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Either a marriage in port or onboard can be legally binding, as long as the couple works with the cruise line to file the correct paperwork in advance. On the other hand, if guests are traveling just for the ceremony, be sure to advise them to fly in well before the day so they don’t miss the big event. Malta officially legalized same-sex marriages in 2017, therefore same sex partners are now able to tie the knot while at sea on Celebrity Cruises. Same-sex marriages can also be conducted on land in countries where they are legally recognized.
Royal Caribbean Wedding Caveat:
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. "We find most weddings are celebrated on board during embarkation day. This allows attendees who aren't sailing with the couple to visit the ship for the ceremony," says Matt Lupoli, of Carnival Cruise Line media relations. This option allows you to not only invite friends and family to your wedding but also enjoy a private honeymoon — without your mother-in-law or best man tagging along. MSC weddings allow couples sailing in the Caribbean to legally tie the knot onboard or ashore with its wedding packages.
What to wear for a cruise wedding?
From custom bouquets to accents and arrangements, Royal Weddings offers an array of floral options to make your celebration more colorful. Ultimately, if you're a person who wants a hassle-free wedding, with a one-stop shop for planning and a built-in honeymoon, then swapping vows ashore, in port or at sea might just be your dream affair. On the other hand, if you want to plan a simple, stress-free wedding, it doesn't get much easier than this.
Love Boat star in Sydney promoting Princess' weddings at sea - Seatrade Cruise News
Love Boat star in Sydney promoting Princess' weddings at sea.
Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
CRUISE WEDDINGS PRICING
Not only can your ceremony be conducted at sea by your Princess ship's captain, but the line also features state-of-the-art technology that allows you to broadcast the ceremony live, via webcam, to friends and family on land. On one particular cruise over Valentine's Day, the captain casually announced he'd conduct vow renewals for anyone who wanted them, and about a half-dozen couples showed up. Princess Perfect Weddings offers couples a range of options within a variety of wedding, renewal of vows and proposal packages, each ensuring that the couple's dream vision can be realized, from intimate gatherings to grand celebrations. Some couples who opt for a memorable wedding at sea are frequent cruisers who use the moment to celebrate their favorite way of traveling as well as their shared love for one another. Ilene and Carl had each been on dozens of cruises when they met on a cruise.
Can you get married at sea in international waters?
As with any milestone event, you can keep it as simple as an intimate elopement or as lavish as a large ceremony with a banquet dinner with every upgrade on offer. Choosing a cruise line that provides options will help tailor your wedding day to fit within your means as well as your dreams. Cruise lines only allot a certain number of weddings to take place on any given week or sailing. So, if you have a very specific date in mind, it’s best to book as far in advance as possible.
Add-ons cover additional decorations, a mimosa breakfast, silk flowers for the couple, massages, sparkling wine upgrades, larger cakes, and cake toppers. All Carnival wedding packages can be arranged to take place on embarkation day, onboard the ship in a port of call, off the ship in a port of call and onboard while at sea (symbolic only). You’ll have to take note of legal requirements when it comes to getting married on a cruise ship or on land. Some countries have residency requirements, meaning you have to reside on the island for a certain period of time in order to legally marry there—not possible if you’re just making a cruise stop. Of course, you could legally marry in your home country before your cruise and have a symbolic wedding at the port. When it comes to getting married on a cruise ship, you’ll need to follow the laws of the country where the ship is registered.
How do cruise weddings work?
Each country has its own requirements for in-port and at-sea weddings, and the cruise line's weddings department will assist in obtaining the information and, ultimately, the license. For example, if you want to get married while the ship is in the Bahamas, you need to first obtain a marriage license from that country, a process that can take up to 90 days. To get married in a U.S. port, you only need a marriage license from that state.
Carnival "cruise cakes" prices (Fun Shops "Occasions Cakes")
Additional cake, flowers and photography services are available for a fee. The marriage license is not included and the fee is one of the highest out there. 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. The most basic (and cheapest) package is Norwegian's Symbolic at Sea option, while a Harborside package allows couples to be married onboard at select ports of call. Packages are available in a wide range of ports in the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
"The norm [for in-port weddings] is to sail with the whole group," she says, rather than have guests fly in for the ceremony. When booking a wedding or a vow renewal, our team will put you in contact with The Wedding Experience, our partners in romance. Simply provide your Wedding Experience Consultant with your group booking number to start planning and coordinating the unique moments that can be part of saying "I Do" or "I Still Do" aboard a Celebrity cruise. 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. We can make sure all members of your group sit together in our Main Restaurant or any of the specialty dining restaurants. We can arrange private shore excursions, cocktail hours, or other events just for your group.
So you can easily marry on certain cruise lines’ ships, while there are others where you can’t. Be sure to do your research, talk to a travel agent who specializes in weddings, and apply for licenses far in advance. Among the choices for Royal Caribbean wedding packages, you have an option to get married at sea, with your ship's captain or first officer officiating a ceremony that includes special nautical vows. There are three packages to choose from, including a small-scale ceremony option, though prices for the larger packages are on par with Disney Cruise Line. Also like Disney, a reception is not included in Royal Caribbean's wedding package prices. Licensing and regulatory fees are not included in Celebrity's base wedding package prices.
Couples wanting to tie the knot while at sea are finally able to do so again onboard Carnival Cruise Line ships. 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. 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.
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. Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences with cruise weddings. 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. Invite sailing and non-sailing guests to share in your occasion during embarkation day. 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.
At-sea nuptials have many selling points — including a wedding planner and a built-in honeymoon — especially for couples looking for smaller, more intimate weddings (up to 125 guests). Yet before you decide to get married on a cruise ship, you'll want to understand all the pros and cons. Weddings in port are available on Carnival cruise ships only in select ports (including embarkation ports), and there's a limit to how many weddings can take place on the same day. Surcharges (ranging from $100 to $200) may apply for ceremonies during popular seasons, including Thanksgiving, winter holidays, Valentine's week and all of May and June. Reception-wise, couples can choose from a variety of hot and cold appetizers… and even have a specialty cocktail named in their honor!
Disney Cruise's Fairy Tale Weddings are available on all of the line’s ships. A legal marriage can’t be recognized in open seas, which are not under the jurisdiction of any country, unless the ship captain or officiant is also a justice of the peace, minister, or notary public. That means that most legal cruise weddings take place either onboard the ship in port or harborside, docked in a destination.
In terms of wedding size, cruise ship weddings tend to work for smaller guest lists—but some cruises can accommodate larger party sizes. Cruise weddings also can be ideal for couples who don’t want any guests at all, and who want to combine their wedding or elopement with a unique honeymoon experience. 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.
Choose a romantic cruise itinerary that includes a stop in one or several honeymoon hotspots such as Hawaii, the Bahamas, or the French Riviera. Event Managers help with all the planning required before boarding your cruise. They’ll answer any questions, help narrow down your venue choices, assist with bookings, help secure the proper documentation required for your ceremony, and more. Therefore, if you decide to get married at sea, our team will happily assist you with the process of getting a license from Malta during the planning stage of your wedding. Pamper yourself with a couples' massage, a warm towel shave or prepare for your special day with salon services.
