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Cruise Elopements

Cruise Elopements and Cruise Weddings

Cruise Elopements remind us that we have all seen the romantic scenes in movies where the two main leads have an impromptu wedding on a ship presided over by the Captain. Unfortunately, in real life weddings at sea are not nearly as common as Hollywood would have us believe! In fact, in most circumstances, a Captain does not have the legal right to perform a wedding unless he (or she) is also a judge, a minister or some other recognized officiant. However, that does not mean that you cannot elope on a cruise ship – it just takes a little planning!

How To of Cruise Elopements

There are a growing number of cruise providers who can offer wedding packages and most of them offer two different options. You can either choose to be married on the beach at one of the stops along the cruise route for a romantic island wedding or alternatively you can be married on-board the ship before it leaves port, allowing you the chance to enjoy the ultimate ‘elopacation’ afterwards!

One thing to bear in mind is that a cruise wedding is not something you can do at the last minute, it does require some planning and a fair amount of notice. That does not mean that eloping on a cruise negates the purpose of eloping to avoid all of the stress of wedding planning! The majority of cruise providers will take care of all of the arrangements provided that you book in advance and take care of some paperwork. In fact, here is an easy step by step guide to getting married on a cruise!

  1. Choose a cruise provider who offers wedding packages, then select the services you need.
  2. Book the cruise and wedding through the company’s weddings coordinator and be sure to specify exactly what you want.
  3. Choose additional activities such as on-shore excursions like you would on any normal cruise, but not on the wedding day itself unless you are getting married on an island beach!
  4. Register for the appropriate marriage license and provide the required documentation.
  5. Confirm your booking with the cruise company.
  6. Pack your bags, head to the ship and get married!

Choosing A Cruise Elopement

The main concern when it comes to planning to elope on a cruise is, of course, selecting the cruise itself. It is important to note that wedding services are not available on all cruise lines, and in some cases are restricted to certain ships or routes. One of the most popular providers when it comes to eloping on a cruise are Princess Cruises, largely because they offer such a wide variety of options.

As shown below, they are one of the few Cruise Lines who are able to offer weddings at sea, although these are a little more expensive than those conducted in port. Princess Captains are also licensed officiants as well allowing couples to live out the complete fantasy as per those Hollywood movies! The company also offers the unique ability to have guests back home watch your wedding via a webcam feed live from the ship! Other alternatives for those looking to elope on a cruise include Disney Cruises, where you can tie the knot on Disney’s own private island Castaway Cay and Carnival Cruises that offers a range of onboard and destination packages for eloping couples including shore-side ceremonies in places like Key West, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico, Bahamas, and Barbados.

The cruise lines below offer various options in terms of ceremony choice and budgets if you are considering a cruise wedding, cruise elopement or vow renewal at sea.

1. Princess Cruises

TIE THE KNOT PACKAGES PRINCESS CRUISES
Princess Cruises provides the best cruise wedding options for couples who want more than the ordinary. The cruises usually have a chapel solely dedicated for wedding or elopement events. The captain of the ship officiates the ceremony. The packages include a wedding day coordinator, floral arrangement, bouquet and boutonniere, photography services, live music, a wedding cake, and sparkling wine. In addition, couples will receive a keepsake wedding certificate. Princess Cruises wedding packages range from $1,700 to $4,900 for their “Tie the Knot Ashore” premium package. The final price also depends on the things that the couple wants to be included in the ceremony.
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Phone: 1-855-434-3550

2. Celebrity Cruises

NAUTICAL NUPTIALS AT SEA: CELEBRITY WEDDINGS
Celebrity Cruises put together onboard elopement services and destination weddings. The cruises offer leisure and luxury before, during and after the wedding for the newlyweds and any guests in attendance. The shoreside and in-port weddings can be led by another officiant instead of the captain. This package includes the transport of the wedding party to the site and the pricing starts at $2,195 only. The “Nautical Nuptials at Sea” elopement package’s price starts at $2,500. It already includes a ceremony conducted by the captain, the services of an event planner, a one-hour long photographic session, cake for two, sparkling wine, live music a bouquet for the bride and boutonniere for the groom. Couples will also be given the use of romantic amenities after the ceremony.
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Phone: 1-866-535-2352

3. Disney Cruise Line

WEDDINGS WITH DISNEY CRUISE
Disney Cruise Line is the best choice for couples who have children as a venue to tie the knot. Disney’s “Cruise Collection” package is offered on all cruises out of Florida for eloping couples to choose from. Packages start from $3,000 and will include a Florida marriage license, an officiant, bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere, a wedding coordinator, a pianist, a toast, two-tier wedding cake with memento topper, in-cabin sparkling wine and strawberries, and dinner for two at the line’s adult-only alternative restaurant. This package accommodates up to eight guests in addition to the couple, so family can also attend.
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Phone: 1-321-939-4610

4. Carnival Cruise Line

WEDDINGS AT CARNIVAL CRUISE WEDDINGS
Carnival Cruise Line’s elopement packages start at only $1,195. This package includes priority check-in to the cruise, the wedding ceremony with flowers for the bride and the groom, Champagne toast with flutes for keepsake, a keepsake cake topper on top your wedding cake, a recorded wedding music, and a photographer to capture all the good memories. Their other wedding packages include a traditional two-tiered wedding cake and coffee service, a 90-minute open-bar reception and an ice carving. Videography services, live music and tuxedo rental may also be added at an extra cost.
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Phone: 1-800-933-4968

5. Norwegian Cruise Line

WEDDINGS AT SEA BY NORWEGIAN CRUISES
Norwegian Cruise Line offers three types of elopement packages. The symbolic on-cruise type is officiated by a ship officer while at sea since captains can’t legally carry out marriage ceremonies on Norwegian vessels. This package already includes wedding coordination, bouquet and boutonniere for the couple, a small cake, recorded wedding music, a bottle of sparkling wine and also a keepsake certificate. The “Harborside” packages add priority embarkation for the bridal entourage if the nuptial celebration is on embarkation day. The “Destination” packages include the basic services offered in the Symbolic packages with the addition of a round-trip ride for the happy couple to their wedding venue in port.
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Phone: (604) 940-1181

6. Royal Caribbean International

ROYAL CARIBBEAN WEDDINGS
Royal Caribbean International has a variety of wedding packages, including the chance to get married at sea! This is allowed due to the new Bahamas marriage act and your ship’s captain or his first officer will officiate. Elopement packages on the Royal Caribbean vessels starts at $2,995. This includes priority check-in for the couple and their entourage, a wedding coordinator, an hour of photography and 20 prints of 8x10 sizes, recorded music, a bouquet and boutonniere for the couple, and a sparkling wine. Other wedding packages may include getting married at a number of exotic locales like on a glacier in Alaska, beside a waterfall in Hawaii or ancient ruins in Greece while their ship is in port. These wedding packages can be upgraded to include: a live soloist, a dozen long-stemmed white roses for the bridal bouquet, fresh flowers for your room, a bottle of Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries in the cabin on the wedding night. In addition, the couples gets a romantic dinner for two at an onboard specialty restaurant.
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Phone: 1-888-WED-RCCL

7. P&O Cruises

P&O CRUISE WEDDINGS AT SEA
P&O Cruises have vessels like Adonia, Arcadia, and Oriana that only caters to passengers above eighteen years of age. This is best for couples who would like to have their elopement ceremony and honeymoon strictly for adults and away from the chances of having kids running around to ruin the budding romance. Those couples who want their kids with them on this momentous event can always go for the other vessels like Aurora and Oceana where children are allowed. The P&O Cruises’ Weddings at Sea package begins at £825 with the ceremony conducted by the ship’s captain. Included as basic to the package are the flowers, music, keepsake certificate, bottle of Champagne, a photography package, wedding coordinator services, invites and thank-you cards.
UK
Phone: 0843 373 0353

8. Holland America

WEDDINGS AT SEA: HOLLAND AMERICA
Holland America cruise lines cater to a mature clientele fitting for older couple weddings. Majority of its vessels have a chapel solely dedicated for nuptial vows and renewal of vows. The wedding for couples only package starts at $795 and it includes priority check-in for the couple, an on-board ceremony coordinator, an officiant and a souvenir wedding certificate. Other packages includes a bridal bouquet and boutonniere, a single-tier wedding cake, a bottle of Champagne, a decorated table for the couple, photography services and a dedicatory wedding album and recorded music.
Phone: (888) 475-5511

9. Cunard Line

CUNARD ROYAL WEDDINGS
The Cunard Line is known for treating weddings the same as royal affairs. The affair takes place in the vessel while on its way to Bermuda from the UK and back during a seven-day journey. The captain conducts the wedding while the rest of the crew pampers the couple with its superb services. Wedding packages start at $2,500 which includes beautifully arranged flowers, an eight-inch wedding cake, traditional wedding music and romantically rendered ceremonies. The couple can also opt to have breakfast in bed.
UK
Phone: 0843 373 0353

10. Electra Cruises-Newport Beach, California

ELECTRA CRUISES
Dreaming of an elopement at sea? Electra Cruises has a stunning yacht fleet and is also a full service Consulting Bridal firm where their creative consultants will plan a beautiful and unique ceremony full of amazing ideas from invitations to receptions designed to fit you to a ‘T’. Nothing is more unforgettable and romantic as an elopement at sea, so set sail under a starry night sky or a California sunset with the Pacific Ocean on all sides while you celebrate with your closest family and friends! Check online to see the wonderful packages they offer.**
3439 Via Oporto
Newport Beach, CA
92663
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Phone: (949) 723-1069 or (800) 952-9955
Fax: (949) 723-5156

Planning a Cruise Elopement?

Before you sign on to elope on a cruise, make sure to read this whole article from www.CruiseCritic.com: 9 Things to Know When Planning a Cruise Wedding.