Thinking of taking a cruise for your honeymoon? Tying the knot can be a stressful (and expensive!) experience. Who doesn’t want to relax afterward on a cruise where everything is taken care of for you? Perhaps the hardest decision you’ll face the entire trip is where to have dinner in the evening.
In fact, cruises are ideal for those that want a simple honeymoon while still having the opportunity to do something memorable and to explore exotic places. Still, you only get one honeymoon and you no doubt want to make it perfect. That’s why before you book the trip, there are some pros, cons, and things to know about booking a honeymoon vacation on a cruise.
Big Benefit to a Honeymoon Cruise: Easy to Plan
Anyone that’s gone through planning a wedding knows that there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into the big day. Thankfully, planning a cruise is nowhere near the pain of planning a wedding (not the least of which there are no issues about who to include on the guest list!).
With a cruise, you really only have to make a handful of decisions. In fact, the most important decisions boil down to three main factors: the cruise line, the ship, and the itinerary. Other than that, most decisions are relatively minor as buying a cruise means essentially buying a ready-made vacation where most things are included.
That’s not to say there won’t be more choices to make (Buy the drink package? Room type? Shore excursions?), but compared to big decisions like picking a wedding venue, they are no big deal.
There’s Lots to Do For Young Couples
If you’re celebrating a honeymoon, then it’s likely that you are relatively young. In that case, we’re guessing that you want something a bit more active than just sitting on your balcony and sipping champagne while watching the water (although that’s certainly an option).
In this case, another nice thing about honeymooning on a cruise is that you’ll have lots to do. Cruises have a full entertainment schedule throughout the day and evening, to say nothing of what you might do in ports of call.
In the morning there might be morning exercise classes, followed by trivia, poolside games, casino gambling, dinner, and an evening show. That’s to say nothing of the built in activities that range from rock walls to roller coasters to waterslides, and more. So whenever you do decide to leave the room, there’s no shortage of ways to be entertained.
Cruises Are Great for Romance
If you want romance, then while cruises aren’t exactly a trip to Paris, they can hold then own in the category. For one, there’s something romantic about being at sea that removes many of the distractions of back home. Then there is the fact that you’re often in warm, tropical locations where clothing is a little less than normal.
Add to that the number of opportunities to dress up and go to fancy dinners or simply be alone on a balcony watching the waves go by. No matter what you and your partner find romantic, you’ll find a chance to experience it on a cruise.
You Likely Won’t be Alone in Celebrating
While there are no statistics on how many people take cruises for their honeymoon, anecdotally we can tell you that it’s very common.
For instance, a common evening show on many ships is a rendition of The Newlywed Game with passengers playing as contestants. The format is one couple is newly married, another is the longest-married couple, and the third is in between. There is never any trouble finding contestants that are newly married or celebrating their honeymoon.
In other words, if you have worries for some reason that celebrating a honeymoon on a cruise isn’t “normal,” then nothing could be further from the truth.
Different Lines Mean Different Honeymoons
One important thing to consider if taking a honeymoon on a cruise is the type of vacation you want to have. That’s because different lines have different personalities. In our opinion, some are better slated for a honeymoon cruise than others.
For instance, Carnival is more family-focused. While it’s fun and affordable compared to other lines, you may not want to be sharing your special trip with a lot of children.
Higher-end lines like Celebrity offer an experience that is likely what more people think of as a honeymoon trip. It features fancier dining, a more adult-focused atmosphere, and simply a more luxurious feel. However, it is more expensive and sails fewer ships than a larger line like Royal Caribbean or Carnival, giving you fewer options.
One Drawback: Sharing Your Honeymoon With Lots of Others
If there is a drawback with taking a honeymoon cruise, it’s that you’re going to share this special time in your life with a lot of people.
Modern cruise ships can carry upwards of 6,000 passengers. Yes, that is a lot of people, but ships are also built bigger to accommodate that many people. So it’s not a case that there are simply more people stuffed onto the same size ship.
Still, there’s no arguing that if you’re wanting a more private vacation, then a cruise may not be the right fit. For instance, you aren’t going to be able to sit in a private hot tub and take in a sunset with your new spouse. However, it’s hard to beat the value, variety, and ease of cruising.
Other Vacations May Be More Relaxing
If you’re wanting a memorable honeymoon, then a cruise can be a great option. It offers a lot to see and do packed into a relatively short vacation. If you’re wanting a relaxing trip? We think there are better options out there.
A cruise is definitely what you make of it. If you want to hang out poolside, visit the spa, sit on the balcony and watch the waves, then you absolutely can do that. In reality, however, a young couple taking a honeymoon is going to be doing a lot more.
There are all the activities on the ship and exploring ports of call, all with thousands of other passengers. The result may be a vacation that feels more hectic than it would be if you visited a quieter spot with fewer people and less to see and do.
If you like having an active vacation, it’s great. If you want to simply relax and be alone with your new spouse, it may not be a right fit.
Are Cruises a Good Choice for a Honeymoon?
When it comes to take a cruise for your honeymoon, there are definite pros and cons. To us, the biggest reason to favor a cruise is that it makes planning your honeymoon extremely easy following what’s likely been a stressful time with the wedding ceremony. It’s also relatively affordable and since cruises run year-round, it doesn’t matter when you want to travel, there will be tons of trips available.
On the downside, you are sharing your trip with other people — a lot of other people. That’s not to say that you can’t have plenty of time to yourselves, but when doing anything outside of the cabin, there will be plenty of others around.
Still, cruises are definitely a popular option for honeymoons and for good reason. We mentioned the ease of planning. There’s also the ability for romance with fancy dinners, warm weather, free-flowing drinks, and swimsuits. There’s a lot to do both onboard and exploring ports of call. And depending on the cruise line you choose, the vibe can be tailored to whatever style you want from fun-loving to more sophisticated.
So while we don’t think that a honeymoon cruise is for everyone, if you’re already interested in the idea, then it’s likely going to be a perfect fit.
