Marriage, Cruise-Style

While there are countless ways to praise the virtues of the cruise experience, one that is often overlooked is the opportunity for matrimony on the high seas.

Generations ago, weddings performed by a ship’s captain on an ocean voyage were a common occurrence. Today, while most ships’ captains are no longer authorized to perform wedding ceremonies at sea (there are exceptions—Princess Cruises’ “Grand Class” ships have wedding chapels and their captains are authorized to marry you at sea), government-approved authorities can (and do) oversee on-board civil ceremonies. Some cruise lines allow the wedding couple to bring their own clergyman on board, as well. Few wedding ceremonies—or vow renewals—will “top” the experience of exchanging vows on board, en route to an exotic or tropical honeymoon locale.

CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) reports that the number of on-board weddings has increased exponentially in recent years, and that thousands will be performed during 2009. The ceremony itself is generally held in the ship’s library, chapel, or one of the ship’s lounges. Wedding or Vow Renewal receptions may be held in one of the ship’s specialty restaurants, either during regular hours or as a private function. Azamara Cruises offers, as a complimentary service, wedding parties that include up to ten (10) non-sailing guests in attendance at the wedding ceremony. Their wedding parties with a reception allow for one hundred and fifty (150) non-sailing guests aboard the ship for the celebration.

Further, the timing for this experience has never been better. Statistics show that 15% of all marriage engagements occur in December. And while the average engagement lasts 14 months, the initial marriage decisions are made within 1-2 months following the engagement. The most important of these decisions? Where to hold the wedding.

So, with holiday engagements just behind us, the newly betrothed are now planning their dream locale and wedding. Many of them will experience their first marriage and are looking for something different than the traditional experience. For those who have previously experienced marriage, the allure of ocean matrimony may represent a departure from a more traditional earlier marriage. In either case… what better time to remind the newly-engaged of a unique, often overlooked wedding alternative?

Enter CruiseCompete.com, and the opportunity for soon-to-be newlyweds to finalize their matrimonial dreams with the cruise industry’s leading one-stop shopping source. Cruise specialists would love to help you plan your dream wedding. Simply visit the weddings request area at CruiseCompete.com to ensure you have the best deal for your destination wedding at sea.

Bottom line—the newly-engaged get the cruise destination and dates they want, with the best available deal from cruise specialists bidding to serve them. With a typical wedding currently averaging $27,000, the opportunity to book that dream ceremony on a cruise venue—knowing they’ve received the best package deal available—will surely appeal to any couple considering a cruise wedding. Leave it to CruiseCompete.com to find an optimal agent who will not only coordinate the cruise booking requirement, but the actual ocean-board ceremony as well. CruiseCompete.com is the one-stop, go-to source for a wedding cruise that any newly-married couple will never forget.