Renewal of Vows

Has anyone renewed their vows on HAL? We are cruising in 2011 to celebrate our 25h Anniversary and I was told by HAL that for $114 there would be a group ceremony which would include Hors D'Oeuvres and dinner for two at the Pinnacle Grill in addition to flowers in our stateroom. They were not able to tell me if we will have an opportunity to say our own vows individually. Any info you can share would be appreciated. Also. can you select whatever day/time you want for dinner in the Pinnacle or is it also a group thing the day the ceremony takes place?

Has anyone renewed their vows on HAL? We are cruising in 2011 to celebrate our 25h Anniversary and I was told by HAL that for $114 there would be a group ceremony which would include Hors D'Oeuvres and dinner for two at the Pinnacle Grill in addition to flowers in our stateroom. They were not able to tell me if we will have an opportunity to say our own vows individually. Any info you can share would be appreciated. Also. can you select whatever day/time you want for dinner in the Pinnacle or is it also a group thing the day the ceremony takes place?

I will be doing mine in a few short weeks so I can not speak from experience but I was told that you can use the Captain's vows or your own. To date I am only aware of one other couple who will be renewing their vows as well. It is my understanding that it is a group ceremony but the captain speaks to each couple individually. The dinner is as a couple and you will book your day & time once you get on the ship. I'm hoping to book my dinner directly following the ceremony. We won't know what day the ceremony will be until we board either. I've read it was sea days but others have said that theirs was on port days so it's at the Captain's convenience I guess.

I hope it doesn't cut into port time. Would you mind posting after your cruise? Thanks.

Has anyone renewed their vows on HAL? We are cruising in 2011 to celebrate our 25h Anniversary and I was told by HAL that for $114 there would be a group ceremony which would include Hors D'Oeuvres and dinner for two at the Pinnacle Grill in addition to flowers in our stateroom. They were not able to tell me if we will have an opportunity to say our own vows individually. Any info you can share would be appreciated. Also. can you select whatever day/time you want for dinner in the Pinnacle or is it also a group thing the day the ceremony takes place?

On our June cruise we renewed our vows (35 years for us :D). It was, IMHO, just the best experience! As it happened, we were the ONLY ones renewing on that cruise so we had the Captain and the event planner all to ourselves (no "group" at all). I think, if we'd wanted to, we could have used our own vows (short and sweet rather than an epic:)) but the ones used by the Captain are special too. As for the Pinnacle Grill dinner, you pick when you want it. We CHOSE to have it right after our ceremony but we didn't have to. I don't remember any Hors D'Oeuvres but the flowers added beauty to our room and were there when we boarded and lasted the whole week ... a pleasant reminder of what was to come. The ceremony is typically the last night of the cruise. (Ours was a sea day.) If you have other questions, I can try to answer them. May even have a photo or two:).

I hope it doesn't cut into port time. Would you mind posting after your cruise? Thanks.

I don't mind at all.

There are quite a few people who have renewed their vows on HAL ships.

LAFFNVEGAS for one.

It will not interupt port time. It is held in the evening.

I contacted HAL and got the following reply:

Good afternoon,

We do offer a renewal of vow ceremony that is performed by the captain. It is $114.00 USD and includes:

Flowers in the stateroom

Invitation to the ceremony

Hors d’oeuvres and beverages

Certificate at the ceremony

Dinner for 2 in the pinnacle grill

10X7 photo

This is done onboard one time and the date and time is decided by the captain and usually done on days at sea. This ceremony is done for all guests who have purchased it and is done couple by couple.

If you would like to order this you can contact Holland America Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576. We are available 7:00am -05:00pm PST Monday – Friday.

Thank you and Kind regards,

I thought that it was one of the nicest things we have ever done on-board any ship. It was a tasteful, tear jerker of the first rate. We went to the Pinnacle Grill after the ceremony and it was just the topping for a great day. We shared the ceremony with two other couples. I prepared a statement that was able to recite at one point of the program. I would suggest this to anyone. How bad can an instant second honeymoon be:)

We've done this. It is at the day/time of the Captain's discretion, but we were fine that. For us it was on a sea day, in the evening, on a formal night. As it was, we were the only couple doing the vows that cruise which made it extra special. The party planner met with us several days into the cruise (it was a cruise over 3 weeks long) and went over things.

We did it a few years ago on the Oosterdam, during a Mexican Riviera cruise. They say it is held "at the captain's convenience". In our case, it was the evening after a day in Mazatlan.

It was held in a small party room just off the Crow's Nest. There was a string quartet, and they served hors d'oevers and champaign.

There were two other couples. The captain said a few words and then called each couple to the front, and had us repeat vows after him. No one on our cruise used their own, but I don't see why you couldn't. Just let the captain know ahead of time.

The ship's photographers were there and took several pics. Although they say ONE picture is included, they gave us three or four (all the shots they took). The album they gave us was nicer than the one sold in the photo shop.

The ceremony was brief, but very nice and dignified. I'd guess it lasted about 30 minutes for all three couples.

We paid $129, and that was when the Pinnacle Grill only cost $20 per person. When they raised the PG price to $30, they raised the ROV price to $149. So, if they're now offering it at $114, that's a good price.

Does that include photos? Ours included the ceremony, photos, a photo album, the string quartet, champaign, flowers in our room, a keepsake certificate, and dinner for two in the PG. Have they left any of that out to reduce the price?

Paul

OMG, I'm teary eyed just reading about this! I had NO IDEA!!!!!! Since we celebrate 40 years together this year and will be sailing on the Zuiderdam Dec 23, this sounds like a must do for us.

I have never been a fan of renewal vows b/c I've always thought if your relationship is truly great, it shows in every way. The possibility of a small and/or intimate renewal gives me goose bumps!

OMG, I'm teary eyed just reading about this! I had NO IDEA!!!!!! Since we celebrate 40 years together this year and will be sailing on the Zuiderdam Dec 23, this sounds like a must do for us.

 

I have never been a fan of renewal vows b/c I've always thought if your relationship is truly great, it shows in every way. The possibility of a small and/or intimate renewal gives me goose bumps!

Absolutely! You will never be sorry. Looking at your itinerary ... Vow Renewal could be on New Years Eve or New Years Day. How wonderful!

And even if it isn't you would still have all those celebrations on one cruise.

I was amazed at the low price for the package. (The PG dinner by itself would be $40.00.) Don't tell HAL :)

Congratulations on 40 years!

As we celebrated our 60th this year we decided to renew our vows when we went to Bermuda in May. It was the highlight of the cruise. My husband isn't one for things like that but wants to do it again when we go in Feb.on Zuiderdam. Wish we could get package without Pinnacle as we had a devil of a time to get reservations and when we did it was 830 and they put us in a back room out all by ourselves. Just didn't enjoy it and don't want to try again.The album with pictures is terrific all in all it was worth every penny if you overlooked PG.

Thanks AZNative for the encouragement - and congratulations on 35 years as well. Once again, I didn't even think about the possibility of the vows on New years AND at sea AND on a ship!!

I'm beginning to "get it" - the how and why CCers become such friends before even meeting!!!!!

Congratulations to you MAHLO on sixty years. My parents are coming up on 65 years and my husband's parents were married 62 years.

Some things really do get better with age.

I didn't even think about the possibility of the vows on New years AND at sea AND on a ship!!

So ... have you called ship services and booked your RoV package yet??:):)

You can also make your PG reservations right now (as opposed to waiting until you board). This may help avoid MAHLOs difficulty with location. I CAN imagine that there will be several nights on your cruise that the PG will be full. Your PG dinner does not have to be the same night as the RoV even though we, coincidentally, did it that way.

You also have the option of inviting others on board to the ceremony if you so choose. We did not as it was to be "just for us". (Hope that doesn't sound snooty.)

So ... have you called ship services and booked your RoV package yet??

You can also make your PG reservations right now (as opposed to waiting until you board).

Can I make these arrangements before final payment?

You also have the option of inviting others on board to the ceremony if you so choose. We did not as it was to be "just for us". (Hope that doesn't sound snooty.)

Does not sound snotty to me - The magic of the moment for us would be the intimacy - that we are renewing our vows TO each other and not FOR show!!

I have a question for those who have done it...Was the Renewal of Vows done on a Formal Night...

If not, would those of you who are planning on it, or have done it, tell me what you wore for the renewal of vows...

I have several formal things to wear but they are in black & white..I alternate & take them on all our cruises..

Also have two short dresses which are quite dressy too & I like them both...One is basic black dress with a coral jacket...The other one is a NAH NAH Aqua 3/4 length chiffon with an aqua jacket with pink roses of various colors on it..The jacket has pearls on the shoulders...this outfit is very dressy, as wore it when our Son was married..Do you think it would be too dressy?.

Or should the lady be in an off -white outfit..f that is the case I would have to buy something special...

Also since we are cruising with another couple, can we invite them to the little ceremony & if so what is the cost for extra people..

We've never done it & don't know if DH would be willing to do it but would like to get more info..

Thank you all..

Cheers...:)Betty

Our was on a formal night, as I've mentioned above. We were sailing with friends, so we did invite them ($12.50/pp). It was just us, our friends, the Captain, his wife, party planner, violinist, bartender, waiter, photographer... On our cruise the ceremony wasn't in the Crow's Nest, but in a much more intimate setting. It depends upon the ship/Captain and ours preferred not to have such a private ceremony in a public space. We, our friends, the Captain, his wife and the party planner sat around and chatted over drinks (non-alcoholic for the Captain) for a while before the ceremony. It was MUCH more than we expected.

Can I make these arrangements before final payment?

 

I am not sure but I'd make the phone call and ask. Worst they could do is ask you to wait. And if you have to wait, so does everyone else. But if they're booking now ...

 

I did book some shore excursions prior to final payment and if they treat RoV the same way, now is good.:):)

 

I have a question for those who have done it...Was the Renewal of Vows done on a Formal Night...

 

Ours was not.

 

If not, would those of you who are planning on it, or have done it, tell me what you wore for the renewal of vows...

 

See photo below:) The professional ones came out better.:)

 

Also have two short dresses which are quite dressy too & I like them both...One is basic black dress with a coral jacket...The other one is a NAH NAH Aqua 3/4 length chiffon with an aqua jacket with pink roses of various colors on it..The jacket has pearls on the shoulders...this outfit is very dressy, as wore it when our Son was married..Do you think it would be too dressy?.

 

Sound lovely!

 

Also since we are cruising with another couple, can we invite them to the little ceremony & if so what is the cost for extra people..

 

I think guests are around $12.00

 

We've never done it & don't know if DH would be willing to do it but would like to get more info..

 

How could he possibly say "no"???????:D

 

Just lovely. I hope I can DH into a Tux, but I'll love it either way.

 

<SNIP>

I have a question for those who have done it...Was the Renewal of Vows done on a Formal Night...

 

Ours was not.

 

 

If not, would those of you who are planning on it, or have done it, tell me what you wore for the renewal of vows...

 

See photo below:) The professional ones came out better.

 

 

Also have two short dresses which are quite dressy too & I like them both...One is basic black dress with a coral jacket...The other one is a NAH NAH Aqua 3/4 length chiffon with an aqua jacket with pink roses of various colors on it..The jacket has pearls on the shoulders...this outfit is very dressy, as wore it when our Son was married..Do you think it would be too dressy?.

 

Sound lovely!

 

 

Also since we are cruising with another couple, can we invite them to the little ceremony & if so what is the cost for extra people..

 

I think guests are around $12.00

 

 

We've never done it & don't know if DH would be willing to do it but would like to get more info..

 

 

How could he possibly say "no"???????:D

 

 

What a lovely picture! You looked so beautiful & radient & your DH looked so handsome....:):)

 

Will think about it & talk to DH a little later...Right now he is going thru some tests & we have to see what the outcome is..Hopefully we will not have to cancel our cruise, as he's so looking forward to it...

 

Thank you so much for your help..

 

Cheers....:)Betty

All your posts bring back great memories of our ceremony on the Zuiderdam in 2008 during Panama Canal Cruise. Since it was Thanksgiving

we had it day before in the Piano Bar. We invited our group of 15 ($12.50)each and they received invitations the Captain Dirk Van Den Berg just like a wedding.It was lovely - 4 couples ranging from 10 years to ours at 50. Canapes and drinks, a cake with red roses, corsage, and an album with wonderful photos. The Captain took up us up individually and had us say these words (or you could do your own)

All your posts bring back great memories of our ceremony on the Zuiderdam in 2008 during Panama Canal Cruise. Since it was Thanksgiving

we had it day before in the Piano Bar. We invited our group of 15 ($12.50)each and they received invitations the Captain Dirk Van Den Berg just like a wedding.It was lovely - 4 couples ranging from 10 years to ours at 50. Canapes and drinks, a cake with red roses, corsage, and an album with wonderful photos. The Captain took up us up individually and had us say these words (or you could do your own)

I come once again before you,

To renew our vows of marriage.

I promise to be strong in my love,

Gentle in my care,

Unwavering in my trust.

In the name of all we have created together,

And all we are yet to become,

I offer you my hand

As your Partner, lifetime friend, and Companion.

As for what to wear, formal for ladies or suit for men and dress for ladies.

 

Best Wishes to all who do this - HAL really does it up well.

Thank you for posting this...Think HAL's vows are beautiful...

I've asked DH & he's all for it.....But I'm not going to book it until DH has his tests & we know for sure if we can go on the Cruise..We're in Limbo now & somewhat apprehensive & scared..

Thanks again....Betty.

I've asked DH & he's all for it.....

I knew he'd say yes! Please know our prayers are coming your way:)