Cunard may register ships abroad for weddings

Cunard's fleet includes the Queen Mary 2

Cunard has said it may change the registration of its ships so it can perform weddings at sea.

Wedding services must be performed in a publicly accessibly place under English law, ruling out ceremonies at sea.

But Cunard president Peter Shanks said the firm could instead register its ships in an overseas British territory making weddings on board legal.

While the firm's fleet of Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria was likely to remain based in Southampton.

Big business

A number of other cruise firms have already moved registration of their ships to countries like Bermuda, which allows them to continue to carry the British red insignia.

Mr Shanks told the Financial Times that weddings performed by captains at sea were "very big business" but it was "denied to us" under current English law.

He said Cunard could designate a "wedding ship" and change its registry alone or re-register all of its ships.

But he stressed no decision had been made.