Wedding at Sea vs Wedding Ashore: Cruise Options Compared

Updated 29 October 2026 · 5 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

Choose a wedding on board if you want everything in one place with an indoor backup, and a wedding ashore if the legal side, the setting or guests who aren't sailing matter more. Both work as destination weddings where guests travel once and stay together, with the cruise doubling as the honeymoon.

Four ways to get married on a cruise

"At sea or ashore" is really four options, each with different legal rules.

Can the captain legally marry you?

It depends on the ship's flag and the line. Some lines, including Princess and Celebrity, have offered legally binding at-sea weddings conducted by the captain on ships registered in flag states that allow it. Other lines offer only symbolic ceremonies or vow renewals at sea. Policies change, so confirm the current rules for your specific ship.

Getting married at a port of call

A port wedding gives you the dramatic setting: a Caribbean beach, a historic square, or an Alaska waterfront with mountains behind. It also comes with the most moving parts.

• Local rules vary. Each island or state sets its own documents, fees and any waiting period. Alaska, for example, has a waiting period after you apply for a licence, so it needs planning months ahead.
• The clock is tight. The ceremony, photos and a toast all have to fit before all-aboard, and tender ports eat into that time; see cruise ship tenders explained.
• Weather is real. Caribbean hurricane season runs June to November, and Alaska days can be wet. Have a covered backup.
• Ports can be skipped. Ask what happens to your booking if the ship misses the call.

The Vancouver option

For Western Canadian couples, marrying in Vancouver the day before an Alaska sailing keeps the legal side simple under BC law and lets relatives who aren't cruising attend. The wedding party then boards together at Canada Place, and the cruise becomes the honeymoon with friends along.

What does a cruise wedding cost?

Line packages for a small onboard ceremony commonly start in the low thousands of US dollars at recent prices, covering the officiant, venue, flowers and a small cake. Reception food, drinks, photography and extra guests are added on top. Port weddings arranged through local planners vary widely by destination. Guests pay their own fares, which is why a group block matters.

Planning steps for either version

1. Decide legal or symbolic. That narrows the lines and ships that suit you.
2. Choose the sailing, then book the wedding package and open the group block at the same time.
3. Give guests 10–12 months' notice with cabin price ranges and clear deadlines, as in group cruise deadlines.
4. Submit legal documents by the line's or port's deadline.
5. Book the reception space and photography. A private dining room works well, as covered in seating a group of 20, and hiring a photographer for a group cruise covers the options.
6. Remind guests about insurance and passports at the deposit stage.

Let the line know it's your honeymoon too; booking a cruise honeymoon lists what to flag.

Which suits which couple?

• At sea: a small guest list who are all sailing, couples who want zero weather worry, and ships that offer legal ceremonies.
• On board while docked: couples with relatives who want to attend but not sail.
• Ashore at a port: couples who want the beach or mountain photos and can handle more logistics.
• Before sailing: big families, simple legal paperwork and a cruise honeymoon with the wedding party.

Confirm the legal side first

Whatever you choose, settle whether the ceremony will be legally binding before you book anything else. Everything else, from venue to guest list, follows from that decision.

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