Wedding Cruises
A bride dressed in the traditional white veil
and gown and wearing a life jacket. The most intriguing moment
of the cruise lifeboat drill. How did it work out, having
family and friends along for the honeymoon? Were all the details
covered or were shoes, the cake and grandma accidentally left
behind?
 Karen
Weisberg enjoyed a wedding cruise aboard the Grand Princess.
She says, "It was great having our family and friends with
us. There is so much to do on the ship, so no one gets in
the way of anyone else. . . . There is still plenty of time
to spend alone, because your guests understand that it is
your wedding and honeymoon. It's not weird at all."
Karen and her husband wanted a cruise wedding
on the Grand Princess because they had become engaged on the
same ship the year before. Being on the ship before their
wedding, with everything done for them, meant that they could
relax and enjoy being waited on instead of rushing themselves
into a frazzle before the big day.
Vickie and Charlie Carroll, along with 12 guests,
took a Carnival cruise to St. Thomas and married at Bluebeard's
Beach Club. They found this preferable to a wedding on the
ship, though others have tied the knot onboard and only visited
the various stop overs.
Palm trees, bouganvillea and hibiscus shaded
the Carroll's wedding location. Instead of the miserable February
weather of Washington D.C, it was a balmy 85 degrees. 
After the ceremony, the couple moved a few
steps to the beach where they shared wedding cake and champagne
with their invited guests and two uninvited iguanas which
lingered in hopes of another bite. The celebration continued
back at the ship.
Vickie and Charlie feel that "being on board
the Destiny was like having a week-long wedding reception.
Daily we sunned ourselves and rested and nightly we danced,
sang Karaoke, and laughed and just enjoyed being all together
far away from the daily grind."
The couple give this hint. "The ship has many
places set up in the evening to take formal photos. We used
every one of them and got some great wedding photos without
the cost of a professional."
The Carrolls point out that the cruise line
recommends that the wedding party arrive a day ahead of the
cruise in case of any problems. An ice storm hit Washington
as they were about to leave for Miami with flights canceled
and rerouted. With the extra day, they still ended up in good
 time
for the embarkation. Another good idea is for everyone to
take their wedding clothes onto the plane in a garment bag
as part of the carry-on luggage. If baggage goes to California,
the wedding can still carry on.
Karen Weisberg says to make sure to use a reputable
company so all the couple need do is show up and relax. She
used, A Wedding for You Inc., also on the net as www.aweddingforyou.com.
A note for those not living in the United States.
Using a travel agent in your own country can prevent loss
of money if a cruise is canceled. At least make sure your
cruise is insured with an agent who will pay even if the company
isn't based in your country. A Canadian, I have used both
an American Company over the Internet and my local travel
agent with success.
On the romance side, Paul Motter of www.cruisemates.com
has some savvy advice for a great honeymoon. His Couple's
Survival Kit includes nose strips, blindfold, earplugs and
a booklite. Sounds kind of kinky.
The nose strips and ear plugs stop the snores
in a small cabin. A midnight novel reader uses the booklite
while his or her mate uses the blindfold to sleep. Seasickness
pills or patches may also be useful, but many of the boats
are so large, they'll feel like a train rather than a boat.
The kit wouldn't be complete without condoms, a cruise ship
rivals a train when it comes to the good times. Something
about the vibrations of a large moving vehicle.
Cruise weddings range from an intimate ceremony
with cake cutting and pictures with 8 guests for $650 to $850
to a deluxe romance package with a reception and half hour
open bar for up to 20 guests for $1,550. Upgrades can include
a limousine to the dock, better wedding cake, extra flowers
which will all add to the cost.
With Carnival cruises, each package includes
the bouquet and boutonniere for the groom, sparkling wine
and champagne flutes, wedding cake with keepsake topper, recorded
wedding march, photography and wedding album. As the price
increases, hors d'oeuvres and ice carvings are included.
Guests are required to disembark right after
the ceremony in various ports of call, so it would be wise
to have any guests sailing also sign up for the cruise. A
notary public or non-denominational minister conduct the ceremonies
not the ship's captain. Taking Karen's advice and using an
experienced wedding planner or travel agent will help prevent
wedding horror stories.
The articles contained on Chicktrip are the exclusive
property of Chicktrip. Do not reproduce this material on any
other website or publication. You are welcome to link.
©2005
|
