THE captains of Southampton’s fleet of Cunard liners could soon marry couples at sea if the firm switches the ships’ registrations outside the UK for the first time in its 171-year history.

Cunard is considering the money-spinning move to allow people to marry across the Atlantic on board vessels such as Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.

The ships would remain based in Southampton but the UK would lose revenue from registration and related business.

Registering in Bermuda, a British overseas territory, would allow the Cunard fleet to continue to fly the British red ensign.

Cunard president Peter Shanks said: “Weddings at sea are very big business. However, this business is currently denied to us, as our fleet is registered in the UK, and we have for some time been examining our options.

“One is to stay as we are and forgo our share of this lucrative business; a second is to designate a ‘wedding ship’ and change that ship’s registry alone; the third is to maximise the opportunity and re-register all our ships.”