Marriage onboard ship at Barcelona

[Fuzzzy]

Since Spain has legalized same sex marriage a year ago, has anyone tried to have a cruise ship's captain perform a marriage onboard a ship?:)

[Blazerboy]

Not a lawyer, but I don't think, unless a Captain were Spanish, and on a ship registered in Spain, that it would be a legal marriage even in Spain. Not sure what their laws are about non-Spaniards marrying, either...but it would be nice...

 

We're going to be in Barcelona in Fall of '07, and that would make the 11 day cruise our honeymoon!:D

 

Anyone know anything different?

 

Andrew

[Oslo Dutch]

That would be a nice idea to do so.

 

The civil marriage in the Netherlands which is now equal for both straight and gay indicates that one of the partners should have got the dutch nationality and legally the marriage is only valid within the law in the Netherlands.

 

So it will have no legal implications back home in the States for you.

 

Don't know what the Spanish law is like, but I imagine it to be similar.

 

Let's hope that things will change a bit. Legal marriage in the States..........and perhaps a husband for me :)

 

Reint

[pnhmrk]

It will have no legal implications back home in the States for you.

 

If you're a couple who married in Spain, The Netherlands, etc then the UK authorities will only recognise that partnership once you've registered it with them as well. You don't need to go through the full works, just tell them that you are married (and provide proof).

[etoile]

Actually...I have good news. I have inquired about this with both NCL and Celebrity (turns out they use the same wedding planners) and they were willing to do it. I only asked about Canada, but if the wedding planners will do it there, I don't see why they wouldn't in Spain or elsewhere. I suggest contacting the wedding department for your cruise line and asking, because in all likelihood they will do it. :)

 

edit: just realized...there may be residency restrictions. I believe the Netherlands requires one partner to be a Dutch citizen. Canada has no restrictions for marriage. But it would be Spanish restriction, not cruise line refusal, is my guess.

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

I hope you don't mind the intrusion on your thread. Our son is gay and we lived for many years in Barcelona where our children continue to live.

 

The Spanish gay marriage law is actually the fairest of any law out there, for this reason. While in other countries they enacted laws which refer specifically to same sex unions, in Spain all they did was to take any reference to gender out of all sections of the civil code and make them gender-neutral. At the end of the civil code, they enacted a paragraph saying that for the avoidance of doubt, these laws apply equally to same sex and opposite sex unions. So gay people in Spain now have the exact same rights as everybody else in Spain -- including adoption -- and no specific mention of gay people is made in the laws.

 

In order to be married in Spain, one of the two people must be a Spanish citizen or Spanish legal resident. Marriage is a process that is initiated with the Spanish Civil Registry in the place of residence and it is a paperwork process that takes several months -- and this is the same for same-sex couples as it is for opposite sex couples.

 

Town hall officials (mayors, councilmembers, and the like) perform marriage ceremonies in Spain. The Captain on your cruise ship cannot perform a wedding ceremony valid in Spain.

 

A foreigner just visiting Spain on vacation (whether via cruise ship or on land) cannot get married in Spain if one of you is not a Spanish citizen or legal resident.

 

My son told us that the recent gay pride celebrations in Barcelona and Madrid were amazing. All of the city -- and not just the gay "ghettos" participated in the fun, and it was an entire celebration because the atmosphere in Spain is of total freedom right now for homosexuals. Madrid is scheduled to host the European Gay Pride celebration in June 2007.

 

The most recent law about to be passed will allow men or women who feel inside that they are of the opposite sex to go to the Civil Registry and have their sex and name changed on their passports and Identity cards -- even without a sex change operation.

 

And it was just announced in the news media that two young men in their twenties, both officers in the Spanish Air Force stationed in Seville, are going to get married. They are going to be married in full military uniform, in a ceremony that will follow full military pomp and circumstance, with all high level members of the Spanish military present, and the marriage is going to be performed by the Mayor of Seville. This puts Clinton's Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy to shame.

 

I hope this information helps and, once again, my wife and I apologize for "intruding" on your thread.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[etoile]

Gunther, it is no intrusion at all - you have indeed brought some very interesting and welcome information to the thread! As I suspected, the residency requirement will keep American gay couples from getting married there (on a cruise or otherwise), but it is so wonderful to hear how inclusive the Spanish population is of its gay members.

 

I guess Canada remains the only place gay couples can get married while on vacation. The planning agency I spoke of before is The Wedding Experience and they provide services for Royal Caribbean, Princess, NCL, Windstar, HAL (in Europe), as Carnival (certain ports only). The Wedding Experience confirmed for me that they will be happy to provide same-sex weddings in Canadian ports.

[Blazerboy]

Gunther and Uta, not only was your post NOT an intrusion, but all the information a welcome addition.:) As always, when I hear from parents like you, I have to add my gratitude that some people, like you two, understand the issues, and value their children for who they are...bravo!

 

With the less than stellar news about what's happening with the referendum on gay marriage in Massachusetts, I'm truly hoping that California makes progress with this latest trial- not only great for us, but hopefully of some support to those in Mass. fighting for equality.

 

Andrew

[Fuzzzy]

Thank you everyone for your comments on this thread. I was so hopeful that the state supreme court in my home state of Washington in the USA was going to uphold the state DOMA that I had forgotten about this thread. Well, we all know what happened in Washington.

 

I guess British Colombia, Canada looks beter everyday for marriage.

 

Thank again. :)

[Joe and Ivan]

Even in Canada, the laws allowing gays to marry are under attack. So you may want to consider marriage soon, if that is your intent.

 

Ivan

[sjbdtz]

Even in Canada, the laws allowing gays to marry are under attack. So you may want to consider marriage soon, if that is your intent.

 

Ivan

 

Attack is a harsh word....They won't succeed in undoing the marriage laws in Canada.

[Joe and Ivan]

Attack is a harsh word....They won't succeed in undoing the marriage laws in Canada.

 

As one person that might hope to immigrate to Canada some day, it's good to hear Canadians say that the pendulum will not swing back. I must not understand the Canadian system or culture well enough to see why a reversal can not happen. I know that there have been polls in Canada, at least in 2005, which showed only equivocal support for same-sex marriage.

 

Ivan

[visagrunt]

In order to be married in British Columbia, the marriage has to be performed by a Marriage Commissioner or a member of the clergy who is licensed to perform marriages. On Canadian vessels, marriages cannot be conducted by the master, and of course, on foreign registered vessels, the law of the country of registry prevails.

 

If the vessel is in port in British Columbia, and the cruise line permits the marriage commissioner aboard as a visitor, then the marriage can be performed--however, that second "if" is a biggie.

[sjbdtz]

As one person that might hope to immigrate to Canada some day, it's good to hear Canadians say that the pendulum will not swing back. I must not understand the Canadian system or culture well enough to see why a reversal can not happen. I know that there have been polls in Canada, at least in 2005, which showed only equivocal support for same-sex marriage.

 

Ivan

 

Hi Ivan, sorry for the delay...I forgot this thread, and then went away for 3 weeks.

 

The thing of it is that we currently have a Minority government. The party in power could be kicked out if the other 3 parties formed a coalition. The other 3 parties are all in favor of gay marriage.

 

We've been married 3 1/2 years now, and no longer have any fear of it being undone.

 

Stephen

[Joe and Ivan]

We've been married 3 1/2 years now, and no longer have any fear of it being undone.

 

Stephen

 

Some day, our time will come too.....maybe.

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

-- Ivan