Past experiences with brides on Princess or RCCL??

[Crusielover05]

I am seriously thinking of planning a wedding on Princess- leaving of of San Juan Nov. 10th. We would like to get married in St. Thomas on the beach.

 

I am having trouble with the family dynamic. I have two sisters with young children who feel this is selfish of me...both of our parents are willing to come...but my sisters are giving me a guilt trip. Has anyone dealt with this?

 

I want to do this so bad...I just want it to work because we love cruising and the Caribbean so much! Any shared experiences of advice would be helpful.

[mandabear]

I think your decision will depend on what is most important to you... if you cannot imagine your wedding without your sisters, then you may want to reconsider the cruise... are they refusing to go or just complaining?

 

Here are my experiences:

1) I am planning a cruise wedding for May 2008. My sister's son will be 3 years old. My future sister-in-law's son will be 18 months old. They are both planning to come. Ironically it is my dad who is constantly complaining about the cruise... but even as he complains, he's planning on coming.

2) I was MOH at my friend's destination wedding. She planned it KNOWING that it was during the week of final exams at my law school. I actually had to choose courses based on when the exam was scheduled so I could make the wedding!

3) My sister gave me two week's notice that she was getting married in Kansas. (I live in New Jersey.) I went without a second thought even though it meant skipping out on some important work duties and pissing off my boss and coworkers.

 

My point is this, it's your wedding! This is your day and it should be whatever you want it to be. People may complain, but if they really want to be there, they will find a way to come along... you might want to consider a cruise wedding and then an at-home reception. We are planning to have a ceremony and reception on board, and then have another reception at home for those who cannot attend. I hope this helps! Just don't be afraid to make the choice that makes you happy.

[Cruisin Cleo]

I am seriously thinking of planning a wedding on Princess- leaving of of San Juan Nov. 10th. We would like to get married in St. Thomas on the beach.

 

I am having trouble with the family dynamic. I have two sisters with young children who feel this is selfish of me...both of our parents are willing to come...but my sisters are giving me a guilt trip. Has anyone dealt with this?

 

I want to do this so bad...I just want it to work because we love cruising and the Caribbean so much! Any shared experiences of advice would be helpful.

 

I know how you feel Crusielover05. I just recently got engaged, and am planning my wedding for this year. My fiance and I both love cruising, and we both automatically knew we wanted our wedding to be on a cruise - even which ship. However, the ship we love only offers 7 day cruises, and we have family members who we know cannot truly afford the price, although they are willing to take on the expense for us.

 

We are now torn between the 7 day, more expensive cruise, and a 3 day less expensive one, on an older and smaller ship. The Mariner (the ship we love) has a nice wedding chapel. The Sovereign (the older ship) does not, so there's a good chance our wedding would be held in a lounge (not a dream location). Do I feel guilty for choosing the more expensive cruise, or do I take the chance of feeling guilty later for choosing the smaller one, and not having "my" dream wedding???

 

As for your sisters, what are they making you feel guilty about? If it's their children, then they do have options...(a) Most cruise lines have programs for children ages 3-17. From what I understand, most children would rather be in the program, than be stuck with their parents. (b) If the children are under age 3, they can't go to the programs, but most cruise lines offer baby sitting services (for a fee), so parents can spend time alone. © Maybe they can leave their children with another family member who isn't going, or their in-laws.

 

If they're making you feel guilty over the cost of the cruise, they have options here, too. (a) According to when your cruise is, most cruise lines require you to make a downpayment, but allow you several months to pay off the rest. (b) They can attend the wedding, but not go on the cruise. © You can video you wedding, and they can watch it when you return. It's their choice.

 

No matter what their issues are, do what makes YOU happy. It is YOUR wedding. You're probably not gonna be able to make everyone happy, so remember it's your and your fiance's happiness that matters most.

[Crusielover05]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. That advice really helps. I think bottom line is our happiness and my sisters will find a way to make it work. If not, we are planning on having a large reception when we get back to celebrate with all of our friends and family. It's nice to know I am not alone with all this.