Carnival Wedding Department?

[Amber2015]

Hey everyone!! So me and my fiance have decided for a wedding on a Carnival Cruise, yay! :) We are meeting with our travel agent next week so I'm trying to do a little research myself before I meet with her.

We have decided on St. Thomas for the wedding since I have always dreamt of a beach wedding, with a reception back on the ship. I just have some questions about the Shoreside weddings done by Carnival does anyone have experience with them? Does a photographer come on land with the group to do pictures? How much does transport cost for additional guests?

We were looking at an Island Coordinator but if we want to have the reception back on the ship I was told by Carnival that my wedding would have to be provided by them as well. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks :):)

[Turbette]

Welcome.

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!

I am not sure whom you talk to on Carnival but they told you wrong. When I was in the early stages of planning my wedding, I looked at all my options including using an Island Coordinator then having an onboard reception. However, I decided to just let Carnival handle everything since you never know when the ship may have to bypass a scheduled port. My wedding is December 19,2014 on the island of Grand Turk :D.

Photographer will escort you to the ceremony and accompany you at the reception...

Photography Packages

Basic $499.00

Premier $749.00

Deluxe $999.00

Elite $1499.00

Pinnacle $1999.00

Infinity $2999.00

Transportation is $18.00 per person round trip

 

If you decided on looking for an Island Coordinator then let me know (my sister in-law got married on St.Thomas last year and raves about the one she used)

[Carnival_Brides]

Congratulations! I can't help you with the island planning, but I can with the photography pricelist :-)

 

[Amber2015]

Thank you so much for your response! I'm learning alot from these boards, and it seems that whoever it was I was talking to doesn't have his facts straight. I was leaning towards Carnival for everything for the fact I wanted a reception back on board, but the Island Coordinators in St. Thomas seem to have amazing reviews and great prices.

 

I have looked at a few online and emailed two different Coordinators from the Island. Who did your sister-in-law use?

 

Thanks for all your help :)

[Turbette]

Thank you so much for your response! I'm learning alot from these boards, and it seems that whoever it was I was talking to doesn't have his facts straight. I was leaning towards Carnival for everything for the fact I wanted a reception back on board, but the Island Coordinators in St. Thomas seem to have amazing reviews and great prices.

 

I have looked at a few online and emailed two different Coordinators from the Island. Who did your sister-in-law use?

 

Thanks for all your help :)

 

Janelle @ Island Bliss Weddings

Megan Biggs was photographer

[NL2134]

I'm not sure about having Carnival handle just the reception (we did embarkation wedding), but I do know that anyone can book a private party through Carnival (min. 20 people), even if it's not for wedding. We had looked into hosting a separate cocktail party for our guests toward the end of the cruise, just to reconnect with everyone before going home. Here's the info I received from Carnival's Group Event Planner:

Good afternoon

Thank you for choosing Carnival Cruise Lines for your group's travel plans.

As requested, attached please find our Carnival Entertains menu. Kindly note there is no charge for children under 5 years of age. In order to schedule a party onboard, you must purchase one of our Party Packages for a minimum of one hour in length. All adults must purchase one of the Open Bar Parties, with all minors over the age of 5 purchasing a Non-Alcoholic Bar.

We do not charge for the venue, but there may be additional fees audio/visual equipment (depending on your needs), any technician services that are required for your event, and/or for the food and beverages purchased.

Before private event space can be reserved, you must have full deposits paid for a minimum of 20 guests. The following information is also required in order to schedule onboard event space:

· Type of group you have booked (i.e. Friends, Family, Organization, etc.)

· Brief description of the type of events you are hosting.

· How many guests are expected to attend each event?

· What day, time, and duration are you requesting for your events?

· What type of food and beverages are you requesting?

· Does your group wish to hire any of our onboard Entertainers (i.e. Band, DJ, Karaoke Host, Pianist, etc.)? If requesting a Band, DJ or Pianist, please specify the type of music you would like played at your event.

· Does your group need any audio/visual equipment for the event(s)? Please note: If the group needs to use our sound equipment, CD player, LCD projector with sound or is plugging into our sound system there is an additional fee of $50.00 per hour or any part thereof for the services of our technician to operate the sound equipment in the room.

· Who is the designated Group/Event Leader?

Once you have gathered all information required, please contact us at 1.800.438.6744, Ext. 70006, so we can begin planning your function.

Private event space is limited and will always be reserved/scheduled around our onboard entertainment and activities. Requests are not guaranteed and the information above will be evaluated by an Event Planner to determine if a private venue is warranted. The Event Planner will schedule your function for a day, time and location that best meets the criteria outlined in your request. A preliminary event chart will be provided once your event is scheduled. Please do not confirm the event(s) to your group as your schedule is subject to change until finalized. An Event Planner will contact you via email 5-6 weeks prior to sailing to finalize your onboard event(s) and collect payment, which will be due immediately.

Carnival Cruise Lines appreciates your business and looks forward to welcoming your group onboard. Carnival Cruise Lines has a strict “No Solicitation” policy. This policy prohibits any person or organization from any form of solicitation (including for non profit organizations) to our guests and/or crew, either before sailing, during or after the voyage. Guests are prohibited from inviting other non group sailing guests to participate in privately scheduled onboard events.

 

They also sent me a price list, showing all their party packages, but the file is too large to attach. If you send me your e-mail address, I can e-mail it to you if. you are interested. You can still get cake, food, drinks, DJ, and everything that they would provide with reception package. But, if they won't host just a wedding reception, this may be an option.

Edited August 1, 2014 by NL2134

[Amber2015]

Thank you for the information, it would be an alternative and we could still have everything we need for a reception. That would be fantastic if you could email me the information!! My email is ambergalley@hotmail.com

Thanks again!!

[ImaginationCruiseBride]

If you get a photography pricelist just like the one above, make sure you take with you, because their package prices have gone up quite a bit...the second least expensive package is now $899 and you don't get as many pictures, because Carnival had sent me the flyer above I took it with me and made them honor it. Remember to take all of your contract with you just in case you need them.

[Lauraally]

If you get a photography pricelist just like the one above, make sure you take with you, because their package prices have gone up quite a bit...the second least expensive package is now $899 and you don't get as many pictures, because Carnival had sent me the flyer above I took it with me and made them honor it. Remember to take all of your contract with you just in case you need them.

 

Thank you for that bit of info!!

 

Wedding: Carnival Conquest - Feb 23, 2015 - Grand Turk

[Lauraally]

Welcome.

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!

I am not sure whom you talk to on Carnival but they told you wrong. When I was in the early stages of planning my wedding, I looked at all my options including using an Island Coordinator then having an onboard reception. However, I decided to just let Carnival handle everything since you never know when the ship may have to bypass a scheduled port. My wedding is December 19,2014 on the island of Grand Turk :D. QUOTE]

 

We are having our ceremony on Grand Turk as well - Feb 23, 2015. can we compare notes? lauraally5210@gmail.com :D

[Lauraally]

Welcome.

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!

I am not sure whom you talk to on Carnival but they told you wrong. When I was in the early stages of planning my wedding, I looked at all my options including using an Island Coordinator then having an onboard reception. However, I decided to just let Carnival handle everything since you never know when the ship may have to bypass a scheduled port. My wedding is December 19,2014 on the island of Grand Turk :D.

Photographer will escort you to the ceremony and accompany you at the reception...

Photography Packages

Basic $499.00

Premier $749.00

Deluxe $999.00

Elite $1499.00

Pinnacle $1999.00

Infinity $2999.00

Transportation is $18.00 per person round trip

 

If you decided on looking for an Island Coordinator then let me know (my sister in-law got married on St.Thomas last year and raves about the one she used)

 

Wedding: Carnival Conquest - Feb 23, 2015 - Grand Turk

 

Can we compare notes? lauraally5210@gmail.com :D

[fletchers5]

Congrats! With your question about not booking the wedding with Carnival and having an onboard reception with Carnival....YES you can do that. We are having the wedding on their private island....ceremony done by my sister in law, not by Carnival. The reception is on the boat done by Carnival. You can choose 1 hour to 2 hour reception. The reception time has to be before the boat leaves an island. So if you want to get married in St. Thomas and the boat is docked from 8 am till 5...the reception has to be done before 5. And if I am not mistaken, the reception has to be while at an island. Not a sea day.

 

The price is very reasonable. For a 1-1/2 hour reception, hot and cold horderves, open bar ( just no shots) for 20 people is $750.00. Any additional people are $30.00 per person. I believe a 2 hour reception is $875.00. Any additional people are $40.00 This also includes a cake.

 

The DJ for 1-1/2 hours was $125.00.

 

Ours is booked and paid for. The carnival wedding department has been very easy to work with. They return emails very quickly and have had no problems answering all my questions.

 

The only thing is you the bride and groom have to have your full deposit paid with a cabin number in order to book the reception. If you just book a party through them all the people have to have their deposits paid before they will book. And then you don't even know if there is a time slot available. I found it easier to book the actual reception so that way you know the exact day it will be.

[Bo59rt]

Congrats! Just to give you other ideas for receptions.... we did our whole wedding on the island of St. Thomas with no carnival sponsored wedding events...BUT we did have our pre-wedding "rehearsal" which consisted of an hour cocktail hour and half of the steakhouse reserved for us. I don't know what you are looking for in a reception but this is also do-able without having to book a wedding package through Carnival.

 

I have a "review" which touches on what we did in my signature. Have fun Planning!!!