Can the ship's captain really perform your wedding when in international waters?

12/21/2011 2:19:08 PM

Most cruise ships have chapels for religious services, and for weddings.

As to the details, look them up, or confirm them with the cruise line beforehand. In some instances, the ships captains can perform the functions of a justice of the peace. In other case, you need a clergyman/woman. And location of the ship could make a difference, as could the nationalit(ies) of the bride and groom.

The answer appears to be “some captains on some ships for some people.” But not “any captain on any ship” for anyone.

12/21/2011 11:39:54 AM

Generally No.

Again this depends completely on the marriage laws of your home country and possibly also the ship’s home country. But according to this (German) article, most countries do not allow this. It even mentions a number of regulations (by the US Navy, the state of New York, and the British merchant navy) that explicitly disallow it. It also mentions some Swedish captains explicitly authorized to perform weddings on a cruise ship. This article claims that there are a number of companies that offer weddings at sea, but performed by an authorized official, not the captain. And I suspect that it would in fact have to be not in international waters, but the waters of the official’s country.

There’s also the concept of an “emergency wedding” – many countries (For example Spain, according to this forum article) allow weddings to be performed with relaxed regulations in situations when one or both of the prospective spouses’ lives is in danger. This has then to be officially approved afterwards. Obviously, this is not something you can plan for.

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Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

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