Cruise holidays have all the ingredients for a first-class destination wedding; a luxury venue, exceptional food, service and facilities, all with a backdrop of the world’s most captivating destinations. Whether you wish to get married in the amber glow of sunset, on the pristine white sands of the Caribbean or while journeying through the magnificent Norwegian fjords, cruise lines have a wedding package to offer. And with dining, accommodation and your cruise honeymoon often included, it can work out at great value too.
Most of the leading cruise lines offer wedding packages, including Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, Holland America, Disney Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises. Each offers a range of different and often customisable packages with unique, special touches. Below, we review four of our favourite cruise lines for getting married.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises know how to do weddings and have become one of the most popular options due to the excellent range of choices, tailored to suit each individual couple. They even set the record for the largest marriage vow renewal ceremony in 2020 with 1,443 couples! Their Tie The Knot offering has three different packages, ‘At Sea’, ‘Harbourside’ and ‘Ashore’, providing you the opportunity to get married while sailing on the ship, at a chapel or an exotic destination, like a beach or glacier.
As well as the official ceremony (performed by the Captain if getting married onboard), packages include flowers, photography, wedding cake, sparkling wine, hors d’oeuvres and guidance from your own wedding coordinator. Princess Cruises also offer a Honeymoon Wishes Registry, where guests can contribute to the couple’s onboard treats.
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean is another popular choice for cruise weddings, providing customisable options to match your style. They offer packages for weddings at sea (Vows at Sea), on embarkation day (Embark on Romance) and at a destination (Destination I Do). They also offer an Intimately Yours package just for you and your partner or up to 10 guests.
The ship’s Captain is able to legally perform your ceremony, which can include traditional nautical vows for a real at-sea experience. All packages include a wedding cake, recorded music and champagne. Depending on the offer, couples can also enjoy a range of special touches, such as chocolate-covered strawberries, a mimosa breakfast and dinner in a speciality restaurant.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises have an excellent array of itineraries to choose from for your dream wedding destination, from close-to-home trips to far-flung exotic locations. They encourage creativity when tailoring your package, which can involve getting married at sea, at a destination or shoreside. The Captain can perform both legal and symbolic ceremonies, which are accompanied by live music, photography, cake and champagne, organised by your event planner.
For an all-inclusive experience, have a look at their ‘celebration packages’, which include items such as a welcome reception, bridesmaid tea party and gentlemen’s cigar and whisky party. Another handy aspect is their interactive website, with plenty of information and images of their packages.
Cunard Line
Cunard brings a wonderfully historic, romantic charm to its weddings, having hosted celebrations for royalty and celebrities over decades. Their wedding-at-sea packages can include the ceremony performed by the Captain, flowers, wedding cake, couple’s breakfast in bed and traditional ceremony music. With a White Star bellman escorting you to the ceremonial room, this is a wedding with first-rate style. Meanwhile, the priority check-in for all of your wedding party will be an extra your guests will appreciate.
Whichever cruise line you decide to host your wedding, take time to review what’s included in your package and for which dates. Often licensing fees are extra, and surcharges can be incurred during peak season. Availability is limited, so it’s critical to plan well in advance to secure your date.
However, cruise lines have been performing weddings for over twenty years, so they know what’s needed to create the perfect day, meaning you can be sure of a cruise ship wedding experience to treasure.
To find out more about getting married on a cruise ship, please speak to our cruise specialists.
