Three couples who planned on tying the knot aboard Virgin Voyages’ Celebration Sailings received a delightful surprise—no less than Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson officiated their weddings.
For three weeks, Branson joined different sailings to marry each couple. Ben and Emma from the UK exchanged vows on the Valiant Lady with the hills of Puerto Plata as their backdrop.
The second wedding between Danny and Brittany took place on the Scarlet Lady while it was docked in Ibiza.
The final wedding was for crew members Matias and Alejandra. Theirs is a true Virgin Voyages love story. The two met on Valentine’s Day 2018 when Virgin Voyages took delivery of Scarlet Lady and Alejandra began working for the company.
Six years later, they got engaged on the Resilient Lady as it was docked in Santorini. Last Wednesday, the two lovebirds enjoyed a beautiful sunset ceremony in Amsterdam.
In addition to the couples’ celebrations, the weeklong events featured “Karma Chamelon” singer Boy George, DJ sets by the pool, and stargazing sessions with Virgin Galactic astronauts.
The special marriage ceremonies kicked off the cruise line’s new Weddings Program. Beginning this fall, cruise passengers can book onboard weddings, honeymoons, and vow renewals taking place from April 2025 onwards.
Guests can choose from wedding packages and Virgin Voyages’ cruise destinations for their big day.
The crew will be responsible for the planning and execution, helping booked passengers make their weddings as grand or simple as they want.
Branson won’t be officiating more nuptials, but the captain or officer onboard will be available to conduct future ceremonies.
The invitation to “let the ocean be your something blue” launches this fall so details on pricing and packages haven’t become available.
Over the years, major cruise companies like Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line have come up with their own wedding packages.
Cruise lines usually cover several aspects of weddings at sea, including catering, entertainment, flowers, officiants, and the wedding cake. In several instances, they turned out to be less expensive than traditional weddings on land.
