Saying 'I Do' to Cruise Weddings

Many couples are choosing to say “I do” aboard cruise ships or in ports of call along the way. It’s a plan that offers plenty of pros along with a few cons, according to experienced destination wedding planners.

“A cruise ship wedding is a fantastic option for many reasons,” said Rhonda Day, a Louisville, Kentucky-based Dream Vacations franchise owner. “Cruises are such a fun option for multigenerational families. If a couple would like to bring their extended family to their wedding, being on board a ship can accommodate most budgets, entertainment styles, nightlife styles, food options and much more.”

Day noted that the bride and groom may choose to get a suite, while their friends and family can book an interior, oceanview or balcony cabin and be within their budget.

“At all-inclusive resorts, even the lowest-priced rooms will be a financial challenge for some budgets,” she said. “Plus, if the cruise ship wedding couple gets married in a departure port that is within driving distance from their homes, family members could avoid booking flights.”

Another positive for cruise ship weddings is the passport issue. “Some family members may be hold-outs on getting their passports,” Day said. “Although passports are very highly recommended, if the wedding is on a cruise that is closed-loop, the guests would still be able to cruise as long as they have the required birth certificate and photo ID documents. Of course, I always highly recommend passports.”

An additional option offered by many lines is a “day of departure” wedding. If friends and family do not book the cruise, or the bride and groom don’t want them to go along on the honeymoon, the cruise lines will let friends and family board the ship on the day of departure, attend the wedding and reception, and then debark the ship,” Day said.

Kelley Austin, who calls herself a “Couples Travel Concierge” and owns a Cruise Planners agency in Navasota, Texas, also cited those reasons for the popularity of cruise ship weddings.

“It’s a way to keep control of the guest list—but it’s certainly the romance of getting married either in a foreign port of call or on a cruise ship at sea,” she said. “There’s also a built-in honeymoon and, if couples are interested in traveling with family and friends, it’s a great group experience. Couples can spend time with friends and family yet have the freedom to be away from them, too.”

Are the variables significantly different from those of qualifying all-inclusive resort couples? “It’s not terribly different to qualify the couple and their guests to the right cruise ship and right cruise line,” Austin said. “It’s about finding the right product for the right people.”

Austin has found that some couples who choose a cruise for their nuptials are repeat cruisers who know exactly what ship they want. Still, others choose a ship based near their home so friends and family can drive to the port. If they’ve already decided on the ship, they come to Austin to handle the bookings and any travel arrangements for friends and family.

Of course, cruise-selling agents know that things can go wrong. A storm can move in and change the itinerary, complicating weddings planned for a certain destination. Galveston, Texas, for example, sometimes gets fogged in, delaying the return of cruise ships and possibly forcing the delay of an in-port wedding.

“My cruise ship brides need to be a little more flexible than destination brides,” Austin said. “There can often be a Plan B rescheduled in the next port of call,” especially if you’re working with a third-party wedding planner or destination management company that can operate in multiple islands or destinations.

“What I find with my cruise brides, in particular, is it’s all about educating them as to what could go wrong, but more importantly what Plan B is,” she added.

But if everything goes right, with careful planning by the couple, their travel agent and an expert wedding department, it can be the wedding of their dreams.