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Cruise Weddings

Your Vision, Our Logistics

A wedding at sea is the ultimate expression of adventure and intimacy, but it comes with a unique set of "knots"—from maritime legalities to complex group manifests. At Knot & Compass, we specialize in the meticulous planning required for cruise ship weddings. We serve as your dedicated shoreside concierge, ensuring that your only responsibility is saying "I do" against the backdrop of an endless horizon.

What We Provide:

Dedicated Cruise Line Wedding Liaison:
- Wedding Department Intake Call: Conducts an official intake and hand-off conference with the cruise line’s dedicated shoreside wedding department to register the couple, establish the event file, and link the wedding registry/event ID to the sailing.
- Shoreside Scheduling: Facilitates priority boarding requests, port wedding clearance guidelines, and non-sailing guest access coordination (when permitted by the cruise line and port authority).
Group Contract & Stateroom Inventory Management
- Contracted Group Locks (8+ Staterooms): Secures contracted group blocks with the cruise line, monitors recall/review dates, and manages contractual cabin inventory.
- Group Amenity Optimization: Allocates cruise line Group Amenity Points (GAP)—such as onboard credits, shared cocktail parties, or stateroom welcome gifts—to benefit the wedding party.
- Tour Conductor (TC) Administration: Tracks and audits guest counts to claim earned Tour Conductor berth credits from the cruise line.
- FIT Linking (1-7 Staterooms): Secures individual cabins and formally cross-references booking numbers to ensure reservations are linked across shipboard systems.
Guest Coordination & Concierge Booking
- Direct Guest Booking: Manages individual stateroom reservations, cabin category selections, and dietary/bedding preferences directly with guests.
- Payment Administration: Collects individual deposits and schedules final payment reminders, eliminating the burden on the couple to manage guest funds.
- Group Dining Harmonization: Formally links all staterooms with cruise ship food & beverage operations to ensure assigned seating together at main dining seatings.
- Digital Itinerary Hub (Tern): Deploys a customized digital portal for every guest, housing e-documents, boarding passes, ship guides, event schedules, and direct agency support access.
Group Anchor Hotel & Port Arrival Guidance
- Anchor Hotel Selection: Sourcing and vetting 1 to 2 recommended official wedding hotels near the embarkation port (1 full-service and 1 select-service option).
- Courtesy Room Block or Preferred Booking Link: Establishing a courtesy group rate link or discount code with zero attrition liability to the couple or agency.
- Port Transit Briefings: Providing comprehensive port arrival directions, luggage tag instructions, and recommended terminal transfer options embedded in the Tern app.
Shore Excursion Coordination
- Private Group Excursion Curation: Researching, negotiating, and booking one official shared group excursion for the entire wedding party in a marquee port of call (e.g., private catamaran charter, beach club buyout, or group catamaran sail).
- Self-Service Guest Excursion Portal: Integrating curated, affiliate-linked shore excursion options directly into each guest’s Tern app for independent exploring during non-wedding port days.

The Knot & Compass Touch

While the cruise line provides the ship, we provide the peace of mind. We handle the intricate logistics of travel and group management so you can focus on the romance of the voyage. Whether it’s a glacial backdrop in Alaska or a sunset in the Mediterranean, we ensure your wedding is expertly anchored.