Christmas Cruises: No priests on board but website says otherwise

is this a problem specifically because it is christmas? it seems to me many cruises include a sunday, and then you would normally be missing a mass, so do you just refrain from cruising?

 

if not maybe you should look into other cruise lines that use the clergy at sea mentioned earlier in the thread. honestly, i don't see how your religious practices are princess's problem at all. your religion is your responsibility and you should make your own arraignments. i do see how the text on the site could be misconstrued.

is this a problem specifically because it is christmas? it seems to me many cruises include a sunday, and then you would normally be missing a mass, so do you just refrain from cruising?

 

if not maybe you should look into other cruise lines that use the clergy at sea mentioned earlier in the thread. honestly, i don't see how your religious practices are princess's problem at all. your religion is your responsibility and you should make your own arraignments. i do see how the text on the site could be misconstrued.

 

Most or all Catholic churches have a Sat. night mass. The Sunday mass can be on Sunday or on the evening of the previous day (Sat.).

Therefore, a Catholic can go on a Sunday to Sunday cruise.

You would go to mass on the eve of the cruise and then go the Sunday thatt you get off the ship.

Just talked to Mary Brink in Customer Service at Princess, and she said that there will be NO Priest on board to say Catholic Mass for Christmas....even though the Princess.com website says there will be!

 

 

They will be taking down this information off their website shortly. We booked the Regal yesterday when we saw online that they would have a priest onboard. When I called Princess to double check we were told that was not correct but they would get back to us today. Needless to say we will not finalize our booking today as we had the cabin on hold for 24 hours.

 

 

The past few Christmases we cruised on Celebrity and they always have a Priest on board for the Holy days of Easter and Christmas.

 

 

She also never heard of Apostleship of the Seas that coordinates the Priests to be on these Christmas and Easter cruises for the cruise lines.

 

 

We have cruised on Princess 10 times and this was a real disappointment.

 

Enjoy Celebrity!

While there are 6 Catholic churches on the island they are not all convenient to the port. See map: http://www.thecatholicdirectory.com/directory.cfm?fuseaction=display_site_info&sitetype=4&siteid=76059

We have found that often the local churches have early morning Masses, making it problematic if the ship is not cleared for disembarkation until later. For instance the closest church, St John's, typically has Mass at 0830. However the OP will have to check their itinerary to match up with the Masses available on shore. We have phoned to verify the time for our cruises.

 

Regarding the question of "why have Catholic Masses onboard ship for Christmas?" keep in mind that approximately 24% of the USA population are Catholic, so it makes good business sense to not exclude this set of people from the premium Christmas holiday cruises - the potential loss of business far outweighs the cost of providing an interior cabin for a priest. And remember these holiday cruises cost a whole lot more than a regular cruise.

 

On a more personal side, I mentioned that we provided music for Midnight and Christmas Day Masses onboard the Emerald Princess one cruise. Mass was held in the Princess Theater, and the theater was FULL for the Midnight Mass and about 2/3 full for the Christmas Day Mass. And the priest also had a Mass below deck for the crew, said in Tagalog for the crew. At the same time, the interdenominational Christian service held by the CD, an ordained minister, filled the Fusion Lounge. The point here is that there is a significant population of Catholics typically onboard a Christmas cruise for which a Mass celebrating the birth of Jesus is a significant event.

 

That means that 76% of the US population is not catholic. Why should the 76% be left out?

 

DON

That means that 76% of the US population is not catholic. Why should the 76% be left out?

 

DON

Erh, Protestants also do Christmas masses. So, in the USA, them plus the Catholic = 70%.

 

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That means that 76% of the US population is not catholic. Why should the 76% be left out?

 

DON

 

Thank you!

Erh, Protestants also do Christmas masses. So, in the USA, them plus the Catholic = 70%.

 

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Thank you - as I mentioned some posters only read what they want to hear

Good discussion, researching stuff like this can avoid disappointments during the cruise.

 

 

Our first cruise it was important to our family to attendCatholic Mass so we chose Celebrity because the website said every ship has apriest during Christmas. Christmas was a sea day, and they did have a priest onboard and there was a Christmas Mass as advertised. It was the most unique and memorableChristmas Mass ever. The priest was older and skipped a few required sectionsof the mass, but there was a Christmas Mass. He also provided his own musical accompanimentfor the songs by playing a piccolo (sort of).

 

 

Our second Christmas cruise was on Carnival. We were notexpecting a priest on board and our cruise was in Nassau on Christmas Day. We contacted the local Catholic church in Nassauand determined the last Christmas Mass would start about two-hours after the shipdocked, just enough time to make it. There was an elaborate nativity display in original church built in 1885. There were about 30 cruise PAX, 30 parishioners,and the choir in attendance. It turns out the Junkanoo in Nassau starts lateChristmas Day, so most everyone attends Midnight Mass and sleeps Christmas Dayto party Christmas night into Boxing Day. By the way, there is nothing going inNassau on Christmas Day other than watching the floats being assembled for theJunkanoo, which was also very interesting.

 

 

 

Our third Christmas cruise was on Royal, and the website seemednon-committal on whether there would be a Christmas Mass. So we decided to bookit and take our chances knowing Christmas was a sea day. It turned out therewas a priest on our cruise and there was a Christmas Mass, attended mostly bythe crew who appeared to appreciate being able to celebrate Christmas at sea.

Enjoy Celebrity!

While Celebrity may have priests on its sailings, they may not always be acceptable by all Catholics. We made friends with the priest on a Celebrity cruise and his boyfriend.

is this a problem specifically because it is christmas? it seems to me many cruises include a sunday, and then you would normally be missing a mass, so do you just refrain from cruising?

 

if not maybe you should look into other cruise lines that use the clergy at sea mentioned earlier in the thread. honestly, i don't see how your religious practices are princess's problem at all. your religion is your responsibility and you should make your own arraignments. i do see how the text on the site could be misconstrued.

The OP was specifically asking about Christmas, and Princess Cruises has in the past specifically provided a Catholic priest onboard for Easter and Christmas only. As their website stated that one would be provided, the direct response from Santa Clarita stating the opposite was disappointing. This would probably discourage us from cruising on Christmas (we already don't cruise at Easter).

 

Yes, many cruises do include a Sunday, and often we are not able to go to Mass when we cruise. ( For our next 10 day cruise there are 2 Sundays). We are told by our clergy that our obligation is to "make the Lord's day holy". If we can't reasonably attend Mass that could mean attending an interdenominational service, if offered, or simply saying some prayers together or enjoying nature that God gave us. Christmas and Easter are very special to Christians, which is why more importance is placed on a service those days.

 

As for the question "why should the other 76% be left out?" For the most part they aren't. Princess Cruises decorates the ships very tastefully in a non-religious holiday theme, they have Santa Claus and elves for the children, there are Christmas songs sung in the atrium on Christmas Eve (some of which were from the Anglican tradition), and artificial snow. Plus, as mentioned there is an interdenominational service. For those who don't celebrate Christmas, there are Jewish services provided for the Festival of Lights, and if passengers don't believe in celebrating the Christmas holidays, there are just plain fun things to do, including checking out the baked village decoration in the atrium and making gingerbread houses. Many of the decorations are seen on all the cruises in December through New Year's.

 

If an onboard priest is a must for someone's faith, then check out Holland America Lines.

I also agree with others that I shouldn't have to subsidize the cost of Princess having a Catholic priest on staff. If they do that then they need to have a Jewish rabbi, a Protestant pastor, etc. Where does it end? What about the Muslims? .

 

 

 

This is an absolutely moronic statement.

 

A) you are not subsidizing anybody

 

B) cruise ships are not government entities, so you do not have a say or a right

 

C) the cruise lines have cut out clergy for the same reasons that they no longer bring dance instructors on board. They can charge for the cabin

 

D)another reason for ending "clergy" is they were often the cause of more complaints than compliments from the people that attended the services. On one cruise, a rabbi managed to piss off 200 people on Chanukah because he would not shut up and serve the latkes.

 

200 people went to the person's desk and complained

Hello, I looked up the December 20, 2017 cruise on Regal and the itinerary shows that on December 25, 2017 you will be on Antigua from 9am to 6pm. I believe your problem of mass is solved by this as there is a lovely Cathedral located only 6 minutes from the St. Johns Cruise port called Holy Family Cathedral with multiple priests. I would suggest you contact their liturgical team and ask about the schedule for mass for Christmas Day and if they don't have one you can attend, perhaps, one of the priests would be willing to do a special mass for your family and anyone else you find on your cruise who wants to attend: https://hfcantigua.org/index.php/parish-life/pastoral-team. My guess is that you will not be alone in your request to them and they will be more than happy to assist you as they apparently have done special requests for others: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147243-d9851241-Reviews-Holy_Family_Cathedral-St_John_s_Saint_John_Parish_Antigua_Antigua_and_Barbuda.html

 

On December 24 from 7am to 4pm you will be on Barbados - also another island with many Catholic Churches. I am seeing mass times of 8:30am for Christmas Eve at Our Lady Queen of the Universe or at noon at St Patricks Cathedral in Bridgetown - you are in luck and what an incredible experience to attend Christmas Eve mass in such an extraordinary place!

http://catholicbb.org/our-lady-queen-of-the-universe

http://catholicbb.org/#

Edited November 24, 2017 by SuiteTraveler

This is an absolutely moronic statement.

 

A) you are not subsidizing anybody

 

Really? Who is paying for it?

This is an absolutely moronic statement.

 

A) you are not subsidizing anybody

 

B) cruise ships are not government entities, so you do not have a say or a right

 

C) the cruise lines have cut out clergy for the same reasons that they no longer bring dance instructors on board. They can charge for the cabin

 

D)another reason for ending "clergy" is they were often the cause of more complaints than compliments from the people that attended the services. On one cruise, a rabbi managed to piss off 200 people on Chanukah because he would not shut up and serve the latkes.

 

200 people went to the person's desk and complained

Note about C) - Dance Instructors would occupy a Crew Cabin and not a revenue producing cabin, on most Princess' ships. As a lecturer, I've been assigned officer quarters for the last 6 years. Whenever there has been a clergy from any denomination, they have been a paying customer who has volunteered their special services. Now, there may be a few exceptions, but this has been my experience over the last 8 years.

 

And if you are concerned about the lack of a clergy member remember "Wherever two or three meet in my name, I am there." Matthew 18:20

 

Check with the CD to find a space to gather.

 

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Really? Who is paying for it?

 

if the cabin is given away for FREE- then NO ONE is paying for it.

 

you have zero revenue without an expense.

 

OR

 

The same people that subsidize a low fare cruiser because they paid more for same class of cabin

While Celebrity may have priests on its sailings, they may not always be acceptable by all Catholics. We made friends with the priest on a Celebrity cruise and his boyfriend.

 

Oh dear, RC Priest and Boyfriend? :o Scandalous.:halo:

 

(Am RC)

While Celebrity may have priests on its sailings, they may not always be acceptable by all Catholics. We made friends with the priest on a Celebrity cruise and his boyfriend.

 

Was the boyfriend a nurse? Met them on 2 X Cruises.

 

That was my point of shutting down the Clergy. Caused too many complaints.

if the cabin is given away for FREE- then NO ONE is paying for it.

 

you have zero revenue without an expense.

 

OR

 

The same people that subsidize a low fare cruiser because they paid more for same class of cabin

 

No expense? Is the priest or anyone else who gets a cabin for free going to bring his or her food and prepare it in their cabin. Are they going to clean their own cabins. There are lots of expenses linked to a cabin besides the cost of the cabin.

 

DON

I have also been on Princess over 10X. very unusual for them to make ANY statement about clergy on board. Every cruise we have been on, it was stated that "facilities" would be provided, but any services would have to be performed by volunteering PAX.

No expense? Is the priest or anyone else who gets a cabin for free going to bring his or her food and prepare it in their cabin. Are they going to clean their own cabins. There are lots of expenses linked to a cabin besides the cost of the cabin.

 

DON

 

do you have any idea the amount of food thrown away on a cruise ship everyday?

 

The cabin steward is there whether or not a cabin is occupied. I believe the priest probably auto-tips.

 

You are losing this argument- but keep playing.

PS- what if cruise line determines having clergy on-board increases demand causing fares to rise?

if the cabin is given away for FREE- then NO ONE is paying for it.

 

you have zero revenue without an expense.

 

You have an opportunity cost for the lost cabin.

 

Additionally, you have actual marginal costs, like food.

And, you have the fixed costs of running the ship/hotel.

 

As passengers are the only ones giving cruise lines money, these costs are spread

amoung all other passengers.

do you have any idea the amount of food thrown away on a cruise ship everyday?

/quote]

 

It seems a little rude to the priest to expect him to eat things that are being thrown away.

 

And if you are concerned about the lack of a clergy member remember "Wherever two or three meet in my name, I am there." Matthew 18:20

 

Check with the CD to find a space to gather.

 

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Best comment on this whole thread!

Best comment on this whole thread!

Thank you. Have a blessed holiday.

 

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