Religious Services on QM2

[Cunard Cruiser]

I have a quick question. I will be sailing on QM2 December 8th and was wondering if they have a priest onboard at all times like QE2. I enjoy going to mass onboard each evening and don’t want to miss Sunday service. I saw a Daily Programme online for the maiden voyage and it mentioned Jewish services, but nothing about Daily Mass.

[imacruizer]

On our cruise there was a Catholic Mass at 8:30 AM on Sunday morning. There was also an Interdenominational Church Service lead by Commodore Warwick at 11:00 AM that day. There were Catholic masses on all other days. Sometimes they were in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. They are listed in the Daily Programme.

[Cunard Cruiser]

Thanks for your response. May I ask, when was your cruise? Was it during any majore holidays (XMAS or Easter?)? When I called Cunard today they said there are no priests onboard anymore.

 

MK

[imacruizer]

Our cruise was January 29, 2005. No, there were no holidays while we were onboard. I still have the daily programmes from each day and consulted them for the answer to your question. For some reason, Cunard seems to frequently give incorrect information. I suppose the religious services could change from cruise to cruise just as the dress code seems to change. Cruise Critic seems to be a much better source of accurate information than Cunard. Perhaps someone else will be able to share the services that were held on their cruise. I hope you will find a Mass each day on your cruise.

[JohnEZ]

Unless I'm mistaken I beleive the Cunard website said that they have a priest, minister, and rabbi aboard their ships at all times.

[Choose2Cruise]

We were on the Dec.6th QM2 two week Caribbean cruise and there was a Catholic priest from the No. Calif. area on board. He said daily Masses, sometimes 7:30 AM, sometimes 8 AM and sometimes 8:30 AM, and also either a Saturday night or a Sunday morning Mass. The Mass times were dictated by the Ship's Captain depending on port times, official ship functions, etc. and were always listed in the Daily Programme that was left in your cabin each evening for the next day's activities. He was also available for private confessions and counseling sessions if necessary. He told us that the cruise lines advertise in religious periodicals for priests, ministers and rabbis to work these cruises. It was our understanding that they are not paid for their services nor for their transportation to the ship, but the cost of the cruise is free to them. We were on board during the Dec. 8th holyday, but since he said Mass every day anyway, there was always a crowd in attendance. He mentioned that alot of retired priests enjoy this type of "work", although he himself was about 45 years old and had a parish of his own on the West Coast.

[carlmm]

Do you know if Cunard makes sure that real and authorized catholic priests are ministering?

 

As of following article fraud occurs on cruise ships:

 

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. The U-S Conference of Catholic Bishops has started screening those celebrating Mass on cruise ships.

It's a plan geared toward preventing former, rental -- and even fraudulent -- priests from ministering to Catholic passengers.

More than 650 priests have been approved to work on cruise lines, where some priests suspended in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse scandal have recently sought employment.

Some Catholic vacationers have complained to the bishops that priests on their ships were incompetent.

Celebrity and Holland America lines are working with priests approved by the Apostleship of the Sea. Other cruise lines are striking private deals with priests, use talent agencies or hire clergy through Rent-A-Priest, a group that provides former, now-married priests who are no longer authorized to conduct Mass.

Eventually, the bishops hope that all cruise lines will adopt a more thorough screening process for clergy.

[Bethcruiser]

I just got back. They have a Catholic mass, without communion, every day.

Thats all. No chapel, its in the Royal Court Theater, or a meeting room

[Cunard Cruiser]

Hope you had a great cruise. I wonder why they had Catholic mass, without communion, every day. May I ask if you attended?

[cbr47]

I have a quick question. I will be sailing on QM2 December 8th and was wondering if they have a priest onboard at all times like QE2. I enjoy going to mass onboard each evening and don’t want to miss Sunday service. I saw a Daily Programme online for the maiden voyage and it mentioned Jewish services, but nothing about Daily Mass.

 

We were on the QM II Feb 19-26th. Each day's program seemed to include a "Mass" and we were delighted that the Friday program included an evening "Sabbath Service." I don't know whether the ship has members of the clergy on board. There were about 20 of us who showed up for sabbath services Friday night and the first person who arrived led the service. There were prayer books, candle sticks & candles, even food for a kiddish (snack after services), including a challah (traditional braided bread). This was the last night of our cruise and was a lovely spiritual experience. If your religious service is as nice as ours was, you'll come away from it truly enriched.

[bfoot34]

I have a quick question. I will be sailing on QM2 December 8th and was wondering if they have a priest onboard at all times like QE2. I enjoy going to mass onboard each evening and don’t want to miss Sunday service. I saw a Daily Programme online for the maiden voyage and it mentioned Jewish services, but nothing about Daily Mass.

 

They had Catholic Mass every day on our cruise in the Caribbean on the QMII.