Talk about a wedding to remember! Late last month, a Brtish couple made history as the first pair to get hitched while soaring above the high seas in Royal Caribbean’s futuristic North Star pod. Installed on-board next generation mega-liner Quantum of the Seas, the glass enclosed capsule offered the lovebirds spectacular views over the open ocean.
Mark Burden and Sharron Bowman were the lucky newlyweds, hailing from West Yorkshire. As the North Star began its ascent, the loved up couple said “I do” as the pod rose hundreds of feet above sea level off the stunning Haiti coastline. The stop was part of the vessel’s itinerary from its home port of New York, including a stop at Royal Caribbean’s private tropical island, Labadee.
License to wed!
Quantum of the Seas Captain Felix Srecko was on-hand as the ceremonial officiant. Did you know that all Royal Caribbean captains authorised by the Bahamian government to perform wedding ceremonies at-sea? Joining the airborne wedding party were the ship’s hotel director, the couple’s wedding coordinator, a team of photographers and the North Star’s operator. From the decks a crowd of well-wishers watched on as Mark and Sharon exchanged their sky-high vows.
Tips for brides and grooms to be
Thinking about getting hitched on the jewel shaped North Star? Congratulations! But before you set your heart on a North Star ceremony, here are a few important things to keep in mind.
- The North Star is only capable of accommodating a maximum of 14 guests. This means that the official vow exchanging ceremony will need to be kept small. Of course, you can always keep the exchanging of vows intimate, then have a fully-fledged deck party upon descent.
- Royal Caribbean captains may be authorised to wed couples in certain destinations however don’t expect a shotgun ceremony. You’ll need to plan well in advance if you want to book the North Star as a wedding venue, and secure the captain as officiant.
- Every day rides are complimentary however for weddings you’ll want to reserve a Private Flight. This includes pre-flight reception, in-flight champagne toast, commemorative flight certificate and post-flight brunch or dinner.
- For an even more magical experience why not try to reserve a sunset flight?
- In total, the complete North Star journey takes 15 minutes.
- Already married but till want to experience the breath-taking romance of a North Star flight? No problem! Royal Caribbean also offers vow renewals for couples that want to reiterate their love.
- Want to know more? Royal Caribbean has put together a handy PDF guide that you can download. It includes everything you need to know about the North Star and its suitability as a wedding venue.
Images sourced via USA Today.
