Have you always dreamed of a wedding at sea and being married by a ship captain? Forget what you may have seen in an old “Love Boat” rerun. It’s rarer than you think.
“It’s a myth that a captain can marry a person on a cruise ship,” Captain Arnold said in an interview that appears on his website. Unless he’s ordained or a member of the clergy.
Fortunately, Captain Arnold is an ordained chaplain. He’s also been a Coast Guard licensed captain for more than 40 years. In fact, he’s the only captain who’s also registered as an ordained chaplain with the City Clerk’s office in New York City.
So how did Captain Arnold start to perform weddings? He started doing it aboard private yachts in Florida. He says “it kind of gave me a bit of a niche” when he returned to New York.
Fortunately, Captain Arnold is an ordained chaplain. He’s also been a Coast Guard licensed captain for more than 40 years. In fact, he’s the only captain who’s also registered as an ordained chaplain with the City Clerk’s office in New York City.
So how did Captain Arnold start to perform weddings? He started doing it aboard private yachts in Florida. He says “it kind of gave me a bit of a niche” when he returned to New York.
Captain Arnold certainly looks impressive in his dress uniform with gold stripes when he performs wedding ceremonies on the top level all weather rooftop deck, known as the “Skylight Deck” on the Skyline Princess. But it’s his “ceremony of love” that couples will remember forever.
“It deals mostly with love, what marriage is about,” he says. “I don’t use any negative words, I don’t say ‘In sickness and in health,’ or say, ”until death do you part.’ ”
Captain Arnold and Skyline Are an Unbeatable Combination
If you’re looking to have a smaller wedding, we often rent out private decks on public cruises, which all leave from our home port. For even smaller parties we can reserve a table or two. Talk to Skyline’s event planners and we’ll help you plan your wedding and ask us about Captain Arnold. To get started, contact us today.
Smooth Sailing
Our yacht is a floating banquet hall and event venue designed for year-round cruising. It is fully climate-controlled for year-round outings and because it sails in the calm, sheltered waters of the famous New York Harbor or Long Island Sound, you’ll experience smooth sailing.
“We’d both like to thank you for the beautiful wedding ceremony you performed for us aboard the Skyline Princess. The wedding experience was everything you promised us it would be. Many of our guests have said it was the best wedding they had ever been to, they were also very impressed by your magic tricks after dinner, which was also excellent.
We’d like to thank you for taking care of all the arrangements and ensuring the evening ran smoothly. When we first spoke on the phone you said all we had to do was turn up with our marriage license, you’d organise everything else, and you were true to your word. Thanks once again.”