Instead of taking a cruise where you are constantly surrounded by crowds, why not look into chartering your own houseboat for a few nights?  And unlike a hotel, you aren’t limited to one location for the week.  You can snuggle up together in privacy along the way stopping at your leisure to prepare an in-cabin meal or dine in a small town nearby.  Explore the coast lines by fishing or sun bathing then venture inland to antique on main street of a quaint town. Each night you can fall asleep to the peaceful sound of waves lapping against your cozy quarters.

There are many locations in the U.S. where you can take advantage of a houseboat honeymoon.  Simply choose a city or area of the country you would like to explore, and begin searching online for houseboat rentals.  Some locations I would suggest looking into include:

Lake Powell in Utah where you will be in the heart of Glen Canyon National Park  surrounded by more than 90 canyons and can to explore almost 2,000 miles of coastline
Lake Roosevelt in Washington just an hour west of Spokane is a fisherman’s dream with nearly thirty species of fish and the view will be lush and green everywhere you look.
The Upper Mississippi River in Minnesota and Wisconsin will take you along a National Wildlife Refuge filled with birds to gaze at and you will have plenty of little towns to stop in between Red Wing, MN and LaCross, WI for some time to antique and gaze at churches. 

Many of these locations, and others, allow you to purchase food in advance and prepare your meals on the ship each day.  Others, like Lake Powell, give you the option to hire your own personal chef for a night or the entire week. 

As for rates, they have quite the range.  It all depends on the size of boat you’d like to rent, what season you plan to travel, and how luxurious the boat itself is.  Most boats are air-conditioned, have full baths, and oversized tinted windows to gaze out of much like a hotel suite.  Take a look at locations and rates that best suit your needs - your honeymoon is about creating a unique experience for the two of you as a couple.

If soaking up the sun on the beach every day of your honeymoon isn’t what you had in mind, you’ll be pleased to know Aruba has much more to offer. 

How about snorkeling or diving to see some of the most fascinating shipwrecks? Riding around the island on horseback, exploring a national desert, or taking in a safari?   You even have the option to go spelunking in former pirate hideouts.

For more information on these excursions, read through this article from TripAdvisor.com.

With so many beach front hotels and resorts on the Dutch island of Aruba, why not say “I do” and take your honeymoon minutes later? 

Several resorts offer wedding planners and package deals for you and your honey:

The Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort and Casino can accommodate up to 450 of your guests in their ballroom if you’d like.  Or you can celebrate with the sand between your toes under a thatched roof canopy.  And why not elect to have a steel drum band play as you walk down the aisle.  Keep in mind this is one of the more luxurious resorts with packages starting at $10,000.  However, the more you spend on the ceremony, the more complimentary nights of your honeymoon you receive.

The Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino will send you and up to 300 guests on a 10 minute ferry ride to hold your ceremony on its private island.  Party on a waterfront patio while the flamingos and iguanas walk around.  While this package will be the most costly, smaller and more intimate packages are available as well.  Read the overview of package prices here.

For a more intimate affair, look into the Bucuti Beach Resort, a chic boutique resort named “Best for Romance” by TripAdvisor four consecutive years. This resort is couples only and you can choose to have up to fifteen guests or be completely alone on Eagle Beach.  Packages start at $400 plus catering fees of $37.50 per person.

Or if you have another hotel or resort in mind, you can work with Aruba Weddings for You with packages starting at $400 (civil ceremony) and going to $3700.  You can choose from a long list of additions such as flowers, photography, cake, decorations, hair and makeup to personalize the ceremony to your taste.