Cruise ship Gay Wedding Reception

[skidawg71]

Hello all,

 

My partner and I have never been "wedding" people, but we live close to Boston which is becoming a great place to catch a cruise. We've thought about having a reception with guests on a ship before embarkation, then sailing off to Canada to get hitched.

 

Is there anyone that has done this or is thinking the same? Any thoughts or ideas, pro or con?

[WarEagle76]

Funny, I was wondering the same thing after New York passed their bill (don't have to be a resident of NY) with a different twist. On previous cruises we've seen weddings/receptions on board prior to sailing and then those not going on the cruise with the couple leave the ship prior to sailing. Will be interesting to see which cruise lines will allow/accommodate gay weddings in this manner in those states that permit gay marriage. The link below contains a pdf file that outlines Princess Wedding packages that appear to offer quite a few options.

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/gifts_services/celebrations/wedding/index.jsp

[Mermen]

Hello all,

 

My partner and I have never been "wedding" people, but we live close to Boston which is becoming a great place to catch a cruise. We've thought about having a reception with guests on a ship before embarkation, then sailing off to Canada to get hitched.

 

Is there anyone that has done this or is thinking the same? Any thoughts or ideas, pro or con?

 

Congrats on the engagement! I proposed to my other half on a B2B last year (Bermuda and Canada / NE).

 

I think your idea sounds great! Never thought of a reception on-board, prior to your wedding. We haven't completely decided upon our marriage yet, thanks to the PropHaters in California. We're sitll hoping to tie the knott here so family and friends will be present.

 

Can I ask why you are considering marriage in Canada vs. NY or Mass? Why not get married in Boston before jumping on board the ship? Canada would be romantic though in the fall.

[Boytjie]

Hello all,

 

My partner and I have never been "wedding" people, but we live close to Boston which is becoming a great place to catch a cruise. We've thought about having a reception with guests on a ship before embarkation, then sailing off to Canada to get hitched.

 

Is there anyone that has done this or is thinking the same? Any thoughts or ideas, pro or con?

 

I think you actually get hitched while in port and not out at sea.

 

Edited: Hmm, just read the Princess PDF and it appears you can get married by the captain at sea. Thought I read something different on CC.

[ottawapuppy]

Is there anyone that has done this or is thinking the same? Any thoughts or ideas, pro or con?

 

Would totally do this when the times comes!

Mike

[marco]

I'm thinking "no", but not because of the gay issue, but because you said "We're thinking of having a reception on the ship and then sailing off to Canada to get hitched". If you're not actually going to have the cermony on the ship, then it's not really a wedding, it's kind of more like a pre-wedding bon voyage party and I don't think any line would host a "party" that isn't actually a wedding (with the ceremony preceeding the reception). But.....call whichever line you're thnking of sailing on and see what they say.

[Oslo Dutch]

This is probably not a lot of help but a Dutch couple got married on board the Rotterdam in Rotterdam, the Netherlands before heading off to New York on their honeymoon.

 

With the upcoming New York legislation I imagine cruiselines will be do the same in New York soon

[skidawg71]

I'm thinking "no", but not because of the gay issue, but because you said "We're thinking of having a reception on the ship and then sailing off to Canada to get hitched". If you're not actually going to have the cermony on the ship, then it's not really a wedding, it's kind of more like a pre-wedding bon voyage party and I don't think any line would host a "party" that isn't actually a wedding (with the ceremony preceeding the reception). But.....call whichever line you're thnking of sailing on and see what they say.

 

Thanks for the though, but it doesn't seem to be that way. Many wedding don't actually happen "on" the ship anyway yet there are still receptions allowed. Often, couples get married while in port. Also, they allow anyone to have a wedding "ceremony" at sea which isn't legally binding to anyone either. So no, they aren't really rigid in that respect.

[skidawg71]

Congrats on the engagement! I proposed to my other half on a B2B last year (Bermuda and Canada / NE).

 

I think your idea sounds great! Never thought of a reception on-board, prior to your wedding. We haven't completely decided upon our marriage yet, thanks to the PropHaters in California. We're sitll hoping to tie the knott here so family and friends will be present.

 

Can I ask why you are considering marriage in Canada vs. NY or Mass? Why not get married in Boston before jumping on board the ship? Canada would be romantic though in the fall.

 

Thanks for you're response. Actually, that's a great question. We live in Rhode Island, which only recognizes civil unions. Therefore, we would get our Civil Union certificate and then get married in Canada. We just like the idea of actually having our family and friends' be a part of it. So yes, we could have the ceremony on the ship and then the reception. OR do what many others do and get married while at port. The only reason we were thinking about Canada is because the entire country recognizes us a joined couple. That says alot, at least for us :)

[SantaCruiser]

We are already married but on Oceania we have been recognized as a couple for years. When presenting pins for past cruisers we are called up as together.

 

We have felt TOTALLY accepetd by the cruise line but also from fellow cruisers. These people are usually well travelled folks that have seen and interacted with LGBT from around the world.

 

On the last cruise we were even asked to participate in the "Newlywed Game". We cheerfully declined.

[Mermen]

Thanks for you're response. Actually, that's a great question. We live in Rhode Island, which only recognizes civil unions. Therefore, we would get our Civil Union certificate and then get married in Canada. We just like the idea of actually having our family and friends' be a part of it. So yes, we could have the ceremony on the ship and then the reception. OR do what many others do and get married while at port. The only reason we were thinking about Canada is because the entire country recognizes us a joined couple. That says alot, at least for us :)

 

That sounds fun, and worth doing! Totally hear you about Canada as a whole country honoring gay marriages and we feel the same. If the law doesn't change in California, we could run up to BC and marry there. California will recognize a gay marriage though (as long as it was performed in the US)...so that bites. Still, better than not at all.

 

A party before you set sail would be exciting. Your loved ones can send you off! Did you find out if the cruise line will allow you to host one? What ship / line are you guys thinking of?

[Kenito]

Just clarifying... I suspect that all attendees at a reception must be registered passengers for the cruise. Because of Homeland Security issues, you can't have guests come aboard and then leave prior to the cruise setting sail.

I think we are all on the same page... just making sure.

[skidawg71]

Just clarifying... I suspect that all attendees at a reception must be registered passengers for the cruise. Because of Homeland Security issues, you can't have guests come aboard and then leave prior to the cruise setting sail.

I think we are all on the same page... just making sure.

 

Actually, I've found out that many cruise lines let non-sailing guests aboard for receptions at the port of embarkation. They are escorted on earlier. The ship keeps their identification and are required to leave before sail-away.

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

Actually, I've found out that many cruise lines let non-sailing guests aboard for receptions at the port of embarkation. They are escorted on earlier. The ship keeps their identification and are required to leave before sail-away.

 

You absolutely do NOT need to have the guests be registered passengers to do this. I have seen this with weddings at other embarkation points. Princess even has a program where guests of passengers can come onboard at embarkation for a time before they set sail.

 

I also don't think the gay thing would be an issue for Princess.

 

But now that I type this, I realize that Princess doesn't star NE cruises in Boston. I think you might have a harder time if it's a thru port stop. But I have been on a Princess ship for the afternoon when it was in Boston for the day so maybe.

 

I would call Princess.

[Kenito]

I stand corrected! Mind sharing what cruise lines have this option? I presume they are letting people on to attend a reception, and you are paying them for food, drinks, etc. for the reception. So there is that incentive.

 

I know we wanted to invite people on to a Carnival cruise while in port and were told it was a problem with Homeland Security. The way they explained it, there were no circumstances that would make it change. Guess if you pay for a reception, those problems can be resolved... ;) so this is good information to have.

Back in the good old days, we got on a ship to decorate a newlywed's room before they got there... no more!

 

Good luck and I hope you work out what you want!

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

Princess has a program where at the embarkation port, people that are with a registered passenger can come on ship. They give them a tour of the ship and hold a special lunch onboard. They are then taken off the ship before we sail. It gets people interested in the ship.

 

And this has nothing to do with a wedding.

[Mermen]

Princess has a program where at the embarkation port, people that are with a registered passenger can come on ship. They give them a tour of the ship and hold a special lunch onboard. They are then taken off the ship before we sail. It gets people interested in the ship.

 

And this has nothing to do with a wedding.

 

 

This is true, on our one and only Princess cruise a couple of years back saw that family was welcomed aboard shortly after the ship docked and were given a tour and lunch as well. I remember disctinctly, as I was changing from their Thallossotherapy pool and I heard one of the guests of the passenger yell from the deck way down below to other family.

[geoherb]

This is true, on our one and only Princess cruise a couple of years back saw that family was welcomed aboard shortly after the ship docked and were given a tour and lunch as well. I remember disctinctly, as I was changing from their Thallossotherapy pool and I heard one of the guests of the passenger yell from the deck way down below to other family.

Which Princess ship has a thallasotherapy pool?

[Lipz]

 

My new wife and I did not do what your seeking info on but we did get married and have a two hour reception on the Norwegian Jewel out of NYC on embarkment day. It was wonderful and we would do it all over again. We had sailing and non sailing guest and as someone mentioned before they hold on to the non sailing guest ID in order for them to board and then leave. Also note, you have to sent the cruise line their name as on their government issued ID, their birth date, the country they were born in AND the number on their government issued ID. If they do not have a drivers license, non drivers state ID or passport they will not be able to come on board at all.

 

Same-sex marriage became legal 6 days before our wedding which we had been planning for a year & a half. We were able to be 'legally' married on our day and had that not happened it would have been a commitment ceremony and we would have went to CT to make it legal. We were on pins and needles the whole night that the vote took place and in the end we were happily and legally married on the Norwegian Jewel July 30th!

 

Here's our NCL Jewel picture wedding review on CC:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1462186

 

 

Also, the forum that it is posted on is one of the best for planning a cruise ship wedding. We got a lot of info from the other members on that thread. I also believe that some have had 'receptions' on the ship but married off the ship however, I am not sure if that was on embarkment day or on one of the port days.

 

Happy wedding planning!

[duck addict]

Thank you for sharing your wedding with us (your linked report was great!) Many happy years together !

[Lipz]

Thank you for sharing your wedding with us (your linked report was great!) Many happy years together !

 

 

Thank you! :D