“Getting married by the captain in the middle of the ocean is an unforgettable experience.”
Following a court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in Bermuda, Carnival Corporation announced on Tuesday that it will now offer same-sex wedding packages on its Princess, P&O, and Cunard Line cruises, which are all registered in the North Atlantic nation.
Marriage licenses will be issued by the Bermudan government, and ceremonies will be performed by the ship’s captain or deputy captain.
The first ceremony is already scheduled for January 2018, aboard the P&O Cruises ship Azura in the Caribbean. It will mark the first time a British cruise line has ever hosted a same-sex wedding at sea.
“I’m delighted that following this much anticipated change in the legalities, we are now the first British cruise line to be able to arrange same-sex weddings onboard,” P&O Cruises VP Paul Ludlow told Cruise Critic. “Weddings at sea are very romantic and getting married by the captain in the middle of the ocean is an unforgettable experience.”
Cunard’s first same-sex wedding will take place in November 2018.
“This is very welcome news for us,” said Cunard VP Simon Palethorpe. “We look forward to welcoming this couple and many other couples too.”
Princess Cruises, which has 13 ships registered in Bermuda, is still developing “a range of services and amenities” for same-sex couples. The company has offered same-sex commitment ceremonies aboard its ships for some time.
Meanwhile, politicians opposing the passage of marriage equality recently introduced legislationto overturn marriage equality.
