lobbying to get Priest aboard for Christmas sailing

[trish1c]

We're booked on a 2 week cruise over the holidays, leaving the Saturday before Christmas coming back on the Saturday after New Years.  

 

I have written to NCL guest relations & the Apostle of the Sea, a catholic organization that places priests on cruise ships at the request of the cruise line.  

 

This voyage has 3 Mass requirements.  Yes I can go to Church in port on Christmas & the following Sunday but I'm at Sea on the 1st Sunday.  Has anybody ever had success persuading a cruise line to place a priest on board? I know HAL always has a priest but I love this itinerary 

 

If you have issues with the Catholic Church, I'm sorry for your pain but please refrain from bashing my faith on this thread.   

[AtlantaAlly]

Is there a retired priest that you'd be willing to pay the for the trip? I know of others who have brought their own, if you will. Usually retired so no current parish obligations. 

[GrabMyWrist]

A sure fire way, purchase their ticket.

[sverigecruiser]

I'm surprised to hear that there is no priest onboard for a cruise during Christmas! I assumed that every large cruiseship had priests onboard for Christmas.

 

They have dancers, musicians and singers but no priest! 

 

(I don't say that I care about it!)

Edited May 7, 2019 by sverigecruiser

[graphicguy]

37 minutes ago, trish1c said:

We're booked on a 2 week cruise over the holidays, leaving the Saturday before Christmas coming back on the Saturday after New Years.  

 

I have written to NCL guest relations & the Apostle of the Sea, a catholic organization that places priests on cruise ships at the request of the cruise line.  

 

This voyage has 3 Mass requirements.  Yes I can go to Church in port on Christmas & the following Sunday but I'm at Sea on the 1st Sunday.  Has anybody ever had success persuading a cruise line to place a priest on board? I know HAL always has a priest but I love this itinerary 

 

If you have issues with the Catholic Church, I'm sorry for your pain but please refrain from bashing my faith on this thread.   

Trish...I'm also Catholic.  

 

Just an observation, while any cruise line I've ever been on has done nothing to stand in the way of anyone practicing their Faith, they also stay non-denominational when it comes to catering to one's Faith based desires.

 

As such, they do have a "chapel" on board.  But, it is very generic.  You would probably have no problem booking the chapel for a Mass, but you'd have to reserve it, I'm certain.  I have heard of a group of Catholic passengers (over 20) pool together to pay for a priest to cruise with them.  But, I don't believe it's something the cruise lines themselves would do.

[graphicguy]

1 minute ago, sverigecruiser said:

I'm surprised to hear that there is no priest onboard for a cruise during Christmas! I assumed that every large cruiseship had priests onboard for Christmas.

 

They have dancers, musicians and singers but no priest! 

Cruise lines are dedicated to staying non-denominational, given there are those on board who wouldn't celebrate Christmas.

[sverigecruiser]

2 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Cruise lines are dedicated to staying non-denominational, given there are those on board who wouldn't celebrate Christmas.

 

I have never thought that everyone on a cruise had to go to a mass just because it's Christmas but I really assumed that the option was available.

[All-ready2cruise]

OP, I agree with others who suggest that you enter into an agreement with an available priest to join the cruise you're doing over Christmas. While RC is not my religion, I understand the importance and joy of being able to celebrate the occasion while travelling.  

I'm with the majority in this thread who suggest that NCL is very unlikely to take any part in having a priest available at their expense. 

Hope you can make it happen, safe cruising. 

[Laszlo]

56 minutes ago, trish1c said:

We're booked on a 2 week cruise over the holidays, leaving the Saturday before Christmas coming back on the Saturday after New Years.  

 

I have written to NCL guest relations & the Apostle of the Sea, a catholic organization that places priests on cruise ships at the request of the cruise line.  

 

This voyage has 3 Mass requirements.  Yes I can go to Church in port on Christmas & the following Sunday but I'm at Sea on the 1st Sunday.  Has anybody ever had success persuading a cruise line to place a priest on board? I know HAL always has a priest but I love this itinerary 

 

If you have issues with the Catholic Church, I'm sorry for your pain but please refrain from bashing my faith on this thread.   

Here's a link that might be helpful. Never knew you could rent a priest at one time

 

https://thecatholictravelguide.com/cruises/will-catholic-priest-cruise/

 

.

[All-ready2cruise]

2 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Here's a link that might be helpful. Never knew you could rent a priest at one time

 

https://thecatholictravelguide.com/cruises/will-catholic-priest-cruise/

 

.

There are also some non-demoninational ministers who will go as well.  You pay their fair, plus a small (haha) remuneration and they'll provide the Sunday, Friday evening, Saturday morning... whatever, service. 

[mjkacmom]

17 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

There are also some non-demoninational ministers who will go as well.  You pay their fair, plus a small (haha) remuneration and they'll provide the Sunday, Friday evening, Saturday morning... whatever, service. 

But a non catholic minister wouldn’t be able to say Mass, it doesn’t count. 

[Kwaj girl]

Talk to your priest.  If there is NO OPTION for you to attend Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation you are excused for that day.  This happens to us quite frequently as our long voyages (sometimes as long as 120+ days) preclude us from attending Mass as the Sunday might be a sea day or we may be in a port where there is no Catholic church to be found (such as in a Muslim country).  The best we can do is go to www.masstimes.org to locate a church within a reasonable distance to the port(s) in question and then email the respective parish or Diocese to get further information.  Example - I found some Catholice churches in Havana but could not get any reply to my emails for detail. The point is...you must TRY and not just blow it off.  You are then dispensed from the obligation according to our parish Priest. Check with yours.

[kstew42]

I'm not Catholic so I don't know if this would be an option, (in addition to only ever having used ~10 minutes of on-board internet) but my church livestreams their worship services, perhaps you could purchase streaming quality internet for the trip and "attend" Mass that way? 

[FLcruisergrl]

As others have stated, a priest would have to be a paying guest and willing to perform services. I would plan on going to mass shoreside,or, alternatively, booking your cruise far another time if observing the holy days is very important.

[Sauna4me]

I was on the Dawn Christmas '13.  Upon boarding, Norwegian made it clear they were looking for a volunteer(s) to lead the Christmas Eve service.  It didn't have to be anyone ordained, and they would provide that person(s) with the liturgy (my Lutheran roots coming through) and anything else needed.  A family volunteered  a few days into the voyage.  A good sized crowd gathered in the main showroom for the service.  This also included off duty crew.  It was beautiful and moving as I recall!   

[AtlantaAlly]

The passenger isn’t requesting that others be excluded, members of those religions would be welcome to make the same request. And it’s not uncommon for cruise lines to make this available for passengers. My guess is it would be a tax write off. That said, many have offered options. I don’t think it is out of line. And to the person saying Ramadan would have limited food service- not an equivalent comparison. The OP is not saying that NCL must force passengers to attend mass, which would be the equivalent to that example. An equivalent would be like asking NCL to have food options after the sun goes down and 10:30 pm and before it comes up at 3:30 am on an Alaskan cruise.

[Bet_The_Field]

3 minutes ago, AtlantaAlly said:

An equivalent would be like asking NCL to have food options after the sun goes down and 10:30 pm and before it comes up at 3:30 am on an Alaskan cruise.

 

Another equivalent would be like asking NCL to book my favorite band.  Nobody would be forced to attend but I would like it and don't want to pay for it myself.  

[JohnIreland]

I don't see any Priest getting the second busiest week of the year off from their parish to go on a cruise.

[Host Carolyn]

I have my preferred cruise line but sail on others. Just wondering why you didn't book on Holland America or Celebrity since they do have priest  onboard during Christmas. Maybe not first choice but would have solved the biggest hurdle here, i.e. no priest onboard NCL. I know Princess has had priest for mass during Easter. I understand this is very important to you and just unfortunate your travel agent or rep you booked through couldn't have cleared this up ahead of time. Did you check on this prior to booking the cruise?I had clients with all sorts of requests and concerns and always tried to get them resolved before actually making the booking. 

[KateQ22003]

9 hours ago, JohnIreland said:

I don't see any Priest getting the second busiest week of the year off from their parish to go on a cruise.

That was my first thought. There is such a shortage of priests that in my area, priests cover several churches and travel around the area. No way are they going to be cruising Christmas week.

[newmexicoNita]

16 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

I'm surprised to hear that there is no priest onboard for a cruise during Christmas! I assumed that every large cruiseship had priests onboard for Christmas.

 

They have dancers, musicians and singers but no priest! 

 

(I don't say that I care about it!)

 

16 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

I'm surprised to hear that there is no priest onboard for a cruise during Christmas! I assumed that every large cruiseship had priests onboard for Christmas.

 

They have dancers, musicians and singers but no priest! 

 

(I don't say that I care about it!)

If  cruise line provided a priest for any reason it would be necessary to provide a rabbi, a Buddist priest, a Muslim leader and so on. All Hell could break lose. If there is a Catholic priest on the ship and he wants to have services the Freestyle daily will print the information and the ship will find a gathering place. I remember one holiday when we were with a group from out church and held a Sunday service, the reception desk advised anyone who asked about a service where we would be meeting and yes, it was in the Freestyle Daily, but I would never expect the ship to make a religious leader available unless, as suggested, people go together and hire one for the sailing. . I will add we had people from other denominations attend our service that Sunday. We even had communion but the ship was not part of the service in anyway. When our granddaughter got married the ship had a list of ministers who would preform the service prior to sailing. I think that would be similar to "rent a priest" 

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, newmexicoNita said:

 

If  cruise line provided a priest for any reason it would be necessary to provide a rabbi, a Buddist priest, a Muslim leader and so on. All Hell could break lose. If there is a Catholic priest on the ship and he wants to have services the Freestyle daily will print the information and the ship will find a gathering place. I remember one holiday when we were with a group from out church and held a Sunday service, the reception desk advised anyone who asked about a service where we would be meeting and yes, it was in the Freestyle Daily, but I would never expect the ship to make a religious leader available unless, as suggested, people go together and hire one for the sailing. . I will add we had people from other denominations attend our service that Sunday. We even had communion but the ship was not part of the service in anyway. When our granddaughter got married the ship had a list of ministers who would preform the service prior to sailing. I think that would be similar to "rent a priest" 

 

I understand what you mean but I'm still surprised about it.

 

If the ship is decorated for Christmas the cruiseline has decided that: "We celebrate Christmas". Why no priest if they celebrate Christmas?

 

(Of course I know that many of the Christmas traditions has nothing to do with Jesus but Christmas is still a religious holiday.)

 

I understand that American laws may say something different but my opinion is that a cruiseline should be able to have a priest onboard for Christmas sailings if they want to without any hell breaking lose.

 

I have to say it again, I don't care about it I'm just surprised.

 

(The OP mentioned that HAL has a priest onboard. Do you know if that has been a problem for them?)

Edited May 8, 2019 by sverigecruiser

[beerman2]

11 hours ago, JohnIreland said:

I don't see any Priest getting the second busiest week of the year off from their parish to go on a cruise.

I believe it was suggested to contact a "retired" priest!

[newmexicoNita]

12 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I understand what you mean but I'm still surprised about it.

 

If the ship is decorated for Christmas the cruiseline has decided that: "We celebrate Christmas". Why no priest if they celebrate Christmas?

 

(Of course I know that many of the Christmas traditions has nothing to do with Jesus but Christmas is still a religious holiday.)

 

I understand that American laws may say something different but my opinion is that a cruiseline should be able to have a priest onboard for Christmas sailings if they want to without any hell breaking lose.

 

I have to say it again, I don't care about it I'm just surprised.

 

(The OP mentioned that HAL has a priest onboard. Do you know if that has been a problem for them?)

I have no idea but I do remember one year we were on HAL just prior to Christmas. They had a nativity scene up for a couple of days and suddenly it disappeared altogether. I am assuming someone complained. I do not care either, but I understand how some could be put off by this. Decorating for the holidays is a totally different thing. To many people, the season is a family time, a time for festivities and a special time of the year, to others of us it is that plus the celebration of the birth of Christ. For those with different religious views there could be some bad feelings. AS I mentioned earlier, what about having a rabbi on the ship, should this too be a requirement? Remember while many of us are celebrating Christmas Jews are celebrating their special holiday. This could go on and on. Now, if a company is a private one and cruise lines are, they have a right to make these decisions, but I would think they would back away from religious issues altogether. 

[sverigecruiser]

26 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

Decorating for the holidays is a totally different thing. To many people, the season is a family time, a time for festivities and a special time of the year, to others of us it is that plus the celebration of the birth of Christ. For those with different religious views there could be some bad feelings. AS I mentioned earlier, what about having a rabbi on the ship, should this too be a requirement? Remember while many of us are celebrating Christmas Jews are celebrating their special holiday.

 

For me Christmas is family time but if I was offended by the religious traditions around Christmas I should NOT celebrate Christmas at all. Why choose the good parts and be offended by other parts?

 

If someone is offended by the religious parts maybe they shall not celebrate Christmas, or board a christmasdecorated ship?

 

I have never thought that a priest should be a requirement I have just assumed that if they decorate the ship for Christmas they also have a priest onboard.

 

If they decorate the ships for for example Jewish holidays it should be natural to have a rabbi onboard, I think.