norwegian cruise wedding reviews

Norwegian Cruise Line Weddings: An Unforgettable Celebratory Experience

When it comes to planning a dream wedding, many couples are seeking unique and memorable experiences that go beyond the traditional ceremony and reception. Norwegian Cruise Line weddings offer the perfect solution, combining the joy of matrimony with the adventure of a cruise vacation. Saying “I do” aboard a luxurious ship while sailing to breathtaking destinations creates a once-in-a-lifetime celebration that will be cherished forever.

Benefits of having a wedding on a Norwegian cruise

One of the standout advantages of choosing a Norwegian Cruise Line wedding is the unparalleled experience it offers. Imagine exchanging vows against the backdrop of a vibrant sunset on the open deck, surrounded by the endless expanse of the sea. The stunning onboard venues and picturesque destinations add an enchanting touch to the celebration, providing a truly unforgettable setting for the union of two souls.

Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line offers all-inclusive wedding packages, taking the stress out of wedding planning. These packages include everything from the ceremony and reception venues to floral arrangements, photography services, and even a wedding cake. With these comprehensive packages, couples can relax and enjoy their special day without worrying about the details.

Planning a Norwegian Cruise Line wedding

Planning a Norwegian Cruise Line wedding begins with selecting the right ship and itinerary. Each ship in the fleet offers its own unique experiences and amenities. Working closely with the onboard wedding coordinator, couples can choose the ship that best fits their vision.

The onboard wedding coordinator is there to assist couples throughout the planning process and ensure that their preferences and needs are met. They work closely with the couple to customize the wedding package, allowing them to add personal touches and create a truly personalized ceremony and reception.

Norwegian Cruise Line wedding venues and options

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a variety of wedding venues, catering to different preferences and party sizes. For those who love the romance of the outdoors, main deck ceremonies under the open sky are available. The gentle breeze and the sound of the ocean provide a serene backdrop for exchanging vows.

If an indoor setting is preferred, elegant chapels and lounges are available, offering a more intimate atmosphere. These venues provide a sense of grandeur and sophistication, perfect for couples who want a more formal ambiance for their wedding ceremony.

For the reception, Norwegian Cruise Line offers various intimate private venues where couples can celebrate their union with their closest friends and family. From cozy lounges to chic restaurants, these spaces provide the perfect setting for a memorable evening of dining, dancing, and joyous celebration.

All-inclusive wedding packages offered by Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a range of all-inclusive wedding packages to suit different budgets and preferences. These packages typically include the ceremony venue, officiant, floral arrangements, photography services, a wedding cake, champagne toast, and even a romantic dinner for the newlyweds. Couples can also choose to further customize their package by adding extras such as live music, salon services, or even themed decorations.

Legal requirements and considerations for Norwegian Cruise Line weddings

While getting married onboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship is an incredible experience, it does come with certain legal requirements and considerations. Couples must ensure they have the necessary documentation for marrying on the ship, including valid passports, birth certificates, and any necessary visas. It is also important to familiarize themselves with the marriage laws and regulations of the specific destinations they will be visiting on their cruise.

Tips for a successful Norwegian Cruise Line wedding

To ensure a successful Norwegian Cruise Line wedding, there are a few tips to keep in mind. Firstly, it is important to schedule and coordinate with guests in advance, ensuring they can join you for this extraordinary celebration. Secondly, taking advantage of the onboard amenities and activities will enhance both the wedding experience and the vacation for you and your guests. Lastly, effective communication and coordination with the onboard staff will help make your wedding day run smoothly, allowing you to relax and enjoy every moment.

Real-life stories and testimonials

Countless couples have chosen Norwegian Cruise Line weddings and have unforgettable stories to share. From intimate ceremonies with sunset views to grand celebrations in elegant venues, these couples testify to the unparalleled joy and beauty of getting married on a cruise ship. Their testimonials provide insights into the unique experiences and heartfelt moments that can be expected from a Norwegian Cruise Line wedding.

Frequently asked questions about Norwegian Cruise Line weddings

Is it possible to have a religious ceremony onboard.

Yes, Norwegian Cruise Line offers religious ceremonies onboard, allowing couples to have their union blessed in accordance with their faith.

Can guests who are not sailing attend the wedding?

Absolutely! Norwegian Cruise Line offers special arrangements for guests who are not booked on the cruise to attend the wedding. This allows couples to share their special day with friends and family, regardless of whether they are sailing or not.

What happens if the weather is unfavorable for an outdoor ceremony?

In the event of unfavorable weather conditions for an outdoor ceremony, Norwegian Cruise Line has backup options available, including indoor venues and contingency plans to ensure the wedding can still take place.

Norwegian Cruise Line weddings offer couples the opportunity to create a truly unforgettable wedding celebration. With stunning venues, all-inclusive packages, and the expertise of onboard wedding coordinators, couples can easily plan a dream wedding while enjoying the adventure and luxury of a cruise vacation. Whether exchanging vows under the open sky, in an elegant chapel, or in an intimate lounge, the experience of getting married on a Norwegian cruise is an extraordinary celebration of love.

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Anyone get married on the Gem?

By NJCruzer82 , April 27, 2016 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Has anyone here been married onboard the Gem? Something we were looking at and would love to hear some feedback from anyone who has recently done it. How was your experience? How helpful were the guest services team with planning/executing everything? Did you enjoy it and were you happy with going this route rather than a "traditional" wedding? Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!

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• 2 weeks later...

BUMP.....(Giving it one more shot)

My wedding was on the Dawn 4 years ago, but the review link is in my signature if you are interested. We are not big wedding type people, but felt we needed some sort of ceremony, so this was just perfect for us.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is great!! Thank you VERY much! :-)

chellebells

Hello!   Has anyone here been married onboard the Gem? Something we were looking at and would love to hear some feedback from anyone who has recently done it. How was your experience? How helpful were the guest services team with planning/executing everything? Did you enjoy it and were you happy with going this route rather than a "traditional" wedding? Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!

I got married on the Gem in Nov 2012.

It was the perfect wedding for me and am so glad that this is what I chose. Mine is probably different from many as it was just the two of us and our parents so 6 in total.

We stayed in the Garden Villa and had the ceremony in the beautiful outdoor space.

Please feel free to ask any questions or let me know if you would like to see any pics. :)

BTW....Congratulations!!!!!!

Hi Chellebells,

Not to hijack someone else's thread but we're getting married on the Escape this summer with a small party similar to yours. I'm curious how you handled the ceremony since there aren't enough people to perform the cookie-cutter ceremony that Royal Ocean Events performs. We're filling out the paperwork now and not quite sure what to request.

We're in the process of organizing the paperwork required so if there's one thing I could offer its start your arrangements EARLY. You really need to have all of your paperwork completed 75 days before your sailing. I'm going to post the details of what we had to go through (we're not done) but keep in mind for a Bahamas wedding you're going to have to provide notarized affidavits of being single, copies of certified divorce decree(s) if ever married, and those will need to be accompanied by Apostille letters which in and of itself is a huge PITA... You'll want to get doubles of everything because you'll have to send the originals to the Bahamas government.. And you won't get them back according to our wedding coordinator. If you don't get your Apostille letters returned in time you have to go in person with certified / notarized copies of documents to your Secretary of State to get the Apostille and you both must be present. It's a huge undertaking but possible.. If you're getting married at port then it's a whole lot simpler.

Hi Chellebells, Not to hijack someone else's thread but we're getting married on the Escape this summer with a small party similar to yours. I'm curious how you handled the ceremony since there aren't enough people to perform the cookie-cutter ceremony that Royal Ocean Events performs. We're filling out the paperwork now and not quite sure what to request.   Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We had an embarkation day ceremony, small and intimate.

We were the first to board the ship and they had already had the ceremony area set up. I had them hook up my ipad to the speakers for the music. The crew love weddings!

We met the officiant and then left to go get ready. When it was time I walked down the staircase where my dad met me to walk me the rest of the way to the officiant and my husband. The mothers were seated and several crew members were watching from inside. :)

After the ceremony the wedding coordinator poured champagne and brought the cake out. Short, sweet and perfect!

I had picked the smallest, simplest wedding package. It consisted of the officiant, coordinator, boutennaire, decorations, bouquet, champagne, cake and music.

My only regret was I did not spend extra for a photographer.

We had an embarkation day ceremony, small and intimate.   We were the first to board the ship and they had already had the ceremony area set up. I had them hook up my ipad to the speakers for the music. The crew love weddings!   We met the officiant and then left to go get ready. When it was time I walked down the staircase where my dad met me to walk me the rest of the way to the officiant and my husband. The mothers were seated and several crew members were watching from inside. :)   After the ceremony the wedding coordinator poured champagne and brought the cake out. Short, sweet and perfect!   I had picked the smallest, simplest wedding package. It consisted of the officiant, coordinator, boutennaire, decorations, bouquet, champagne, cake and music.   My only regret was I did not spend extra for a photographer.     (And BTW, smart having it done in the US! The process to get it done at sea is nothing short of a nightmare!) -Keith

My dad did walk me down the aisle, the other three stood up as we came down. No ring bearer or maid of honor. Had the toast, garter cutting of the cake etc.

The wedding coordinator provides a schedule of expected events and reminds you so you do not forget to do any of them lol.

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The Pros and Cons of Getting Married on a Cruise Ship

See recent posts by Megan Wood

Getting married on a cruise ship is the ultimate destination wedding. It's an affordable, efficient, and fun way to combine your nuptials with a honeymoon for you and a vacation for your guests. Whether you want to elope at sea during sunset, bring your entire family to watch you exchange vows on a Caribbean beach, or trek to the top of an Alaskan glacier to say "I do," a cruise ship wedding can make it happen. But along with the many cruise ship wedding pros, there are some cons you should consider as well. Below, we put together a list of the advantages and disadvantages of getting married on a cruise ship.

1. Affordability 

Carnival ‘s wedding packages start at $249 per person, for a simple and lovely ceremony. Of course, the sky is the limit, with add-ons and luxury packages that can include everything from a trio of live musicians to custom wedding cakes, glamorous floral arrangements, and full video services.

2. Wedding Planners

Most cruise lines have a dedicated team of wedding planners who will organize and schedule everything on your behalf. Apart from picking your package and adding customized options, the bride and groom have little to do except show up and say “I do.” Some cruise lines even offer free wedding websites to help keep your guests up-to-date and organized.

3. Accommodations and Food

Deciding where you and your guests are going to sleep and eat is super simple on a cruise. The newlyweds can splurge on the Honeymoon Suite and guests have their choice of cabins — from interior to suite — depending on their budget. Norwegian ‘s freestyle dining plan means there’s a huge variety of included restaurants onboard, plus specialty options for romantic dinners for two.

4. Vacation and Honeymoon

After the wedding, your honeymoon begins at the next port. And your guests can enjoy having a proper vacation. Cruise ships set sail on almost every corner of the world, allowing you to combine your wedding with anything from island-hopping to climbing glaciers to circumnavigating the entire globe . Need help deciding which cruise to book? Check out our list of seven great cruises for first-time cruisers .

5. The Captain

Some cruise lines, like Princess , allow you to be married at sea by the captain. How cute is that?

6. LGBT-Friendly

Many cruise lines offer legal weddings for same-sex couples. Carnival launched same-sex Bermuda weddings in 2018 and Cunard ‘s first same-sex wedding is set to take place in November 2018.

7. Unforgettable Photos

If photos are your thing, a cruise ship wedding offers some of the world’s best and most creative backdrops, both on the ship and at port. You can hire a full photo team from the cruise ship, complete with edited and printed photos, or do it yourself.

8. It’s Fun

Couples have reported great success with getting married on cruise ships. Cruise ships tend to have a convivial and party-like atmosphere, and nothing makes people more excited than a wedding. Expect plenty of goodwill and well-wishes from fellow passengers on your big day at sea.

1. Other Passengers

If you’d prefer privacy on your wedding day, either choose a small cruise line or get married on land. You may not be the only bride on the boat, so be prepared to share the spotlight.

2. The In-Laws

Inviting family on a cruise ship for your wedding means they’ll be there on your wedding night and honeymoon. That works great for some families, but others may want more space and privacy.

3. Complicated Paperwork

Getting married at sea or in a foreign country can be complicated and require paperwork in advance. Be sure to check with your cruise line wedding planner for all the requirements. Some couples get married legally at home and simply have a ceremonial wedding on the ship.

4. Port Weddings Can Be Tricky

It’s not very common, but occasionally, a port call has to be canceled due to weather or time. If your heart is set on getting married on a specific beach in Jamaica, be sure you’re okay with having a back-up plan.

5. Seasonal Surcharges

Because cruise weddings have become so popular, some lines tack on fees for getting married on Valentine’s Day and preferred wedding months, such as May and June. Carnival even adds on surcharges for weddings on its newest ships.

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Our Cruise Wedding Aboard the Norwegian Breakaway

Updated on July 21, 2020 • Originally Published July 6, 2020

As I walked down the aisle, my smile hurt my cheeks. The moment I had been waiting for, through all of the planning and our two years of engagement, was finally here. I was marrying the love of my life. Throughout all of the organization of our cruise wedding, this was the only moment I could think of. And now I was walking down the aisle towards my groom.

Our cruise wedding on the Norwegian Breakaway was one of the most beautiful days of my life. Surrounded by 40 of our friends and family, we said our vows right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. To this day, I still remember our wedding being perfect and everything we wanted. Want to learn why? Keep reading for the story of our cruise wedding on the Norwegian Breakaway .

What This Post Covers:

The Details

When we first started thinking of a cruise wedding, I did some research to see if it was feasible. Actually, scratch that – I did a lot of research. Before my then-fiancé really even agreed to a cruise wedding, he wanted to see the price difference between this and a “traditional wedding.” So I created a spreadsheet that compared different cruise lines, itineraries, prices, weddings, and drinks packages to see which one would suit us the best. I also went through what we had spent as a gust on past friends’ weddings to see what we spent on hotels, transportation, gifts, etc. to see what the average cost of a wedding was for our guests. (You can learn more about this process in this post, which discusses all of the planning aspects of our cruise wedding.)

After we did a LOT more research, we decided to go on Norwegian Cruise line as felt we would save our guests a lot of money with the included beverage package. Our family and friends enjoy a drink as much as us, so we knew that a lot of them would appreciate the included alcohol package. Once we narrowed it down to the cruise line, we realized that we didn’t want to ask everyone to also have to pay for airline fees on top of the cruise. This meant that the only place we could sail out of was New York City since it was the only Norwegian Cruise Line port within driving distance of Northern Virginia/Maryland, where most of our family and guests were located.

From there, we narrowed it down based on the timing of the cruise (spring break was the cheapest and easiest for everyone) and our cruise wedding planning began! We decided to send invitations out more than a year in advance. This helped our guests find the vacation time to come while also starting to save some money. Since we sent the invitations out at the beginning of 2017, many of them hadn’t planned their 2018 travel yet, so the timing was perfect. And thanks to this extra time, we ended up having 40 people sail with us ! The group ranged from close friends to most of our family. Considering we only invited around 100 people, we were pretty happy with the size of the group, especially for a destination wedding.

Once our guests started to book their cruises, we started to look at the different packages from Norwegian Cruise Line . There was a wide variety of choices, but we decided to go with the Symbolic at Sea package , as we realized there was much more flexibility in getting married on the ship. We realized that if we were married at a port, we would not only have to add in the cost of transporting our guests but also the ceremony site, any decorations, and anything else we wanted in our wedding – not to mention we’d have to go back to the ship for our reception. In comparison, the price was negligible to hold it onboard the ship.

Something else we realized is that we would be taking away from any time that our guests wanted to spend in the port – either exploring or taking an excursion – which would also be, in a way, taking away from their vacation. This ended up being a really lucky decision because we initially wanted to get married on Great Stirrup Cay – and it ended being the one port that got canceled during the cruise!

Initially, I didn’t plan on hiring a photographer at all. The ship limited the number of photos we could purchase and the length of the photographer’s time at our ceremony. I was thinking about using what was offered in the package and nothing more, rather asking our friends for their photos. However, my sister had a great idea. She suggested we invite a close friend, who also did photography, to come with us! In return, we paid for his cruise fare and he photographed not only our wedding and reception, but also took some photos of us at one of the ports.

Our Cruise Wedding Day Timeline:

• Wedding Ceremony – Manhattan Main Dining Room, 2:00 p.m.
• Reception – Fat Cats Jazz Club, 4:00 p.m.
• Dinner in the Manhattan Main Dining room – 5:30 p.m.

We also got lucky and were able to participate in the ship’s newlywed game on the same day as our wedding. This ended up being a funny coincidence – we had no clue that the game was going to happen! But it was such a fun way to round out the whole day.

If you want to learn more about how exactly we planned our cruise wedding, and how the planning process was different than a typical wedding, you can read more in our cruise wedding planning post.

Our Legal Wedding

When you are legally married on a cruise ship, your marriage license is filed in the ship’s registered port of call. For us, this would have been the Bahamas. We did a little research and realized that this would be difficult to prove our marriage in some cases, especially if there were any legal issues. Therefore, we decided to have our legal wedding a few days before our actual ceremony so that we could have an American wedding certificate.

In our minds, the legal wedding would only be a day of signing paperwork . We decided early on in our planning that the cruise wedding would be the day we would celebrate as our anniversary.

The officiant that we chose performed weddings near my parents’ house. Both sets of our parents accompanied us to what we thought was going to be the signing of some paperwork and nothing more. But the officiant surprised us and did a short but sweet ceremony. She talked about how we made a choice to get married, which meant that we always needed to make a choice to stay in love as well. Once she was done, we signed our marriage certificate and that was it! We were legally married. We celebrated with a small dinner with our families after and then went right back to planning. Because this meant there were only a few days until our cruise wedding !

Pre-Planning Our Cruise Wedding

We planned our cruise for over a year. As I said earlier, we sent our invitations out to our guests for more than a year in advance. However, we only did most of the hardcore planning about three months out. The wedding planner helped us make our choices beforehand and then had us fill out a worksheet with all of our ceremony and reception choices about six weeks before our wedding date. The onboard coordinator then handled everything once we turned in the paperwork. From there, the hardest thing was finalizing details with the ship itself.

Once we arrived onboard, there was a note from our cruise planners, Mary Ann and Gringo (yes, that was really his name). They scheduled a meeting with us the day before our wedding (which was also the day we embarked). After we got on board, but before the muster drill, we met Mary Ann at the guest services desk and sat down in her office. We discussed everything we had reserved before the cruise, such as the D.J. during our reception, as well as the flow of the wedding ceremony itself.

During the meeting, Mary Ann printed out the suggested script for the ceremony and we edited it right then and there with any wording we wanted. She let us ask as many questions as possible and made suggestions to place things in areas we hadn’t thought about before. Mary Ann also took our decorations from us and confirmed how we wanted them set up during the ceremony.

Our photographer came with us and, after we talked everything through, Mary Ann brought us to take a look at our ceremony and reception spaces. During this time, we also talked about the different shots we wanted and Mary Ann took the time to show us some of the best places to take photos on the boat, such as with the chandelier in the main lobby. I loved meeting our coordinators the day before because it brought a face to a name and it allowed both of us to walk away feeling confident about the day .

The biggest downside was that we didn’t have space or time to do a wedding rehearsal. However, most of our wedding party had been a part of other weddings, so we decided to risk it and let everyone do what they thought best.

Our Bachelor/Bachelorette Party

We didn’t want people to spend money outside of our the cruise itself, so we decided to forego any sort of weekend-long bachelor/bachelorette parties (and we also asked that people didn’t bring gifts). However, we still wanted to do something to celebrate, so we decided to ask everyone to spend the first night of the cruise partying away our last night of being single !

We split up into girls and guys and went out in separate parts of the ship to start the Bachelor/Bachelorette parties. My group met in the martini bar, which was a perfect choice for a bachelorette party! The bartenders made some of the best drinks on the ship and they loved having a big group there and they kept making us themed drinks to celebrate! This meant we were all a little tipsy when we left…

My bridesmaids and sister had some bachelorette-themed items, which we opened and, ahem, put on , before hopping around the ship. Throughout the night, we found ourselves at almost every bar, including the Bliss Ultra Lounge on Deck 4 (where they were playing 90’s music!), the piano bar (where they serened me with some dueling piano-styled Britney Spears in honor of my last single night), and the sail away party in the Atrium Bar.

David and his group also had a great time. His best man had a fun idea where everyone put $10 into a fund for David to bet at the casino. We have some friends who like to gamble throughout Vegas, so they found a good craps table for David to bet all of the money on – and he lost it all in the first round! Our friends had told him to bet black and he decided to bet red, which became a running joke throughout the week. After they spent a few hours in the casino, we ran into their group in the atrium bar and we all partied together for the rest of the night.

The best part of the night? Celebrating with everyone once it turned midnight. Our wedding day had begun! After that, we grabbed some food and everyone passed out around 1 a.m. because we had a cruise wedding to get to in a few hours!

Our Wedding Day

Morning-of and getting ready.

I woke up around 6 a.m. and all I could think was, “ today is our wedding day !” David was still asleep so I went out on our balcony and took in the sunrise while writing a few thank you cards before heading down to breakfast with my family and bridesmaids. Luckily, David didn’t wake up, so we can claim that we didn’t see each other before our wedding 😉

After breakfast, my bridesmaids went off to start their makeup while I headed to the salon. One of the best hairdressers I have ever met helped me that morning. He was so excited it was our wedding day and took my ideas and simply ran with them and took extra time to make my hair perfect. I remember asking my mom and her best friend to sit with me and they said, “No, take this time to relax. It’s going to be a busy day.” Looking back, I’m glad I got that time to reflect on the rest of the day because my Mom was exactly right. It gave me a moment to relax and prepare for the day. The salon looked out over the ocean, so it was nice sitting there with a drink and thinking about what was ahead.

We reserved the conference room behind the ship’s atrium from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. for the bridesmaids to get ready in. It was a perfect location to get ready in because it was easy for us to hop out and grab a drink from the atrium bar . We spent the morning in our robes, drinking from the personalized tumblers I gifted my bridesmaids, listening to music, and getting ready.

At one point, two of my bridesmaids pulled out their dresses and realized that they got wrinkled in transportation. At that moment, Gringo popped in his head to check on us. I wasn’t worried about the wrinkles, but we asked casually if they had iron or anything to smooth out the dresses. In just a few minutes, he was bringing the dresses to the dry-cleaning staff. He had all of our dresses, including mine, steamed and back within the hour – no charge! It was so sweet.

While we were getting ready, David and his groomsmen got dressed in their individual rooms before having a drink together at the whiskey bar. Our photographer came in and out, moving from David and his groomsmen to us to take group and detail photos all throughout the morning. One of my bridesmaids was ready early and was helping him get photos of my dress. The conference room had no windows and was sort of yellow, and my dress was a champagne color, so it wasn’t looking right. She had the great idea of bringing my dress up to our suite to take a photo of it with the natural light on the ocean.

Around 1:30 p.m., we realized it was time to head down to the ceremony! My Mom is a very punctual person; she took a look at the time and realized we needed to hurry up right then! We couldn’t leave our stuff in the conference room, so everyone rushed to put their stuff back in their staterooms. Everyone started to rush to get to the wedding on time, even though I didn’t get in my dress until around 1:45 p.m. I look back and laugh because what was going to happen? Were they going to start without me?  We definitely didn’t need to rush as much.

Before I knew it, I had my dress on, and we were walking across the ship to make it to the Manhattan main dining room. Later on, someone joked with me that they had never been to a wedding that had started on time – but we ended up starting the whole thing at exactly 2 p.m.

My Mom cracked me up because to get from the atrium to The Manhattan Room on the Norwegian Breakaway, you have to walk through the casino on Deck 7. She turned to me and said, “Who else gets to walk through a casino on their wedding day?” But people were stopping to take photos, following us to our ceremony all while saying congratulations. It was a fun way to start getting excited since we were all on our way to our wedding !

Our Cruise Wedding Ceremony

Once we made it to The Manhattan Room, the whole wedding party was there waiting for us. However, Mary Ann had already tucked David inside the doors, getting him ready to walk down the aisle with his parents. My Dad was there too, waiting to walk me down the aisle with my Mom. Everything started to move quickly – our wedding was about to start ! I turned to my Mom and said, “It doesn’t feel like my wedding day. It feels like any normal day!” But then the music went off and the doors opened, and my heart leaped in my chest. I couldn’t wait to get down the aisle to my David.

Leading up to our wedding, there was one moment I was looking forward to most – walking down the aisle . I had decided not to do a first look because one of the most important things to me was to have that moment where David and I saw each other down the aisle to be as special as possible. Funny enough, as we were getting ready, one of my bridesmaids said, “I bet David’s going to cry!” His best friend and I laughed and disagreed because David is not one to show a lot of emotion. David and I had even talked about it before the wedding, and he didn’t think that he would want all of that attention that a wedding day would bring on him, so he thought he might feel too awkward to cry.

But then the doors swung open, and my Dad, Mom and I began to walk down the aisle. I think the music was playing correctly and I think everyone was standing. But I don’t remember anything at all. Because all I could focus on was David . The moment I was waiting for was finally here. And to my surprise, there were tears in his eyes !

Since we hadn’t had a wedding rehearsal, David had walked his parents down the aisle and stood on the side that felt natural to him. He told me later that as soon as he got in place the captain, who was performing our ceremony, leaned over to him and said, “I usually prefer the groom to be standing on the other side.” David stood on the wrong side of the aisle! Ha.

As we got to the end of the aisle and I gave my Mom and Dad a hug – but I remember wanting to get away from them and just get to David. My sister told me after the ceremony that she hadn’t ever been to a wedding where the couple smiled as much as we did. This sounds so funny but looking back, all we did was stand there, hold hands and tell each other how much we loved one another. It was such a beautiful moment.

There’s actually not much that I remember from the ceremony itself. It all went in a blur. However, I do remember a few things: I remember holding David’s hands. I remember his Dad standing up to do a reading. I remember my Mom standing up to do her reading, but then looking at me in horror before saying, “I forgot my reading back in the room!” which cracked everyone up. (Remember me saying that my Mom is extremely punctual?) And I remember doing our sand ceremony.

Mary Ann had decorated our ceremony site and it was exactly what I wanted. She placed two flower arrangements on the stage and had placed small aisle runners next to each of the chairs. She also made a beautiful arrangement around our guest book and our sand ceremony, giving them a beachy vibe. We didn’t even need to ask her to set up the sand ceremony – she prepared it all perfectly.

Later in the week, David told me that when he walked in, the blinds in the back of the dining room, but in the front of our ceremony, were closed. He knew that I had fought really hard to be in The Manhattan Room because we both wanted to be overlooking the ocean when we got married . So, he turned to Mary Ann and said, “This won’t work,” and walked over and began flipping the curtains up. Apparently, Mary Ann said, “Oh. We can’t do tha-… OK. Never mind. We can put them up,” and came over to help him. She told us both later that they aren’t supposed to open the blinds when there’s an event in the room, but looking back at pictures I am so glad we did . Not only did we get married in front of the ocean, but the light in the room was perfect.

After our sand ceremony, we moved back over to the captain for the exchanging of the rings. David’s best man had been joking the entire time that he might lose the rings in the ocean, so I (quietly) breathed a small sigh of relief when he pulled the rings out. The captain said something beautiful about us remembering through our marriage that we were making a choice to be together. And it was official – we were married! The captain introduced us as Mr. and Mrs. and everyone cheered as we walked back down the aisle.

We stopped in the back of the room and all of our guests came to congratulate us. Our photographer then moved everyone back into the ceremony space so that he could capture the one thing I said wanted above all else – a group photo of everyone who had attended ! The captain also was nice enough to stick around to take a photo with us and chat with a few of our guests.

After that, we started the typical group and family photos, as well as the bridesmaids and groomsmen photos. We also stepped out on the balcony to take a few photos with the ocean in the background as well. As we “released” people from photos, we encouraged them to go down and grab a drink from the bar outside of our reception venue.

We then finished our time with our photographer, but before our reception, by walking through the ship and grabbing a few photos with different areas. However, after almost an hour and a half straight of photos, our jaws (literally) started to hurt. So we broke off to grab a drink of our own before heading to the reception.

The Reception

After a quick break, we headed up at 4 p.m. to the Fat Cats Jazz Bar (now called Syd Norman’s) on Deck 7. They had a selfie station outside of the venue, so we grabbed a quick photo to celebrate our marriage before heading in. My sister, who was also my maid of honor, went to the venue early to make sure that everything was set up correctly (and of course it was because Mary Ann and Gringo were amazing).

While my sister was checking everything out before the reception, the D.J came up to her and said, “No line dances?” I have a thing about line dances at weddings. I know that they are supposed to get everyone up to start dancing. But I also think that they can be cheesy and overwhelming for people since not everyone feels comfortable doing them. So, one of the only things I specified for our reception wedding music was no line dances. My sister and I went back and forth on that, but ultimately, I decided not to do any. However, at that moment, my sister made an executive decision and said, “No, you can do some line dances.” Needless to say, I was surprised when they started to play later on… 😂

The first thing I noticed when our reception started was the D.J. was phenomenal! Without even asking, he emceed our whole wedding without a flaw – all based on the timeline I provided to our coordinator. All I provided was a “must-play” list (which only really included our entrance song, our first dance and the father/daughter and mother/son dances) and a “do not play” list (which only included line dances, but that was out the window by now…) He took those lists and absolutely ran with them! Like any good D.J., he knew exactly what we needed to keep the party going the whole time.

So we entered our reception and were introduced for the first time as husband and wife with “I’m on a Boat” by The Lonely Island playing in the background . We then started into our first dance song of “Now” by Lonestar.

Mary Ann had made the space perfect – all of the tables and chairs were set in a horseshoe around the dancefloor, with two chairs next to the main table. She also moved the guest book from the ceremony and set it up on the room’s main table, alongside the cake. This made a focal point of the space and really made it feel like a reception. Mary Ann also decorated the table with ocean-themed decorations and worked with the theatre crew to make sure that there were spotlights on the important stuff like the cake, the dance floor, the guest book, and so on.

Mary Ann also set up a “Couples’ Table”-type area space for us, complete with a table that had my bouquet, our wedding certification, and she had even put a bucket with champagne for us right next to us, free of charge!

We then moved into a traditional reception, and had a wide variety of speeches after our entrance, with David’s father giving a speech, my mom giving her reading from earlier that she had forgotten, and some great speeches from my sister and David’s best man. My Dad gave the best speech of the night, talking about how much he appreciated our family and even tearing up! It was a highlight for everyone.

After the speeches finished, David and his mom did the mother/son dance before I moved into my dance with my Dad. Something that was really important to my Dad was doing a goofy dance at the end of our song. I didn’t indicate how I wanted it to happen, so we were overjoyed when the D.J. played a scratched record sound and moved right into the chicken dance. This ended up being a great transition, and we got my family up to dance before bringing everyone else on to the dance floor to start the party! ( Which maybe made me eat my words about line dances… )

We danced for about half an hour with waiters going around the room bringing people drinks as soon as they wanted one. Something that still amuses me from our reception was me walking up to a waiter to ask for another drink. All throughout my cruise wedding day I was drinking one of the ship’s signature drinks, “The Rebellious Fish.” ( see below. I drank these in style! )

At one point, I ran out, so I casually walked up to ask the waiter for a new one. He wasn’t 100% paying attention, so out of the corner of my eye as I waited for him to see me, I saw Mary Ann walk up to him, hit him (gently) with the papers she had in hand, and said, “She’s the bride! Get her what she wants right now!” While it wasn’t necessary ( I can wait for a drink, even on my wedding day ), it just went to show how attentive Mary Ann was. Needless to say, I had a Rebellious Fish in my hand quite frequently after that .

Thanks to the dancing and the copious amount of Rebellious Fishes, the night started to become a blur. We did a few traditional wedding things, like the garter and bouquet toss. One of my bridesmaids and a good friend of ours caught the garter and bouquet and did a funny dance together afterward. And then it was time to cut the cake!

There was a complimentary cake included in our package, which we decided not to upgrade. We had noticed when we attended our friends’ weddings in the past, no one ever ate the cake! Therefore, we replaced our cake portion with a complimentary champagne toast (and, because everyone had the alcohol package, it was included for everyone ! ) And then that was it! Our reception was over. Everyone started making their way down to The Manhattan Room again for our group dinner reservation.

Dinner and the Rest of the Night

Once we made it to the dining room, we realized that they had three semi-private tables set aside in the back of the room for our party of 40. They let us and everyone else in our party bypass the line waiting outside of the dining room and sat us immediately. All of a sudden, two bottles of champagne appeared in front of us once we sat. Mary Ann had again thought of everything – we didn’t use all of our champagne for our toast, so she sent the rest to our table !

The Manhattan Room was beautiful for a wedding and was also just as beautiful for dinner. During dinner they had a singer and band playing live, making it a beautiful ambiance for a wedding night dinner. At some point, while we were making our rounds, a friend of ours let us know that they noticed in that day’s cruise compass that the ship was doing a Newlywed Game in the atrium that night! So we rallied everyone to join us, with the hope that we would be selected as the newlyweds!

We were headed down to the atrium around 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. game. At that point, they asked anyone who wanted to participate to head to the left of the stage. And as soon as we walked over, the cruise director’s assistant told us, “HA. You’re in a wedding dress! OK, he will more than likely pick you.” We waited about twenty minutes before the cruise director started picking couples. He started off with the newlyweds, but I could tell that his assistant had warned him because as soon as I started jumping up and down, he said, “Did you get married today!? Is that a wedding dress? OK, I don’t think anyone can get more newlywed than you. A cruise wedding here, folks. Come on up !”

They picked some other fun couples for us to play with. We played with a middle-wed couple that was married for ten years, and a hilarious older couple who were together for about 60 years. The cruise director was quite funny and got some great answers out of people. It was such a fun way to celebrate our marriage with my new husband ( husband !) and to close out our wedding day. And the best part? We won ! David and I got almost every question right (I think we only missed one). We got a Norwegian Cruise Line package (with winners’ T-shirts, water bottles, koozies, a drawstring bag, and a bottle of champagne).

Some of our guests were exhausted at this point and many started going back to their staterooms. A few stragglers joined us for end-of-the-night drinks at the whiskey bar on Deck 8. Before we joined them, we headed back to our room to drop our winnings off – and we found that my family had decorated our room with a bunch of “Just Married” memorabilia! And that wasn’t it for the surprises – we also found a platter of chocolate-covered strawberries in our room!

David and I realized we couldn’t eat them all, and we couldn’t fit them in our mini-fridge. So, we brought them down to the rest of our guests and they were eaten in just a few minutes. Someone stepped outside at one point and realized we were on the coast of Florida.

We moved outside and had a few more drinks while watching the ocean . The weather was cool and perfect, and it was a great way to end our wedding day. We ended up heading to bed around one or two in the morning. But when we did, we found that we walked back to the room with the biggest smiles on our faces. The day had been perfect and we were so lucky to spend so much time with the ones we loved. What a great way to start off our married life together! It was truly, truly the best day ever.

Looking for more cruise wedding and destination wedding tips ? Check out some of my other posts below:

• Eight Ways to Make Your Destination Wedding the Best Day Ever
• How We Planned Our Cruise Wedding
• How to Know if a Cruise Wedding is Right For You

Any Questions?

I hope that my description of our destination cruise wedding was helpful to you! If you have any questions about our wedding, feel free to ask away in the comments and I will get back to you ASAP!

Want to see more of our cruise wedding and our other travels? Take a look at my Instagram stories . Were you married on a cruise? What did you love the most about your experience? Do you want to get married on a cruise wedding? Make sure to comment below .

And don’t forget to save our cruise wedding story via the images below.

Don't Forget to Share!

July 18, 2020 at 10:48 am

This looks absolutely amazing!! A dream wedding!!

July 18, 2020 at 5:08 pm

Congratulations! It looks beautiful!!

July 18, 2020 at 6:02 pm

Wow! What an amazing experience. And so unique. Thank you for sharing and its looks like you guys has a truly wonderful day.

November 13, 2023 at 5:27 am

Woww, this is awesome! Can we discuss the prices you were charged for the reception? We are having our wedding soon on the Breakaway also and we are surprised at the amounts they charge for the reception!

January 8, 2024 at 11:17 am

Thinking of doing a cruise wedding as well! Can you tell me about what you had to eat at the Fat Catz time? I would like to do that as a cocktail like hour and then head to the actual dining hall for our dinner. Thank you so much for your very thorough review of your event!!

February 18, 2024 at 2:27 am

My daughter is hoping to get married on the breakaway early 2026, thanks for sharing your story. One thing I’ve been wondering is when you had your sit dow.n dinner in the Manhattan room, was there an extra charge for this? Given everyone has dinner there included in their own cruise?

February 18, 2024 at 10:15 pm

Thank you for writing about your spectacular wedding with Norwegian! I am considering this for 2025 on the same ship. Your story not only gives great tips, but got me even more excited about the possibility!

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Norwegian Cruise Lines Weddings at Sea

Norwegian cruise lines (ncl) honeymoons, destination weddings & vow renewals.

Are weddings offered on Norwegian Cruise Lines?

Yes.  The cruise line offers Weddings and Vow Renewals.

Who performs the weddings on Norwegian Cruise Lines?

A Non-Denominational Officiant or the Ship’s Captain, depending on the wedding location and package selected.

Where do Norwegian Cruise Lines weddings take place?

On board weddings are normally performed in the ship’s chapel (if applicable), library or lounge. Weddings are not performed at sea. Receptions are held on board in one of the ship’s lounges. On shore weddings are normally performed on a beach or at a garden location.

Where are Norwegian Cruise Lines receptions held?      

Locations vary by the demands of the event.

How many guests can be accommodated at a Norwegian Cruise Lines wedding?

All sailing guests are welcome and up to 10 non-sailing guests will be allowed to board the ship for the ceremony only at no additional charge.

What time of day are Norwegian Cruise Lines weddings performed?

Ceremony times and locations are assigned according to the requirements of each wedding or on board event.

Information on Norwegian Cruise Lines Packages:

(Note:  all packages and pricing are approximate and subject to change.)

Services include:

• Coordination with a Wedding Planner for your wedding
• Ideal onboard ceremony locations
• Flower bouquets and boutonnieres
• Enhancements and décor
• Wedding Photography packages
• Officiants and Wedding Coordinators
• Romantic vows
• Norwegians private selection sparkling wine
• Beautiful wedding cake choices
• Keepsake Wedding Certificate
• Romantic dinner for two
• Ceremony Performed by the Captain
• Bridal Bouquet and Matching Boutonniere
• Couples Cake
• Champagne Toast
• Bistro Dinner for Two
• One Bottle of Sparkling Wine
• One Bottle of House Wine
• One Bottle of Prosecco
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Canapés Delivered to Stateroom
• Priority Tendering
• One Hour of Basic Photography Services*
• Priority Debarkation
• Onboard Group Service Coordinator
• Ceremony Conducted by the Ship’s Captain
• Traditional Bridal Bouquet Made Up of 12 Ivory Roses
• Matching Groom’s Boutonniere
• Pre-Recorded Ceremony Music
• Ceremony Vows are Provided
• 6’’ Wedding Cake for the Bridal Couple
• One Bottle of Sparkling Wine from Norwegian’s Private Selection
• Champagne Toast for the Bridal Couple
• One 8×10 Professional Photograph in an Engraved Frame
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries Delivered to Stateroom
• Keepsake Certificate
• Priority Check-in for the Bridal Couple and their Sailing Passengers
• Non-Sailing Guests are Allowed to Attend the Ceremony and Reception
• Local Non-Denominational Marriage Officiant
• Onsite Wedding Coordinator
• Bridal Bouquet Made Up of 12 Ivory Roses
• Assistance with Obtaining a Marriage License
• Round trip Transportation to and from the Ceremony Site for the Bridal Couple
• Ceremony Vows are provided
• Matching Groom’s Boutonniere*
• One Hour of Wedding Photography

For additional information on, availability and package pricing, contact your travel agent.

All Things Cruise is dedicated to the joy of travel. Specializing in ocean, river, ultra-luxury, small ship and expedition cruises.

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What are the Best Cruise Lines for Weddings?

Listed here are 8 Top cruise lines that offer a fantastic variety of options for couples planning their dream cruise wedding.

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Cruise weddings offer a unique and stress-free way to tie the knot, but with many couples sharing the same ship, concerns about personalization may arise. Fortunately, cruise lines provide options to customize your wedding and make it truly memorable for you and your partner, as well as the guests attending them.

In this article, we will delve into the world of cruise weddings, exploring the best cruise lines for weddings . These cruise lines offer customized options to ensure your special day stands out amid the sea of matrimonial celebrations. Discover everything you need to know for a dreamy cruise wedding experience.

• Princess Cruises
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Carnival Cruise Line
• Celebrity Cruises
• Disney Cruise Line
• Royal Caribbean International
• Holland America Cruise

Choosing a cruise line where you could marry your special person can be a challenging task. Here is a list of the best cruise lines for weddings:

1. Princess Cruises

If you are looking forward to experiencing the best cruise wedding on the sea, then look no further than Princess Cruises . With their "Tie the Knot at the Sea'' package, you can get a seamless and personalized experience that caters to all your wedding needs. From live music to floral arrangements and even a captain-officiate ceremony, this package ensures a legally documented and breathtakingly beautiful wedding ceremony.

Related:   Get Exclusive Offers and Deals on Princess Cruises

Why Choose Princess Cruise Lines for a Cruise Wedding?

It is considered one of the best cruises to get married on , as there are professional wedding coordinators who will be with you at every step of the arrangement. They ensure that your friends and family can even watch the ceremony live from the ship, no matter where they are in the world. Princess Cruises truly offers an all-inclusive and unforgettable wedding experience to people getting hitched.

Also, Princess Cruises offers some of the best wedding cruise packages to suit different budgets and needs. Here are all the Princess Cruise wedding packages:

• Perfect Pair Wedding (Prices ranging between $2,900 and $3,500): The package is the most basic one and comes in two options, a symbolic ceremony starting and a legal ceremony. This package includes a range of services such as a dedicated wedding cake, sparkling wine toast, photographer services, ceremony, officiant, fresh florals, memorable prints, romantic breakfast for the couple, stateroom gifts and goodies, pre-cruise and onboard wedding coordinator, and keepsake certificate to make your special day unforgettable.
• Timeless Ceremony at Sea (Prices ranging between $3,900 and $4,500): If you are looking for a more extravagant wedding ceremony, then the Timeless Ceremony at Sea plan is perfect for you. The package includes all the features of the Perfect Pair Wedding package, as well as a live musician who will play during the ceremony, lasting memories in the form of prints and digital high-resolution photographs, and a top-of-the-line dining experience for the couple.
• Timeless Wedding at Sea (Prices ranging between $5,900 and $6,500): It is the most luxurious wedding package offered by Princess Cruises. This package offers both symbolic and legal ceremonies. It includes all the features of the Timeless Ceremony at Sea package, in addition to bridal hair styling and makeup, a separate venue for celebrating post-ceremony, special welcome cocktails crafted by the couple, and a memento certificate.
• Other Wedding Packages: In addition to the wedding packages, Princess Cruises also offers a variety of add-ons, such as a proposal setup, a vow renewal ceremony, and a honeymoon cruise.

2. Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line has various exclusive wedding packages, the most popular one among them being known as "Wedding at Sea." This package includes important things for this auspicious ceremony, like food, entertainment, and creating a nice atmosphere. They also organize weddings for same-sex couples, making sure they adhere to the regional laws. This means that everyone can have a special wedding ceremony on a Norwegian Cruise, as it assists couples in arranging everything they want to make their special day memorable.

Related:   Find the Best Norwegian Cruise Deals

Why Choose Norwegian Cruise Lines for a Cruise Wedding?

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a popular choice for cruise weddings due to the availability of a variety of wedding packages that are perfectly suitable for your needs. Here are some of the exclusive packages from which you can choose the right one for your special day:

• Symbolic At Sea (Average starting price between $2,000 and $2,100): This is the most basic package and is perfect for couples who want a simple and affordable wedding. The package includes a ceremony on board the ship, a bouquet and boutonniere, and a commemorative certificate.
• Harborside (Average starting price between $3,000 and $3,100): This package is a step up from the Symbolic At Sea package and includes a ceremony in a port city, such as Bermuda or Nassau. The package also includes a reception with hors d'oeuvres and champagne, as well as a wedding cake.
• Legal At Sea (Average starting price between $3,000 and $3,100): This package is for couples who want to get legally married on board the ship. The package includes everything in the Harborside package, plus a ceremony performed by a ship's captain or another authorized officiant.
• Destination (Average starting price between $3,000 and $3,200): In this inclusive package, couples can get married in their dream destination, and it is perfect to make the wedding a truly memorable experience. The package includes everything in the Legal At Sea package, plus a pre-wedding cruise and a post-wedding honeymoon.

Related:   How much does it cost for a wedding on a cruise ?

3. Carnival Cruise Line

Ideal for couples seeking a unique and budget-friendly cruise wedding, Carnival Cruise Line caters to youthful spirits with chapels on ships such as Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Miracle. You can opt for the intimate "Just You and Me" Carnival wedding package or the more elaborate "Time to Celebrate" package, which is suitable for larger guest lists. Both options encompass standard cruise ship wedding packages, ensuring a dreamy and memorable celebration.

Related: Find the Best Carnival Cruise Deals for Cruise vacation

Why Choose Carnival Cruise Line for a Cruise Wedding?

If you are looking for a fun, affordable, and stress-free ambiance to get married, then the wedding on a carnival cruise is the perfect option for you. Here are all the wedding packages Carnival Cruise Line offers:

• The Signature Ceremony (Average starting price between $1,700 and $1,800): This is the most basic package and includes a 15-to-20 minute ceremony, pre-recorded ceremony music, a local officiant, a keepsake wedding certificate, a two-tier cake, sparkling wine toast, and two honeymoon dinners for the couple.
• The Celebration Package (Average starting price between $2,800 and $2,900): It includes all of the amenities of the Signature Ceremony, plus a one-hour reception with hors d'oeuvres and a premium beverage package.
• The Love Ashore Package (Average starting price between $2,600 to $2,700): It is the most comprehensive package and includes a ceremony on a beautiful island setting, a wedding coordinator, transportation to and from the ceremony location, a wedding cake, champagne toast, honeymoon dinner, and one-hour photography service.

4. Celebrity Cruises

For a wedding in the middle of the ocean and traveling to a picturesque destination, Celebrity Cruises wedding packages are a perfect option. They exude luxury and hospitality that acts as a cherry on the cake for young couples. Choose for a pre-packaged wedding with added fun elements on Celebrity ships, where the ocean serves as a stunning backdrop.

The "Nautical Nuptials at Sea" package features a captain-led ceremony with live music, one hour of photography, a wedding cake, champagne, and additional amenities. Also, there are several post-ceremony indulgences that include chocolate-covered strawberries, personalized bathrobes, and floral embellishments in your cabin.

Related:   Special Offers: Celebrity Cruise Deals

Why Choose Celebrity Cruise Line for a Cruise Wedding?

Celebrity Cruises is a premium cruise line that offers a variety of wedding packages and options to make your special day truly memorable. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should choose Celebrity Cruises for your cruise wedding:

• Get Married at Sea Wedding Package (Varied Prices): This package is perfect for couples who want to exchange vows in a romantic and intimate setting. The package includes an onboard event coordinator, a ceremony location with stunning ocean views, flowers, live music, a traditional cake, and an on-site photographer.
• Shoreside Wedding Package (Varied Prices): This package is ideal for couples who want to get married on a beautiful beach or in a charming port town. The package includes an onboard event coordinator, transportation to and from the shoreside venue, flowers, live music, a traditional cake, and an on-site photographer.
• Shipboard Weddings Package (Varied Prices): It is perfect for couples who are planning to have a traditional wedding on board a Celebrity Cruise ship . The package includes an onboard event coordinator, a ceremony location in one of the ship's elegant venues, flowers, live music, a traditional cake, and an on-site photographer.

Related:  Things to Know When Planning a Cruise Wedding

5. Disney Cruise Line

You can transform your dreams of a "Fairy Tale Wedding" into reality with Disney Cruise Line . This exclusive package includes a dedicated coordinator, officiant, and solo musician to set the perfect ambiance, a delightful champagne toast, an exquisite wedding cake, and a cherished wedding certificate. Experience the magic of your special day surrounded by the charm and allure of Disney World, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Related:   Best Disney Cruise Deals for Next Cruise Vacation

Why Choose Disney Cruise Line for a Cruise Wedding?

Disney Cruise Line ships are known for their enchanting and immersive environments, making them the perfect backdrop for a fairytale wedding. Here are all the Disney Cruise Line wedding packages:

• The Castaway Cay Wedding (Average starting price from $5000): This is the most popular option for Disney Cruise Line weddings, and for good reason! Castaway Cay is a private island in the Bahamas with stunning beaches, crystal-clear water, and lush vegetation. The Wedding Pointe is a beautiful gazebo located on the beach, and it is the perfect setting for a romantic ceremony.
• The Atrium Wedding (Average starting price from $5000): The Atrium is a stunning two-story space located in the heart of the ship. It is a popular choice for weddings because it can accommodate a large number of guests and it offers stunning views of the ocean.
• The Wedding Point (Average starting price from $5000): It is perfect for couples who want a romantic and intimate wedding setting. The ceremony takes place on Wedding Pointe, a private gazebo on Castaway Cay.

6. MSC Cruise

MSC Cruise offers couples the flexibility to choose between an onboard wedding and an onshore wedding. For onboard weddings, couples can opt for a pre-cruise consultant to assist with planning and arrangements. For onshore weddings, MSC Cruise can arrange for a beach setup and escort the couple and their guests to the ceremony.

Related:   Check Out All the MSC Cruise Deals

Why Choose MSC Cruise Line for a Cruise Wedding?

There are many reasons to choose MSC Cruise Line for a cruise wedding. Here are a few of the most exclusive wedding packages offered by the cruise line:

• Classic Celebration (Varied Prices): This is the most affordable package and includes a pre-cruise wedding planner, an onboard wedding coordinator, a symbolic ceremony with a ship's officer, a ceremony venue with floral arrangements, a preserved bouquet and matching boutonniere, a symbolic ceremony certificate signed by the captain, and stateroom décor.
• Romantic Celebration (Varied Prices): It includes all of the amenities of the Classic Celebration package, plus a romantic dinner for two, a champagne toast for the wedding party, and a spa treatment for the bride and groom.
• Deluxe Celebration (Varied Prices): In this package, you will get all of the amenities of the Romantic Celebration package, plus a larger ceremony venue, a custom wedding cake, and a photographer and videographer to capture your special day.
• Ocean Cay Celebration (Varied Prices): This is the most exclusive and expensive package and includes all of the amenities of the Deluxe Celebration package, plus a ceremony on MSC Cruises' private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

7. Royal Caribbean International

You can choose Royal Caribbean International's "Vows at Sea" package for a private wedding on the ship. This Royal Caribbean wedding package includes a three-tier wedding cake, a romantic dinner for the couple at a special restaurant, and breakfast in bed in a beautifully decorated room. If you want to include more people, then the "Intimately Yours" package allows you to invite 10 extra guests and includes all the essential wedding arrangements. It is a great way to make your wedding day extra special on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Related:   Most Affordable Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals

Why Choose Royal Caribbean International for a Cruise Wedding?

Royal Caribbean International offers a unique and unforgettable experience for couples seeking a romantic and exotic wedding destination. Here are some of the primary reasons to choose Royal Caribbean International for your cruise wedding:

• Vows At Sea (Average starting price between $3,800 and $3,900): This is the most basic package and includes a ceremony performed by a ship's officer, a bouquet and boutonniere, a champagne toast, and a commemorative certificate.
• Embark On Romance (Average starting price between $5,600 and $5,700): It includes all of the amenities of the Vows At Sea package, plus a romantic dinner for two, a spa treatment for the bride and groom, and a stateroom upgrade.
• Intimately Yours (Average starting price between $1,800 and $1,900): This is a perfect wedding package for couples who want a more intimate wedding experience. It includes all of the amenities of the Embark On Romance package, plus a private ceremony location, a custom wedding cake, and a photographer and videographer.
• Destinations I Do (Average starting price between $4,600 and $4,700): It is mostly suitable for couples who want to get married in a specific destination. This package includes all of the amenities of the Intimately Yours package, plus airfare and accommodations for up to four guests.

8. Holland America Cruise

Holland America Cruise Line offers an "At Sea Symbolic" package that caters to a mature and sophisticated clientele. This package provides intimate wedding preparations for up to 8 guests, making it an ideal choice for couples seeking a smaller, more personal ceremony.

Related:   Find the Amazing Holland America Cruise Deals

Why Choose Holland America Cruise for a Cruise Wedding?

Holland America Line (HAL) is a popular choice for cruise weddings, and for good reason. The company offers a variety of wedding packages and amenities that can help you make your big day truly special. Here are all the best cruising packages offered by the cruise line:

• Symbolic At Sea (Average starting price from $1800): This budget-friendly package offers a ceremony conducted by the ship's captain, a commemorative wedding certificate, and a petite wedding cake.
• Harborside (Average starting price from $2000): The Harborside package features a ceremony led by a non-denominational officiant, accompanied by a bridal bouquet and a groom's boutonniere.
• Destination (Average starting price from $3000): This package presents a ceremony officiated by a non-denominational officiant, inclusive of transportation for the bridal couple and a wedding cake designed for the couple.

Which Tips Should You Remember When Choosing the Best Cruise Lines for Weddings?

Here is a list of some effective tips to remember when booking the best cruise lines for weddings:

Beware of Seasonal Surcharges

Weddings on cruise ships have become increasingly popular, so much so that some lines have started charging surcharges for weddings during certain times of the year. These surcharges are often applied during Valentine's Day, other holidays, and popular wedding months like May and June. Carnival Cruise Line even imposed surcharges for weddings on its newest and most popular ships.

Not All Cruise Lines Offer Wedding Packages

While many cruise lines have embraced the trend of hosting weddings onboard, not all offer this service. For the most part, it is the large, mass-market cruise lines that cater to weddings. Some lines, such as Seabourn, offer customized amenities for small-scale events but do not provide packaged wedding services.

Not All Captains Can Perform Weddings

If you envision exchanging vows with your beloved under the watchful eye of the ship's captain, then be aware that not all captains are legally authorized to officiate weddings at sea. This is due to legal limitations that vary based on the ship's country of registry. Only a handful of cruise lines, including Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises, have ships registered in countries that permit their captains to perform weddings.

Pre-sail Away Ceremonies Provide Flexibility

If you want to get married abroad but want to choose your own officiant or invite guests who will not be sailing, then consider having your wedding while the ship is still docked at its homeport. This approach offers more flexibility in terms of clergy selection and guest attendance.

Private Island Ceremonies May Not Be Legally Binding

Several cruise lines, such as Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, and Holland America, offer wedding ceremonies or vow renewals at their private islands. However, these ceremonies may not always be legally binding. In some cases, the actual legal ceremony and paperwork signing must take place before the ship departs from the port of embarkation.

Getting married legally while at sea can be a complex process, so it is crucial to understand all the legal requirements and plan well in advance. Consult with your wedding planner to determine the best port of call for your wedding and to ensure that your ceremony complies with local laws.

Also Check :  Romantic Cruise Lines for Couples

Things to Consider for Cruise Wedding

Here are some things to consider when selecting a cruise for your wedding ceremony:

Consider Your Budget

Cruise weddings can range in price from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars or more. It is important to set a budget and stick to it.

Think about the Size of Your Wedding Party

Cruise ships can accommodate a wide range of wedding party sizes, from small and intimate to large and extravagant. So, choose the one that perfectly suits your needs.

Choose a Destination

Choosing a destination that appeals to you and your guests can be crucial. Cruise ships travel to all corners of the world, so you are sure to find a destination that's perfect for your wedding.

Consider the Amenities

Cruise lines offer a wide variety of amenities and activities, so you can easily find a ship that has everything you need to make your wedding day special.

Book Your Wedding Early

Cruise weddings are becoming increasingly popular, so it is important to book your wedding early to get the discounted rates and availability of preferred amenities.

The world of cruise weddings offers diverse options, each catering to different preferences and budgets of couples. The choice of the best cruise lines for weddings depends on individual preferences. This comprehensive guide equips couples with the knowledge needed to make an informed decision.

Whether it is exchanging vows under the watchful eye of a Disney character or enjoying an intimate ceremony at sea with Princess Cruises, the world of cruise weddings offers a unique and enchanting way to begin the journey of marital bliss. You can visit CruiseBooking.com to get a more comprehensive idea about cruise weddings and plan your special day easily.

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Norwegian Cruise Line Star Review: A Mixed Bag

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Table of Contents

The logistics

Embarkation, food and drinks, onboard amenities, disembarkation.

I recently took a 12-night July cruise with a group of friends on the Norwegian Star, a midsize Norwegian Cruise Line ship. We left Reykjavik, Iceland, making a few stops in Iceland and Greenland before crossing the North Atlantic Ocean to Canada and disembarking in New York. Overall, the trip was great, but the cruise itself was just average.

The ship seemed a bit dated and lacked some of the technology and features the newer cruise ships have, such as on-demand movies and the ability to check your onboard account or make restaurant reservations from your cabin television. And although the cabins were adequate and the food was tasty, many of the activities on the sea days either had a cost or were sales pitches, and the lack of knowledge about the ports was a bit annoying.

Would I recommend this ship and this itinerary? Yes, but with a few caveats. Expect changes to the itinerary because of weather conditions, bring things to do like books, coloring books, knitting, etc., and expect to pay upcharges for some activities and better food.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for cruises

Booking the trip

When I booked the trip with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the cruise was scheduled to visit nine ports and have three sea days.

I was a Gold member of the Latitudes rewards program, which is an improvement from the Bronze status I had on my previous trip on the Prima .

The biggest difference for me with Gold status is the availability of priority tender tickets, which would come in handy since several of the scheduled stops were tender ports.

I booked a solo balcony cabin on deck 9. NCL recently expanded solo staterooms to all of its ships. The best part about the solo cabin offering is the savings. Solo cabins are priced for single occupancy instead of the other cabins that are priced for two people.

Finally, a cruise line understands that not everyone travels with a cabin mate and wants to pay double for a cabin only one person will use. Between 2019 and 2022, NCL saw an increase in guests booking cabins as a solo and made a welcome change.

Booking the trip was simple because I told my travel agent the itinerary and exact cabin I wanted to book.

Finding the best price for a cruise can be a bit of a challenge since it seems cruise lines are always having one kind of sale or another with a countdown clock saying when the offer might change.

Keep an eye on the price of your cruise. If the price drops between when you book and final payment, you might be able to get an adjustment in the price. If the price drops after final payment, you might be able to get a cabin upgrade or a credit to use on a future cruise.

When I booked, I took advantage of the Free at Sea package, which includes some drinks, three nights at specialty dining restaurants (for a balcony cabin), a $50 savings per shore excursion and 300 free Wi-Fi minutes.

I chose to upgrade to the Free at Sea Plus package to get additional meals in the specialty dining restaurants, unlimited Wi-Fi and upgraded drinks, including Starbucks coffee.

Online planning

The ports on this itinerary are fairly small and have limited shore excursion options. I often like to find private tours, but for this itinerary, I decided to book the ship’s excursions.

This was not an easy task.

When you log into your NCL account, information about your reservation comes up. The Explore & Plan section is where you need to go to peruse and plan.

This is also the area for booking dining reservations and spa appointments and upgrading your reservation.

If booking with friends or several family members in different cabins and with different reservations, link your reservations so one person can book for others. Someone at the NCL call center should be able to do this. You will need everyone’s names and reservation numbers. For this trip, we realized this too late to really help us with our planning.

We thought we had everything figured out, but about three months before sailing, things changed. Two of the ports changed as did the arrival or departure times at three ports. We had to find new excursions.

I ended up talking to the people at the shore excursion call center several times during the planning process, and sometimes they were helpful, and other times they were not.

It is not possible to cancel shore excursions online so if you change your mind, you have to call someone. The office is staffed only at certain times so you might be in planning mode, but nobody at NCL can help you.

Norwegian Cruise Line does not allow you to use onboard credit before you actually get on board. You will need to use a credit card to pay for any excursions or upgrades.

A lot of the planning was for naught when just minutes before my taxi to the airport was supposed to arrive, I got an email saying the itinerary had changed again.

It was too late for me to do anything about it, so I was going to have to handle everything once I got on board. Much more about that later.

» Learn more: The best ways to book a cruise

Checking in for the cruise

The online check-in begins 21 days before sail away and needs to be completed three days before sailing. That process was relatively simple. I just logged into my NCL account and filled out the information.

About 24 hours later, I got an email saying I could go into my account and print my documents.

During the check-in process, I selected noon to 12:30 p.m. as my boarding time. We arrived during that window to find a line snaking around a parking lot with at least a thousand people standing in it.

Hundreds of people were waiting in line. Thankfully, it was not raining. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

After waiting about an hour, someone came to take our bags. We waited in the line outside in the cold and wind for about another hour to finally get inside a temporary building.

There was also a line for security and immigration, but at least there was a tent. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

From there, we had to go through security, get our keycards and pass through immigration control before finally being able to board the ship. The whole process took more than 2½ hours.

The one good thing about the really, really long boarding process was my cabin was ready so I could drop off my carry-on bags before heading to find some much-needed food.

The Norwegian Star was built in 2001 and refurbished extensively in 2018, with some mechanical updates in 2021. It is one of NCL’s Dawn Class of ships along with the Norwegian Dawn. The Star can hold 2,298 passengers and 1,031 crew members. It sails the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Transatlantic, South America and Extraordinary Journeys itineraries.

The ship is showing its age a bit and doesn’t have a lot of the bells and whistles of other, newer ships.

The ship is 965 feet long with a beam of 125 feet. There are 11 public decks.

In 2018, the Star went through a dry dock that lasted almost three weeks. The results were updated staterooms and public spaces along with three new venues, Sky High Bar, Bliss Ultra Lounge and Spice H2O, which is an adults-only place with comfy chairs and hot tubs.

Spice H2O was in the aft of the ship. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The Star has a large central atrium area that spans several decks, with most things being on deck 7. This is where you’ll find Guest Services, Shore Excursions, restaurant reservations, a small shop and the coffee bar.

The atrium went between several decks. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The seating near the coffee bar was a nice place to relax and listen to live music that was usually happening at the piano. The atrium area got very busy during our sea days because the weather was cold and windy, so everyone was inside.

The midship elevators are in this area. Other sets of elevators are in the forward and aft parts of the ship.

The Star had several other locations to sit and relax, including the library and the internet cafe.

The library was often busy on the cold sea days. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Speaking of the internet, the Wi-Fi on the ship was pretty good, even in my cabin. I could check emails and scroll and upload to social media easily. I had the unlimited package, but it did not include streaming. I didn’t realize that wouldn’t allow me to connect to my SiriusXM account.

The Norwegian Star has 1,174 staterooms in four main categories: suite, balcony, oceanview and inside.

The largest suite is the three-bedroom Garden Villa, which accommodates up to seven people in 6,694 square feet with a 4,455-square-foot balcony. A butler is part of the package.

The smallest suites are the Club Balcony Suites, which are 283 square feet with a 54-square-foot balcony.

My cabin was a balcony cabin on deck 9 in the forward part of the ship. The balcony cabins range from 203 to 303 square feet, with balconies ranging from 37 to 96 square feet.

A sliding glass door separates the cabin area from the balcony.

When I got into my cabin, the first thing I noticed was the balcony. Instead of a fully open view, it was more like a large window-like opening surrounded by thick metal. I could still see out, but it was a bit limited.

The balcony had room for two chairs and a small table, but the view was limited. Non-solo balcony cabins had full balconies. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The cabin had a small sofa near the balcony across from a desk. There was a European plug here but no American one. There were also two USB ports; however, I could not get them to work.

The solo balcony cabin. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The sofa was near the balcony. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The bathroom had a walk-in shower and an awkward toilet area that you kind of had to shimmy to get into and then turn around.

The bathroom. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Another desk-like area had the only American-style plug I could find, as well as a refrigerator, mirror and drawer space. The lights on each side of the bed had USB ports for convenient phone charging, but they pointed straight down so the cable could easily fall out.

Overall, my cabin had plenty of storage space (including hooks, which is a rarity), and the bed was comfortable. I would have liked one more nightstand, but I was OK with putting things like my glasses and charging phone on the sofa. The safe was in a cabinet near the closet but was not big enough to hold my laptop.

The Star also has oceanview cabins with a big window. Most are 159 square feet, while some having obstructed views are a bit bigger.

Some of the friends I was traveling with had this type of cabin.

The inside cabins don’t have a window and are usually the cheapest cabin category. On the Star, they range from 141 to 276 square feet.

Something to remember when walking down the long hallways of the cabin decks on the Star and several other NCL ships: The fish on the carpet always swim forward, except for the little red ones that are going the wrong way. This is how you know if you’re walking toward the forward or aft part of the ship.

The carpet shows which direction you are walking. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

As I have found during my other cruises on Norwegian Cruise Line, the food is good but not outstanding. The main dining rooms and other free venues are decent, while some of the specialty dining restaurants can be outstanding, so having the option of eating in at least some of the specialty dining restaurants can really enhance the cruise.

NCL has what it calls “Freestyle Dining,” meaning there are no set times to eat. The catch is you sometimes need a bit of a plan as far as making reservations at specialty restaurants and even waiting in line for the main dining rooms.

For this trip, I had three specialty dining meals included with my reservation and I bought two others as part of the Free at Sea Plus upgrade for a total of five.

It’s also possible to buy other versions of a specialty dining package ranging from $99 for two meals up to $259 for seven meals per person.

You must make reservations for the specialty restaurants, which can be done on a limited basis online before the cruise. A majority of the reservations open up while on board, but making one isn’t always easy. You can either stop by the restaurant when it is open or wait to see the one person at the restaurant reservation desk, which is open only for limited hours.

The Star has six complimentary dining options: two main dining rooms, a buffet, a pub, a poolside grill and an Asian place. I tried all of them.

I always found something on the menu in either of the two main dining rooms, Aqua and Versailles. Several of the appetizers and main courses changed each night, while a few staples dubbed “classic entrees” were always available.

Both main dining restaurants have the same menu. Some of the offerings change nightly. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The interior of Aqua. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

I was impressed that when I ordered a rare steak, it arrived as I wanted it. My friends and I would each order what we wanted individually and then sample other things by ordering them “for the table.”

When ordering a salad, order the dressing on the side, especially the Caesar. That way, the lettuce will be fresh and crunchy and not limp with dressing.

The Garden Cafe was the buffet and always had plenty of options as well as a nice salad bar. The highlight for me was the ice cream area in the back with both soft serve and scooped ice cream. For me, it isn’t a cruise without chocolate and vanilla swirl soft serve.

The Garden Cafe. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Most of the dining venues had set hours, while O'Sheehan's Bar & Grill was always open with typical bar food. The Reuben sandwich was my fave.

Room service was always available but had a $4.95 convenience charge for breakfast and up to $9.95 for other meals added to each bill. I never used it.

I really liked the pot stickers and hot and sour soup in Ginza, the Asian restaurant. I would sometimes stop by for these early in the evening when our dinner reservations were much later.

As for the specialty restaurants, there are six options: Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse), La Cucina (Italian), Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro (French), Teppanyaki (Japanese) and sushi. I tried all of them except the sushi place.

I think our group of six was unanimous that Cagney’s was our favorite. My shrimp cocktail, wedge salad and lamb chops were wonderful. The seven-layer chocolate cake was also delicious. Everyone else really enjoyed what they ordered.

Cagney’s Steakhouse menu. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The chocolate cake at Cagney’s Steakhouse was as good as it looks. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

I also enjoyed Le Bistro and my steak there along with the Veuve Clicquot Champagne, which is part of the Premium Plus upgraded drink package.

This is the only place on board where they serve this Champagne. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The choices of meats and the salad bar in Moderno Churrascaria created a lot of variety, and the entertainment at Teppanyaki was fun. La Cucina was probably my least favorite because it seemed less special to me and like any other Italian restaurant I could go to on land.

As for libations, you’re never far from something to drink on the Norwegian Star. With nine bars, there’s always one close by.

Basic drinks were available at each of the bars, but some had a few specialties.

I liked Gatsby's Champagne Bar on deck 6, which in addition to champagne had quite the collection of martinis. My favorite was the pistachio martini, which contained absolutely nothing pistachio but was green and did have equal parts vodka, Irish cream, amaretto and Blue Curaçao with some chocolate drizzle on the glass. Delicious.

The pistachio martini at Gatsby’s Champagne Bar was really good. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The pool bars like the Sky High Bar on deck 14 and Topsiders Bar & Grill by the pool on deck 12 had collections of frozen drinks the indoor bars didn’t always have.

You can tell what the specialties are at the Sugarcane Mojito Bar on deck 13 and Proof Whiskey Bar on deck 7 by their names.

Proof Whiskey Bar. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The Sky High Bar is in the aft part of the ship. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Bottled water, or in this case canned water, is not included on the Free at Sea premium drink package. If you don’t want to rely on tap water for hydration, you’ll either need to pay per can or upgrade to the Premium Plus package.

The water is in cans, which I did not love because once it was open, it wasn’t possible to close. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

I drank a lot of coffee from the Atrium Cafe on deck 7 since it was part of my drink package. It’s also available for purchase. The cafe serves Starbucks coffee but is not a Starbucks location so no app use and no Refreshers. On my cruise, they were also out of a lot of things like Chai tea and non-dairy milks.

Entertainment and recreation

On this 12-night cruise, I was on board each evening and had five full days at sea so I had plenty of time to explore onboard options for entertainment and recreation.

First, the main theater is called the Stardust Theater and spans two decks, 6 and 7. During my cruise, there were two production shows, one aerialist show, a few game shows, several movies and other events like comedy, magic and a singer in the theater.

I went to only one show because I was usually eating dinner during showtimes.

The main level of the Stardust Theater. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Stardust Theater entrance. There were four total, two on deck 6 and two on deck 7. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The pool and hot tubs were on deck 12, and there were lots of lounge chairs around the pool and on several tiered areas leading up to deck 13.

The main pool deck. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

For most of the cruise, it was too cold, windy and wet to be out by the pool, but people made good use of the hot tubs. I was a bit surprised there were no pool blankets, just towels.

A walking or jogging track went all the way around deck 13, a perfect place to watch a sunset, which on this trip happened around midnight.

The track. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The sun set very late at night, if at all. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

As for sports, there is a basketball and volleyball court on deck 14 and two areas for practicing your golf swing on deck 13.

The sports court was above other games. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The track went by the golfing area. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Of course, there was also the casino on deck 6, which had table games and slots. I didn’t spend too much time there because it is one of the few locations on the ship where smoking is allowed and I am very sensitive to the smell of smoke. It makes me sneeze.

The casino was open when the ship was at sea. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The casino was often smoky. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Several musical acts performed all day in various public areas around the ship. It was nice to listen to live music while reading, chatting with friends or having a drink.

As for places willing to take your money, several shops were on deck 7, including an EFFY jewelry store, a place to buy NCL products and clothing items and another store for duty-free alcohol and cosmetics like perfumes.

Art for purchase also lined the walls on several decks in many public areas.

The art on display changed throughout the cruise. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

My friends and I had a lot of fun taking photos on our own with our phone cameras and with the talented photo staff who set up backdrops in the atrium each evening.

The Photo Gallery. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The photo staff knew us by name, and I swear they knew some of our cabin numbers by heart because we had to give them after the photo shoot so we could look at the photos online later. We spent a lot of time in The Photo Gallery looking at our photos on the computer, and several of my friends ordered some.

Spa and gym

For the guests who wanted to work out — which was not me — the Pulse Fitness Center was on deck 12 behind the Garden Cafe in the aft area. This was different from most ships I have been on where the spas and fitness centers are often in the forward sections of the ship.

Pulse Fitness Center. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

I’m more of the wanting to be pampered type so I visited the Mandara Spa & Salon on deck 11.

I had a 75-minute treatment that included a body brushing, body massage, scalp massage and a mini-facial. I thought it was a great deal at $199 (plus 20% gratuity), and I really enjoyed it.

I was especially happy that the therapist didn’t try to sell me a bunch of products after she was finished. That always ruins my recently relaxed state. Combined spa services like these are not usually on the main spa menu but come out as specials in the daily newsletter.

Sadly, spa treatments do not include access to the Spa Thermal Suite, which has heated stone beds, a steam room and sauna, as well as the only indoor pool on the ship. It’s available via a day pass or a pass for the entire cruise.

The entrance to Mandara Spa & Salon. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The thermal suite. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

I often plan my own shore excursions, but for this cruise with small ports, potential weather issues and the ever-changing itinerary, I was happy I stuck with the ship’s excursions.

OK, I was sort of happy I stuck with the ship’s excursions since they were a bit inconsistent and the shore excursion staff didn’t seem to have information about most of our stops.

Several of our port stops were tender ports, meaning we had to take small boats from our big ship to get to shore.

That process wasn’t always smooth, and there were sometimes delays getting to the shore. Even in ports with gangways, we were often late getting off the ship, causing issues with excursions.

The first excursion I took was in Grundarfjörður, Iceland, and it was great. My friends and I all got off the ship and made our way to a smaller but sizable ferry for the Nature Sail & Viking Sushi Adventure.

From there, we went out to see birds and then the crew dropped a net into the water and brought up some of the freshest seafood I will ever eat.

Puffins. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The crew opened fresh scallops and sea urchin for us to try. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

A very fresh scallop. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

There weren’t many excursions in the replacement port of Nuuk, Greenland, and after an hour-plus delay getting off the ship, the boat excursion I took was less than satisfactory because it was not what the description said it would be nor did it include what it said it would.

We saw one beautiful iceberg. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

My final excursion in Halifax was cut short because of delays getting off the ship, so we ended up with a very short time on shore at the destination, which was a 90-minute drive from the ship.

Overall, I was not completely satisfied with the shore excursions from the ship. My friends felt the same and so did other passengers with whom I talked.

» Learn more: What is tendering on a cruise?

Norwegian Cruise Line has what it calls Freestyle Disembarkation, meaning passengers can essentially get off the ship whenever they want.

A couple of days before we docked, we got a letter explaining the disembarkation procedures and telling us to go to Guest Services to pick out the appropriate color of luggage tag corresponding to the time we wanted to get off the ship.

By the time I went to get my tags, only red was left. When I asked Guest Services for others, they said the color really didn’t matter as far as time. It only mattered as far as locating my luggage in the terminal since my bag would be in areas separated by colors.

The ship arrived in New York City’s Manhattan Cruise Terminal at about 5 a.m. Since my flight was not until much later in the afternoon, I stayed on the ship as long as I could. I had to leave my cabin by 8 a.m., which was also the same time the buffet stopped serving breakfast.

I slowly ate my breakfast and stayed on the ship until the last call to disembark. The procedure was fairly smooth, and my luggage was right where it should have been. There was a line for passport control, but it moved quickly.

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Top photo by Tiffani Sherman.

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Cunard Queen Anne cruise review: A lovely new ship that's still coming into its own

Editor's Note

Are you thinking of a cruise on Cunard 's new Queen Anne ? Be warned: It's not like any Cunard ship you've seen before.

The storied cruise brand's first new vessel in 14 years is notably more contemporary in its look and feel than the line's three other ships, including the iconic Queen Mary 2 .

It also offers venues that embrace the latest trends of travel and cruising in a way that Cunard ships haven't done in the past.

As I've seen on two visits to Queen Anne since it debuted four months ago, including a weeklong stay in September as it sailed the Norwegian coast, the $600 million vessel offers more choice in dining and entertainment, more wellness options, and more of a focus on onboard celebrations than we've ever seen on a Cunard ship.

That's no small thing, given that Cunard has fielded 149 ships in its 184-year history.

Still, even as Queen Anne ushers in a new era for Cunard, it's a vessel that holds true to the traditional values at the core of the line — particularly a formality and elegance that harks back to the grand old days of ocean liner travel.

Overview of Queen Anne

Queen Anne is the new belle of the ball when it comes to Cunard ships. Unveiled in May, it's far younger and more up to date than the three other ships in the Cunard fleet, which range from 14 to 20 years in age. It also has a smorgasbord of new-for-the-line dining and entertainment venues that tap into the latest trends in hospitality.

Unlike other Cunard vessels, for instance, Queen Anne features a wide array of extra-charge eateries, ranging from a Mediterranean cuisine venue where the dishes are sprinkled with African and Arabic influences to one of the first contemporary Indian restaurants on a cruise ship.

That's on top of the four relatively formal main restaurants that have long been at the core of the Cunard dining experience (one each for each class of onboard cabins — if you're in a Britannia-class cabin, your main eatery is the Britannia Restaurant; if you're in a Princess Grill suite, your main eatery is the Princess Grill).

Queen Anne also has a broader array of entertainment options than past Cunard ships, including an all-new cabaret venue that is home to a murder mystery theater show for part of every cruise.

Like all Cunard ships, it's a vessel that maintains longtime ocean liner traditions such as gala evenings where passengers wear black tie and ballgowns and nightly dancing in a grand ballroom (something you no longer find on most ships).

But alone for now in the Cunard fleet, Queen Anne aims to bridge the gap between such traditions and a more contemporary sort of cruising — not just in the venues it offers on board but in its overall look and feel.

It's been a change that hasn't been without controversy. Some Cunard regulars have mercilessly (and sometimes hilariously) panned the ship at online review sites, citing both the new look and what they say are obvious design flaws.

Queen Anne also clearly has suffered from teething pains in its first four months at sea, with Cunard fans reporting listless service, mediocre food in some eateries and uninspired entertainment. These are all things that I saw, too — so much so that I'm hesitant to recommend that passengers book this ship just yet. While lovely, it's not quite ready for prime time.

That said, if Cunard can work out the kinks over the coming months, particularly in the areas of service and specialty dining, Queen Anne has the potential to be a wonderful cruise ship.

What I loved about Queen Anne

The new look.

Put me down as firmly in the camp that loves the new look. Make no mistake, I have long enjoyed the ocean liners-of-old design of Cunard vessels. Sailing on the Atlantic-crossing Queen Mary 2, in particular, is like stepping onto the movie set for "Titanic," which definitely has an appeal. Combined with Cunard's focus on old-style tradition and elegance, it has given Cunard something unique in the world of cruising. But that doesn't mean the brand has to be forever stuck in the past.

In my view, which admittedly isn't shared by some Cunard fans, Cunard has artfully updated its design and onboard offerings for modern-day cruisers in a way that doesn't lose the tradition and elegance for which its ships have long been known.

Related: This movie will give you a sense of a transatlantic Cunard voyage

The British feel

Like all ships operated by United Kingdom-based Cunard, Queen Anne has a particularly British feel. It's a vessel where mushy peas and fish-and-chips (along with other British culinary favorites) are on the lunch buffet not just once a sailing but every day , and afternoon tea is a major event. It's also a ship where one of the busiest drinking spots is the (very traditionally English) pub.

But beyond such Britishness in food and drink, it offers a uniquely British style of prim and properness that is perhaps Queen Anne's most distinctive feature. It is a ship, for instance, where even on nights when the dress code is a relaxed "smart" casual, most passengers arrive for dinner in a jacket, some in full coat-and-tie. It's a vessel where you generally don't see people being loud or garish or otherwise inappropriate.

For American cruisers increasingly aghast at the way some passengers behave (and dress) on mass-market American vessels, where anything-goes American values rule the day, it can be wonderfully refreshing — a throwback to what cruising was across the board not all that long ago. Of course, for some Americans, it might come off as just plain stuffy.

What I didn't love about Queen Anne

The hard-to-navigate top deck.

Getting around the top deck of Queen Anne is easy — if you're staying in a top suite. Otherwise, it's like navigating a maze. That's because a significant chunk of the middle of the top deck is devoted to a private sunning area for the swells in top suites. If you're not booked in such a suite (and thus do not have the secret keycode to enter and cross this elites-only zone), you can't easily get from the sunning and sports deck areas at the front of the ship to the pool area at the back. The only way to do it is to descend into the interior of the vessel and walk across its already congested buffet restaurant (called the Artisans' Foodhall).

This, in turn, adds to the congestion of the buffet, which itself has design flaws (most notably, its self-serve drinks stations are inexplicably located along the crowded walkways through the eatery, such that you'll smack right into people pouring hot coffees and teas as you work your way across the space).

Queen Anne is more packed with people than Cunard's three other vessels, in a way that affects the experience. Seats are hard to come by for some shows, and the crew seems more harried than usual. The cabin experience is also diminished in some cases.

The numbers tell the story: At 113,000 gross tons, Queen Anne is 24% bigger than Cunard's last new vessel, the 14-year-old Queen Elizabeth. But Cunard has jammed 44% more cabins (and thus 44% more people) onto the vessel. Queen Anne holds 2,996 passengers at double occupancy (two passengers per cabin), up from Queen Elizabeth's capacity of 2,081 passengers at double occupancy. Notably, this drops the ship's "space ratio" of space (measured in hundreds of cubic feet) to passengers to just 37.8, which isn't a great number. By comparison, Queen Elizabeth has a space ratio closer to 44. The line's flagship Queen Mary 2 has a space ratio around 56.

The spotty service

I truly was excited to sail on Queen Anne, as I've long loved the elegance and refinement of Cunard vessels. I figured Cunard's first new ship in 14 years would set a new benchmark for the brand. Alas, what I experienced on board was a vessel that wasn't quite functioning right, mostly in the area of service.

I've sailed on more than 200 ships in 30 years of writing about cruising, including lots of just-out-of-the-shipyard vessels, and I've rarely encountered one where the crew members seemed as untrained and indifferent as they seemed on Queen Anne. It wasn't in every space. The servers in the exclusive restaurant for Princess Grill passengers were fabulous, catering to my every need. The bartenders at the casino bar (Room 1840) were a delight. But in many other venues, I regularly encountered crew who didn't seem to know what they were supposed to do or how to interact with passengers. Some venues also just didn't have enough staff to function properly.

Queen Anne cabins and suites

Queen Anne has 28 cabin and suite categories — a large number. But finding the right cabin category for you isn't as complicated as that number might make it seem. As is often the case on cruise ships, many cabin categories on Queen Anne are essentially the same, with the exception of where the rooms are located.

For instance, there are nine categories of balcony cabins, all basically the same in size and decor. The only differences among most of them are whether they are located at the front, middle or back of the ship and whether they have a clear or obstructed view.

Similarly, there are five categories of ocean-view cabins (those with a window but no balcony) and six categories of windowless inside cabins. The only difference between them is location.

There are eight categories of suites, some of which also are essentially the same except for their locations.

All that said, when booking accommodations on Queen Anne, it's important to know that the type of cabin you book will have a significant impact on your cruise experience beyond what you'll experience in your room.

Unlike most lines, Cunard still operates with an old-school class system, where passengers dine and lounge on ships in different places depending on their cabin category.

Most of Queen Anne's 1,498 cabins — including all inside and ocean-view cabins and most balcony cabins — are what's known as Britannia cabins. When you book passage in one, you'll dine in the ship's cavernous Britannia Restaurant at night (when not at an extra-charge specialty restaurant) and only have access to the non-elite lounge areas of the ship.

For those wanting something more exclusive (and willing to pay for it), there are three higher tiers of accommodations with ever-greater levels of pampering and perks:

• Britannia Club cabins . These 162 balcony cabins are similar to standard balcony cabins but come with access to a more intimate private restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Princess Grill suites . A big step up from Britannia Club cabins, these 127 rooms — all suites — come with concierge service and access to an exclusive lounge area (the Grills Lounge) and a restaurant (the Princess Grill) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, you'll get access to a spacious private outdoor sun deck called the Grills Terrace.
• Queens Grill suites . These 65 suites are the ship's finest accommodations. Measuring 484 to 1,440 square feet, they come with butler service, concierge service, upscale touches such as fresh flowers, and access to an elegant private restaurant (the Queens Grill) for all meals. In addition, you get access to the same Grills Lounge and Grills Terrace as those staying in the Princess Grill suites.

My room was a Princess Grill suite, and the exclusive private areas that came with it really were wonderful. I particularly loved my special access to the Grills Lounge, a stylish bar and lounge space. Filled with curvy chairs upholstered in luscious peacock blue fabric, with a striking circular chartreuse seating area as a focal point, it served as a quiet escape from the ship's bustling public areas.

One deck up, the private Grills Terrace was a similarly serene and uncrowded oasis for decktop lounging that felt a world away from the busier public areas atop the ship.

Like all Princess Grill suites, my room measured about 300 square feet, including its balcony area. That's quite large for a cruise ship cabin, and it was room enough to contain everything I could want in a cabin for a week at sea: a king bed that could be split into two single beds, a built-in desk area, a separate built-in cabinet hiding a miniature refrigerator, a seating area with a sofa and chair, built-in closets, and a bathroom.

For the most part, I was happy with my Princess Grill suite on Queen Anne. While it wasn't inordinately high-end in its finishings, it had a clean-lined, contemporary look that felt modern and up to date. A recurring circular motif in its carpeting, lighting and mirror gave it a whiff of an art deco feel, one that was augmented by the room's red and gold accents (a nod to Cunard history, as they are two of Cunard's signature colors).

While surprisingly small in relationship to the overall size of the room, the bathroom in my Princess Grill suite was modern and bright, with a well-thought-out layout that made the most of its limited space. I particularly liked the relatively large walk-in shower and ample shelving space for toiletries — a sign that its designers understood what matters most to cruisers (unlike the designers of the poorly laid-out bathrooms on the new Seabourn ship that I just tested a few weeks ago ).

If my Princess Grill suite had a flaw, it was in the lack of adequate storage in the room. Given the formality of Cunard ships, which requires that passengers pack elegant eveningwear (think ballgowns and tuxedos) in addition to everyday clothing, the storage needs for Cunard passengers are higher than for passengers on some other lines. Cunard ships (and Queen Anne in particular) also often make longer sailings that require more clothes.

While there was enough storage in my room to pack away everything my companion and I brought for a weeklong sailing, it would have been tight if we had been on one of the ship's longer two-week sailings. I can't imagine how it'll work for passengers on the monthslong around-the-world sailings that are planned for the vessel starting in January.

One detail of the room I truly loved was the placement of large nightstands with large drawers on each side of the bed where I could hide away all my electronics and their cords, books, papers, glasses and the like. Bedside storage at this level is increasingly rare on ships. What's more, each of the nightstands was topped with a U.S.-style 110-volt outlet, a British-style 220-volt outlet, and both USB-A and fast-charging USB-C ports. Bravo, Cunard, for knowing how to keep us charged.

Other Queen Anne cabin tidbits:

• Every cabin has a small hair dryer that works with the ship's specific current. Leave yours at home.
• Rooms have nicely wide personal safes that can hold even a big laptop.
• There are Cunard-red "Do Not Disturb" magnets to stick to your door when you don't want to be disturbed. Flip them over, and a steward will make up your room. It's not a sophisticated system, but it works.
• Cabin televisions offer a wide range of movies on demand at no extra charge, a nice touch (some of Cunard's competitors charge as much as $11.99 to watch a movie).

The Princess Grill suites seem like a sweet spot to me when it comes to the higher-end accommodations on Queen Anne. They get you the same exclusive access to private indoor and outdoor lounge areas as the higher-priced Queens Grill suites and access to a private restaurant, too, but at a significantly lower price point.

That said, if you're looking for the ultimate in Queen Anne swankiness, you'll find it in the Queens Grill suites.

The best suites on Queen Anne

The two largest Queens Grill suites, called Grand suites, measure an astounding 1,440 square feet — nearly five times the size of my Princess Grill suite. They boast a bedroom, a master bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a large living room, a dining room, a powder room, a private balcony, and a walk-in closet.

Also impressive are the ship's four Queens Grill Master suites, which measure 896 square feet. They also feature a bedroom, a master bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a living room, a dining room, a powder room, a private balcony, and a walk-in closet.

The remainder of the Queens Grill suites are split between Queens Grill Penthouse suites, which measure 501 to 527 square feet, and slightly smaller Queens Grill suites, which measure 484 to 500 square feet. Each has a bedroom, a bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a living area, and a private balcony.

In addition to fresh flowers, Queens Grill suites come with personalized stationery, fresh fruit daily, predinner canapes and a complimentary minibar, including alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.

As noted above, Queen Anne's designers have packed a lot more cabins on Queen Anne than on earlier Cunard ships, and they did it in part by shrinking the size of some cabins. While standard balcony cabins on Queen Anne are just a tad smaller than balcony cabins on the line's past two new ships (236 square feet versus 239 square feet), the differential with Princess Grill suites is more noticeable.

Princess Grill suites measure 335 square feet on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria — about 10% more space than my Princess Grill suite on Queen Anne. Princess Grill suites on the line's flagship, Queen Mary 2, measure a far more generous 381 square feet.

At the Queens Grill level, there are notably no two-deck-high duplexes measuring more than 2,000 square feet on Queen Anne, as you'll find on the Queen Mary 2, which remains Cunard's reigning monarch for over-the-top accommodations.

Related: Cunard cabins and suites guide: Everything you want to know

Queen Anne restaurants and bars

Cunard has never been known for having ships that offered lots of dining options, but that changed notably with the debut of Queen Anne. It boasts 15 different places where you can grab a bite — more than double the number on the line's other ships. It also offers quite a few bar options, including several new-for-the-brand venues.

Restaurants

As on all Cunard ships, the dining scene on Queen Anne revolves around four main restaurants: Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill — only one of which you will experience during any given cruise.

In keeping with Cunard's old-fashioned class system of dining, you'll be assigned a table in one of the four eateries for the duration of your cruise based on the type of cabin you book.

The vast majority of passengers — those in the least expensive windowless inside cabins, ocean-view cabins and most balcony cabins — are assigned to the least intimate of the four eateries: the expansive, two-level Britannia Restaurant. It's packed with close-together tables that can hold 596 people at a time — a banquet hall sort of number.

Dinners on the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant take place during two fixed seatings each night, while the second level is reserved for diners on an open-seating plan (arrange this in advance). Breakfast and lunch have open seating.

Passengers who pay up for one of 162 premium balcony cabins will be assigned a table in the more intimate Britannia Club restaurant. It's designed to hold up to 339 passengers and doesn't turn over tables for multiple seatings. If you book this class, you have a specific table in the eatery that is available whenever you want to dine during breakfast, lunch and dinner hours.

Even more intimate and upscale are the Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants, which are assigned to passengers staying in suites. The Princess Grill is for passengers booked in the ship's 127 smaller suites, known as Princess Grill suites. The Queens Grill is for passengers in the ship's 65 biggest suites.

In the Princess Grill and Queens Grill, as with the Britannia Club restaurant, you'll have a specific table that is available to you whenever you want it during dining hours.

Among the four main eateries, I only was able to experience the Princess Grill, as I was staying in a Princess Grill suite. Serving mostly classic Continental cuisine, it offered a refined dining experience with top-notch service, as you'd expect from an eatery reserved for passengers in top suites. Elaborate dishes such as chateaubriand and Dover sole meuniere (the latter expertly deboned and plated tableside) were available every night, as were such showy desserts as bananas Foster and cherries jubilee that were flamed tableside — a throwback to first-class travel during ocean liner days.

In addition to the four eateries above, Queen Anne also has a wide range of alternative dining options — something that isn't the case with other Cunard ships.

These include four new-for-the-line extra-charge dining concepts: Aranya, an Indian eatery; Tramonto, serving Mediterranean dishes; Aji Wa, a Japanese restaurant; and Sir Samuel's, a steakhouse.

I tried nearly all these new restaurants while on board and, alas, was disappointed with them all for varying reasons.

Both Aranya and Tramonto, which came with upcharges of $35 and $20, respectively, seemed like eateries added to the ship as afterthoughts. Both were in carved-out corners of the buffet area, and they had the ambience you might expect from such a location. From my table at Aranya, I looked out over a sad landscape of empty tables and a trolley cart with glasses in the buffet. Tramonto's ambience was better, thanks to the addition of a built-in wine cabinet blocking the buffet view. But it still suffered from being aside one of the main thoroughfares into the buffet.

Foodwise, the 38-seat Aranya was the biggest disappointment. The "carefully crafted spice-led journey" that it promised was almost devoid of spice across much of its (very limited) menu. A turbot wrapped in banana leaf came out dry. The one choice of naan that was available (plain) had the consistency of cardboard. It was nothing like the fabulous Indian eateries you'll find all over the ship's home country (for a similar cost, my companion and I feasted on truly wonderful Indian cuisine in London just the night before boarding).

Aranya also was plagued by servers who seemed only half awake (one server tried to fill our water glasses with tap water twice in five minutes, even though we clearly told her the first time we were drinking sparkling water).

The cuisine at the 38-seat Tramonto wasn't quite the disaster it was at Aranya, but too many dishes at this venue arrived cold, tasteless or otherwise underwhelming, and the servers were inattentive, even absent at times.

Both Aranya and Tramonto suffered, I suspect, from not having their own kitchens on-site. It appeared that waiters at both outlets were walking out of the eateries periodically to head to the buffet kitchen to grab dishes. They also apparently had to travel long distances to get drinks, as the eateries had no bars of their own. Our charge for sparkling water at Aranya posted as coming from the Panorama Pool Club bar, suggesting that our server had to walk to the back of the ship to get it.

Aji Wa, the Japanese eatery, had a much better atmosphere and served lovely sushi and other Japanese dishes. Its main flaw was disorganized service. During one of two visits, we sat at the sushi bar, ordering small sushi plates directly from the chef (as instructed) a couple at a time. Alas, nobody cleared these dishes away as we finished them, such that dirty dishes were piling up all around us by the end of the evening. We then sat for 20 minutes waiting for someone to notice we were done and bring us a bill. We finally got one, but just for our drinks. We had to wait again for a second bill for the food portion of the meal — a separation of charges that surely makes sense to someone in the accounting department at Cunard's U.K. headquarters but, of course, is nonsensical to the customer.

Sadly, I wasn't able to try Sir Samuel's, Cunard's new signature steakhouse. The eatery was unavailable for the entire week I was on board due to a private event that was being held in the space.

Other places to dine on Queen Anne include the Golden Lion pub, a mainstay of Cunard ships. On Queen Anne, it features a tasty new pub menu designed by chef Michel Roux Jr., who owned London's Le Gavroche restaurant, the first U.K. restaurant to receive three Michelin stars. (He also created an exclusive gala menu for the Queens Grill restaurant.) I particularly loved the steak-and-ale pie. It looked underwhelming on the plate but was fabulously rich and yummy.

You'll pay up to $11 a plate for lunch at the Golden Lion, but it's a worth-it upcharge. Some items, such as the quintessentially British Scotch eggs, are available at no extra cost.

In addition, Queen Anne passengers can eat in casual comfort at the Artisans' Foodhall, the ship's buffet. It features active food stations instead of traditional self-serve buffet lines, with a chef standing by at each station to make a dish just for you — a nice upgrade. There also are preplated dishes available to grab and go. The array of dishes is more limited than on some mass-market ships, but I never had trouble finding something to suit my taste.

That said, for something fast and casual, my favorite outlet, hands down, was the new-for-Cunard Wellness Cafe on the second level of the ship's Pavilion pool area. Part of Cunard's expanded focus on wellness, it offered no-extra-charge, built-to-order healthy food bowls that were not just tasty but beautifully plated. You could pick from a long list of healthful items such as edamame, kale, quinoa, roasted broccoli and charred cauliflower and top it all with grilled salmon and other proteins, as well as fresh dressings such as miso, lime and ginger. It was the one new eatery on Queen Anne that was a clear home run.

Eat there, and then blow your calorie count at the nearby Pavilion Gelateria, which serves massive extra-charge gelatos starting at a very reasonable $2.50 for one flavor. The Pavilion is also home to a grill for no-extra-charge burgers and hot dogs.

You'll also find small bites available from morning to night at the Carinthia Lounge. Located off the Grand Lobby, it's a European-style coffee bar by day with lovely handmade pastries and other elevated breakfast bites at no extra charge. At night, it morphs into a wine bar that serves artisanal cheese and charcuterie sourced from small producers for an extra fee (on my sailing, $6.50 for a selection of three cheeses or meats).

The Carinthia Lounge also serves oysters on the half shell at night ($6.50 for three oysters) and a few other small snacks that pair well with wines.

Room service is available day and night with several solid options including the same Michel Roux-designed burger you can get in the Golden Lion pub. That said, many of the better items come with an upcharge, which isn't always the case with room service menus on ships. The burger will set you back $11, while the room service steak — from the ship's Sir Samuel's steakhouse — will cost you $25 to $29, depending on whether you order a sirloin or filet. With an added lobster tail, the plate cost jumps to $40 to $44.

If you're heading out for a drink in the evening on Queen Anne, you're probably heading to one of two places: the Commodore Club or the Chart Room.

Located at the top of the ship overlooking the bow, as it is on all Cunard ships, the Commodore Club is the hot spot for drinks in the evenings, and for good reason. It's an elegant and inviting space with an impressive martini menu, friendly bartenders and lively entertainment (on my sailings, a pianist who took requests and played to the crowd).

The Commodore Club is such a popular venue on Cunard ships that the line has made it bigger than ever on Queen Anne, even bigger than its counterpart on Queen Mary 2, which is a far bigger ship.

Just off the Grand Lobby, the Chart Room is the main bar and lounge for the ship's lower-deck interior areas. It has a creative list of specialty cocktails themed around the signs of the zodiac (I loved the Leo-themed Natural Leader cocktail, made with pisco, lemon juice, raspberries and elderflower syrup) and the stylish art deco-inspired decor.

A third major drinking spot in the interior of the ship is the Golden Lion pub, which is just down the hall from the Chart Room past the Queens Room — the ship's ballroom. It's definitely the place to go for a pint of beer and a chat or a full-blown pub meal. Just be warned that it sometimes morphs into a karaoke club at night and is often taken over by trivia and bingo sessions, which sort of wrecks the cozy British pub ambience. In my view, it's a space that suffers from mission creep, though people who love karaoke, trivia and bingo with a side of John Smith's bitter ale surely will disagree.

Another option for a drink in the afternoon or evening is the Carinthia Lounge. As mentioned in the dining section above, it's a coffee bar by day but morphs into a wine bar as the day goes on. It has a wonderfully diverse wine list that includes things like Hungarian furmint, a wine you don't normally find at cruise ship bars.

Alas, as an evening drinking spot, the Carinthia Lounge suffers a bit from a ho-hum setting along a sometimes busy corridor through a shopping area — the reason, I suspect, for why it wasn't drawing much of a crowd at night when I was on board. It also closes down early. It's much more popular during the day when it functions as a coffee bar.

Note that the Carinthia Lounge is one of the venues on Queen Anne where the servers seem particularly out to lunch. You apparently get to order just one coffee here, after which your server will disappear, never to be seen again.

Yet one more bar option, one that is something of an unexpected gem, is the bar attached to the ship's casino, Room 1840. Most casino bars on ships are dreary places you don't want to visit unless you're in the casino to gamble. But the Room 1840 bar is both striking in its design and home to a fabulous cocktail menu focused on Negronis (in addition to a classic gin Negroni, you'll find creative variations on the Campari-infused elixir made with everything from double-oaked whiskey to tequila).

The Room 1840 bar is also one of the few bars on the ship where you'll find proper oversize ice cubes for cocktails such as Negronis — something that is standard at any semidecent cocktail bar on land but sorely missing from most Queen Anne bars (to be fair, this is a flaw not just with Queen Anne bars but bars on most cruise ships).

And, no, Room 1840 isn't smoky. Unlike on most ships, you can't smoke in the casino on Queen Anne.

In addition to the above, there are small interior bars attached to the Queens Room, the Bright Lights Society cabaret theater, the Artisans' Foodhall and the Sir Samuel's steakhouse. But none of them are venues you'd necessarily visit specifically for drinking. They are more bases for the waiters serving these various areas.

On the outside decks of the ship, you'll find bars at all the main sunning and pool areas, including at the front-of-the-ship sports deck (known as the Observation Deck) and at the back-of-the-ship Panorama Pool Club. One of the outdoor venues, Cabana, is a new-for-the-line rum-focused venue touting 50 different brands of the drink.

Queen Anne activities

As is typical for Cunard ships, the top decks of Queen Anne are mostly devoted to relaxing pool and sunning areas. This isn't a ship where you'll find lots of family-friendly decktop amusements such as waterslides and kiddie splash zones.

This is in keeping with the clientele of the brand, which is mostly older adults. Cunard has never been known as a family line.

Queen Anne is also one of the relatively few cruise ships with a top deck designed specifically for operating in a wide range of climate zones.

At the heart of Queen Anne's top deck is The Pavilion, an enormous central pool area that — unlike the main pool areas on the last two new Cunard ships — is topped with a retractable glass roof designed to keep poolgoers warm and dry on cold and rainy days.

It's a retractable glass roof that is not only functional but beautiful — a showpiece for the ship. Soaring higher and feeling airier than the typical magrodome (as such retractable glass roofs on ships are called), the giant structure above the pool was created by Martin Francis, the U.K.-based design wizard who figured out how to make the glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum stay up.

The Pavilion, moreover, is much more than just a covered pool area. Underneath the dome — in addition to a pool, three whirlpools and lounge chairs — is a bar, a grill for poolside food, a gelateria and a stage for entertainment.

Just forward of The Pavilion is an open-air sun deck that is the closest thing the ship has to an amusement zone. Called the Observation Deck, it has a paddle tennis court that doubles as a pickleball court, a putting green, a golf net for practicing your drives, a table tennis table (or, as most Americans would call it, a pingpong table) and — this being a British ship — deck quoits. If you're an American, you'll have to Google that last one.

There's also shuffleboard, here and elsewhere along the outdoor decks. It's that sort of deck-top vibe.

One other top-deck amusement, located toward the middle of the ship, is an archery range — something you won't find on most cruise ships. Indeed, while Royal Caribbean has offered a watered-down version of archery on its ships with toylike bows and arrows, Queen Anne is the first ship where you can shoot real (and very sharp) arrows with a real bow. You do it during formal reservations-only sessions with an instructor, and you have to sign your life away with a waiver form before you start.

In addition to the public areas above, there is an open-air deck area toward the middle of the ship that is exclusive to the swanky set staying in the ship's Princess Grill and Queens Grill suites. The center-of-the-ship placement of this exclusive area, alas, blocks regular passengers from moving across the top of the ship — a major design flaw.

The top of the ship is also home to a new-for-the-line, glass-enclosed Wellness Studio. Just past The Pavilion Pool (under the same glorious glass dome that covers that venue), it offers yoga, Pilates, Zumba and line-dancing classes during the day for an extra charge.

The Wellness Studio is part of the major expansion of wellness offerings at Cunard mentioned above. It was added to the ship in part to get all the fitness classes that the line normally offers in interior fitness areas up to the top deck, where participants can enjoy natural light and views of the sea all around.

That said, Queen Anne still has a good-size fitness center and a spa with a thermal pool complex in a lower part of the vessel. The latter venue is a wow with heated loungers, experiential showers, a reflexology footpath with textured stones, a cold room (a first for Cunard), a large steam room, a Himalayan salt sauna, and a traditional sauna. There's also a relaxation room and a wellness suite.

Two-hour passes to the thermal complex are available for $59 per person.

If you're looking for activities in the interior of the ship, there are two main places to go: the Queens Room and the Golden Lion pub.

The Queens Room — a staple of Cunard ships — is the ship's grand ballroom and the place to dance the night away to big-band music. But it's also the spot for afternoon tea at times — a big thing for the ship's heavily British crowd — and occasionally other activities such as low-impact chair yoga.

The Golden Lion pub is home to frequent trivia contests (often several times a day), darts competitions, bingo and karaoke nights — so many such activities, in fact, that passengers looking for a traditional pub experience may be disappointed.

Other activity areas in the ship's interior include the small casino area called Room 1840 mentioned above. It's just forward of the Queens Room. There's also a small Games Room for card playing just off the Grand Lobby.

At the very top of the ship, off the Commodore Club, is a library with one of the best views of any library at sea. Just beyond it is a very small children's area called The Zone (as noted, Cunard isn't a line that draws many children).

Other interior areas include dedicated space for weddings and wedding receptions, part of a bigger focus on celebrations at Cunard, and a large number of shops.

Queen Anne shows

Cunard has beefed up its entertainment offerings with the debut of Queen Anne.

In addition to an 835-seat main theater (the Royal Court Theater) offering Broadway-style shows, it's home to a new-for-the-brand, 132-seat cabaret-style theater called the Bright Lights Society.

The former is home to a wide variety of entertainment during any given cruise, from full-blown musicals to comedy shows and vocalist performances. (It's also used for lectures by a rotating list of guest speakers and occasional screenings of feature-length films.) The latter offers a murder mystery theater-type experience on some days and a lively cabaret-style musical show on others.

On my sailing, the two big main theater productions were a smoke-, strobe light- and laser-infused musical production called "Imagination" and a shortened version of the West End musical "Pride and Prejudice (sort of)" — the latter a comedic retelling of the Jane Austen love story. Both were entertaining, if not the sort of wow productions you'll find on the ships of cruise entertainment leaders Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line .

The Bright Lights Society (the name is an oblique reference to the fact that Cunard was the first ocean liner operator to use electric lights on its ships) was a fun and lively venue — when I was able to get into it. Alas, all six performances of what some passengers said was the best show in the venue, the interactive murder mystery "Noir," booked up seemingly instantly on the first day of my cruise, so I never was able to get a reservation to see it.

With Queen Anne's passenger count significantly higher than Cunard's other vessels, there just isn't room in the Brights Light Society venue to accommodate the demand for its shows.

The "Noir" show was the only show in the venue for three of the first four nights of the cruise. For the last three nights of the sailing, the space was home to "Fizz," a cabaret-style show with musical and burlesque elements and a loose storyline of romance for which I did manage to snag a reservation. It was energetic and amusing, with the cast of five pulling in the audience to become part of the show.

Additional entertainment, including the occasional comedy show, vocalists and silent discos, takes place in the Queens Room, the ship's ballroom. On Queen Anne, it's a space that has gotten a makeover compared to the ballrooms on other Cunard ships to make it more multipurpose, and it often hosts some of the same acts that play on different nights in the Royal Court Theater.

With clusters of modern ball lamps hanging from its ceiling, evoking planets floating in the sky, and a stunning, multicolored marquetry wood floor as a counterpoint, the Queens Room has a dreamy, make-believe quality unlike anything seen before on a Cunard ship.

A large digital screen behind its semicircular stage and high-tech lighting add to its more modern feel.

The Queens Room is also rounder in its design and more open to its surroundings. Its top level, in particular, is open to an area of boutique stores and the passing traffic of passengers moving between the front and back of the ship.

Queen Anne itineraries and pricing

Of Cunard's four ships, Queen Anne is the one that spends the most time sailing out of Southampton, England — Cunard's traditional home. Nearly all its sailings during the year begin and end in the port.

Still, that doesn't mean Queen Anne only sails in the vicinity of the British Isles.

For all but the first few months of the year, Queen Anne operates an unusually wide array of Europe itineraries out of Southampton that can get you to just about every corner of the continent, from the far reaches of the Baltic Sea to the full expanse of the Mediterranean.

Some of Queen Anne's Europe sailings out of Southampton go all the way to the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa.

Queen Anne's trips from Southampton are diverse not only in where they go but in length, as the ship operates everything from quickie two-nighters to Hamburg, Germany (a good way to test the vessel to see if you like it), and seven-night sailings to Northern Europe to far lengthier voyages of 14 to 19 nights to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.

During the first few months of every year, Queen Anne sets off from Southampton on an even more ambitious voyage around the world. Since the ship's debut in early 2024, it has become one of Cunard's main ships for such lengthy voyages.

The around-the-world voyages (two of which currently are on Queen Anne's schedule for 2025 and 2026) typically last nearly four months and include stops in North America, Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe. In addition to selling passage for the entire cruise, Cunard also sells shorter segments of the voyage that focus on particular regions along the way.

Prices for Queen Anne sailings start around $400 per person, based on double occupancy, for a two-night sailing from Southampton to Hamburg. More typical seven-night sailings out of Southampton start at $1,159 per person, based on double occupancy. The ship's first world cruise, a 107-night trip kicking off in January 2025, starts at $17,536 per person.

The above rates include all taxes and fees.

Note that you'll pay a significant premium to stay in Queen Anne's Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill accommodations as compared to standard Britannia cabins. A voyage where a balcony cabin in Britannia class starts around $3,000 per person might cost closer to $5,000 per person if you book the same balcony cabin in Britannia Club class or $7,000 per person if you book a Princess Grill suite. A Queens Grill room on the same voyage might set you back more than $9,000 per person.

What to know before you go

Required documents.

A passport is required for all itineraries, and passports must be valid for at least six months. The name on your reservation must match that on your passport. Double-check if you've recently gotten married or use a different version of your name.

Queen Anne guests will find an automatic service charge of $16 to $18 per person, per day, depending on cabin category, added to their onboard account and final bill. You are allowed to adjust this amount at the Purser's Office desk before disembarking.

In addition, a 15% gratuity is added to bar bills. You should not feel pressured to add an additional tip.

Related: Everything you need to know about tipping on cruise ships

In recent years, Cunard has upgraded the Wi-Fi service on its ships and now offers a relatively fast connection through Starlink satellites. As is often the case with cruise ships, the service isn't free, nor is it inexpensive. Passengers can choose an Essential plan that allows web browsing and access to emails and social media sites for $18 per day if bought for the entire voyage (24-hour access is available for $24). A Premium plan allowing for streaming costs $24 per day if bought for the entire voyage (24-hour access is available for $36) is also available.

The above rates allow you to log in on a single device. Multidevice plans are also available. They'll cost you more in absolute terms but are a much better value if you are buying Wi-Fi for several people. On my voyage, a multidevice plan for four devices was the same cost as buying two single-device plans.

Note that top-tier members of the line's Cunard World Club loyalty program get credit toward buying internet plans.

Carry-on drinks policy

Cunard allows every passenger of drinking age to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne onto ships at boarding. The line charges a corkage fee if you bring the wine or Champagne to an onboard restaurant or other public areas to drink.

Smoking policy

Smoking (including e-cigarette smoking) is allowed only in designated outdoor areas. It's forbidden in cabins, on cabin balconies and — with one exception — in all other indoor areas of the ship. The exception is that passengers can smoke cigars and pipes only (no cigarettes) in Churchill's Cigar Lounge, the ship's dedicated space for cigar smokers.

Unlike on some cruise ships, smoking is not allowed in Queen Anne's casino.

Queen Anne has self-serve launderettes on cabin decks where passengers will find washers, dryers and ironing boards for use at no extra charge. Even the detergent is free. The ship also offers extra-charge laundry, pressing and dry cleaning services.

Related: Everything you need to know about cruise ship laundry services

Electrical outlets

You'll find North American-style 110-volt outlets and European-style 220-volt outlets in cabins, along with USB ports.

The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar. But you won't need cash while on board. Queen Anne operates on a "cashless system," with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a keycard that you can use to make charges, and Cunard will charge your credit card at the end of the sailing to settle the balance.

While on board, you can check your balance at the Purser's Office or via your in-cabin television.

Drinking age

You must be 18 to consume alcohol on Queen Anne in most parts of the world. When the ship is sailing in U.S. waters, Cunard enforces the U.S. drinking age limit of 21.

During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day, and you're bound for the pool deck, that means looking like you're going to the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits are just fine. Just note that swimwear is not permitted in indoor dining areas, so you'll want to change from that bathing suit before heading to lunch inside the vessel.

During the evenings, there is an official dress code, and it's more formal than at many lines. Cunard has always been known as a line where passengers dress up — and its dress code reflects that (though it's not nearly as formal as it was just a few years ago).

On most nights, the Queen Anne dress code is "smart" attire, which Cunard defines as a dress shirt and trousers, skirt and a top, or a cocktail dress. Jackets are optional, but many men do wear them. Some men even wear coats and ties on casual nights. This is a ship where passengers get very dressed up, and you might feel out of place if you don't.

Unlike on some lines, jeans are not allowed in restaurants in the evening, and the line is strict about it. You will likely be turned away if you show up in them, and you'll definitely get dirty looks from Cunard's formality-loving regulars.

Every few nights, the dress level on the ship becomes much more formal as the ship holds "gala evenings." These are shipwide events where passengers are encouraged to dress to the nines, and they generally do.

There are typically two gala evenings on every seven-night cruise and more on longer sailings. Cunard asks men to wear black tie or dark suits. For women, Cunard suggests floor-length dresses, ballgowns or off-the-shoulder cocktail dresses.

Cunard typically designates a theme for each gala evening, set in advance so you can plan your wardrobe. Examples include Black and White Gala Evening, when passengers are encouraged to wear black and white, and Red and Gold Gala Evening, when red and gold are the go-to colors. Some sailings also have a Masquerade Ball, where the line suggests passengers spice up their attire with masks.

Note that if you really, really hate the idea of getting all dolled up for a gala evening, you'll find that there are a few designated places on the ship (such as the pub) where you still can drink and dine without the formality. That said, the dress-up nights are a big part of the Cunard formula. If it doesn't sound appealing to you, maybe you're picking the wrong ship.

Related: What to pack for your first cruise

Bottom line

Queen Anne is a lovely ship that, alas, isn't yet running like it should. The design of the vessel, which is more contemporary in its look and feel than what we've seen from Cunard in recent years, is meant to usher in a new era for the brand, and it does. In my opinion, it's the most beautiful new Cunard ship to debut since Queen Mary 2 arrived more than 20 years ago.

But four months after opening, some of Queen Anne's venues still are struggling to deliver the sort of friendly and intuitive service that they should, given Queen Anne's positioning as a "premium" product that is a step above mass-market cruising (in some of its messaging to consumers, the line even refers to itself as offering a "luxury" experience).

In addition, several new-for-the-line dining concepts on the ship are struggling to hit their stride and may need rethinking.

Cunard, no doubt, will tweak all the above and eventually get it right, maybe by the time you are on board. And there's a lot already to love about Queen Anne — particularly the higher-end experience available in the ship's already smoothly-running Princess Grill and Queens Grill areas. If Cunard can work out the kinks with the rest of the ship, particularly in the areas of service and specialty dining, Queen Anne has the potential to be a wonderful cruise ship.

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