Wedding Cruises
Wedding Cruises
May 11, 2005Posted By weddings
More articles on the Weddings topic: Weddings
Wedding Cruises are nothing short of incredible. The experience is one that you'll never forget. Going on a wedding cruise can make planning a lot easier too. You don't have to worry about inviting 200 guests to your wedding - most of your friends and family will not be attending. That's a positive in that much of the stress associated with planning immediately disappears. It's a negative in that only those closest to you will be there to experience it with you.
One option available is to have a reception upon returning home from your cruse. That way everyone can celebrate together, and the fact that the reception is held a few days to a few weeks after your wedding makes everything less formal. This isn't for everybody, but it is an option worth investigating.
A wedding cruise can cost anywhere from $1000.00 to as much as you could possibly want to spend. The trip itself can be as simple as a 2 day trip from Los Angeles to Mexico, to a 14 day carribean adventure. You probably won't want a bargain basement stateroom for your wedding adventure. The smallest staterooms in large cruise ships can make you claustrophobic even if you weren't before. If you are going the budget route, check out some of the smaller cruiselines. They might be a little more expensive for the basic packages, but the starting point for amenities is a little bit higher, and it is well worth it.
Top destinations include the Greek Islands, Carribean Islands, Alaska, and the Bahamas. It's best to consult with a travel agent who is recommended to you or who you know personally. The variety of pricing and quality of service in this industry is vast. Many travel agents are motivated more by the high commissions on cruises than by the potential of retaining your business. Talk to at least three travel agents before booking anything. Don't get pressured into signing up because "space is limited" or "pricing is about to change". Those are age old sales tactics. Bargains are out there to be had every day of the year.
What can you expect on a wedding cruise? The standards are:
- Fantastic Meals - ships always have great food.
- Room Service - most ships will bring food to your room.
Don't go on a wedding cruise if they don't have room service. You're going
to spend a lot of time behind closed doors. - Activities - it's not just shuffleboard anymore. Major
cruiselines have some amazing entertainment. Some big ships have tennis or
racquetball courts. The list of activities is neverending. Usually, on board
activities are available at either no extra charge, or for a nominal fee. - Gratuities - Either a fixed cost for all gratuities, or
no gratuities at all. - Spa - Pamper yourself with massages, revitalizing treatments,
manicures, pedicures, etc. - Local Tours - Checking out the locals is always fun. Ship
sponsored trips usually incur a fee, and the fee is usually very low.
Ceremonies on board a wedding cruise, believe it or not, are usually held by a chaplain rather than the ships captain. You are better off that way anyhow, except on some smaller vessels, because the captain has a lot of responsibilities pulling him all over the boat. You want someone who can pay attention to all of the minor details. A photographer is always included, as well as a special meal for the couple. Things can be as simple as an excursion to a beach for a ceremony in the sand, or held on board in a dedicated chapel.
We will be highlighting experiences on various cruise lines in the near future.
Wedding Cruises Commentary
May 11, 2005 01:42 PMLeeesa
My husband and I went on a wedding cruise on Carnival. It was the most awesome thing ever. They took care of us everywhere we went. I felt like royalty. She's right about upgrading the stateroom. We upgraded as soon as we got on board and it was no problem at all (very expensive, but no problem getting it done). We would have saved 1200 dollars if we upgraded when we originally booked.
