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Best cruises for weddings
Easily plan your onboard ceremony and honeymoon
 Carnival Cruise Lines
Wedding ceremony onboard Carnival Pride
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In the last few years, cruise lines have begun to crank up the services they offer couples who want to get married onboard. And the good news is that, as a result, planning your wedding can be as simple as planning your honeymoon. Potentially, you need make just one call (many lines have in-house wedding coordinators) and - poof - they arrange the ceremony, the menu, the cake, the flowers, the music. Everything, in fact, but the invitations. Some even help obtain wedding licenses. And it's easy to let them handle all the extras, from tuxedo rental to hair and spa appointments, too. Typically, onboard weddings are held in a ship's chapel (if it exists), a lounge, the library or a boardroom.
An onboard wedding can be a great value, as well. Prices start at about $800 and beyond (the sky's the limit) and this is on top of the cost of the cruise. While the wedding couple must be passengers on the cruise-of-choice, most lines with full-service packages include an option for land-side guests to come on board for a couple of hours.
For the most part, the lines that have embraced full-service weddings tend toward big-ship cruise companies. A few lines (such as Crystal and Cunard) don't allow onboard weddings. Others - and these fall mostly in the high-priced luxury category - such as Seabourn, don't provide any services (if you want to get married, bring your own minister).
Ultimately, it's important to remember that a cruise ship wedding may not be for everyone. If you've always dreamed of picking out each flower yourself, or getting married in your hometown, or in front of 300 people, you may not be happy with this simple approach. And getting married legally while at sea is complicated, so plan to have yours on the ship while it is in port, or even in the port itself.
Still intrigued? Check out our picks for the five best cruise lines for onboard weddings!
PRINCESS CRUISES
Why?
Princess is a prime choice because, of all the lines exploring onboard wedding options, it offers the best combination of features, services - and facilities. Princess' "Weddings at Sea" packages - available on Grand-class ships such as Grand Princess, Golden Princess, Star Princess, Diamond Princess and Caribbean Princess, have dedicated wedding chapels.
Package Details
There are three possible options. The three Princess wedding packages offered include the "Diamond Package" for $2400, their most expensive option. You get a candlelit ceremony with flower arrangements and a string quartet, an orchid bouquet and boutonniere, a photographer (some prints are included), and a ceremony video. Before the wedding, the bride receives a facial and professional hair styling in the onboard salon; after the ceremony, the couple gets champagne with toasting glasses, wedding cake, and a lithograph painting of the ship. The "Emerald" and "Pearl" packages are slightly less expensive and offer simpler flowers, less pricey Champagne, and fewer amenities. Couples can also choose throw a reception on board for up to 80 people; prices begin at $70 per person.
Coolest Quirk
Not only can your ceremony be conducted by the captain - but the line has also installed state-of-the-art technology that allows you to broadcast the ceremony live, via "Web Cam," to home-bound friends and family.
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