Norwegian Cruise Line to offer new wedding packages. Would you marry onboard?

Jason · August 7, 2013

There was a time when a destination wedding aboard a cruise ship was difficult to plan and sometimes even impossible due to logics and the marriage laws of a foreign country. Over the past few years it's gotten much easier to marry at sea as cruise lines devote more resources to their "romance" packages. To that end, Norwegian Cruise Line just announced new wedding packages that make it a breeze for couples to plan ceremonies and receptions away from home.

Norwegian, in partnership with Royal Ocean Events, are tempting engaged couples with three options for their nuptials. The Destination wedding is performed on shore in certain ports throughout the world. Harborside events are performed on board while the ship is docked in select ports and the Symbolic package includes a ceremony performed on board while at sea.

If you pick the Destination package, you can select a ceremony site on shore in ports of call throughout the world. In the United States you can marry in like Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Juneau, Boston, New York, Seattle, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and New Orleans. There are plenty of options in the Caribbean too, like St. Lucia, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Aruba, and St. Thomas. In Europe, the only port of call on the list is Santorini, Greece.

The Destination package includes round-trip transportation to the ceremony for the bride and groom, assistance with the marriage certificate, on-site wedding coordinator, a private ceremony location, bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere, pre-recorded ceremony music, a local marriage officiant (or you can bring your own), a six-inch wedding cake, one bottle of champagne, and a keepsake wedding certificate.

If you wish to marry on the ship, you'll want to check out the Harborside and Symbolic packages. Harborside ceremonies are performed right on the ship in select ports of call and include most of the same perks as the Destination package. Couples picking the Symbolic wedding package also marry onboard the ship but they do so while the ship is at sea and the ceremony is presided over by a ship's officer or staff member.

Some couples plan very intimate events with just the two of them while others invite all their family and friends to attend. Norwegian and Royal Ocean Events can customize any wedding day with save the date cards, invitations, specialty bouquets and centerpieces, entertainment, photography and videography, catered receptions, and designer wedding cakes.

Wedding packages start at $1,600. Vow renewals range from $299–$499.

By Andrea M. Rotondo, Fodors

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WeCruiseToo · August 10, 2013

Well, neither of us is ever planning on another wedding, but there may be a vow renewal in our future! :smile:

Huntm · August 13, 2013

Well, neither of us is ever planning on another wedding, but there may be a vow renewal in our future!

I agree 100%. I think a cruise ship wedding would be awesome!! I could see a vow renewal "on board" in our future :)

Jan115 · August 13, 2013

I went to a wedding on board the Emerald Princess in 2010 for a young couple from Russia. We met through a cruise forum before the cruise and they invited us. It was so sweet. Because of all the red tape getting married in Russia, they decided to get married on board a cruise ship. No friends or family came, just two witnesses and our family. It was so sweet. We are still friends, and I showed them around Newport when they were in town on a cruise last fall.

Yes, I would have loved to get married on a cruise ship - if I had thought of it 36 years ago!

jacketwatch · August 18, 2013

For me it would be hard though of course it's a moot point. Perhaps one day soon (I hope) our son will get hitched and we want it to be big as there are lots of friends and family so getting them one a ship would be impossible and I am sure many would want to witness this. I'll bet it would be 300-400 so its easier to get them all together on land for a day or two vs. a ship for a much longer period of time.

DebbieandJerry · August 19, 2013

I'm confused! I have seen MANY weddings on all of the cruise ships that we have been on. So, is this a NEW-NEW idea or just another NCL marketing idea? Sounds to me like NCL is marketing "ports of call" weddings. The $1600 doesn't cover any airfare or hotel stays ...

I say get married on the ship. The only drawback -- you better really love the folks you invited to the wedding! They will be with you for the duration of your honeymoon.

Jan115 · August 19, 2013

I'm confused! I have seen MANY weddings on all of the cruise ships that we have been on. So, is this a NEW-NEW idea or just another NCL marketing idea? Sounds to me like NCL is marketing "ports of call" weddings. The $1600 doesn't cover any airfare or hotel stays ...
I say get married on the ship. The only drawback -- you better really love the folks you invited to the wedding! They will be with you for the duration of your honeymoon.

Yes - I think a romantic honeymoon after the "family & friends" honeymoon would be in order. :)

Shari2 · August 22, 2013

For my first wedding I wouldn't have been able to bring all 150 guests along. LOL Second wedding (widow) we still had a lot of guests, and I think having family and friends at your wedding is really important, so I would say no to the getting married at sea. On our last group cruise we were invited to a friend's vow renewal on the Carnival Liberty. The captain officiated, and it was lovely...reception after, right there in that same room. I think the wedding, or vow renewal would be nice for anyone who didn't want a priest, rabbi, or minister, or a big wedding, or lots of people at your service. Not sure, but maybe you could bring your own priest, rabbi or minister along?

Jan115 · August 22, 2013

Good points, Shari. One way to do it if you couldn't afford to bring all your guests (can anybody? LOL!) would be to get married on board with jut a few close friends and family and have a big celebration at home. I am going to a wedding celebration in my home town next month for a couple who are getting married Labor Day weekend under a waterfall in New Hampshire. These kinds of double wedding celebrations are pretty popular these days. Then, it all depends on traditions and beliefs, doesn't it! :-)

Shari2 · August 22, 2013

Jan...good idea about the second celebration at home...you are right, that is being done a lot these days. I forgot about that. It's good for those who can afford to do both. Under a waterfall in New Hampshire...wow...that's a different one. Would love to hear how that went after the wedding. My daughter went to the weddings of friends out of country...one in Mexico, and the other in the Caribbean...both gals had celebrations when they got home also. Yes...it does depend a lot on traditions and beliefs.