Princess Wedding Vow Renewal

[flcruiser3]

I was all set to book my wedding vow renewal on the Royal Princess in January and I saw this astirisk on the Princess site regarding vow renewals:

 

" Renewal of Vows is a group ceremony at the ship's discretion. All arrangements will be made by the ship's representative onboard."

 

I have seen several people post on this board that they renewed their vows on a Princess ship and that it was a wonderful experience. My question for them is was it a private or group ceremony? It seems like such a personal moment o be done in a group setting!

[melody hounddog]

Group?!?!? Gosh I hope not.

[WVBill]

Ours, on Ruby in 2012 was private. As we're leaving after the ceremony, another couple was arriving for theirs. We were in no way rushed to leave. In fact, we had a very nice chat with Captain Yeomans after the ceremony

 

I have not seen anyone on CC report having a group ceremony.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[1025cruise]

It depends on how many people book the package. When I booked one, we were it, so no group.

[lozzer58]

My husband and I did the renewal of vows on the Golden princess back in 2005 for our 25 th anniversary. It was wonderful and defiantly private . Just us captain Nash, another officer and a photographer .it was everything we wanted, we loved it . I read too about the groups but I doubt it ever happens don't think the demand for renewals is that great maybe they are just covering themselves. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did many congratulations

[PrincessCatarina]

I was all set to book my wedding vow renewal on the Royal Princess in January and I saw this astirisk on the Princess site regarding vow renewals:

 

" Renewal of Vows is a group ceremony at the ship's discretion. All arrangements will be made by the ship's representative onboard." I have seen several people post on this board that they renewed their vows on a Princess ship and that it was a wonderful experience. My question for them is was it a private or group ceremony? It seems like such a personal moment o be done in a group setting!

 

Having been married on the Emerald Princess a few years ago, my husband and I would like to do a vow renewal in 2014. However, I do not like the fact Princess won't guarantee a private ceremony. Having gone over the Wedding board vow renewal threads here on cruisecritic.com and Princess vow renewal YouTube videos it appears the ceremony is mostly private, except for Valentine's when they do a group renewal on the deck at least on some of the ships. In the hopes I could just book a wedding type of service (minus the legal part) I recently contacted the company Princess contracts with on weddings (Royal Ocean Events) and they will have nothing to do with vow renewals - Princess coordinates those directly onboard. I was surprised as it would be additional revenue for them, (probably not as many guests would typically attend, but they could always mandate a minimum cost to make it worth their while). I would be incredibly disappointed if I had my family fly in from all over the world and had to do a group ceremony!

 

Consequently we are now looking into RCCL vow renewals, as they appear to allow couples to have much more control over the arrangements, including pre-planning support and vow renewal ceremony enhancements (such as live music). I'm feeling very conflicted about the whole thing and will need to decide soon.

 

Did anyone find out that once you board the ship and talk to Princess vow renewal coordinator the options open up? I'm thinking cake & champagne reception after a private vow renewal, minimum 1 hr photography and videography, 2-3 musicians, fresh flowers, guaranteed hair salon appointment morning of the ceremony, reservation for dinner at Sabatini's.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

I think Princess keeps this option,

 

however I think you should speak to the on board rep,

 

and just say you want to book but only if private,

 

have done it twice and is well worth doing

 

yours Shogun

[PrincessCatarina]

I think Princess keeps this option, however I think you should speak to the on board rep, and just say you want to book but only if private, have done it twice and is well worth doing

 

yours Shogun

 

Thank you for the suggestion! I guess they would also be likely to be more accommodating if they know people flew in to take the cruise from all over the world just for the special occasion.

[flcruiser3]

Thank you for the input! I will talk to the coordinator on board to find out if it can be private. Our three teenage children will be with us and one of our sons is profoundly handicapped and sometimes makes noises. I want our ceremony to be private, but I also would not want him distracting or interupting a shared ceremony.

[ccrain]

Our 30th ROV was private and one of the most moving things we've every done, considering our wedding was a very inexpensive do it yourself Oscar Meyer catered, $3 a bottle champagne affair!

 

Two suggestions:

 

1 - We followed our ROV with a UBD so we could eat and get photographed on the balcony in our good clothes (see the avatar photo). The photo's were so good, one of them is on canvas on the wall at home - a Med sunset like that only comes around once in life...

 

2 - Video AND still photograph the ceremony. Talk to the photo shop directly and make all arrangements with them, keeping the coordinator informed, but making sure everyone knows you want video and still. Our arrangements were miscommunicated and we ended up without an actual video, and really miss it. After all, a 30th only comes around once!

[candycane823]

Hubby and I renewed our vows in 2008 on the Diamond Princess. It was a private ceremony. We asked the attendant if they would turn on the video camera so that my kids could watch at home. There was a time difference but they got to see us renew our vows. When we got home from our cruise my kids had it posted to the brothers and sisters in different parts of Canada. So, they got to see it happen too. I think that made it so special!! Then we had the Ultimate Balcony dinner. A perfect night!!!

 

 

I highly recommend doing the renewal. Good luck with your plans.

[drgrinch]

My DW and I renewed on a HAL Alaska cruise last summer. While I cannot speak to PCL's ceremonies in particular, I can comment the general experience. I can safely say that for both of us it was a "bucket list" sort of experience that has few equals in our lives. Even if it doesn't seem that big of a deal before hand, it will after you go through with it.

 

"Group" ceremonies in fact are (or at least should be) semi-private. There may be other couples and families waiting in lounge/chapel that is being used but, while your ceremony is under way, the focus if definitely on you. In my experience the other couples were almost as enthusiastic about our ceremony as we were - it was very much a shared joyous occasion. Think of it like having other people in the church when you were married the first time - it was still your ceremony. I can't imagine an actual mass ceremony that would depersonalize the whole experience - it would be a PR disaster through word of mouth.

 

Additionally, this is something that ship's captains really enjoy doing - they go out of their way to make the experience everything it can be for you. With our renewal, our concierge (we were booked into a suite) bent over backwards to enhance the whole package in every way she could.

 

By all means take advantage of this opportunity if you are at all inclined. You won't regret it!