Love on the High Seas
A Couple Were to Renew Their Vows Aboard a Cruise Ship - But the Bride Knew Nothing About It!
Would you surprise your other half with a major event, and not tell them? Well that’s exactly what Stephen from Droitwich, Worcestershire did on a recent Marella Cruise. This is the story proving romance is alive and well and living on the high seas.
It all began when Stephen and wife Ruth started planning a short break for a milestone anniversary. Ruth explains:
“We usually book all-inclusive, Mediterranean package holidays with 4 or 5 star hotels and generally only for 10 days as we tend to get bored if any longer. Our 25th wedding anniversary was approaching and we thought we should go away somewhere nice for the weekend. So we popped into our local TUI store for some advice. An hour later and it had somehow escalated from a possible cottage in the UK for the weekend to a two week Mediterranean cruise!”
The couple had never considered a cruise in the past assuming they were for “slightly older” people and that they would find it restricting to be stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean
“We did look into other Cruise companies before booking as we like to do our homework before jumping in at the deep end. But we kept on coming back to Marella. We liked that there was no pressure to dress formally every evening and being forced to sit with the same people at dinner for two weeks, with set meal times. We also really liked the fact that we were flying with the same company that owned the ship. That way, there was no worry of missing the ship if our flight was delayed. It also made the whole process much easier with TUI organising everything, even excursions. As first-time cruises, our biggest fear was missing the ship as it left port, so it was very reassuring having our excursions organised through TUI.”
Without her knowing, Ruth’s romantic husband had contacted their TUI rep and organised an on-board vow renewal on the day of their wedding anniversary. It was no mean feat, as once on the ship there was a lot to finalise. Stephen had to be dashing backwards and forwards to guest experiences to arrange the finer details. He’d even bought Ruth a beautiful wedding dress in advance and hidden it in his luggage, brave man!
Ruth told me: “It’s funny when I think back at all the times he went missing during meals etc. and came back all sweaty and out of breath. I used to say ‘where on earth have you been’, and he’d say there was a queue for the toilets. Obviously he told me afterwards that he had to run the whole length of the ship to fetch my dress from his suitcase and sneak it to Matthew and David in Guest Experiences who had arranged everything for us. There was so much going on behind the scenes that I knew nothing about.”
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the happy couple, however. Several days into the cruise Ruth suffered a severe reaction to some medication she was on and ended up in the ship’s Medical Centre. It was touch and go for a few days as to whether Stephen’s risky subterfuge would have all been in vain. Ruth was put on an intensive course of intravenous antihistamines and steroid injections by the ship’s medical team, which fortunately eased her symptoms for a few days - long enough for Stephen to work his magic.
The day of their wedding anniversary arrived, and the couple went on a day trip to Pompeii, returning at lunchtime. Stephen suggested they return to their cabin to freshen up. Ruth was pleasantly surprised when she noticed a ‘Happy Anniversary’ banner on the door, which she assumed was put there by a thoughtful crew member, especially as when on entering their suite she found that the bed had been decorated with flowers, rose petals, chocolates, and even towels folded into swans and a wedding cake. “I was blown away that they had gone to so much trouble”.
It was then that Ruth suddenly noticed that there was a wedding dress laid out on the bed.
“I couldn’t believe it. I turned to my husband in shock and said ‘what is that for?’ He said ‘well, you’ll need something to wear to renew our vows!’ “To say I was gobsmacked was an understatement. I never thought in a million years he would arrange something like this. Let alone be brave enough to choose a dress for me without any help whatsoever. What was more shocking was that not only did it fit me, but it was exactly what I would’ve chosen for myself.”
Ruth spent the next few hours getting ready for their surprise ceremony, and then the couple met with Matthew and David in the bar beforehand to talk them through it all.
”As we arrived, I was handed a glass of champagne and a stunning bouquet of flowers. Stephen was given a matching buttonhole. I can honestly say it was more exciting and romantic than my actual wedding day, perhaps because it was sprung on me at the last minute or maybe just because there was no pressure of organising a whole wedding with lots of guests to consider it was just the two of us and I hadn’t had to do a single thing other turn up!”
After a brief chat with Matthew and David, the couple were introduced to their photographer and taken to the bridge where Captain Steve James. Master of Marella Voyager, would perform the ceremony.
”We were given a guided tour of the bridge, which in itself, was such an amazing experience, and something I’d always wanted to do. Then Captain Steve performed the ceremony, which was so beautiful and personal to us.”
The couple then exchanged rings again and gave each other their promises. After saying their vows they were taken over to a beautifully decorated table to cut their wedding cake and to sign their certificate.
After the ceremony the happy newly-reweds were taken back down to the bar lounge where there was a beautiful platter of canapés and champagne, waiting for them, together with yet another surprise.
“We heard the captain, make an announcement over the tannoy, congratulating us, and asking everyone on board to wish us well if they saw us. Obviously everyone knew who we were as we were the only people dressed as a bride and groom. The attention we received not just from the crew, but every person on board was incredible. As we walked through the ship, everyone applauded and cheered for us. We honestly felt like movie stars. I kept my dress on for the entire day and every single part of the ship we went in we had another round of applause and congratulations. It was so emotional, I couldn’t stop welling up.”
After a brief walk around the ship, the couple were taken to the Silver Fork speciality restaurant (exclusive to Marella Voyager). Ruth revealed: “It was one of the most amazing meals I’ve ever had. The setting was stunning. The meal was exquisite, and we were even serenaded by the waiter.”
The couple spent the rest of the afternoon/evening moving from bar to bar, being congratulated by well-wishers. They felt like celebrities as guests were taking photographs and even the singer from “Waves Duo” in Flutes bar sang a special wedding song, just for them.
“By the time of the ceremony, we had been on board for a week and a half and we had gotten to know the staff, entertainers, and a lot of the other passengers really well. So it felt like we were amongst close friends. We’ve since stayed in touch with lots of people, even the entertainers and plan to meet again.”
I had contacted Ruth after seeing her post on a Facebook forum of which we were both members. As well as being desperate to hear about her romantic story, I also took the opportunity to question her about her experience as a first-time cruiser.
Choice of Cabin
I could see from Ruth’s photos that her cabin looked amazing, so I asked her which grade accommodation she had chosen.
“Our cabin was an executive suite as we wanted something special for our anniversary. It exceeded our highest expectations of what a cruise ship cabin could be like.
We had a huge open plan lounge and dining area. Which led through to a very generous bedroom with a king-size bed and even a walk in wardrobe. A beautiful twin bathroom which had a twin shower. To top it off, we had the most enormous balcony with a table and chairs two sun loungers, two deck chairs and a hammock.”
Cruise Experience
I wanted to find out how they had found the ship as first-timers.
“I think the thing I liked most about the ship was how friendly it was. I have never encountered staff so polite and happy to see you. Every corner you turned you were greeted so genuinely. It just lifted your spirit and made you feel happy for the entire day. Also, never before would I envisage sitting down for a meal in a restaurant and just sparking up a conversation with the people at the next table. But after a couple of days, it just felt natural to introduce yourself and have a lovely chat with the people either side of you over dinner. It was so bizarre yet, so lovely and refreshing. Something we’ve never experienced before.”
“We made so many new friends on board and I can honestly say we were gutted to leave the ship. I’ve never felt like this ever before with any other holiday I’ve been on. Normally after 10 days or so im ready to go home but if you’d said to us, would you like to stay for another week? We would’ve jumped at the opportunity. There wasn’t a single moment where we were bored or struggling to think of something to do. There was always something going on, and if you didn’t particularly enjoy the entertainment in one bar, you could just move to another one.
Would you Cruise Again?
Obviously Ruth and Stephen’s experience was heightened by their special occasion, but did they think they might choose a cruise holiday again?
“We started this cruise with the mindset of well if we don’t like it, we’ll just put it down to experience and not book one again. At least we could say we’d tried a cruise. But I can honestly say we are completely hooked now and can’t imagine going back to a regular holiday. We can’t fault it at all and trust me we are very fussy people. We’re already talking about booking our next cruise.”
How would you describe a Cruise to a non-believer?
“Stephen said if he had to describe it to someone who’s never been on a cruise before he would say, ‘imagine the most luxurious five-star hotel you’ve ever stayed in, now imagine, waking up every morning, opening your curtains and you’re in a different country.’
”When else would we ever get the opportunity to visit, the Colosseum, the Trevi, Fountain, the Leaning tower of Pisa, Pompeii and Monaco, all in one holiday. Plus you never have to worry about finding a taxi back to your hotel after a night out. Or having to go back to the same restaurant night after night?”
“I would honestly say to anyone who’s on the fence to just try it. It’s not just a holiday it’s an adventure and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.”
Did You Take Out Any Upgrades Onboard?
Apart from their special cabin, I wondered whether Ruth & Stephen had invested in any of the upgrades on offer.
“We were sceptical about paying for the premium drinks package beforehand, but really glad we did. I love my cocktails and Baileys, and Stephen likes his nice gins and whiskeys. They also did a lovely pink or a gold Prosecco on the premium package in some bars. You tend to find your favourite bars and restaurants on board. We know a lot of people that went to the Squid and Anchor every night, but that wasn’t really for us. We preferred the more chilled bars like Flutes and Aperitif. We also didn’t mind paying slightly more for speciality dining. My personal favourite was the Silver Fork, but it’s a close second between kora La and Surf and Turf.
What was the most memorable cruise experience onboard?
“Apart from the day we renewed our vows, I think our favourite experience on board was the immersive experience held in the secret Exchange Bar. We went to both The Heist and The Lock in, and it was the most fun we’d had in a long time. I won’t spoil the surprise, but it’s an experience not to be missed, and great value for money. Stephen was very hesitant at first as he is quite a shy man, but I think he secretly enjoyed it even more than I did.”
Finally, What Advice Would You Give to a First-Time Cruiser?
“If I was going to give some advice to a first time cruiser, I would suggest joining one of the Facebook groups as it’s a great place to ask advice and pick up tips.
And to the ladies out there, pack your best dresses and sparkliest jewellery, there’s no pressure to dress up, but you’ll want to. Another tip is not to book 10 hour excursions back to back as you need a break in between or you’ll be exhausted.”
I’d like to thank Ruth & Stephen for sharing their love story with me so that I could in turn share it with you. Their special cruise was a 14 night Mediterranean cruise on Marella Cruises new ship, Marella Voyager.
If you have a special occasion whilst you are on board, it is easy to arrange something to make the celebration even more memorable. Check the ‘Upgrades & Packages’ section of the TUI website to see various options available. For vow renewal there are three packages to choose from – Silver, Gold and Platinum with prices ranging from £250-£475 for winter 2023. For more information and to book, contact TUI on 0203 451 2585 (Note calls cost 10p per minute plus your standard network rate).