Calling Captain Stubing.

The lure of the love boat keeps growing. And as more couples opt to get hitched aboard ship, the cruise industry stands ready with new programs and amenities.

"There's a lot of cachet in being able to say 'I was married aboard ship,' " says Jennifer de la Cruz of Carnival Cruises, which expects to host more than 2,000 marriages by year's end. "Each year the number of weddings has grown."

Most lines offer on-board ceremonies as well as port-of-call weddings. "And both are growing in popularity," says Royal Caribbean's Barbara Alligood. Just don't wait until the last minute. Her advice: book 6-12 months in advance.

"Your guests can meet you at a port of call for the ceremony, or you can bring them all with you and get married on the ship," says de la Cruz. But the most common scenario is to have the ceremony aboard ship prior to departure. "That way your guests can attend the wedding and reception, but then they leave and you sail off on your honeymoon alone."

Among cruise lines' new wedding options:

Princess. The Grand Princess, the largest cruise ship ever built, is also the first to have an ocean-going wedding chapel. Set to begin its inaugural Caribbean season Sunday, the Grand Princess has already booked more than 50 nuptials. Brides and grooms can choose from a selection of three wedding packages, beginning at $1,400, which include music, champagne, and a bridal bouquet. A bonus: The captain performs the ceremony. Princess' Rick James says most skippers have rarely had time to officiate, but now the line is guaranteeing their availability. "We're turning cruise lore into reality."

Carnival. To accommodate more couples, Carnival is expanding its roster of port-of-call ceremony locations to include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Key West, Fla., and Nassau, Bahamas. All Carnival wedding packages include photography services, music, cake and champagne. Prices begin at $550. "But the sky's the limit," says de la Cruz.

Royal Caribbean. More than 1,300 couples will have tied the knot by year's end through Royal Caribbean's 2-year-old wedding program. That's up from 450 a year ago. To accommodate growing demand, the line is expanding its port-of-call wedding roster to include Vancouver, British Columbia, New York, and Cape Canaveral, Fla., as well as Miami and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Wedding packages start at $800 and include bridal bouquet, boutonniere, marriage certificate, cake for two, a private photo session and, of course, a bottle of champagne.

By Cathy Hainer, USA TODAY

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