You have seen the photos: ocean views, a beautiful ceremony, everyone already in vacation mode and no need to visit twelve venues before choosing one.
Then comes the big question: How much does a cruise ship wedding cost?
The honest answer is that a cruise wedding can be more streamlined than a traditional wedding, but the ceremony package is not the whole budget. You also need to account for your cruise fare, travel to the port, guest expenses, photography, receptions, legal requirements and any upgrades that make the celebration feel like yours.
Let’s walk through the numbers so you can decide whether a wedding at sea fits your priorities without getting lost in fifty browser tabs.
And you may want to check out a recent blog post I wrote, “Can you get married on a Cruise Ship?”
What Do Cruise Ship Wedding Packages Cost?
Among Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages, currently published wedding packages begin at $2,595 and reach $9,499 before cruise fares, travel and optional upgrades are added.
Celebrity Cruises currently publishes one $2,595 symbolic ceremony package for 2 to 100 people, depending on venue. Royal Caribbean publishes three wedding packages: Forever Yours at $5,499 for up to 20 guests, The Knot at Sea at $7,999 for up to 75 guests, and Love Sets Sail at $9,499 for up to 100 guests. Virgin Voyages publishes three symbolic ceremony tiers: You, Me, and the Sea at $4,000 for the couple, Soulmates Set Sail at $5,000 for the couple plus up to four guests, and the $8,000 larger package for up to 50 guests.
Those prices are useful starting points, not universal quotes. Cruise line, ship, sailing date, ceremony location, guest count and customizations can all change your total. Packages and pricing can also change, so availability and current terms should always be confirmed before you reserve the cruise.
The most important thing to remember is this: the published ceremony package price is not the total cost of the cruise wedding.
What Is Usually Included in a Cruise Wedding Package?
The included details vary by cruise line, but a basic cruise wedding package may include:
- A pre-cruise wedding coordinator
- A private shipboard venue
- An officiant
- A short ceremony
- Recorded ceremony music
- A wedding cake and sparkling-wine toast
- Simple shipboard decorations
- A keepsake certificate
- Limited photography services
- A special dinner or amenity for the couple
Celebrity includes a private venue, officiant, cake, toast, flowers and one photographer for one hour, but digital images are purchased separately. Royal Caribbean’s inclusions vary by tier and can include décor, cake, a toast, dining, spa treatments and beverage packages. Virgin Voyages includes a symbolic ceremony, private venue, officiant, cake, florals and planning support, with guest capacity and celebration extras varying by tier.
Read every inclusion carefully. The most expensive surprises usually live in the space between “photography services included” and “all the photographs we want are included.” And many clients choose to bring their own photographers with them, their own “content creators.”
What Is Not Included in the Cruise Wedding Package Price?
This is where your real cruise wedding budget begins.
Cruise Fare for the Couple
The wedding package and the cruise reservation are separate parts of the budget. Plan for the couple’s cruise fare, and usually each sailing guest’s cruise fare, in addition to the ceremony package.
Your cabin category can make a significant difference. An interior stateroom keeps the base cost lower, while a suite gives you more room to get ready, host close family or enjoy the honeymoon portion of the sailing. I mean, it is YOUR wedding, a balcony or suite is probably calling your name!
Cruise Fare for Guests
In most cases, your guests pay for their own cruise, transportation and personal expenses. You can choose to cover certain guests or offer a contribution, but you are not automatically responsible for everyone’s fare.
This is also where thoughtful planning matters. The sailing you love still needs to be realistic for the people you most want beside you. Cabin availability, deposit deadlines and different budgets can quickly become more complicated than choosing pretty ceremony colors.
Flights, Hotels and Transfers
If you are flying to the embarkation city, budget for airfare, airport transportation and at least one pre-cruise hotel night.
I strongly recommend arriving before embarkation day. A delayed flight is stressful on any cruise vacation. It is a much bigger problem when your wedding plans depend on boarding the ship on time.
Marriage License and Legal Fees
A legal wedding may involve marriage-license fees, document processing, port fees or destination-specific requirements. These costs depend on where and how you marry.
Some couples choose a symbolic ceremony on the ship after completing the legal marriage at home; a quick courthouse ceremony will take care of this. That can reduce paperwork and uncertainty, but it is a personal decision. Confirm the rules for your ceremony location instead of assuming that being married by a captain automatically makes everything legal.
Photography and Video Upgrades
Your package may include a photographer, but additional time, digital files, albums, prints or video can cost more. Virgin Voyages is one cruise line that does not include a photographer, so you would need to bring one with you or have a family member do this for you.
Ask exactly what you receive, how long the photographer is present and whether you may bring an outside photographer. Do not wait until after the ceremony to discover that the images you love require a separate purchase.
Reception Food, Drinks and Entertainment
A cake-and-toast package is not the same as a private reception.
If you want cocktails, a plated meal, a private lounge, music, dancing or a longer celebration, request the complete pricing. Guest minimums, venue fees, beverage packages and service charges can all affect the total.
Attire, Beauty Services and Decorations
Remember the familiar wedding expenses too: clothing, alterations, hair, makeup, flowers, invitations, favors and décor.
Cruise lines may limit outside vendors, candles, adhesives, fresh flowers or items brought onboard. Confirm what is permitted before ordering decorations that cannot pass security or be used in the venue.
Gratuities, Taxes and Service Charges
Some packages include gratuities; others add taxes or service charges to enhancements. Ask for an itemized estimate so you know what is already covered and what will appear later.
A Simple Cruise Wedding Budget Example
There is no single correct budget, but a couple planning an intimate cruise wedding might organize the estimate like this:
- Wedding package: $2,595 to $9,499 based on currently published packages from Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages
- Cruise fare for the couple: Varies by sailing and cabin
- Pre-cruise hotel, flights and transfers: Varies by departure port
- Marriage license and processing: Varies by ceremony location
- Photography or video upgrades: Based on the package selected
- Private reception or celebration: Based on guest count and inclusions
- Attire, beauty and personal details: Based on the couple’s priorities
- Contingency fund: 10 to 15 percent of the planned budget
This is a planning framework, not a quote. A couple-only ceremony, a celebration for twenty guests and a boarding-day event for fifty non-sailing guests are three very different budgets.
Is a Cruise Wedding Cheaper Than a Traditional Wedding?
It can be, but “cheaper” is not the best question.
A cruise wedding may bundle the venue, officiant, cake, simple décor and coordination into one package. That can reduce the number of separate vendors and decisions you need to manage. If many guests pay for their own cruise, the couple’s direct wedding expenses may also be lower than a traditional hometown celebration.
But the savings depend on what you compare.
A small ceremony at sea may cost much less than a large ballroom wedding. And the beauty of a cruise wedding is having everythng taken care of by one venue… the cruise line, meaning, you won’t need to traipse around town trying to find your florist, your venue, your bakery, your music, etc. Everything is taken care of with ONE place! Much less stress on you as a couple. And for the travel portion, you have a travel advisor taking care of all of that – HEY, that’s me!
The better question is: Does this format give us the experience we want at a total cost we feel comfortable carrying?
Who Pays for What in a Cruise Wedding?
Traditionally, cruise wedding guests pay for their own cruise fare, flights, hotel and personal expenses. The couple usually pays for the wedding package and any hosted ceremony or reception elements.
Still, there is no rule that fits every family. You might choose to cover a parent’s cabin, pay for the wedding party’s specialty dinner or host a welcome event.
Whatever you decide, communicate it early and clearly. Guests need to know what they are expected to pay, when deposits are due and which costs are optional. Clear communication protects relationships and keeps you from answering the same question in five different group chats.
How a Cruise Wedding Travel Advisor Helps Protect the Budget
A cruise wedding has fewer moving parts than some traditional weddings, but the travel portion adds its own deadlines and dependencies.
The wedding department handles the ceremony package. A cruise wedding travel advisor focuses on the bigger travel picture: choosing the right sailing, organizing cabin bookings, explaining deadlines, communicating with guests, tracking travel details and helping when plans change.
Without one clear travel process, guests may book the wrong sailing, choose disconnected reservations, miss deadlines or direct every question to the couple. Suddenly, the “easy” wedding has made you the unpaid travel coordinator for everyone you love. You do NOT need to deal with that, that is my job as the travel advisor. And it is so important to make your guests aware of the need to book their reservation inside of the group (see FAQs below.)
My role is to take that responsibility off your plate. You should be enjoying your engagement, not spending lunch breaks comparing cabin categories and chasing deposits.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cruise Ship Wedding Costs
Can you have a cruise wedding for under $10,000?
Yes, you definitely can. An intimate cruise wedding may fit below $10,000, especially if guests pay for their own travel and the couple limits upgrades. Your final total depends on the cruise fare, package, ceremony type, guest count, reception and travel costs.
Do wedding guests pay for their own cruise?
Usually, yes. Most guests pay their own cruise fare, transportation and personal expenses. The couple may choose to cover selected costs, but expectations should be communicated before guests commit.
Is the honeymoon included after a cruise wedding?
The sailing can become your honeymoon, but it is not free with the ceremony package. The couple still books and pays for the cruise cabin. Some packages include romantic extras such as dinner or stateroom amenities. In some cases, the couple may qualify for a discounted cabin or cruise-fare credit. However, this depends on the number of qualifying staterooms booked within the official group and the specific benefits included in the group agreement.
Do cruise wedding packages include photography?
Many include photography services or a limited product, but not necessarily all digital images. Ask about photographer time, image packages, print rights and upgrade costs.
Can non-sailing guests attend a cruise wedding?
Some boarding-day packages allow non-sailing guests, subject to cruise-line rules, security requirements, venue capacity and port availability. Other ceremonies require guests to sail. Confirm this before inviting anyone. But yes, some larger cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises typically offer a ceremony on embarkation day and guests do not have to be sailing.
How far in advance should we book a cruise wedding?
Book as early as practical because ships, venues, wedding slots and preferred cabins are limited. Royal Caribbean requires weddings at sea to be booked at least 90 days before sailing. Virgin Voyages requires at least 90 days for its first two tiers and 120 days for its largest tier. Those are minimums, not ideal planning targets, so earlier is better. Personally I think you should start planning AT LEAST one year out, preferably more, as group space fills up very quickly.
Can group bookings help reduce the couple’s cruise-wedding costs?
Possibly. Some cruise lines offer group benefits after a certain number of qualifying staterooms are booked and sailed within the official wedding group. Depending on the cruise line and group agreement, those benefits could include a cruise-fare credit, a complimentary berth or cabin, onboard amenities, or assistance with group events. These benefits are not automatic, and they do not always cover the couple’s entire stateroom. The value depends on the cruise line, sailing, cabin categories, and the number of guests who complete their bookings within the group.
Guests who book independently may not count toward the group’s required total, even when they are sailing on the same ship. That is one reason it is important to follow the wedding group’s booking instructions instead of reserving separately online. And most importantly, this helps you, as the couple, meet your benefit requirments.
Ready to Plan Your Cruise Wedding Without Carrying Every Detail?
A cruise wedding can be beautiful, joyful and refreshingly simple when the budget and guest travel are organized from the beginning.
You do not need another giant list of options. You need the right sailing, a realistic total budget and one clear process for you and your guests.
I help busy couples plan cruise weddings with confident guidance, communication and hands-on guest travel support. Let’s start with filling out my group travel inquiry form and then we will schedule a consultation and let’s take this major piece of wedding planning off your plate. And as a certified wedding travel planner with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Virgin Voyages, I am here to help you choose the best option for you and your guests. You may even decide a small ship or a river cruise in Europe may be a great option as well. I am here to help make YOUR day the most special day ever.
