Getting Married at Castaway Cay - Good or Bad idea?

[Chris Armstrong]

SERIOULSY contemplating this as I've been going through the motions wondering what the heck I should do...

Would you guys do it?

WE are getting married on the Island in Feb during a 7 day cruise. To us it was a no-brainer. Very cheap compared to a reg wedding with all the planning and all the other things involved. Think about it, all your guests we be catered to for 7 days with no cost to you. Look at it this way. Which wedding would you rather attend, a wedding service and party in (name your State), a night of partying, DJ, food and drink, inside a rented hall? Or going on a 7 day cruise, St. Thomas, Tortola, great food, lots of fun, more time with family and friends. At $3,500 compared to $10,000 + headaches, it seems like a great deal. Plus I think we will have more people coming now instead of flying all the way here just for a day. Bottom line we are Disney fans so it all works out. Just my thoughts.

 

[truck1]

I felt sorry for the couple this week , it was so hot and humid and they were all dress up in a beautiful long dress. There at least 4 other brides waiting for pictures on the ship one night too. They were all beautiful .

I wonder if something changed. I haven't had a reason to talk to DCL weddings, but when we got married, we were told there was only 3 available slots to get married/vow renewals on the ships. 1 on the island, and 2 on the ship. The day we got married, we had a sunset wedding, off the coast of Cuba(the photographer from the previous wedding kept teasing us she was jealous we go the sunset wedding) and the other onboard wedding was a few hours before ours. We also saw the beach wedding on CC, from where we were sitting on the island on the beach.

 

[Dug720]

I wonder if something changed. I haven't had a reason to talk to DCL weddings, but when we got married, we were told there was only 3 available slots to get married/vow renewals on the ships. 1 on the island, and 2 on the ship. The day we got married, we had a sunset wedding, off the coast of Cuba(the photographer from the previous wedding kept teasing us she was jealous we go the sunset wedding) and the other onboard wedding was a few hours before ours. We also saw the beach wedding on CC, from where we were sitting on the island on the beach.

All those in wedding dresses might not have gotten married on board. They may have just schlepped the dress for pics on formal night...

 

[truck1]

Would it be an option, since you have to get officially married before the cruise anyway, to just unofficially get married at CC? You could have someone in the wedding party say the words. You could even do the old fashioned thing of getting everyone little disposable cameras to take pictures! Little disposable waterproof cameras!! (do those even exist anymore? Now I kind of want them for our next trip - google, here I come!). But since you don't go to a special location or anything, what's to stop you from showing up in your wedding dress and standing around the beach for a bit? You wouldn't get the other perks, but, outside of the photographer, they seem to be excessively charged for what they are. Then you would have an extra say $2500 for a honeymoon cruise!

I'd also see about doing a double dip cruise, if it's possible. That way, if one trip to CC is shot, you have another chance.

You might still have to coordinate thru DCL, but its worth asking for. I know that the ship spends 2 or 3 hours getting all the chairs, tables and stuff together, plus a golf cart to run everyone to the beach area. Unless something changed, you actually book the spot on a specific cruise. If you do a double dip, chances are some one already booked the spot behind you on the next cruise so you really couldn't move the ceremony back 1 week. When we talked to DCLs shoreside planner, and we actually planned ours, the way it was explained to us was this. Theres 3 slots per cruise to get married, and to have alternative dates planned just in case. Then there are 2 different locations to get married. CC, and deck 7 aft on the Magic and Wonder (at the time, now the Magics is moved indoors to a club and CC, along with the Dream and Fantasy. Wonder is still the only ship you can use deck 7 on) If there was inclement weather on CC then the ceremony gets moved indoors. Deck 7, they have a few options on the 7s since theres at least 2 days at sea. Matter of fact find the Cake Boss episode where Buddy was on the Dream I think. He did a surprise vow renewal for his wife at CC and it rained and the ceremony got moved indoors on the ship.

 

[truck1]

All those in wedding dresses might not have gotten married on board. They may have just schlepped the dress for pics on formal night...

Could be. That thought crossed my mind. Could also be a private ceremonies without DCL being involved.

Matter of fact, I want to do a surprise renewal for my wife on the new ships Maiden, so I'm going to email Disney and ask. I know its still years away but I figure I better start now. I can kill 2 birds with one stone.

 

[starrydominique]

I wonder if something changed. I haven't had a reason to talk to DCL weddings, but when we got married, we were told there was only 3 available slots to get married/vow renewals on the ships. 1 on the island, and 2 on the ship. The day we got married, we had a sunset wedding, off the coast of Cuba(the photographer from the previous wedding kept teasing us she was jealous we go the sunset wedding) and the other onboard wedding was a few hours before ours. We also saw the beach wedding on CC, from where we were sitting on the island on the beach.

All those in wedding dresses might not have gotten married on board. They may have just schlepped the dress for pics on formal night...

Yeah, multiple weddings weren't allowed on our cruise. It took us forever to find a suitable date because they were all booked out. Only 1 wedding per day was allowed and only 1 at Castaway Cay. They had plenty of onboard wedding openings but hardly any Castaway, we booked 13 months out.
I assume some onboard weddings on other days probably redress and go down and take pictures on Castaway day. We knew there was 1 other bride from the previous day on our sailing but we never saw them.

 

[lorimay]

On a 7 night it is 2 weddings onboard and one on CC, at least that is how it was in 2012 when we did our vow renewal.

 

[truck1]

Called Disney Fairytale Weddings this morning. Not much has changed since 2010 when the wife and I got married. On 7 day cruises there are 3 spots available. 2 on the ship 1 on the island. On 4 day or 3 day there's 2 spots. 1 on the island 1 on the ship. Regarding the nbe of brides onboard, something that did change is Disney now offers Honeymoon destinations now so its possible the brides were on their honeymoon.

 

[Kathysf1014]

I got married on Castaway Cay exactly 6 years ago . Not only was it perfect for us but our families loved spending the full wknd with us celebrating , of course back then it was around $300.00 pp for a 3 night, lol. The only thing I would suggest is to try to stay away from a Summer date if you want Castaway Cay , it was incredibly hot in September especially in a wedding dress. Other than that , it was an incredible wedding weekend.

 

[The Sasquatch]

we met a group of people on a CC wedding and they were miserable. Basically all dressed up on the island for the ceremony, dying in the heat and then back to the ship for the reception. They didnt get to spend any time enjoying CC and were pretty bummed. I guess it depends on if you ask the couple or the guests...

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Guys I'm gonna do it!


I decided I'm getting married once and that's it....

Can you help me pick and outfit!

 

[egesicki]

It's interesting seeing all the reactions, some pretty firm both for and against. I read it a few days ago and thought well heck yes! I just asked DH what he thinks, he immediately gave a thumbs down. I asked why, he said too many people. For myself I am in the "Disney cruise is a great pampering experience" camp.

 

[meliscan]

I will echo everyone else and say do what makes you happy. I got married off a Royal Caribbean in St. Thomas 13 years ago and I don't regret it. We picked St. Thomas so we only had to have one ceremony. It makes a great story to have that type of wedding and so relaxing. We actually had 14 friends go with us and we all had a blast. They can see your special day but also have a great vacation!

I will caution you to look at the weather as it can be very warm on Castaway Cay and you don't want to be uncomfortable on your big day. We saw a lovely bride on Friday and I felt so bad for her as it was so warm.

 

[truck1]

It's interesting seeing all the reactions, some pretty firm both for and against. I read it a few days ago and thought well heck yes! I just asked DH what he thinks, he immediately gave a thumbs down. I asked why, he said too many people. For myself I am in the "Disney cruise is a great pampering experience" camp.

Your right. Its kind of like rating food. What foods I love or I think is great, others not so much. Others will say they love a cc beach wedding, others will take the ship. It's great that DCL has options in that regard.

 

[Dug720]

Guys I'm gonna do it!


I decided I'm getting married once and that's it....

Can you help me pick and outfit!

Awesome!!

As long as you're cool with knowing that not docking is a possibility...

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Awesome!!

As long as you're cool with knowing that not docking is a possibility...

Life's a gamble lol

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Ok guys trying to find the best Crusie and I can use the Florida resident rates as well!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Guys I'm gonna do it!


I decided I'm getting married once and that's it....

Can you help me pick and outfit!

I'd go with flip flops, white linen pants and this https://m.disneystore.com/tees-tops...-men-by-tommy-bahama-blue/mp/1388137/1000228/

Congrats!