ABOARD THE REGAL PRINCESS — Has anyone ever said a wedding was awful? No. Weddings, like babies and newborn kittens, are all pretty wonderful to watch, those marvelous magic moments we remember for years.
When fellow travel writers – Fran Golden and David Molyneaux (who is a writer for this website) — were wed on the last day of an inaugural cruise aboard the lovely Regal Princess it was truly a magic moment.
Imagine the ship’s elegant master, Capt. Edwin Perrin, performing the ceremony on Deck 5, midship, in Regal Princess’ magnificent atrium while invited guests – family and friends – were seated and passengers lined the balconies in their swimwear. Cameras at the ready, probably tens of thousands of photos were taken of the beautiful bride, the newlyweds, and Gavin MacLeod (Capt. Stubing of “The Love Boat” fame.) MacLeod did a reading. Opera singer Annette Wardell performed. It was a moment for the senses!
The magnificent emotional event was capped by hundreds of blue-and-white balloons dropped a la political conventions, a champagne toast and a universal sense of joy.
It was lovely to be part of the wedding – as well as the unusual naming/inaugural ceremonies – and to see firsthand how magnificently weddings can work at sea.
A Canadian firm, Royal Ocean Events Inc., plans Princess’ weddings. They have planned 400 weddings this year and say the events can be arranged for as few as two – the bride and groom – or as large as the couple desires.
Regal Princess offers an intimate wedding chapel on Deck 14. It is used for Princess’ wedding-at-sea program and for renewal-of-vows ceremonies. But the Piazza, at the foot of the majestic atrium stairs, was wonderful for Fran and David’s Saturday nuptials. Mazel tov!
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
