Wedding Cruises, Does the "Guest" really PAY???

My cousin is getting married aboard the Enchantment of the Seas. How wonderfull and romantic. I am really happy for her, I am glad she found someone.

Besides that point.

We just got some information regarding the rates and I checked those rates against RCI's Website and saw that we are paying about $30 more per birth. I don't understand. I thought she would be getting a group rate, which should be cheaper right???

Am I paying for their wedding? Am I paying for their cruise? Does a wedding group mirror a group rate, meaning, for every so many cabins paid, the group leader gets a free birth???

Can I book the criuse myself and attend the wedding??? Or will I not be able to board the ship early enough.

Don't get me wrong, I am really happy for her, I just think that if I pay to attend her wedding (which is my choice to, and I want to because hello.. it's a cruise) Shoud I have to pay for her cruise too.

And P.S. Do you give the newlyweds a gift??

Thanks for the input

I'll give your thread some attention.;) (although that statement won't make sense to anyone in a few minutes).

I don't know this for fact, but I remember reading somewhere that group cruise rates does not mean cheaper fare. It seems like the article did state that you could actually end up spending more but I can't remember why. It wouldn't surprise me that if enough cabins are booked at the group rate, they will get their cruise paid for.

If it were me, I would book my cruise individually. I would also bring a gift. I'm attending a wedding in Nags Head and for 3 nights I am spending pretty much what I did for my 7 night cruise on the Mariner (and I have a balcony!). I'm really having a tough time swallowing that. At least you are getting a cruise!!

Although,I still think it would be more fun to hijack the other:D

Well.I am glad to know your not getting married.Again.I don't know if we could handle that:p

Maybe,the group gets special priveldges..(like boarding first) some little gift or snack (could spell h'orderve) or access to special private areas and thats what thats far..

Cruising...Its like spelling RADAR backwards..They get you coming and going.

Oh,and yeah...Ya gotta give them a gift.

I am thinking a really nice Photo Album..or hey..you could scrapbook one for em:)

Or his and hers RCI boxers! Or some of those quality loving cups..

I know that we do get a "cocktail luncheon" and transportation from a specific hotel (hotel $$$ isn't included in the rate)

The wedding will be from anywhere from 12-2... not nailed down yet. So I guess we do get special boarding privledges.

You may also want to check out the CruiseCritic "wedding" boards - lots of previous/soon-to-be brides sharing info from various cruiselines. :)

For our cruise wedding: guests could book through whoever they wanted. We married at a port of call and the cruiseline took really good care of us even though we didn't book the wedding through them (NCL). Our group rate ended up getting "beat" by lower prices that came out after we all booked especially after final payment - so sometimes that can happen. Group rates don't matter what the occassion is for - usually the 16th full passenger marks one free berth. Since some of our guests booked through other TAs at last minute (non group rates), we didn't get that free berth, but we had planned to use the "freebie" to lower everyone else's cruise price should we have achieved that. Hubby and I paid for our own cruise, wedding, reception, etc. since we both have jobs and family/guests paid for their own cruise. (Just our personal experience - I realize some do it differently) :)

Mandy,

Thanks. I am thinking about booking apart from the group. I am just worried that I won't get on the ship in time to see the wedding. Also, will they let me in the "chapel" area if I am not in the grouping. I don't know if they'd be checking or even if they'd even have a way to check.

OK miss cheap gish, yeah - ya go to da wedding ya gotta bring a gift! Them's the rules .... :D

Dude... I'm paying over $500 for a 4 dayer just to get on the ship to SEE the darned thing.. Really a gift too!?!?

Dude... I'm paying over $500 for a 4 dayer just to get on the ship to SEE the darned thing.. Really a gift too!?!?

Perhaps a nice card with some drink or photo coupons to use on the cruise might be a useful gift:)

shoot they should be buying me drinks...

LOL

Colette,

Thank you that is a nice idea. Or Seapass credit.

You know I was just giving you a hard time. ;) . Seriously though, while I would think someone coming on a cruise with me to celebrate my wedding was enough, I think in an "Ask Abby" kind of world a gift would still be appropriate. Perhaps not quite as expensive a gift as you might otherwise get. But a token gift at the very least. Colette had a couple of good ideas.

shoot they should be buying me drinks...

 

LOL

 

Colette,

 

Thank you that is a nice idea. Or Seapass credit.

Shipboard credit is a great idea too.:p

I cannot help but think Dear Abby would tell you to get something small for the couple. Try not to think of spending $500 on your cruise fare as a present for them.....that is really a gift for YOURSELF:) Have fun!

Shipboard credit is a great idea too.:p

I cannot help but think Dear Abby would tell you to get something small for the couple. Try not to think of spending $500 on your cruise fare as a present for them.....that is really a gift for YOURSELF:) Have fun!

I think you have the wrong idea here, Colette. Gish hates cruising. This will be 4 days of utter misery for her. It is only her kind heart and giving spirit that is forcing her to go on this cruise. I know she is just dreading spending the next year worrying about having to take this cruise..... You tell them gish.....

I think you have the wrong idea here, Colette. Gish hates cruising. This will be 4 days of utter misery for her. It is only her kind heart and giving spirit that is forcing her to go on this cruise. I know she is just dreading spending the next year worrying about having to take this cruise..... You tell them gish.....

Wow...I guess I missed that! If I hated cruising, I would tell the happy couple I would just watch the wedding video when they returned:D

Mellow,

I'm not a completely miserable person. I'll TRY and have a good time. Now you be nice. Let people hate me for themselves. Not for what you tell them...

Gish (if your a friend)

We were on the Radiance last year and there was a wedding party. They boarded way befrore everyone else and I beleive that not every in the wedding party was actually going on the cruise. So maybe it is possible for Mrsjanko to go and board just long enough for the ceremony and then get off the ship before it sails. Have you looked into that Mrsjanko? If not possible then please try to enjoy your 4 days.

Annieeee

I've just missed you so much these past months. So I wanted you to feel special now that you are back! (Insert angel wings emoticon... now where is that darn emoticon, I know I just had it here somewhere....) :D

We were on the Radiance last year and there was a wedding party. They boarded way befrore everyone else and I beleive that not every in the wedding party was actually going on the cruise. So maybe it is possible for Mrsjanko to go and board just long enough for the ceremony and then get off the ship before it sails. Have you looked into that Mrsjanko? If not possible then please try to enjoy your 4 days.

 

Annieeee

I am really sorry folks. Mrs. J really does love to cruise. I was just giving her a hard time because I like her so much - you know how hard it is to find good friends. ;)

Look at that, not back for a day and I have a rep. Thanks Mellow LOL. Thats alright. I like my rep

I am going to be one mean ole lady when I grow up.

Gish

My neighbor got married on a cruise ship. You definitely dont have to book this cruise with them. You can find your own cheaper prices. Basically all my neighbor had to pay for was a set up fee for the room. The private dinner was included as dinner is included in cruise fares. They paid for the flowers and they had to pay for the all the photos that they wanted to buy. But if you find a room price cheaper then their group booking you should definitely do it on your own. They would not be able to have to pay them. You would have to pay the cruise line on your own either way so why not take the cheaper price.

I used to work with a girl who was married on a cruise ship. She got into that deal with sneaky intentions, and it backfired:

Her plan was simple and greedy. It was a second marriage for both parties; they were both in their 30s and had had the big traditional wedding before. She wanted to be married on the cruise ship with just her immediate family and close friends, but she hoped to receive nice gifts from a large number of people. So she sent out invitations to EVERYONE, assuming they'd send a gift and their regrets (because it costs time and money to cruise).

Her fatal mistake: She booked a 3 or 4 day cruise on a low-end cruise line whose name will not be spoken here, and she chose a port that's only about three hours from our hometown. It was the first part of June, which is perfect vacation time. All this meant that many people who'd never really thought about cruising before said, "Hey, this is ___'s wedding, and it's not too expensive -- let's go!"

So suddenly she had something like 150 people booking the cruise to see her suddenly-large wedding. The problem? She'd budgeted for her own cabin, and she'd budgeted the wedding dinner/cake/etc. for a small group -- perhaps something like 25 people. I remember specifically that the wedding dinner cost $80 per person, and it was not included in the cost of the cruise -- it was her (the bride's) responsibility. She'd come in to work crying, "I received another two response cards yeserday."

She ended up taking a part-time job to pay the extra cost of the larger reception. The real clinker: Lots of people didn't bring gifts or they brought only token gifts because "their presence" was the present!

We created a group for our daughter's wedding however informed everyone that they could book elsewhere as it really didn't matter. We had a mix of sailing and non-sailing and those that rode to the port via the tranportation we arranged and those that arrived separately. You merely tell the security people you're with the Whatever wedding party and they will pass you through and direct you to them. They ask that the you arrive earlier than usual and keep the whole wedding party and wedding guests together and check the sailing passengers in at a separate window (that was really nice). The "other" passengers started checking in and lining up at the door to enter the ship, well pushing and shoving really, so they could be first. It was great when the wedding coordinator made them all move aside to let 30+ people through LOL. My daughter and then future son in law were the first passengers to board the ship. The wedding party then were escorted to our cabins to dress and the guests were instructed to be on time for the wedding and that they (even non-sailing) could go to Windjammer for some lunch or tour the ship until wedding time.

Have a great time, it was a wonderful event, of course I could have dental surgery onboard a ship and think it's a wonderful event since I'm addicted!

Welcome back Gish! Good thing you do not live in NY our wedding gifts are hard, cold cash:eek: But then again it is easier;)

njoyn,

You response is appreciated. So this was a royal caribbeal wedding??? And guests whom do not book with the group are allowed to board the ship with the rest of the wedding party???

I believe this is what you said. Please confirm. When we get to the dock, where would we go, or who should we tell that we are with a wedding party. I know every port is different and this may have been awhile ago, but try to remember. Thank you very much.

Beth