Getting married on a cruise is an unforgettable way to celebrate your love – and if you’re both cruise fans, it’s the ultimate dream wedding!
A cruise wedding lets you combine your ceremony and honeymoon into one incredible trip, with stunning backdrops and unique photo opportunities onboard.
But how much does a cruise wedding actually cost? What’s included in the packages, and what extras should you budget for?
I’ve compared prices across all the major cruise lines to bring you this complete guide to cruise wedding costs and what you get for your money.
Cruise Line Wedding Packages and Prices
| Cruise Line | Price for 10 guests |
|---|---|
| Carnival | From $1,799 |
| Celebrity Cruises | From $1,895 |
| Disney Cruise Line | From $4,000 (16 guests) |
| NCL | From $2,059 |
| P&O Cruises | From $3,300 (£2,700) |
| Princess Cruises | From $3,495 |
| Royal Caribbean | From $5,499 (20 guests) |
What’s Included in a Cruise Wedding Package
While the exact inclusions for cruise ship wedding packages will vary, there are some features that are almost always included.
1. Guests
You’ll typically be allowed to have a small number of guests present for your wedding – often basic packages will start with 10, and you can upgrade if you want more.
If those guests aren’t booked onto the cruise, then it means your wedding will take place on embarkation day – they’ll be allowed to board the ship, enjoy the ceremony with you, and then leave before the ship sets sail.
2. Pre-Cruise Planner
Typically, you’ll be given the services of a wedding planner for your cruise wedding, who’ll be available over email or phone so that you can arrange the minor details such as the music, the decorations, etc.
3. A Private Venue
Basic cruise wedding packages will always include a private venue. You don’t need to worry about random guests wandering around behind you as you exchange your vows. Upgraded packages will be available for guests who want to get married ashore.
4. A Local Officiant
While some cruise ship captains will marry guests, that may be a service only offered for upgraded packages. At the very least, you’ll have an officiant for your wedding who will lead the service and ensure all the proper legal documents are signed.
5. Wedding Certificate Keepsake
You’ll normally be given a keepsake version of your wedding certificate so you have a nice memento to remind you of the day, along with the legal documents that you need to prove you are married.
6. Wedding Cake
The cake is normally included in your cruise wedding package, but it may be a relatively simple one. It’s normal to expect a two-tier cake on basic packages, with the option to upgrade to a three-tier one if you pay more.
7. A Toast
Normally, you’ll get a glass of sparkling wine for your guests to toast you as a newly married couple, with the option to upgrade to Champagne if you choose a higher-tier package.
8. Photography Services
You need to be careful with this one – cruise weddings will usually give you the services of a photographer, but not the actual photos.
The idea is that you’ll get some amazing photos that you can then buy. You might get one free photo with your wedding package, but you’d then need to pay for the digital copies or any prints of the rest.
9. Decorations
Basic decorations will be included in a cruise wedding package, including an aisle runner and chair decorations.
Other Things You’ll Need to Budget For
1. The Actual Cruise
The cost of a cruise wedding does not include the cost of your cruise fare, so you’ll need to budget for that separately. If you’re booking a shorter cruise then the wedding package might be a lot more than the cruise fare, but you still need to pay for it.
2. Wedding Licensing
This one’s super-important – not all cruise line wedding packages include the legal and regulatory fees for your ceremony, and you may need to pay extra for these. A license for a wedding at sea will typically cost between $500 and $750.
3. Upgraded Ceremonies
You need to look at the different wedding package options for your cruise line, because basic ones might not have everything you want. You’ll need to budget for things like extra guests, a longer ceremony if you want to have readings included, or the extra cost for a destination wedding if that’s what you’d prefer.
4. Reception (Food and Drinks)
A cruise wedding only tends to include the ceremony as standard. You can normally arrange a reception too, but that will cost extra. It’ll include continued use of a private venue, along with food and drink options for you and your guests.
5. Photography
Again, you’ll normally have a photographer’s services included in your cruise wedding, but the actual photos will cost extra.
There are usually different bundles you can choose from when planning your cruise, offering photo albums, digital copies or special prints.
6. Videography Services
Videography services are extra for a cruise wedding – if you want a professional wedding video to be arranged by the cruise line, you’ll need to pay extra for that. It might be better to just ask a guest to film it for you – phones these days will do a perfectly fine job, unless you want that really professionally edited final product.
7. Spa Services
Cruise ships have spas onboard, which are ideal for some pre-wedding hair and beauty treatments. These will cost extra, but they do mean you don’t need to worry about arriving at a bustling cruise port looking immaculate already.
8. Romance Packages
Cruise lines will often have extra packages available for the happy couple just to make the whole day feel that bit more special.
They’ll vary by cruise line but may include breakfast in bed the next day, flower petal decorations for the stateroom, a bottle of chilled bubbly waiting for you, a couple’s massage… Anything the cruise line can offer that feels romantic.
9. Live Music
Cruise weddings will include the use of pre-recorded music for the ceremony, and for the reception if you book one. But if you want to upgrade that to include live musicians, that’s usually an option, but you’ll be looking at an increase of at least $200, likely more, depending on how long you want them to play.
10. Clothing and Flowers
You’ll need to remember to budget for your outfits and for any flowers you want to use in the ceremony. The outfits are on you to arrange, but the cruise line may be able to help with bouquets and boutonnieres for the gents.
Bear in mind you aren’t allowed to bring fresh flowers on board, so you may need to make do with fake ones.
Here’s What Each Cruise Line Offers
Carnival Weddings
Carnival offers three main types of wedding package:
- Signature Ceremony – Ceremony-only packages
- It’s a Celebration – Packages that include a reception
- Love Ashore – Destination weddings
The cheapest of the Carnival cruise wedding packages is the Signature Ceremony which starts at $1,799 for a wedding with 10 guests (including the couple). You can add additional guests for $29 plus tax, and there are all kinds of extras you can add onto the package as well.
There are lots of different options to tailor your wedding, including choosing the cake flavours, the decorations to be used and more. Reception packages include a mix of hot and cold food served tapas-style, rather than a sit-down dinner.
View the Carnival wedding brochure here
Celebrity Cruises Weddings
Despite Celebrity Cruises being a premium cruise line, its wedding packages are still relatively affordable. And even the most basic packages will be led by the ship’s captain, should they be available – although if not, another officiant will take their place.
Shoreside weddings are also available with Celebrity Cruises, if you’d like to get married in a venue adjacent to the embarkation port before embarking on your cruise honeymoon, and destination weddings can be arranged, too.
Celebrity offers special Deck Weddings, where your ceremony will take place on the deck with a beautiful canopy. If you’d like this option, though, it will of course cost extra.
Learn more about Celebrity Cruises wedding packages here
Disney Cruise Line Weddings
I’m sure you will be shocked to hear that the Disney cruise wedding cost is one of the highest of the major cruise lines, with prices starting at $4,000 for a Fairy Tale package. This does get you an increased number of guests, though – 16 as standard.
The packages also include more than you would get with other cruise lines’ basic packages. You’ll automatically get a solo musician for your ceremony, usually a pianist, and you’ll get Champagne for the wedding toast rather than sparkling wine.
The happy couple will get a commemorative Disney wedding cake topper to keep, and they’ll get onboard credit to use for a special celebration dinner in Palo on board the ship. Also, dress steaming is included as standard in the price, so your dress will be perfect for the ceremony.
Upgrade options include the chance to have a very special destination wedding on Castaway Cay, the cruise line’s private island – though this will increase your costs significantly.
Learn more about Disney Cruise Line weddings here
NCL Weddings
NCL is another cruise line to offer a range of different wedding packages, including the option for a Symbolic Ceremony at Sea, a Harborside Ceremony, or a Destination Ceremony. The Symbolic Ceremony at Sea is the cheapest, from $2,059, but this can only take place on a sea day when the ship is cruising.
So, if you want to be able to invite guests to your wedding who aren’t cruising with you, you’re looking at the more expensive Harborside Ceremony for £3,099.
There are loads of extras you can add onto the standard package, including fresh flowers as decorations, entertainment, spa treatments and more. But just a note – if you host a larger wedding, you’ll be charged for extra wedding coordinators for every 25 guests.
Read the NCL wedding brochure here
P&O Weddings
P&O Cruises’ entry-level wedding packages are designed just for the happy couple, so you need to pay a little more (£2,700) to get up to 10 guests included.
You do get some nice perks for the price, though – the captain or deputy will conduct the ceremony, and you’ll have use of a pre-cruise wedding planner and one onboard the ship to finalise details as well.
Couples will also enjoy breakfast in bed for the morning after the wedding, as well as complimentary pressing of the wedding outfits, hair and makeup before the wedding, dinner at a speciality restaurant and a special certificate signed by the captain.
Learn more about P&O Cruises wedding packages here
Princess Cruises Weddings
Princess Cruises’ wedding packages are on the pricier side, but this is the cruise line famous for The Love Boat, so a lot of people want to get married on a Princess ship.
Standard packages are for the couple only, so you’re looking at $4,495 for a wedding with guests, which includes your choice of indoor or outdoor ceremony led by the ship’s captain.
You’ll also get a solo musician for the ceremony, and a range of gifts in your stateroom to make your wedding more special, including a romantic breakfast the morning after.
The price also includes a range of digital and print photos as standard.
In the past, Princess has had a unique feature for wedding ceremonies, being able to stream them live to your friends and family back home. It’s not clear whether this is still available, but it’s one to ask about.
Learn more about Princess Cruises weddings here
Royal Caribbean Weddings
Royal Caribbean offers a range of wedding packages to suit different budgets and guest lists, but prices have gone up in recent years. This reflects what the package offers, but it’s worth knowing what’s included before you book.
The most affordable option is the Forever Yours package, which starts at $5,499 but covers the couple plus up to 20 guests. You’ll get a private ceremony venue, Moët & Chandon to toast with, a romantic dinner at a speciality restaurant, stateroom decorations, breakfast in bed, chocolate-covered strawberries, and even a couple’s massage – so it feels really special.
If you want to go really big, the Love Sets Sail package is priced from $9,499 and allows up to 100 guests (including 50 who don’t have to sail). This one includes everything in the smaller package, plus a proper reception with a DJ, a three-tier wedding cake, priority check-in for your guests, and lots of extra touches to make the day unforgettable.
You can also add extras like professional photography, upgraded receptions, and entertainment – but just be aware these can quickly bump up the total cost, so it’s worth factoring that into your budget.
Learn more about Royal Caribbean weddings here.
Budgeting Tips for Cruise Weddings
1. Book Your Cruise Early
Remember that, as the couple getting married, you need to budget for two separate costs – the wedding, but also the cruise.
So try to book your cruise as early as possible – look for when the dates are going to go on sale, and get in there as soon as you can. This can help you get the best deal on the actual cruise element and save money overall.
2. Reach Out to the Cruise Line Early With Your Requirements
Once you have the cruise booked, contact the cruise line to begin arranging the wedding as early as possible, too.
If you set out your requirements as soon as possible, the cruise line can provide a full breakdown of costs. This can help you save for it in advance, or you might realise that there are adjustments you’re comfortable with that won’t spoil the ceremony but will bring the price down.
3. Ask Guests to Contribute in Lieu of Gifts
This one splits opinion, but if you’re inviting guests to your cruise wedding, it’s reasonable to ask them to contribute to the cost, instead of buying you a wedding gift. It’s just the same as asking for contributions to a honeymoon, after all.
Suggested read: The Best Honeymoon Cruises
4. Set Up an Onboard Gift Registry
An alternative idea is to set up a registry for your cruise, so that guests can buy elements of it as your wedding gift. A lot of cruise lines can facilitate this for you. So you might list speciality dinners, or excursions, or even just some drinks.
Having your guests pay for these as your wedding gifts means they’re essentially paying for parts of the cruise you’d otherwise have to budget for.
Final Word
While cruise weddings are hardly cheap, they aren’t actually too expensive when compared like-for-like with land weddings.
There are logistics to consider, like making sure your guests can join you, and working out whether they’re also going to cruise with you.
But combining a cruise and honeymoon into one escape, and getting married either at sea or in a beautiful location with the cruise ship behind you, is extremely special. Especially if you both already love cruises, then it’s a perfect celebration of each other and the happiest times you spend together.
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