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Matrimony, Cruise-Style

DES MOINES, Iowa, January 13, 2009 - While there are countless ways to extol the virtues of the cruise experience, one often overlooked is the opportunity for matrimony on the high seas.

Generations ago, weddings performed by a ship's captain on an ocean voyage were commonplace. And while most ships' captains are no longer authorized to perform wedding ceremonies at sea (there are exceptions - Princess Lines' "Grand Princess" has its own wedding chapel, and their captain is authorized to marry you at sea), government-approved authorities can (and do) oversee on-board civil ceremonies. Some cruise lines allow you to bring your own clergyman on board, as well. Few wedding ceremonies - or vow renewals - will "top" the experience of exchanging vows on board, while en route to some exotic or tropical locale for the honeymoon experience.

CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) reports that the number of on-board weddings has increased exponentially in recent years, and that thousands will be performed during 2009. The ceremony itself is generally held in the ship's library, chapel, or one of the ship's lounges. Wedding or Vow Renewal receptions may be held in one of the ship's specialty restaurants either during regular hours or as a private function. Azamara Cruises offers, as a complimentary service, wedding parties that include up to ten (10) non-sailing guests in attendance at the wedding ceremony. Their wedding parties with a reception allow for one hundred and fifty (150) non-sailing guests aboard the ship for the celebration.

Further, the timing for this experience has never been better. Statistics show that 15% of all marriage engagements occur in December. And while the average engagement lasts 14 months, the initial marriage decisions are made within 1-2 months following the engagement. The most important of these decisions - where to hold the wedding.

So, with holiday engagements just behind us, the newly betrothed are planning even now their dream locale and wedding. Many of them will experience their first marriage and are looking for something different than the more traditional experiences usually considered. For those who have previously experienced marriage, the allure of ocean matrimony may well represent a departure from an earlier marriage in a more traditional venue. In either case…what better time to remind the newly-engaged of a unique, oft-overlooked alternative they most likely never considered?

Enter CruiseCompete.com, and the opportunity for soon-to-be newlyweds to finalize their matrimonial dreams with the cruise industry's leading one-stop shopping source. Cruise specialists would love to help you plan your dream wedding. Simply visit the weddings request area at CruiseCompete.com to insure you have the best deal for your destination wedding at sea.

Bottom line - the newly-engaged get the cruise destination and dates they want, with the best available deal from cruise specialists bidding to serve them. With a typical wedding currently averaging $27,000, the opportunity to book that dream ceremony on a cruise venue - knowing they've received the best package deal available - will surely appeal to any couple considering a cruise wedding. And leave it to CruiseCompete.com to find an optimal agent who will not only coordinate the cruise booking requirement, but the actual ocean-board ceremony itself. CruiseCompete.com will be the one-stop, go-to source for a wedding cruise any newly-married couple will never forget.

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CruiseCompete.com saves consumers time by finding the agent with the best deal for them. Consumers secure quotes for cruise deals from multiple travel agencies without having to contact each one separately. Since its launch in 2003, More than 1,000 cruise specialists have provided four million-plus customized cruise quotes in response to requests from over 425,000 registered users. CruiseCompete, LLC, is an independent company not owned by or affiliated with any travel agency. For more information, visit www.cruisecompete.com.

CruiseCompeteGroups.com helps those planning any type of group travel event to obtain the best deal for their gathering.

What a Site: CruiseCompete.com listed on "36 Web Addresses You Should Know"
The Washington Post, November 2006

CruiseCompete.com ranked among "25 Best Travel Value Sites"
Kiplinger's Personal Finance, October 2006