Religious Services Onboard

[mahassiddasairy]

Does anyone know if HAL offers any religious services onboard on Sundays?

[Shmoo here]

Does anyone know if HAL offers any religious services onboard on Sundays?

 

 

On our Alaska cruise (9/2009) I attended an interdenominational service on Sunday. It was held in the Hudson room. I don't know if this is always offered, because the gentleman who was performing the service was also the on-board narrator for our cruise and happened to be a retired minister, so it was arranged for him to do this also.

 

My understanding is there are Catholic services on board, but I don't have any info about them.

 

:)

[usha]

Daily Catholic Masses are celebrated onboard HAL.

[mahassiddasairy]

 

My understanding is there are Catholic services on board, but I don't have any info about them.

 

:)

 

Are there? That would be great. I looked into going to Mass in Juneau, but there's no way to get there in time. I figured the best we'd get on the ship was, as you said, a nondenominational type of thing, but Mass would be wonderful.

[Himself]

For many, many, years HAL has carried a Catholic Priest on Board. My sister was on an earlier version of the Statendam in January and earlier February and they had daily Mass and Sunday Mass. As one of those who has served as a Catholic Priest on board I can attest to this. Now what happens is there is a non-demoninational Service that also takes place on Sunday. If there is no Minister on Broad the priest also takes this service. I have done it many times and have had nothing but positive results from this service.

The Priest also does a Crew Mass on late Sunday evening for members of the crew who are Catholic. I hope this clarifies things for you.

[mahassiddasairy]

For many, many, years HAL has carried a Catholic Priest on Board. My sister was on an earlier version of the Statendam in January and earlier February and they had daily Mass and Sunday Mass. As one of those who has served as a Catholic Priest on board I can attest to this. Now what happens is there is a non-demoninational Service that also takes place on Sunday. If there is no Minister on Broad the priest also takes this service. I have done it many times and have had nothing but positive results from this service.

The Priest also does a Crew Mass on late Sunday evening for members of the crew who are Catholic. I hope this clarifies things for you.

 

It does, thank you. Do you know if the priest onboard is usually willing to answer any questions passengers may have for him? I've been feeling qualms lately about spending money on vacationing when there are so many needy charities, and would like to ask a priest's advice about finding a middle ground between traveling and giving to the poor.

[luvcruisn']

When I was aboard the Prinsendam last November, we had a Catholic Priest, a Lutheran Minister, and a Rabbi on board, due to the length of the cruise, and the holidays observed on it. The Catholic Priest was at our dinner table one night, and mentioned that he also did counselling on the cruise, as well as the Masses, so I think the Priest onboard your cruise would be open to answering questions such as you've outlined.

[mahassiddasairy]

Is it weird to hope the priest gets assigned to our table?

[jena1]

In January DH and I were on the Zuiderdam and we befriended the Priest onboard (we went to Mass most everyday). We all went to see the Cathedral in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, together and when we got back to the ship we bought him a drink and made arrangements to have dinner together that evening. We had a couple of other meals with him. It was a nice treat. Introuce yourself to the Priest on your trip and maybe you can also have dinner together! Have a great cruise.:):)

[geocruiser]

jena1,

 

You are so right. Ten years ago on the old Noordam My husband and I became friends with the on board priest. Since then we vacation with him every year and he comes an stays with us in Florida. We will be sailing with Father this Dec on Princess. We use to cruise with him when he was HAL's on board priest. He has stopped being an on board priest because of his age (91 years young). But he still loves to cruise with us. He is one of the best friends that we have.

 

Maria

[magandab]

There are usually Friday night services as well, for Jews on board.

[candbgirl]

Having the priest say daily Mass is one of the things I love about HAL. It always amazes me how crowded the Mass is.

[Juanita462]

On our recent Zaandam cruise there was a Protestant minister onboard who not only had services on Sunday but had a devotional time every sea day as well - it was much appreciated.

 

It would be nice if they provided a keyboard for the religious services - usually someone in the group can play so they wouldn't have to use the ship musicians.

[silverado44]

In my 6 Holland America cruises, I have yet to see a Buddhist service. That would please my family.

[Capital Cruiser]

It does, thank you. Do you know if the priest onboard is usually willing to answer any questions passengers may have for him? I've been feeling qualms lately about spending money on vacationing when there are so many needy charities, and would like to ask a priest's advice about finding a middle ground between traveling and giving to the poor.

 

On a Celebrity cruise last year, the on-board priest suggested that in lieu of a collection at mass, the passengers give a certain percentage of what they were spending on the cruise to a charity at home. I did.

[Gablin]

In my 6 Holland America cruises, I have yet to see a Buddhist service. That would please my family.

 

HAL does whatever they believe will keep the most customers happy, and makes little or no effort to provide for those of minority faiths, at least on a daily or weekly basis.

 

I wonder if they have ever had a Buddhist service or a Friends Meeting on any HAL ship, for instance. Most Mormons who I know would not feel they had been to a worship service if they were to attend a nondenominational service or a Catholic or Episcopal mass. "Nondenominational" probably works for many mainline Protestants, but certainly not for Quakers, Unitarians, Wiccans, Buddhists, etc.

 

If a small group of people of one faith wanted to get together for a lay led service, maybe HAL would make a room available for them.

I hope so.

[TracieABD]

In my 6 Holland America cruises, I have yet to see a Buddhist service. That would please my family.

Same on Princess...:confused:

[DutchByAssociation]

Does anyone know if HAL offers any religious services onboard on Sundays?

 

So long as there are no medical or travel difficulties in getting the clergy to the ship...

 

Catholic Priests are onboard for daily mass

Protestant Ministers are onboard cruises of 10 days or more and also during major holidays (Easter, Christmas)

Jewish Rabbis on cruises of (I want to say 10 but it may be 15?) days and during High Holy days.

[mahassiddasairy]

I know HAL can't keep a religious leader on board for every minority faith. But it seems like they should at least tell customers that they can call in ahead of time, and that if they request a religious leader be on board, they will be. I know it's an expense for HAL, but no passenger should be asked to give up his conscience for a cruise.

[TracieABD]

I know HAL can't keep a religious leader on board for every minority faith. But it seems like they should at least tell customers that they can call in ahead of time, and that if they request a religious leader be on board, they will be. I know it's an expense for HAL, but no passenger should be asked to give up his conscience for a cruise.

 

Define "minority faith"... If it is Buddhism that you are referring to, as a world-wide religion, it would not be a minority faith at all!:)

[mahassiddasairy]

Sorry. I mean minority faith based on usual passenger demographic. For example, if a cruise tends to attract mainly Western Europeans and U.S. citizens, I'd consider faiths like Buddhism, Islam, and Taoism to be minority faiths for HAL, even if they're "majority" faiths in other parts of the world.

[Gablin]

Define "minority faith"... If it is Buddhism that you are referring to, as a world-wide religion, it would not be a minority faith at all!:)

 

I think "minority" in this case, would only be among North American cruisers, not world-wide population.

 

Buddhism might grow among cruisers, if services were offered. :)

[silverado44]

I know HAL can't keep a religious leader on board for every minority faith. But it seems like they should at least tell customers that they can call in ahead of time, and that if they request a religious leader be on board, they will be. I know it's an expense for HAL, but no passenger should be asked to give up his conscience for a cruise.

 

 

But HAL has Jewish services on Fridays. Judaism has 14 million followers worldwide, Buddhism has 376 followers worldwide. Buddhism is not a minority religion.

[mahassiddasairy]

I clarified my meaning in my last post.

[UandMe4Ever]

Wouldn't it have been nice to say ..."for the Jewish people on Board"? instead of "Jews on Board"?