Has anyone not gone through the cruise line to get married in the Caribbean?

[calico79]

My fiance and I are looking at getting married while on a cruise and where I think the package on Carnival is a good deal, I am looking at possibly getting married through another vendor while at one of the stops. I was just curious if anyone else had done that and what their experience was. I know there is always the risk that you don't stop at that particular port, but if it is just me and my future husband, it seems like i don't need all of what the packages provide through the ship. Just wanted to hear opinions.

 

Thanks!

[Berley78]

I leave on Royal on Sunday. We did not go through the ship service, as it seemed too expensive for what we were looking for. We are getting married on St. Thomas by a local wedding coordinator. So far everything has been simple and inexpensive. For the minister, photographer, site fee, marriage license and flowers has come to $810. The minister will even pick up the flowers on their way. In addition, only $100 had to be put down, the rest after the ceremony. Hence if the ship doesn't make it you aren't out all that much money. In our case, we have 9 of us, so we rented an open air taxi for the entire day for $430. This will allow us to go as a group wherever we want whenever we want.

The quote we had gotten to get married on a much busier beach in St. Thomas through the cruise line was $4000 and only included the transportation for us, not our guests.

[WendyinOC]

The only negative is if they skip the port. I have missed ports not just for weather. One time we had to rescue a boat. I know someone on the Carnival Splendor Fire had planned a port wedding not with Carnival and lost all her money.

[acireta]

I leave on Royal on Sunday. We did not go through the ship service, as it seemed too expensive for what we were looking for. We are getting married on St. Thomas by a local wedding coordinator. So far everything has been simple and inexpensive. For the minister, photographer, site fee, marriage license and flowers has come to $810. The minister will even pick up the flowers on their way. In addition, only $100 had to be put down, the rest after the ceremony. Hence if the ship doesn't make it you aren't out all that much money. In our case, we have 9 of us, so we rented an open air taxi for the entire day for $430. This will allow us to go as a group wherever we want whenever we want.

The quote we had gotten to get married on a much busier beach in St. Thomas through the cruise line was $4000 and only included the transportation for us, not our guests.

 

What planner and beach did you go with? We're working with Island Bliss Weddings. It's much cheaper than the cruise line and I had so many more choices about location, reception, flowers, etc. I guess we are kinda taking a risk with the port issue... I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of us!

[Berley78]

In my case, I am only out $100 if we don't make it to the island. We used Island wedding services.

[CruiserinCarlsbad]

My daughter is getting married in St. Thomas on April 12, 2011, and she is also booking everything through Island Bliss Weddings. She preferred to go with a planner who lives and works on the island rather than the Dream's coordinator, and it is working very well for her. She is getting married at Oceana and having the reception there as well.

[ready4ido]

I am getting married in St. Thomas on 12/8 and am using a local vendor. Although the cruise packages are nice, they could not give me the morning wedding I wanted, so it left me with no other option, but to use someone else. I liked the package from the cruise ship, but the local vendor did that plus more for less money. My wedding is more expensive than the other person that posted, but I added a video, a different cake, chairs and other things that brought the price up. I used Weddings the Island Way, mostly because everywhere I looked they had great reviews. I can say they've been helpful and pleasant every time I talked to them.

[robandshona]

We are travelling on Oasis of the Seas and getting married Feb 15, 11 with Perfect Weddings of St. Thomas... We were also worried about the fact that a ship may not stop at the port. We just got travel insurance that included cancellation for the wedding.

 

I read another persons post a few months back where their ship didn't stop at St. Thomas because a crew member fell off the boat. They managed to plan a wedding in St. Maarten from the ship overnight!

[LizB1979]

I haven't done it yet, but I will be getting married off ship in St. Thomas. I have no planner, just a minister and a photographer. We are doing it all simple. Eloping and enjoying our first cruise as our honeymoon.