as a few hundred dollars to as expensive as a few thousand - depending on the couple and their requests.
Where to wed?
The ceremony can take place onboard the cruise ship in a public space or while in port, on a romantic shore such as a beach or a glacier.
The Grand Princess (the original "Love Boat") has its own wedding chapel, and the captain is authorized to marry you at sea. RCCI's Voyager of the Seas has a wedding chapel, but you will need to tie the knot while in port.
Cruises have always offered a romantic honeymoon experience and because they are nearly all-inclusive, they offer an incredibly convenient way to celebrate.
Newlyweds can dine on their private verandah at sunset, enjoy chocolates and champagne in their staterooms, watch a romantic movie, stroll under star-filled skies on deck, or go for a pampering couple's massage in the ship's spa. On a cruise ship, there is a romantic opportunity around almost every corner.
A cruise-based wedding is really a fun and thrilling way for couples to start off life together. Add the convenience of having everything all in once place and professionals who take care of your every need, and it's a great way to keep a wedding rosy and thorn-free.
Are you a cruise romantic? Join the club!
Princess Cruises, has just launched a new group on Facebook dubbed 'I'm a Princess Cruises Romantic'.
The special group will allow passengers to share their love stories and romantic moments from a Princess cruise holiday, and have discussions about romantic topics.
Meanwhile, Princess has also expanded its 'Department of Romance' to include Trista and Ryan Sutter, of reality TV show The Bachelorette.
The couple who met on the dating show and were eventually married, also christened the Ruby Princess in November last year.
They will provide love advice for Princess' online home for all things romantic.
"We're thrilled to join Princess' Department of Romance and share our unique perspective on dating, falling in love, getting married and having a family," said Trista Sutter.
"After having the honor of christening Ruby Princess, we've seen first hand the romantic ambiance of a Princess cruise and we look forward to offering our tips for helping couples reconnect and make romance a priority."
- Decide if you want to be married on the ship itself or if you prefer to exchange your vows on a beach or in a chapel on land.
Understand that most weddings on board cruise ships actually take place in port, whether it's at the place of departure or somewhere along the way during your trip.
- Obtain a marriage license for the location where the ship will be docked for your marriage. Ask your travel agent or the cruise company for tips on how to do this.
- Realise that it's possible to be married at sea if you have your heart set on it. Princess Cruise's Grand Princess actually has a wedding chapel.
- Take into account that if you get married at sea on the Grand Princess, your wedding license will be from Liberia, since this is where the Princess cruise line is registered.
- Consider the range of wedding options that exist and choose a package that suits your dreams and budget.
- Remember that you arrange for flowers, music and a photographer as part of your package. Talk to the ship's wedding consultant to explain your preferences.
- Shop around. There are many cruise lines out there. Some of the popular ones are Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, among many others. Do a search online to find out more.
Book your trip
Cruises crack down on chair-hoggers!
Deck chairs are so precious on cruises that Celebrity Equinox has recruited "pool butlers" to politely keep chair-hoggers under control.
To stop people saving multiple chairs for long periods of time, the butlers will watch over proceedings and organise fair furniture distribution.
The ship has even widened its front deck to fit in 100 extra deck chairs and also placed a few in the Lawn Club to encourage passengers to relax in areas away from the pools.
The move follows complaints that there were not enough places to lounge around in the sun because people were holding onto deck chairs all day, using towels to mark their territory.
MarketPlace
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Pty Limited. All rights reserved.
Advertise with Us - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Help