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Step 1
Determine what length of cruise you are interested in (if you are inviting guests, how long do you want to be on a cruise with them).
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Step 2
Consider the different destinations (Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, New England, etc.) and create a list with your top choices.
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Step 3
If you are unfamiliar with cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, Disney, Holland America and Celebrity, to name a few) read reviews online and decide which cruise line you think is best for your wedding. Consider reading wedding reviews associated with each cruise line (some cruise line wedding departments are better than others). Cruisecritic.com is a good place to start.
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Step 4
Determine if you would prefer to be married before the ship leaves port (guests who are not going on the cruise can often board the boat just for the ceremony/reception) or if you would prefer to be married on the ship or ashore at one of the destinations. Usually it is cheaper to have the wedding aboard the ship.
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Step 5
Visit the various cruise lines’ websites (see below for links). Most have a list of all the destinations where they will perform weddings, as well as the different packages available. Very few cruise lines will allow weddings to take place while the ship is cruising; most require that the ship is docked in a port.
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Step 6
If you decide to have the wedding on the ship while docked at a port, find out what times are available for the wedding ceremony/reception by contacting the wedding planner department for the cruise line. Keep in mind timing may prevent you from debarking the ship and exploring the destination. Ceremony and reception times are usually assigned on a first come basis so book your wedding early to ensure you get the time you want.
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Step 7
If you will be married on the ship, find out what locations are available for the ceremony/reception. Some cruise ships have chapels, some will offer the auditorium or one of the lounges as a ceremony location, others will allow you to marry on the deck of the ship. Contact the cruise line’s wedding department and request that they email you pictures of each location, if the pictures are not available on their website. Consider the décor of the location (some of the lounges have what some people may consider to be tacky décor – leopard print, bright colors, etc.). Consider how your wedding pictures will look in that room.
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Step 8
Inquire about the cruise line’s wedding photographer. If one of your guests is a professional photographer or even a good amateur photographer, you may consider asking them to take pictures for free. Another option is to ask all your guests to take pictures on their own cameras and ask them to share the pictures with you. If you want some professional pictures, there are always the photography areas that are set up on the ship, usually before dinner (you can have several pictures taken and then decide which ones you want to purchase).
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Step 9
Put together a guest list and evaluate how many people you think would attend the wedding and how many rooms would be booked on the cruise.
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Step 10
If you want all your guests to book as one group, it is recommended that you find a travel agent that specializes in group travel. There are usually benefits to booking as a group, for example: hold rooms that are locked into a set price, ensure all your guests are seated together at dinner and special perks (cocktail party, free bottle of wine in your guests’ rooms, vouchers for activities, etc.). The travel agent can act as a middleman between the cruise line and your guests, gathering payments and organizing travel information. This will take some of your stress away and allow you to concentrate on other details.
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Step 11
Find out how much the deposit will cost to hold rooms for your group. Most cruise lines will hold rooms without a deposit for about a month. After that you have to put a deposit down, based on how many rooms you want to hold.
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Step 12
When contacting the cruise line’s wedding department, take note that you will usually not be assigned one specific wedding planner; you will probably speak to a different wedding planner each time you call. Also, note that the wedding planners are usually a contracted company, not part of the cruise line. Put together a list of all the questions that you have and save time by making only a few phone calls to the wedding planer.
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Step 13
Send out save the date notices well in advance (at least a year) to allow your guests to plan for a cruise vacation.
