Marrying alone at sea

[Married@Sea_O]

Hello everyone,:D

I am new to cruise critic, I was recommended by a friend to join here as my fiancé and I are going on the March 19ths Azura cruise! We will be getting married on board but we are not brining any guests, it will be our weddingmoon!

Perhaps someone can lend some advice. I have a few questions. We would like to get some wedding pictures done on one of the islands, are we able to go off and on board during the day (to get changed etc) ? Is it easy to organise a photographer off board? Has anyone organised something like this before?

Also as I would like to send a picture from our wedding to my family I was wondering do the restaurants have free wifi?

Any other advice on how to make the most of our first cruise together and our wedding on board I’d be grateful for :)

Only 43 days till my wedding day which means 38 till I cruise! Woo!

P&O Azura 19.03.15:)

[Mr Piano]

There are a whole team of professional photographers on board with there own desk and department. I am sure they would do it for you, at a cost, they are not cheap.

 

There is wifi on board but not free, and not the most efficient. Your best option would be to locate free wifi in one of the ports. Depending on where you're cruising to, depends if you can hop on and off. You may be berthed at a working port where a shuttle is required. You need to tell us where your ports of call are to get good advice for hop on and off and also best ports for pictures.

 

Another thought is you should join the roll call for your cruise on this board, who knows someone with good photography skills might do it for you

Edited February 9, 2016 by Mr Piano

[miniyorkie]

Congratulations on your forthcoming weddingmoon. It sounds perfect. I think this is the Caribbean transatlantic so you will be able to come and go ashore as you please. I think the only tender port is St Maarten, but you can still catch the tenders back and forth if you wish. As Mr Piano has suggested I would use the Wi-Fi in port to send photos and contact friends & family back home. There will be an "official" photos option on the formal nights and it may be nice to have a couple of those taken as this will be a special cruise.

[miniyorkie]

Sorry - Tender port is Tortola and possibly St Lucia. In St Maarten ships dock at the Dutch capital Philipsburg.

[the english lady]

Hello everyone,:D

I am new to cruise critic, I was recommended by a friend to join here as my fiancé and I are going on the March 19ths Azura cruise! We will be getting married on board but we are not brining any guests, it will be our weddingmoon!

Perhaps someone can lend some advice. I have a few questions. We would like to get some wedding pictures done on one of the islands, are we able to go off and on board during the day (to get changed etc) ? Is it easy to organise a photographer off board? Has anyone organised something like this before?

Also as I would like to send a picture from our wedding to my family I was wondering do the restaurants have free wifi?

Any other advice on how to make the most of our first cruise together and our wedding on board I’d be grateful for :)

Only 43 days till my wedding day which means 38 till I cruise! Woo!

P&O Azura 19.03.15:)

 

As is the way there was a thread by someone who got married onboard a couple of years ago, full of helpful info. I have tried searching for it, but cant find it.

If you went for the wedding photo package that is probably multi hundreds.

If you Just ask them if they can take one or two pictures you will probably be looking at approx. £18 a go.

As has been suggested join the roll call for your cruise, and see if anyone would like to be picture taker.

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[yamanid]

We have been part of a Wedding Party onboard Azura and the Package our Friend's had included photographs - an AMAZING Day and experience everything was brilliant and so professionally organised for us all

Hope you have a Fantastic time - I am sure, without any doubt you will have:)

[Host Sharon]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I hope you have a fantastic time.

[vizzog]

Two years ago a work colleague happened to be on the same cruise as us and were getting married on-board. They did have a package with the ship which included the ceremony, witnesses (an officer and a wedding co-ordinator I think), flowers, a photo package and they also had dinner in the White Room restaurant. She also used the hair dresser and someone helped with dressing and make up.

I saw them after the ceremony and took some photos then also on the islands whenever I saw them at the beach or port. When we returned home I made a DVD and an online album for them.

 

We also had friends who cruised with us in the Caribbean who got married when we reached Aruba in the local registry office (as it is a Dutch island so no residency was needed). Afterwards we all jumped in a taxi to the beach for photos in their wedding clothes. We then got taxi's back to the ship but had to walk back through the port with my friend in her wedding dress everyone clapping and cheering very memorable day.

 

I am sure others on-board would take photos for you and help you out some of my nicest pictures of myself and OH have been taken by other passengers and crew. Join the roll call for your cruise.

Edited February 9, 2016 by vizzog
addition

[annieuk]

Unless you have been told otherwise marriage ceremonies are usually held on a Sea Day. We went as guests once to a wedding on board as a couple on our table of 8 were getting married with no family there - there had been disputes I think but they had been together for several years so not sure what had happened. Anyway they had decided that if they got on with their table companions they would ask them to the ceremony and that's what happened. It was lunch time on a sea day and it was a lovely ceremony. There was an Order of Service which the ship printed and the couple chose the music. After the ceremony the couple had photos taken with the Captain and with us guests. Then the photographer took them off around the ship and took lots of photos, including one on the bridge.

 

The six of us had a celebratory lunch in the main restaurant which was lovely but some passengers couldn't understand why we were all in formal dress at lunch time. The couple had asked that the men wore their DJs. Then in the evening when the rest of the dining room was seated the Maitre d' announced the couple and they were clapped in with the rest of us following. The table had been decorated with silver and pink balloons and little silver hearts on the table. It was all very lovely.

[retep55555]

Have you arranged the ceremony through P&O? You usually choose a package which includes a photographer. The day is usually a sea day and can be changed by the Captain once on board. Ours was due to a last minute change in itinerary which meant the day that it was supposed to be was changed to a port day. We chose the smallest wedding package as there was just the 2 of us. It included a wedding planner on board that coordinated everything. You also have to give a minimum amount of notice and put an advert in a paper in Bermuda. I suppose all this depends if you want it to be legal.