British law currently prevents the company hosting ocean weddings on its three liners - Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2.

Couples can marry on a Cunard ship, but only in port, using an official celebrant.

Cunard president Peter Shanks says "it’s no secret that weddings at sea are now very big business" and the line has for some time "been examining our options".

He told website cruisecritic.com that there are three possibilities.

"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.

"And the third is to maximise the opportunity and re-register all our ships".

He stresses that no decision has been made.