Catholic Mass on Serenade

[heartofamerica]

I am taking the family on a Thanksgiving cruise on Serenade of the Seas. Does anybody know if they have Catholic Mass on board? Thanks.

[emilygrace]

We were just on the Serenade in September and they had Mass every day. It is listed in the Compass every day.

[VernRDH]

I am not 100% sure but I think so. I have a patient who is a Catholic priest who cruises at reduced fare because he does the homily/mass. He has been on many lines but prefers Crystal and HAL. At the least they have an interdenominational service.

[Homebody]

When we were on voyager at the end of sept. we did not have mass, only an interdenominational service. They will only have mass if they happen to have a priest onboard at the time. It is hit or miss if you will get a priest on your ship. RCI only guarantees a priest for Christmas and Easter according to Becky, who did our service on Voyager.

[jagsfan]

I am not 100% sure but I think so. I have a patient who is a Catholic priest who cruises at reduced fare because he does the homily/mass. He has been on many lines but prefers Crystal and HAL. At the least they have an interdenominational service.

Were the priest's initials P B? We enjoyed an Alaska cruise on Sky Princess

years ago with a priest at our table. Seems like he's in Rochester. We

exchange Christmas cards still, heck of a nice guy.

[JPEvans]

Sometimes the cruise line doesn't always know if a Mass will be held. I cruised with my family to Alaska on the Sapphire Princess in July. My mother believes that "church" comes first. When we got on board, I asked the Pursers desk, they told me no Mass will be held, that it wasn't in the line up. Of course my mother was devistated. So she and the rest of the family (but me) signed up for a whale watch on Sat. When the activities program came Friday night, What was in it? A Catholic Mass. At the same time as the whale watch. I was the only one who got to attend Mass that week.

[Son of a Cruiser]

RCI tries to have a priest on all sailings, but as you probaly know there just aren't enough to go around. Our past pastor checked this out after we talked to a priest onboard and gave him the information. RCI offers FREE sailings (including airfare) for priests who are able to go. He went on 3 cruises last year:)! He is now teaching at a seminary and therefore has Christmas and Easter available - the hardest times to get priests, (they tend to be pretty busy in their parishes at those times) so he can pretty much pick and itinerary at those times. So they do try, but its not a sure thing.

[Jimba629]

Hey folks, just got off the Serenade 10/17. They had a sign up list in the Library after a few days if anyone was interested in a Jewish Sabbath service. I saw on the compass for for the last few days a Jewish Sabbath service. I think it was independant from RCCL.

[hermang]

Hey folks, just got off the Serenade 10/17. They had a sign up list in the Library after a few days if anyone was interested in a Jewish Sabbath service. I saw on the compass for for the last few days a Jewish Sabbath service. I think it was independant from RCCL.

For the record - RCCL and Celebrity provide a sign up sheet and if enough people sign up a room for Friday Night services. They will also provide kosher wine and a Chaleh or three as well as an abridged prayer book.

Since anyone of the faith over the age of 13 can lead the service it is usually not an issue if there are enough people to have the service to find someone to lead the service.

 

NOTE: We had an issue on our last RCCL cruise where a woman wanted to light sabbath candles. Sort of a no no on board although they did provide tea lights. Where the wheels almost fell off was that at the end of the service there was no RCCL staffer to watch the candles so someone wanted to extinguish them - boy did she have a fit. Finally one of the people at the service who was orthodox indicated that it would have been a worse sin to leave the candles burning and run the risk of a fire than to extinguish them.

 

On our first cruise on the Soverign - they not only provided Chaleh and wine the chefs built an ark out of pastry butter and provided herring and gefilte fish

a very nice sabbath kiddush if I have to say so myself.

[hermang]

On our Alaska trip this summer aboard the Summit - there was a Cappucin Monk on board and he held mass every day - don't know if this is usual or not

[VernRDH]

Were the priest's initials P B? We enjoyed an Alaska cruise on Sky Princess

years ago with a priest at our table. Seems like he's in Rochester. We

exchange Christmas cards still, heck of a nice guy.

 

Sorry, not the one. I am near Saratoga/Albany area.