Most grooms and brides can agree that a honeymoon in the tropics – just about anywhere that isn’t hit by massively bad weather or wrought with mosquitoes – sounds pretty damn good. So why are so many couples choosing the cruise honeymoon option? Isn’t a cruise what all the blue-haired couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary are doing? GroomGroove.com takes a look at both sides of the coin.

Cost: Cool

The cost of a honeymoon cruise can be less than a traditional honeymoon, with 7-9 day, all-inclusive packages starting at about $600. Included in the price of many cruises are: meals, accommodations, entertainment, and activities aboard the ship. The cost of a non-cruise honeymoon would include airfare, accommodations, meals, subsequent travel arrangements at the arrival destination, and activities, all left up to the busy groom. Even many all-inclusive couples packages can’t match the value of a cruise with multiple destinations.

Convenience: Cool/Lame

Opting for a cruise honeymoon means that the newlyweds will have all of the amenities of a top hotel at there beck and call. They will also have the comfort of knowing that much of their honeymoon – at the very least, each of their destinations – is decided for them. It couldn’t be easier to pick up and go. Says Carnival Cruise Line spokesman, Vance Gulliksen: “Many couples who get married on a Saturday opt for Carnival’s Sunday departure.”

And if you’re the type of couple who really values the convenience factor, many cruise lines also offer weddings aboard the ship. This would, of course, mean that you will be sharing your honeymoon with all of your wedding guests, but at least you would have the privacy of your room at the end of the day. And for those couples who just can’t bear to “unplug”, some cruise lines, such as Carnival offer WiFi and mobile phone service aboard every ship.

But for the couple who really likes to go it alone and make romantic, spur-of-the-moment decisions, a cruise honeymoon might put a cramp in their style. Especially if there’s no where to go but the Karaoke bar.

Multiple Destinations: Cool

The non-cruise honeymoon has a bit more freedom. This may seem to some grooms and brides like a plus, but it can be very easy to waste time trying to figure out which destinations on one particular continent or island are worth visiting, and how exactly to get there. On a cruise honeymoon, the just married couple is able to research each stop on the cruise ahead of time and rest assured that everything will fit into the cruise line’s itinerary. Gulliksen tells Groom Groove: “A cruise is a great and affordable way for couples to see the different countries in Europe, especially with the Euro being so strong compared to the U.S. dollar.” Gulliksen explains that the Eastern and Western Caribbean are also some of the more popular routes.

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