John

In its first full year (to April 2007) more than 200 weddings will have been performed by P&O Cruises captains and enquiries are coming in at about 20 a month, reports the UK line.

In the last eight years the number of UK couples marrying overseas has increased 64%, resulting in one in every nine weddings in 2005 taking place abroad.

The cost of a wedding on one of P&O Cruises’ ships is £675 (plus £225) from April 2007. If the average cruise price for a couple is added, the total costs end up at just over £4,000 compared with the average £15,000 being spent on UK-based weddings notes The Cruise Report 2007, published this week by Carnival UK.

P&O statistics reveal the usual wedding party is eight, with the couple joined by both sets of parents and a couple of friends. Nearly half the couples are travelling alone, while bookings are also now coming in for wedding groups of 20 to 60 people says the company.

So far the average age of grooms has been 45 and of brides, 41. With weddings at sea becoming so popular P&O Cruises has decided to add the option on a fourth ship, Oriana, this year resulting in a switch from British to Bermuda registry, as weddings cannot be conducted at sea on British flag ships. This leaves P&O Cruises with just one ship under British flag, Aurora. The line confirms weddings will also be conducted on new flagship Ventura, arriving in 2008,

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John

Past cruises:
Apr 03 Norwegian Sun - W Caribbean
May 04 Norwegian Dream - Mediterranean
Nov 05 Radiance of the Seas - E Caribbean
Nov 05 Radiance of the Seas - W Caribbean
Oct 06 P&O Arcadia - Spirit of the Caribbean
May 07 Fred Olsen Braemar - Dutch Weekend
Oct 07 Norwegian Gem - Shakedown
Oct 07 Vision of the Seas - Mexican Riviera
Nov 07 Monarch of the Seas - Baja Cruise
July 08 Queen Elizabeth 2 -Holland & Belgium
Nov 08 P&O Artemis - Panama Canal

Seranade of the Seas - Alaska Cruise Cruising in: 142 day(s), 11 hour(s), 3 minute(s)