Renew Our Vows

Okay, here's a question for all you nice folks. We will be sailing to
France on the Constellation in April. We thought that on our tour to
Paris we would love to renew our vows. But never having been there I
don't know where to start. We DO NOT want or need a legal ceremony, as
we have been married for 48 yrs, but would like one or two witnesses and
then a toast with some wine. Any ideas?


~~DORY~~
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Hi Dory,
Did you want to renew your vows while on the ship or in Paris?

~~DORIS~~
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Princess Star 3-30-2008
Princess Star 4-11-2008
Carnival Legend 9-7-2008
RCCL Grandeur 12-8-2008

Okay, here's a question for all you nice folks. *We will be sailing to
France on the Constellation in April. *We thought that on our tour to
Paris we would love to renew our vows. *But never having been there I
don't know where to start. *We DO NOT want or need a legal ceremony, as
we have been married for 48 yrs, but would like one or two witnesses and
then a toast with some wine. *Any ideas?

What a romantic idea, Dory! And it will be April in Paris, too.

The sure-fire way to achieve this is to work with a private tour
operator in Paris. See Cruise Critic ports of call boards for
recommendations. Compare cost that includes RT transfer from the ship
to cost of a "city only" tour coupled with the expense of Celebrity's
RT transfer. You can then tell the tour operator exactly how you want
to spend your day discovering Paris and also share your idea of a vow
renewal with wine toast. I'm sure they will have recommendations.
There are many wine/champagne bars in Paris, often located in nice
hotels. You could do it over a special lunch in a restaurant. You
could also do it in a romantic spot in Paris and "bring your own"
wine. You can buy wine everywhere, of course, so you might enjoy
strolling a street market or local shops for wine, fruit, bread,
cheese, sweets, flowers = instant romantic picnic in true Parisian
fashion. (Tour operator to supply wine opener, glasses and blanket!)
Alternatively, you could skip the shopping & your operator could bring
the wine and whatever else you want. Possible locations along the way
of a usual first time visitor's itinerary include the top of the
Eiffel Tower (have to check current security regs what you can
take up), in one of the many gorgeous gardens with flowers in bloom--
close to the Louvre there's the Tuileries or Royal Palace, on a bridge
over the Seine--the wooden one at the Louvre offers especially nice
views, there are many lovely spots for an impromptu stop on the Ile de
la Cite by Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, etc.

As a final thought, do you or your husband have any special interests
or links to Paris? All I'm getting at is, you might consider tailoring
the location to be particularly meaningful to the two of you. For
example, if you are opera lovers, I would build this around a visit to
the Paris Opera House (the old one, inspiration for Phantom) and do
your renewal in a nearby restaurant or wine/champagne bar that has
historically catered to the opera crowd.

If you take the ship's tour, but it allows free lunch or free
afternoon time, you could do the research and book your own special
restaurant or wine/champagne bar festivity. Otherwise, you could just
spontaneously buy wine and take advantage of one of the stops along
your itinerary. Or to make it a sure thing, perhaps you could arrange
with Celebrity to supply you with the wine/glasses or even bring your
own on board if you'll have time to purchase in a prior port or after
your last flight before embarkation. (Well, I don't know how many
ounces those little individual bottles of wine are...they come in
plastic now, too...but just guessing, they definitely exceed the 3 oz.
limit for flying.)

Ditto above if you don't take any tours, but just make your own plans
for the day. (I can't say that I'd recommend it if you are keen on
seeing a lot of sights in Paris simply because from a logistical
standpoint, you'll find it more relaxing and likely see/do more if you
leave the city transportation between sights to someone else.)

Witnesses - Unless you do a pre-arranged event, you will probably have
to rely on whoever is there at the moment to serve as your witnesses
(wait staff, patrons, tour guide, driver, etc.), unless you find some
compatible folks aboard ship (you could also go to the Roll Call on
Cruise Critic, make plans to participate in an early social with those
folks with the idea you might hit it off with someone in that group).


Have fun planning your vow renewal in Paris, Dory, and best wishes on
celebrating 48 years of marriage!

Diana Ball
Austin, TX

D Ball wrote in news:f7445ddc-75ec-415a-8e6a-
:

Great ideas, Diane.

I would say do not get the wine on the ship, Why? because the wine is
cheaper in a restaurant or bar in Paris and they will supply the
glasses.

The one thing that you didn't adress is the time factor. It takes 2
hours by train to get into Paris, buses will be similar though a bus
from the pier will be shorter over all by about a half and hour. I would
think about a really nice lunch. Jules Verne is open again on the 2nd
level of the tour eiffel and would be a tremendous place to celebrate. I
would think that something could be arranged.

Less pricey restaurants abound, however, still good options, you will be
hungry, non?

If you want to do the vows with a religious person, Catholic churches
are everywhere (church services are common for weddings in France but
the official ceremony is alway at the Town Hall. There is an American
Church in Paris for non denominational protestant interests. Contacting
the American Church is easy they have a web presence.

American Church in Paris
www.acparis.org
65, Quai Orsay
75007 Paris, France
+33 1 45 56 09 50

I would be happy to recommend a good restaurant if you need one, just
let me know how fancy, budget etc.
--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell

Joseph Coulter wrote in
. 97.136:

one other thing, you could go to rec.travel.europe, but be warned the there
put the cruisers to shame for getting OT and rude.


--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell

The cow and I want to renoce our vows! haha(we are seniors)
"Dory Samuels" wrote in message
...
Okay, here's a question for all you nice folks. We will be sailing to
France on the Constellation in April. We thought that on our tour to
Paris we would love to renew our vows. But never having been there I
don't know where to start. We DO NOT want or need a legal ceremony, as
we have been married for 48 yrs, but would like one or two witnesses and
then a toast with some wine. Any ideas?


~~DORY~~
________ / /___/ /___/ /_________
\::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joseph wrote:
rom the pier will be shorter over all by about a half and hour. I would
think about a really nice lunch. Jules Verne is open again on the 2nd
level of the tour eiffel and would be a tremendous place to celebrate


We are on the same wavelength, Joseph. My first thought was also the
"new" Jules Verne, however, I retreated from the whole nice restaurant
idea because it would require dressing up more than I could recommend
to anyone for that long travel/touring day. Also, I can't speak for
Dory, but I know my personality. If I am a first time visitor and I
have only X hours, I want to see and do as much as I can in the window
of time allowed. I don't want to blow a big chunk of that time on a
nice, leisurely meal. You did a good job demonstrating the amount of
your day that's already "wasted" on travel to/from port...I can't see
taking 2-3 more hours away from what's left.

Diana

On 1/26/2008 7:08 AM Dory Samuels did the "neutron dance", then made
these writings:
Okay, here's a question for all you nice folks. We will be sailing to
France on the Constellation in April. We thought that on our tour to
Paris we would love to renew our vows. But never having been there I
don't know where to start. We DO NOT want or need a legal ceremony, as
we have been married for 48 yrs, but would like one or two witnesses and
then a toast with some wine. Any ideas?


~~DORY~~
________ / /___/ /___/ /_________
\::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~









Here's an idea. Ask your clergy if he/she has any clergy contacts in
Paris. Sometimes they do. Contact and a letter of introduction could
be made. Arrangements could be made to do it aboard a bateau mouche.
That way you get sight seeing, a nice meal plus vows renewal all at the
same time. With any luck you'll get a romantic serenade. Other
options, renew vows atop the Eiffel Tower, in or in front of Notre Dame,
The Sculpture Garden in The Louvre, in the gardens of Fontainebleau.

There are travel agents here in the US who specialize in weddings,
anniversaries, vow renewal that sort of thing. Tell the TA what you
want and let them put it all together. Cruise Directors and other
ship's personnel have experience with these things. A few weeks before
you sail, get in contact. Tell them what you want to do, how much you
want to spend. I'm sure that they'll be able to handle it.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

On Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:57:13 -0500, BrianK
wrote:

Cruise Directors and other
ship's personnel have experience with these things. A few weeks before
you sail, get in contact. Tell them what you want to do, how much you
want to spend. I'm sure that they'll be able to handle it.

Hi Brian,

If these types of arrangements are to be made by the cruise line, they
must be set up in advance. Waiting to contact anyone at the cruise
line a few weeks before you sail will likely lead to a negative answer
and/or experience.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
--

I hope its not public!
"Ray Goldenberg" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:57:13 -0500, BrianK
wrote:

Cruise Directors and other
ship's personnel have experience with these things. A few weeks before
you sail, get in contact. Tell them what you want to do, how much you
want to spend. I'm sure that they'll be able to handle it.

Hi Brian,

If these types of arrangements are to be made by the cruise line, they
must be set up in advance. Waiting to contact anyone at the cruise
line a few weeks before you sail will likely lead to a negative answer
and/or experience.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
--