Full steam ahead as British cruise ships allowed to stage weddings

COUPLES will soon be able to combine sun-kissed cruises on

British boats with tying the knot under new ‘Brexit dividend’ plans.

The Government is looking to scrap rules that allow marriages on foreign-flagged ships but ban them on British ones.

And sources say the proposals would be a great post-pandemic fillip for the UK cruise sector, as well as for British ports, as on-board weddings are big business. They say the rule change is only possible now that the country has left the EU.

Currently, weddings are banned on board UK-flagged vessels.

But the Government is now set to consider reviewing that restriction – partly to help a cruise industry hard hit by Covid restrictions, which shrank by 75 per cent in 2020 alone.

Any new proposals would follow the existing Law Commission review of the Marriage and Partnership Act due to be published in July.

Government sources said last night that the measure was only possible post-Brexit, and would be a ‘huge boost’ to the UK cruise sector, which supports thousands of jobs.

Last night, a P&O Cruises spokeswoman welcomed the plan. She said: ‘We would welcome the opportunity to offer weddings on our two British-flagged ships as weddings on our other ships are hugely popular and a wonderful way to celebrate a special day. The ship’s captain officiates and it is a very memorable and romantic occasion.’