Getting married at sea on the breakaway in feb; good idea or not?

[BBcruiser14]

Hey everyone :)

 

I'm going away on the breakaway out of New York in Feb 2018. We would sail out of NYC on friday the 2nd and my idea is to get married on sunday the 4th, the day before we would stop at san Juan.

 

Currently waiting on ncl getting back to me officially about getting married on that date. I'm wondering how you guys, who know more than me,would feel about that day (day before reaching san Juan). Would it still be likely to be rough or unsuitable? Or would the weather be picking up being closer to the caribbean. I know nobody can predict the weather but any rough ideas or experience of how the weather/seas can be would be extremely helpful and id be so grateful.

 

Thanks

[Slam308]

I don't think you can actually get married "at sea." You have to be at an actual port. You can get married on the ship in NY before you leave, or you can plan a wedding in San Juan, or other port, during the cruise. The only problem with booking a wedding in port while on a cruise is that there could be a weather event, etc. that messes with the arrival/departure time of that port, or you could miss the port entirely.

[Sissaaaaaa]

You cannot get married at sea - it is not legal.

[cb at sea]

I would do it BEFORE the cruise...then use the cruise as a honeymoon. You are NEVER guaranteed to make any port...so you could be out of luck, or scrambling for alternative plans.

[njhorseman]

I don't think you can actually get married "at sea." You have to be at an actual port. You can get married on the ship in NY before you leave, or you can plan a wedding in San Juan, or other port, during the cruise. The only problem with booking a wedding in port while on a cruise is that there could be a weather event, etc. that messes with the arrival/departure time of that port, or you could miss the port entirely.

 

You cannot get married at sea - it is not legal.

 

You absolutely can get married at sea. A year or two ago the Bahamas government granted NCL's captains the authority to perform wedding ceremonies, including the authority to perform weddings at sea. NCL now offers weddings at sea on its larger ships such as the Breakaway.

Edited September 14, 2016 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

I would do it BEFORE the cruise...then use the cruise as a honeymoon. You are NEVER guaranteed to make any port...so you could be out of luck, or scrambling for alternative plans.

 

The OP isn't interested in getting married in port, but wants to get married at sea, which as I explained in my previous post now can be done on NCL.

[njhorseman]

Hey everyone :)

 

I'm going away on the breakaway out of New York in Feb 2018. We would sail out of NYC on friday the 2nd and my idea is to get married on sunday the 4th, the day before we would stop at san Juan.

 

Currently waiting on ncl getting back to me officially about getting married on that date. I'm wondering how you guys, who know more than me,would feel about that day (day before reaching san Juan). Would it still be likely to be rough or unsuitable? Or would the weather be picking up being closer to the caribbean. I know nobody can predict the weather but any rough ideas or experience of how the weather/seas can be would be extremely helpful and id be so grateful.

 

Thanks

 

As you said, no one can predict the weather, but by that date on the cruise you would be far enough south and east of NY and close enough to Puerto Rico that you shouldn't have to worry about winter-like weather conditions.

[SheehanDJ]

If you can than absolutely.

 

My wife and I got married on the Sovereign of the Seas, we couldn't get married at sea but an officiant boarded and married us. Then we went on a cruise with the wedding party.

 

At the time RCCL assigned you a type of wedding planner, you'd pick the package you wanted and they would make it happen. No idea how they do it now.

 

Doing it actually at sea would reduce the stress greatly, as you aren't scrambling with boarding and what not.

[Sauer-kraut]

There is a whole board about Cruise Weddings under Specialty Cruising you might have a look over there and see what people are talking about. I personally would get married before the cruise so that people who are unable to cruise can still attend the ceremony and enjoy part of the 'show'.

[blackwing]

You absolutely can get married at sea. A year or two ago the Bahamas government granted NCL's captains the authority to perform wedding ceremonies, including the authority to perform weddings at sea. NCL now offers weddings at sea on its larger ships such as the Breakaway.

Just because the Bahamas gave them this right doesn't necessarily mean that it is legal. I could go online and pay $200 to be ordained as a minister in the Church of Internet Ministry and be legally able to perform a wedding ceremony anywhere I think.

 

OP should inquire with the county/state they live in if a "wedding at sea" is legal or if they would still have to go to the local courthouse later on to make it official.

[njhorseman]

Just because the Bahamas gave them this right doesn't necessarily mean that it is legal. I could go online and pay $200 to be ordained as a minister in the Church of Internet Ministry and be legally able to perform a wedding ceremony anywhere I think.

 

OP should inquire with the county/state they live in if a "wedding at sea" is legal or if they would still have to go to the local courthouse later on to make it official.

 

Power to perform weddings granted by the government under whose flag NCL ships sail is hardly the same as paying some self-declared "church" that exists only on the internet to become a phony minister, although some US states (no not all states) actually even allow that. Since the OP is from Scotland I have no idea of the specifics of the applicable law there, but a general rule of thumb is that a marriage legal in one country, and this marriage would be legal under the laws of the Bahamas, should be recognized by another country.

 

A number of cruise lines have flagged ships in countries granting the captain the legal right to perform marriages. For example Celebrity reflagged its ships in Malta, and Cunard reflagged in Bermuda, at least partially to allow their captains to legally perform weddings at sea.

Edited September 15, 2016 by njhorseman

[cml4958]

Here's an article actually on Cruise Critic about this exact same topic and NCL. This article was posted April 2015.

 

The first paragraph...If you've dreamed of tying the knot at sea onboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, you can now do so legally: The cruise line will begin offering weddings at sea performed by the ship's captain aboard Norwegian Breakaway, Getaway and on Norwegian Escape after it debuts this fall.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6282

[spidybabe]

Great idea! And tho you can never predict Mother Nature, you have a good chance on nice weather .

Congrats

Safe sailing

 

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[BBcruiser14]

You cannot get married at sea - it is not legal.

 

No you can lol

[BBcruiser14]

The OP isn't interested in getting married in port, but wants to get married at sea, which as I explained in my previous post now can be done on NCL.

 

Thanks.😊 I think this thread might end up being all about whether you can or can't legally get married on ncl. Oh well lol.

[BBcruiser14]

Power to perform weddings granted by the government under whose flag NCL ships sail is hardly the same as paying some self-declared "church" that exists only on the internet to become a phony minister, although some US states (no not all states) actually even allow that. Since the OP is from Scotland I have no idea of the specifics of the applicable law there, but a general rule of thumb is that a marriage legal in one country, and this marriage would be legal under the laws of the Bahamas, should be recognized by another country.

 

A number of cruise lines have flagged ships in countries granting the captain the legal right to perform marriages. For example Celebrity reflagged its ships in Malta, and Cunard reflagged in Bermuda, at least partially to allow their captains to legally perform weddings at sea.

 

Thanks njhorseman I completely agree. It's definitely a legal ceremony. They do have the option for a symbolic cheaper ceremony too. Maybe that's what everyone else means I dont know 😊

[chengkp75]

Thanks njhorseman I completely agree. It's definitely a legal ceremony. They do have the option for a symbolic cheaper ceremony too. Maybe that's what everyone else means I dont know 😊

 

You have to disregard "cb at sea" who is 99% wrong all the time. What some folks were referring to, is that in the past, Captains on Bahamian flag ships were not authorized to perform weddings, so they were not allowed to be performed at sea. I do believe that each Captain has to apply for certification from the Bahamas to perform weddings, and I'm not sure if all NCL Captains have done so, or wish to do so. Other cruise lines, with ships flagged in other countries are not allowed to perform weddings, so again, this is what people are referring to.

 

Having seen this question come up with a poster from Ireland, and finding that there are restrictions on weddings performed outside of Ireland, I looked and if I were you, if you haven't already, I would consult this site, Citizens Advice Scotland:

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiE9Ov7pZHPAhVBdj4KHdyLDZUQFggcMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.citizensadvice.org.uk%2Fscotland%2Frelationships%2Fliving-together-marriage-and-civil-partnership-s%2Fgetting-married-s%2F&usg=AFQjCNGI7BC8ZFjN4poSjqyZdE8lYJHyQA&bvm=bv.132479545,d.cWw

 

I don't know if the Bahamas would require the "certificate of no impediment".

[BBcruiser14]

Last post on this thread.

 

You can absolutely legally get married at sea. Norwegian have already told me that. And I've just phoned them to clarify. I can get married, legally,by the captain, on the fourth, weather permitting. Or as long as nobody else had booked the date. They have a "harbourside" and " destination" options. Both of which wouldn't be legal technically. And a cheaper symbolic ceremony, not legal either. BUT the "wedding at sea" package certainly is legal.

 

Honestly nevermind guys. I was only after opinions on what the weather might be like on that particular time I'm planning to get married at the part of the trip. I'm not here to debate if its possible to be married legally or not. I know it is.

 

The only thing stopping me is if people were to tell me the majority of their experience in Feb was that the seas or weather were still rough etc a day before San Juan. Then id think it wasn't worth the risk

 

But that said thanks so much to anyone who gave me their opinion on the weather situation or gave me a link with info 👍👍👍

[Crusin6]

You cannot get married at sea - it is not legal.

 

 

Wrong

 

 

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[Annmeat]

You have to disregard "cb at sea" who is 99% wrong all the time. What some folks were referring to, is that in the past, Captains on Bahamian flag ships were not authorized to perform weddings, so they were not allowed to be performed at sea. I do believe that each Captain has to apply for certification from the Bahamas to perform weddings, and I'm not sure if all NCL Captains have done so, or wish to do so. Other cruise lines, with ships flagged in other countries are not allowed to perform weddings, so again, this is what people are referring to.

 

Having seen this question come up with a poster from Ireland, and finding that there are restrictions on weddings performed outside of Ireland, I looked and if I were you, if you haven't already, I would consult this site, Citizens Advice Scotland:

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiE9Ov7pZHPAhVBdj4KHdyLDZUQFggcMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.citizensadvice.org.uk%2Fscotland%2Frelationships%2Fliving-together-marriage-and-civil-partnership-s%2Fgetting-married-s%2F&usg=AFQjCNGI7BC8ZFjN4poSjqyZdE8lYJHyQA&bvm=bv.132479545,d.cWw

 

I don't know if the Bahamas would require the "certificate of no impediment".

 

CB at Seas didn't say that the weddings were not legal. Merely gave his or her opinion on not taking the chance of missing a port for a wedding IN PORT. Your jab should have been at the posters who said the wedding was not legal.:D

[ColinIllinois]

Getting married at sea on the breakaway in feb; good idea or not?

 

Thanks

 

 

No, getting married is not a good idea. :D

[Sissaaaaaa]

What some folks were referring to, is that in the past, Captains on Bahamian flag ships were not authorized to perform weddings, so they were not allowed to be performed at sea. I do believe that each Captain has to apply for certification from the Bahamas to perform weddings, and I'm not sure if all NCL Captains have done so, or wish to do so. Other cruise lines, with ships flagged in other countries are not allowed to perform weddings, so again, this is what people are referring to.

 

Having seen this question come up with a poster from Ireland, and finding that there are restrictions on weddings performed outside of Ireland, I looked and if I were you, if you haven't already, I would consult this site, Citizens Advice Scotland:

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiE9Ov7pZHPAhVBdj4KHdyLDZUQFggcMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.citizensadvice.org.uk%2Fscotland%2Frelationships%2Fliving-together-marriage-and-civil-partnership-s%2Fgetting-married-s%2F&usg=AFQjCNGI7BC8ZFjN4poSjqyZdE8lYJHyQA&bvm=bv.132479545,d.cWw

 

I don't know if the Bahamas would require the "certificate of no impediment".

 

Yes, I do agree with you. When did they change this, chengkp75? It was not legal a few years ago when my niece wanted to marry onboard. They ended up getting married on the beach in Key West during the stop - which was just as nice.

[njhorseman]

Yes, I do agree with you. When did they change this, chengkp75? It was not legal a few years ago when my niece wanted to marry onboard. They ended up getting married on the beach in Key West during the stop - which was just as nice.

 

Earlier in the thread, in post #12, there's a link to the Cruise Critic article reporting that NCL would be offering weddings at sea. The article is from April, 2015. You can click on the link and read it.

Edited September 15, 2016 by njhorseman

[Heronymous]

I just got married at sea on the Escape on 8/21. There is quite a bit of paperwork involved to make it legal, but I am in fact legally married now. So yes, it CAN be done. You need to get specific paperwork for the country you're getting married in. Certain pieces of it will need to be:

Notarized

Certified

Apostille'd (Apostille letter attached by Secretary of State office)

 

As long as the government in the location you get married in approves your marriage license and registers it, and you meet the requirements to get married at the location your wedding will take place, the USA will recognize it too. But check with your state attorney general's office, some states may not recognize it.

-Keith

 

 

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Edited September 15, 2016 by Heronymous

[Flamencacha]

Thanks.[emoji4] I think this thread might end up being all about whether you can or can't legally get married on ncl. Oh well lol.

 

 

 

Congratulations. You should be okay. Lived in PR for 9 years. Enjoy.

 

 

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