THE INSIDER SCOOP ON CRUISE WEDDINGS

Not every cruise line will plan your wedding- Some cruise lines don’t offer weddings at all. Make sure you do your research. Mass-market or larger ships can accommodate larger weddings if you want a full-service wedding. Smaller ships, accommodate to smaller weddings or vow-renewals and often have packages for couples to customize their events.

Might have to pay additional surcharges- Many cruise lines such as Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess and Royal Caribbean charge couples additionally depending on the time of the year. Holidays such as Valentine’s Day and high season for weddings like May and June come with an additional charge to what you pay to go on the cruise.

Not all captains can perform weddings- If you want to get married by the captain at sea, there are restrictions. It depends on the captain and the cruise line, and where you are located. For example, Celebrity and Azamara Club Cruises are registered in Malta, Norwegian is registered in the Bahamas, Princess Cruises and Cunard in Bermuda and MSC Cruises offers weddings on the MSC Divina and MSC Seaside.

Private Island weddings are a good idea- If your cruise line stops by their own private island, this is another option for a cruise wedding. For example, Disney Cruise Line’s captains can perform wedding ceremonies on the ship or at Castaway Cay. There are some restrictions, however, the legal marriage and all the paperwork is done at the cruise terminal before the ship leaves in Port Canaveral. Holland America is another cruise line that offers weddings at their island Half Moon Cay.

In-port weddings can be risky- Weddings in port are gorgeous, however, can be risky. If the cruise line has to cancel going to the place you have things set up for your wedding can ruin a wedding entirely. If the captain decides to cancel a port, there are no exceptions. If you do decide to have your wedding in-port, make sure you choose a location and a time when you know the weather can be pretty much predicted. Going to the Caribbean in hurricane season, you can almost guarantee that some ports will be canceled.

Make sure to plan the legal paperwork ahead of time- Choosing a cruise wedding can be fantastic, however, can be difficult to make sure that it is legal. One recommendation is to make sure that you do your research into what cruise line and where the cruise is going to make sure that you have the proper paperwork ready or when you depart. Consult your travel agents or wedding planner or more information as well as suggestions on what they think is your best option.

Book early- Cruise weddings are growing in popularity, to make sure that you get the stateroom that you want as well as staterooms for your guests, it is always a good idea to book as early as you can. This will also avoid any surcharges and price increases as time goes by.

Let your guests know in advance- Since they have to book time off of work and save for the cruise, it is always a good idea to give ample notice to your guests so they also have enough time to book and get the staterooms that they want.

Group rates are available for cruise weddings- Group rates are available for cruise weddings. Get your guests together and plan to book with the same person to get group rates. This lowers the cost of the cruise allowing you to spend more money on possible shore excursions and things for the wedding!

See if there is a wedding planner onboard- Some cruise lines offer a wedding planner to help with your planning. It is best to contact the company and ask if they have one to help with your planning.

Honeymoon cruises- You can also choose to cruise for your honeymoon. Cruises are relatively easy to plan since you have more wedding planning on your plate. In addition, some cruise lines offer a honeymoon registry for the couple. So your loved ones can choose to upgrade your room or pay for a shore excursion on them. This is a new and fun way a family or friend can gift to you for your wedding.