Get Married Onboard without Cruiseline Involvement?

[ldparker]

Will the cruise line allow you to get married onboard with your own officiant, without charge?

 

As an example, if you have a minister traveling on the cruise with you, along with some close friends, can that minister perform a simple, brief ceremony somewhere on the ship, maybe on an open deck. I don't see where the cruiseline would object, but they may.

 

Anyone ever heard of this?

 

Thanks, David

[flhokie]

If the cruiseline knew, yes they would object. They contract with a specific company to provide this service (I have heard of those getting married in port through the cruiseline using their own officiant). If staff saw you doing this in an area of the ship, they may ignore it and let you continue, but they may not.

 

Also, if you are looking to do this while at sea, marriages at sea are subject to specific legal requirements. Princess and Celebrity offer this via Bermuda's Maritime Marriage Act which requires specific paperwork filed with Bermuda and specific individuals (captain of the ship) to perform the ceremony. If you are looking only for a symbolic ceremony this wouldn't be a problem, but there is no way to be legally married at sea without going through the cruiseline (again, not all cruislines offer this--I believe it's only Princess and Celebrity).

[6rugrats]

Will the cruise line allow you to get married onboard with your own officiant, without charge?

 

As an example, if you have a minister traveling on the cruise with you, along with some close friends, can that minister perform a simple, brief ceremony somewhere on the ship, maybe on an open deck. I don't see where the cruiseline would object, but they may.

 

Anyone ever heard of this?

 

Thanks, David

 

Yes, they would object, and for the same reasons they object when people try and smuggle alcohol onboard. They require you to use their wedding services if you get married onboard.

 

There are other legalities involved which the other poster brings up. If you are not talking about a symbolic ceremony, you won't be able to be married at sea. If you try it when the ship is in port, you have to comply with the legal requirements of that port, and sometimes, this is just impossible to do on a short cruise stop.