Renew Wedding Vows on Oosterdam

My wife and I have booked a Mexican Riviera cruise on Oosterdam next April 15.

While looking through the HAL website, I found a package deal for $129, in which the captain presides over a ceremony where couples can renew their wedding vows. Since this is almost our 30th anniversary (May 1, but my wife works at a school and can't travel then), we thought it might be fun.

Has anyone done this? The package includes the ceremony, a small reception, flowers in our room, dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and a photograph. Is it worth the money? I assume that a single ceremony includes all couples aboard who wish to participate. We might be the only ones, or there might be 30 couples.

I don't remember seeing this in the list of packages when we sailed on the Veendam last April. It must be relatively new.

Paul Noble

I did this on the Maasdam before they had a Pinnacle grill so the package was slightly different, but same price.

Very nice ceremony. We received flowers to wear, canapes and drinks before ceremony, five or 6 photographs from ships photographer, a certificate and a very nice photo album.

It was very romantic, my hubby and I both enjoyed this experience very much. There were about 5 other couples that I can remember.

My wife and I have booked a Mexican Riviera cruise on Oosterdam next April 15.

 

While looking through the HAL website, I found a package deal for $129, in which the captain presides over a ceremony where couples can renew their wedding vows. Since this is almost our 30th anniversary (May 1, but my wife works at a school and can't travel then), we thought it might be fun.

 

Has anyone done this? The package includes the ceremony, a small reception, flowers in our room, dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and a photograph. Is it worth the money? I assume that a single ceremony includes all couples aboard who wish to participate. We might be the only ones, or there might be 30 couples.

 

I don't remember seeing this in the list of packages when we sailed on the Veendam last April. It must be relatively new.

 

Paul Noble

Ruth and I have done it several times.

Here is a link to our Webshots phots to show some pictures or renewal and ceremony and reception.

http://community.webshots.com/user/jimvrhovac

May we suggest dinner in Pinacle afterwards to top off the evening....

The give you some pictures, a certificate, and a nice album for them. You can invite guests but there is a charge per guest.

You may note that Ruth and I have on Whinney the Pooh slippers. I tricked her she thought she was going to a birthday party for someone else......

If have any specific questions email us.

Jim & Ruth

Here is my "renewal of vows" review:Amsterdam May 29-June 5, Alaska. I could not find out much about the ceremony before our cruise so I wrote this for those who needed information. The info is at the bottom of my thread.

I was hesitant about doing the renewal because I wanted it to be meaningful and well done--it was all that and more. I highly recommend it and hope you will have many lovely memories as we do.

Have a great cruise and let us know what you decide:)

Time2sail, thanks for the review! I'm also planning this as a surprise for my husband for our 30th anniversary (although the anniversary itself was actually in March). My question is how did you pull off the surprise? You say it was a well-kept surprise until the afternoon of, and you also say the information with details is sent to the cabin. How did you assure the twain never met and how DID you tell your spouse?

Do you not find out when until you board? I would like to do the Pinnacle that night, but want to make the reservations in advance.

Thanks for sharing!

From the beginning--You have to charge the ROV on your credit card when you call ship's services or book online. So, if your credit card bill comes before you sail (if you are in charge of paying the bills this will be easy) then you will have to deal with this in some way. When I called to book the ROV, I asked when the ceremony would be performed. The standard answer is usually the second formal night but it is really up to the Captain. So, if you want to book the Pinnacle for after the ceremony, then choose that second formal night with a late seating--perhaps 8:30. Ship's services will probably say something like "we can't confirm that time" but when I got on the ship and checked with the Pinnacle, our time and day was as I requested on the telephone. I did not want to eat in the Pinnacle that ROV night as you read in my review; the other couples did. Also, the Pinnacle sent a reminder to our cabin reminding us of our reservations (we ate there twice).

You will get an email confirmation of your ROV. Hope you have your own email address or get to the computer before your husband. I did not tell relatives and friends until two weeks before we sailed about the ceremony. They were all excited and were happy to send cards and letters. You will have to get to the mailbox and collect those. We had over 30 of those which were placed in the zipper compartment of my suitcase. This was very special and we laughed and cried as we read those--just a nice touch since none of them was able to be there with us. (The letters from our children were awesome and those really brought tears).

There was an invitation (with date and time) and a bouquet and lapel flower in the room when we got there. Collect the invitation (hide it) and say " wasn't that nice of them to put that lovely bouquet in here." Two reminders were placed under the door--one asking for our presence in the library to give details of the ceremony and another the day of to remind us to be there. I attended the library meeting by saying "I am going to the library to check it out." The other couples and cruise personnel loved the surprise and couldn't wait until the ceremony to see the reaction. Captain Harris enjoyed it, too.

My spouse did not learn of the ROV until the day of and a few hours beforehand when another notice of the ROV was placed under the door. My spouse happened to get this one and said "what is this?" I really did not want to tell until we walked into the Crow's Nest but it really was okay and did give us time to decide if we really wanted to stay together 35 more years:D

I hope you have as much fun as I did planning this; it wasn't too difficult but perhaps sounds like it is. By the way, it is the first thing my spouse mentions when anyone asks about the cruise--"we renewed our vows." Our cruise to Alaska was amazing.

If I can help, let me know. Congratulations on your 30th anniversary and may you have many, many more cruises.:)

Credit card thing - handled. I pay all the bills and I'm already charging as much as I can beforehand (shore excursions, etc.) so if he did see it he wouldn't question it unless it said RENEWAL OF VOWS in giant letters

Email - handled. Work email. Cards, etc (which I would have *never* thought of - THANKS!) - handled. Work PO Box.

In cabin stuff - that's where it gets dicey. I can probably handle the initial "swoop in and sweep up" maneuver, and he wouldn't have a clue a bouquet isn't "normal" since this is our first cruise. It's the "slip under the door" I'm concerned about. He's a very early riser, and even if they slipped it under during the day, he would question what it was about. I wonder if the cabin steward could help here and "intercept"?

I may not do the Pinnacle thing that night, either, actually - I would really rather do formal nights in the DR - I LOVE to dress up and a lot of the fun is the atmosphere created when everyone is at their dressiest! I think we'll do the Pinnacle on informal night.

Thanks again for sharing!

Go see the guest relations manager at the front desk and explain that it is to be a surprise for your spouse and they will set it up that you have to pick everything up at the font desk.

The flowers we be waiting at the ceremony.

It worked for me...

Jim

Thanks, Jim!!

PS:

Slippers from Wall Mart........

Jim

PS:

Slippers from Wall Mart........

 

Jim

I'm having a hard enough time getting him in a tux - I'd NEVER get him in those adorable slippers!

1. If you want a video cassette of the ceremony go to the photo gallery and talk to the video photographer and arrange it with him. It can be on a seperate disk or on a ships cruise disk. Makes a nice momento.

2. Pack the slippers up and give them o him as a present.....

SIDE STORY:

Last year when we did back-to-back on Veendam hotel manager had just married one of the dancers. We have known him for years. In the port weekend went to Wall Mart in Tampa and while there found some cute Pink Bunny Rabbit slippers and got a pair for each of them. Gave the slippers to them in the Oceans bar when it was full one night. She said "How did you know I like Rabbits" I said "I just thought the animal was appropriate for the occasion...........".

Site for slippers:

http://www.tableandhome.com/coolanimalstuff/brands/dezi/animules

Have a great night

Jim & Ruth

Which cruise itiinery would be the best to celebrate a 35th anniversary? We went to Hawaii for our 30th anniversary which was great. We are on the Zuiderdam on September 24. I would like to surprise my husband. Would that be too soon to celebrate an August anniversary? PLEASE HELP. WE ARE A VERY ROMANTIC COUPLE!

Jim, you're just too sweet! I love those slippers! But they SO scream Jim and Ruth, and so DON'T scream Steve and Donna ... well, Donna maybe ... but I don't think they've quite learned Steve's name yet....

Thanks so much for all your help! You've given me some wonderful ideas and I promise to think of you during the ceremony.... on second thought, maybe during the reception ;)

TidePrideGA--It appears that you have all under control and it will be a piece of cake. That reminds me: if you ask the dining room waiter to bring you an anniversary cake on the night you choose, he will. (They do this for birthdays and anniversaries.) There is no charge. Plus, I asked if they would PLEASE sing a "happy anniversary song in their native language" and they were very happy to do so. Even the maitre d' came over and joined in. They enjoyed doing this as much as we and the others in the dining room enjoyed hearing it. You can arrange this after your first night in the dining room--I said to my spouse "honey, I need to speak with our waiter about something. Please wait at the elevator for me.";)

The song that they sang was about how we were wished happiness and love and peace, etc. Pretty terrific!

Arranging for your notes at the front desk sounds like a good idea; but I had told them the vows were a surprise and they sent them to the room anyway--usually they were placed under the door in the late afternoon. So, maybe you will have better luck. We also enjoyed the flowers all week (they stayed fresh and beautiful in water and were still pretty for the ceremony) but if you had rather have them just for the ceremony, they might can arrange that, too.

luv2cruz54--Some who did the ROV on the Zuiderdam (look at Ziggy's) said the ceremony was done at HMC. Each Captain's ceremony is unique to his style so they will all be different. I would think any cruise would be a great time for the ROV--happy anniversary and many more are wished for you, too.

The album that you will receive is very nice--it is pretty large and has pages for your pictures, momentoes and cards/letters. The whole package at a cost of $129 is a bargain and I think you will be very pleased. Just having almost an hour with the Captain is very special; you and your spouse will enjoy and be thrilled to meet him. Very few passengers on the cruise will have their own special time with the Captain.:)

If I can help further, please let me know. What a happy and exciting anniversary you will have! Wish I could go.

Glad the information helped.

Don't forget a visit to the Victorias Secret catalogue or websit couple weeks before the cruise.........

If I can find the certificate from the ceremony I will try to post it on the webshots site.

Still not done unpacking from Charlie last year....

Jim & Ruth

Why not go to Alaska if you can manage it.

July or August are good months and you do not have to cruise on the exact date...

If you do try to get a verandah so you can sit on it all day and watch the glaciers go by......

Take a look at webshots site. There is one picture from the back of the ship as we are sailing away... Awesoe scenery.

Jim & Ruth

Thanks for the advice. Alaska sounds like a great idea for a ROV. I'll wait until next August and maybe have some friends go with us.

ot a disk of about 400+ pictures of our curise if you want one to see what it was like.

Drop me an email

Jim

Found them and put them on Webshots site, It is copy of Certificate and also what the Captain reads during the ceremony.

Jim & Ruth

Found them and put them on Webshots site, It is copy of Certificate and also what the Captain reads during the ceremony.

 

Jim & Ruth

Those are beautiful vows!

Lot of people seem to be interested in Renewal as 300+ hits on those pictures since yesterday....

Glad was able to help out...

Jim & Ruth

Thank you all so much for the information and pictures on the ROVs. It really does look like they do a nice job of it. I've been considering it for our Alaskan cruise on the Ryndam next May but wasn't sure how it worked. (It's a few months after our 30th but going to Alaska in Jan doesn't seem like a very good idea!) DH would not be happy to be surprised but when I mentioned the possibility of doing it last night he seemed to like the idea as long as it wasn't a huge group of people. His sister and her husband will also be on the cruise so it will be nice to have them there for it too.

The only ones in attendance are the people having their vows removed (renewed), any guests that they invite, couple of the ships officers, servers, string band, and the ships photographer. Guest Relations Manager is responsible for the ceremony and can answer all your questions once you are on the ship....

It is generally closed to the public but have seen it held in the Explorers lounge where some people stood outside and observed the ceremoy.

Glad the pictures helped....

Jim & Ruth

Sorry about the wording..........

The only ones in attendance are the people having their vows removed,

 

Jim & Ruth

YIKES!! I don't want to have my vows removed (although there are times DH might think this a good idea... )!