Tons of questions for JerseyGem...

[Pandot]

Hi.

 

I noticed that you are planning your DDs wedding on the Summit. I am planning for my sister, large portions of her wedding on the Summit in 2012.

 

You mentionned that your DD is hosting a Welcome Aboard reception... any chance you can send me some of the info from Celebrity groups about that?

 

And I am open for all info you want to share about the process...

 

Thanks.

 

And really looking forward to your review in July :)

 

Andrea

[CPT Trips]

Today is shower day, so you will have to make do with Dad :)

 

We have a travel agent handling the group for ressies and other things, like a bus to the pier. Booking a shipboard activity (private party) through the TA, is a much better rate than going through TWE plus we already have the time and location. TWE is handling the wedding stuff (the second sea day) including a reception immediately following the ceremony. We did have to use TWE for the "wedding reception." We do not yet have the time and location for the wedding or reception. That comes "later."

 

We were not able to schedule the Welcome Aboard for the first evening. As we understand it, the first night is very busy for the crew and staff so no group events are available. We're doing it on the second night.

 

We really do not have access to Celebrity Groups except through the TA. I don't know it, but DW might have a per person cost for a one hour cocktail and hors d'o**** (never will spell that correctly) get together. Our TA is also providing a similar reception on the last evening - he is passing along the group benefit for the 16 cabins also, just getting his commission. X won't commission us to do all the heavy lifting, so why sweat over those kind of arrangements - there is enough to sweat over with the wedding. X rebates one fare to you for every 8 cabins you book - 15 cabins one fare, 16 you get 2 fares. Fare is based on the category cabin you book the most of (we were told that in case of a tie, the lower priced category wins:( )

 

We know the TA through church. I would expect you can get similar arrangements by shopping around local brick and mortar places if you do not know a TA. Hope this helps . . . I'm certain DW will tell you everything I got wrong :) - just kidding, honest hon!

[Pandot]

Hope the shower went really well.

 

Thanks for the info. If your daughter is willing to share the info about priceing details for cocktail receptions, my email is andrea_pollock at hotm### dot com.

 

The irony : my sister who is getting married is the TA. The reason I am looking into the wedding details stuff is because she has to deal with the whole cruise portion.

 

Once I get the ducks in a row, I can pass on the info to her and she can roll with it.

 

Did you guys look at planning the reception details through the TA or was there no way to escape TWE after "wedding" itself?

 

Thanks again for all the info. I might be back with more questions soon.

 

Take care and best wishes to all.

 

Andrea

[JerseyGem]

Hi Andrea: I'll be glad to help and will definitely write a review as soon as possible after the cruise. I found such helpful info here on CC (although there are very few X weddings LOL!). The shower was great, although the groom told DD about it (he was worried that she would swap work days with someone). DD was so nervous she was shaking (and hadn't eaten or slept well for several days in anticipation).

 

If your sister is being married onboard (either at sea or while docked) rather than off the ship at a port, there is no way to avoid using TWE for the wedding itself. A very small "reception" (cake & champagne for 2) is included in most of their wedding packages. You pay extra for everything else- either booked through TWE or with X as a group. DD is being married by the Captain while at sea (be forewarned that there is a lot of paperwork!)

 

Cocktail Party through the group department (open bar, one hour, no food) is costing $576 for 33 people (this will be in the nightclub on Deck 12 forward) (no charge for children)

 

Wedding reception: we seriously considered doing a reception through the group department rather than TWE because it would be cheaper and we had more choices. However, group activities need to be booked well in advance (so they can save the room for you, etc), and TWE doesn't reveal the date and location of the wedding until very close to the cruise (possibly just 2 weeks before). We were concerned that we might book a private (group) reception that would start before or during the ceremony! We also considered taking everyone to the Normandie Restaurant for dinner the evening of the wedding (since most wedddings are in the afternoon) instead of a reception. However, our small group (now 33 adults) would not be the only ones in the restaurant, so DD wouldn't be able to go around to the various tables to chat, nor could we have toasts, etc. Plus we have a junior bridesmaid who is technically too young to eat in that restaurant.

 

So we have booked (with TWE) a 2 hour cocktail party with hot & cold canapes, plus the cake package (for 33), plus a DJ for the 2 hours, and photographer for 2 hours. DD asked for a wedding in the late afternoon in the nightlclub on Deck 12 Forward. There are other lovely spaces, but her group is too large for some. (And others can't be completely blocked off for privacy).

 

Our TA has been assigned a contact at X's group department (all of our questions need to go through him); your sister has probably already se this up. Once onboard, I will become the group's contact person and will be assigned a crew member as my X contact (for any last minute issues, etc). DD is also to have a wedding coordinator onboard to help with the wedding details (we joke that this will probably be the same person as my contact).

 

As DH explained, you will receive one cruisefare (without taxes, fees, etc) for every 8 cabins booked. We're now down to 16 cabins (and today is final payment- all have now made that payment- finally!); we can't afford (LOL) to lose anyone as DD would lose one cruise fare credit! When you set up the group booking, you choose a few categories of cabins to put in your package. We chose 2 insides, one oceanview, one regular veranda (2A) and one concierge veranda (C3). But DD booked a C1 & a cousin wanted a C2, so our booking ended up having more 2A's than any other. So her two cruisefare credits are fares for a 2A. Don't give too many cabin categories (you can always book someone in a different cat if they really object); hopefully most will book the same "higher cost" cat! (And for the Concierge cabins, C1, C2 & C3 are all considered different categories.) You will be cruising after the ship is solsticized, so cabin categories and wedding/party rooms may change.

 

Just thought of another quirk with X- we can't bring real flowers onboard (for our cruise to Bermuda), so DD has ordered artificial flowers through a local florist which we'll carry onboard. DD didn't like the real flowers that X offers (either white or red roses). Several brides here on CC have used online venders for flowers, but the most popular ones (who look like they'll do the best job) need to be booked several months before the wedding. DD didn't decide in time, plus we wanted to actually see (and feel) the artificial flowers (& not end up with just cheap fabric ones like in the craft stores).

 

Keep asking questions as they pop up!

 

And finally, as you contact relatives: if you find any who want all the details because they're "into" genealogy (usually an older, female relative LOL), let me know because I am researching one of the Pollock lines (my MIL's maiden name) that came from Ireland in the mid to late 1800's.

 

Lynn

[Pandot]

Wow. That's great information!

 

My father is the Pollock and he moved from Ireland to Canada as a child. Much of his family is still in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

 

As I said, my sister is a TA (who's works for a company that specializes in cruises, ironically). She has a group put aside. Believe it or not, my husband and I are booked into 7208 (just like your daughter). We are travelling with our toddler son, so we wanted the extra room. (We are not sure yet if my oldest (20) will be able to come, and the 16 year old is definitely not going to make it (Junior in highschool next year... not pulling him for a week). We are booked right next door to my grandmother who is in the accessible 7212 (she needs the accessible bathroom due to RA). My son is booked with her (to save on the third fare) but will be sleeping with us (she was paying single supp anyway - so saves us money :) ).

 

Most of the rest of the group travelling so far are travelling in insides including my parents, the grooms parents, various aunts and uncles and the grooms siblings and spouses. My parents are booked right across the hall from us (to be near my son, who they don't get to see too often). My sister (the one getting married, has booked a C3, in a secret location (LOL)). My other sister's 30th birthday is embarkation day, so I think her hubby is thinking of booking a sweet 16 as a treat (they, like all of us, usually travel insides).

 

I will forward the information about the using the group coordinator to my sister. She has requested the late afternoon wedding (on the first sea day) and everyone has late dinner so I don't think she was planning on doing anything other than the 2 person cake and champagne. If she doesn't get the latest wedding, not the end of the world since there was going to be a delay no matter what.

 

Maybe will plan a reception for 6 ish with just some drinks and apps. (If we can considering it is formal night). One hour would be plenty, then captains reception then dinner.

 

It is a small wedding party, so we were just planning on doing an informal bridesmaids lunch the day of the wedding (probably after hair done) if the timing suits (Bistro on Five).

 

Otherwise, my hubby and I might host an "open house" on our balcony on embarkation day with wine (brought on by multiple family members (2 bottles per room) and a few cases of soda) Between room service and a few trips to the buffet, there will be plenty.

 

Right now the numbers for sure are: 13 cabins including the bride and groom and that's none of their friends... friends who are planning on coming should take up 2-4 cabins. Yes that is 30+ people but I do not expect that they will all show up at once :)

 

I am sure that I will contact you will lots of questions... have a great Mother's day.

 

BTW - we are Canadian (though I now live in CT with my husband). I am anticipating challenges with the documentation for the at sea wedding, but Sister is not overly worried... we'll see.

 

Take care.

 

Andrea

[JerseyGem]

Hi Andrea- It sounds like you and your sister have just about everything organized (that can be organized at this time). I know we've had Canadian brides on here before, so you may at some point have questions and could start a new thread titled something like "Canadian brides on Celebrity." Is your sister (the bride) also residing in the USA? If so, make sure that everytime you contact TWE (by whatever means) you always comment that even though the address is in the USA, the bride and groom are Canadian.

 

For us, we all fortunately now live in NJ, and both the bride and groom were born in NJ. So it was convenient to just all go to the state capital to acquire the necessary documentation (two trips, since the forms take 24 hours to prepare). The official search of the marriage records (to prove non-marriage) was only done through the end of 2010, but Malta requires documentation showing non-marriage up to 3 months before the wedding. Another form (!), but fortunately just a notarized affidavit from DH that DD had never married. The groom's granddad made the affidavit for him (it needs to be someone who's know you for a long time and has a passport). We just mailed them last week, so hopefully Malta will accept them.

 

In other words, expect to make a trip to the provincial capital (and bring your check book- NJ charged a lot for this paperwork!).

 

For a group reception with drinks and apps, doing it through the group department will be better than through TWE (less expensive and more choices). DD is doing her Welcome Party with just the open bar; we might bring big cans of nuts, snack mix, etc to put out (in bowls taken from the buffet LOL!). This is scheduled for the first sea day (6 to 7), which should be the first Formal night. (And then off to the Captain's party and then stagger to late dinner!) I do know that group events cannot be scheduled for embarkation day, but Formal Night is apparently no problem. Did I mention that our TA is giving DD a Farewell Party on the last night? (One hour, open bar) Your sister may want to consider that too (or her co-workers could do so!)

 

Pollocks- a very common name in Northern Ireland (and my emigrants had common first names- James, Robert, Joseph). It's like looking for a John Smith here in the states.

 

Hope you had a great Mothers' Day, Lynn

[Pandot]

Too funny. My father's name is James. He was the 4th in line with the same name. My son is James too now, but he has my husband's italian last name.

 

I am the only one living in the US (blame my american husband). My sister, her fiancee, all almost all the guests are Canadian residents. (My uncle and aunt are the only Americans other than my husband and son - I still don't have American citizenship).

 

My sister is planning on throwing a cocktail party later in the cruise for the group (or so she told me yesterday). I don't think she thought of using the group coordinator to do a reception wedding day, instead of TWE.

 

I am doing research and packing it away for now. My poor sister and her fiancee are in the middle of moving out of their condo, into a house that needs a lot of work. They are living at my parents, who are currently cruising for 3 weeks, and are leaving on their own cruise (med - which was booked long before the move was established) next week. When they come back they then have to try to move into the new house. So currently, when they are not at work, they are at the new house, cleaning, plastering, painting etc.

 

Wedding stuff a year from now is obviously not a priority now, but I am the eternal researcher, so she has me to do the leg work and then she can make decisions when things are quieter (especially since I can't be there to help with the move).

 

I finished her save the dates over Easter Break (when my other sister was visiting to take them home) and she is going to send them out once the move is complete (probably early June).

 

I am making her invites this summer, and they will most likely go out in September or October. (I have a crazy job - that I love - but still, crafting helps me escape the job every once and awhile.).

 

I look forward to all your feedback.

 

BTW - you will have to scope out your daughter's cabin for me... she if you think it is big enough, with the balcony, to host wine and snacks (open house) for the group coming in and out.

 

Thanks for all the great feedback!

 

Have a great week!

 

Andrea