10 Reasons To Consider A Wedding At Sea

Wedding planning season is underway, and there are endless offerings for venues, music, food, and photography to make your special day one to remember. It can be hard to know where to begin.

An unconventional option that you may have not considered is getting hitched on a cruise ship. Cruise lines already have experience in this and have designed multitude of wedding packages that incorporate all wedding necessities, and much more.

The cruise travel experts at CruiseCompete point out several reasons why saying "I Do" at sea is a good idea.

Picture being surrounded by the open sea with the love of your life on an in-bound cruise to a destination of your choice. Get married on an exotic island or traditional on-board chapel with friends and family.

If you don't want to set aside a ton of time for wedding planning, then a destination cruise wedding is an option worth looking into. Avoid the stress of planning a wedding, big or small. You pay; they take care of you! Any package purchased includes the basics of a traditional wedding with available add-ons such as a spa day for your wedding party or breakfast and mimosas in bed for the happy couple. The pricier the package, the more benefits available. Lines like NCL and Royal Caribbean are excellent choices that provide beautiful packages with the added bonus of a professional wedding planner. 

The official Love Boat. Most people know this is one of the most romantic cruise lines.  Find details on which lines offer weddings at sea here.  

A destination cruise wedding is a convenient way to get married. A week or even a day before the wedding, you won't be stressing the details – that is your wedding coordinator's job. Everything is prepared for you. The guests have arrived. Cake, music, and drinks are ready. Decorations are placed. You're ready. Just show up!

Ultimately, the cost is less expensive compared to a local, hometown wedding, which typically costs $20,000-$35,000. Destination weddings offer a mini-vacation to the guests, a ceremony, reception, and honeymoon. You can find packages that range anywhere from $700 to $20,000, and most cruises offer multiple package options to choose from. Basic packages consist of a ceremony with pre-recorded or live music, photography service, catering, 2-3 tier wedding cake and drinks at an open bar.

If a small wedding is what you want with close friends and immediate family, then a destination cruise wedding is a good excuse for keeping the guest list short, sweet, and simple. It's an easy way to avoid hosting eccentric or cranky extended family members.

A cruise ship is practically its own small city. Some cruise ships accommodate 5,000-plus passengers. With so many passengers there must be a way to entertain them all, right? Most cruise ships offer a wide range of activities and special services. For example, spa and fitness centers, multiple pools, dancing and live music, movie theaters, standup comedy shows, open bar, casino, outdoor activities such as recreational sports and water slides. And the list goes on.

Some cruise lines offer extensive options for keeping children busy while the newlyweds get to enjoy their time together. Care and entertainment can be provided to kiddos ages 2-plus. See information here.

After the ceremony, the honeymoon starts right there. No separate booking for your wedding night necessary. No further travel required. There's also the option to stay at the destination site for an extended honeymoon. Now, that's convenient- and less expensive. 

Let cruise specialists help you with your wedding cruise planning.  They will set up the accommodations and turn you over to the wedding planner at the line you choose.