Passover and Easter

[jakers]

On our cruise next year on the Maasdam (12 Day Mexico Sea of Cortez) leaving on April 3rd, 2020 we will be on-board for two special occasions. The start of Passover on Wednesday April 8th and Easter Sunday on April 12. We will be traveling with our Jewish friends. Over the years we have gone to their home and participated in the Seder. I am fairly confident in believing that there will be a special meal on Sunday for Easter. What about the Seder? Is it possible to hold a Seder while on the ship? Will anything special be done to mark the occasion? What else can I expect on Easter Sunday? While I don't expect many children on the ship, and there will be no Club HAL, will there be anything special for kids on Easter?

[kazu]

I can help a bit on this based on my last several Easter cruises.  (But they were longer ones).

 

We did have an Easter menu if you wanted it.

 

And there was the special Jewish Seder.  IIRC, on one, they lucked into a rabbi and the other it was congregation held.  HAL did provide some appropriate food for Passover (certainly not genuine I’m sure as I have been to a few Jewish celebrations), but it was a nice celebration and everyone seemed happy with it.

 

 

[Jareds_mommytoo]

We were on the veendam 2 easters ago, there was not really a special easter dinner it was one of the 2 regular gala nights, there was a easter egg hunt in the lobby for-the kids, there were 300 kids on board since it was a school holiday. There was also an easter service  

[ghstudio]

I can't comment on HAL, but we were on a Celebrity S-class ship for Passover.  They had a full seder including a seder plate on each table...manischewitz wine, matzoh a full "traditional" meal and celebrity arranged for a retired cantor to be on board to run the service.  It was held in a private section of the buffet with waiters serving the meal.  Incredible! (BTW, no extra cost).

 

 

[TiogaCruiser]

I’m contemplating booking this cruise, and am considering attending a Mariachi mass in PV. Any suggestions?

[jakers]

Thanks to everyone for their help. I will try to contact HAL as we get closer to the date and see what they have in store. In our family we strive for inclusiveness, especially when it comes to holiday celebrations. Passover, Easter, and a massage by Mariachi's. What more could a man desire.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Don't count on Seattle knowing what will happen on your cruise.  It is up to the captain and hotel director to decide what they want on the ship in the way of Easter activities.  

 

We did several Easter cruises and each was different.  One time we had over 200 children on a Sea of Cortez 10 day cruise.  

[DoggyDaddy]

Several years ago we were on a TA and Easter was at sea. They had a Catholic Mass in the Showroom. It was very nice. I don’t remember if there was a special Easter dinner 

 

DD

[Homosassa]

Not sure what a special Easter Dinner would be.  What would they serve? Ham?Turkey? Lamb? Lasagna? Hard boiled eggs,  milk chocolate rabbits and peeps? Kerstbrood?

[bmwman]

On 10/7/2019 at 12:56 AM, jakers said:

On our cruise next year on the Maasdam (12 Day Mexico Sea of Cortez) leaving on April 3rd, 2020 we will be on-board for two special occasions. The start of Passover on Wednesday April 8th and Easter Sunday on April 12. We will be traveling with our Jewish friends. Over the years we have gone to their home and participated in the Seder. I am fairly confident in believing that there will be a special meal on Sunday for Easter. What about the Seder? Is it possible to hold a Seder while on the ship? Will anything special be done to mark the occasion? What else can I expect on Easter Sunday? While I don't expect many children on the ship, and there will be no Club HAL, will there be anything special for kids on Easter?

This is interesting … The Seder is a religious ceremony and depends on your level of the observance and in the US there are many degrees of the faith. You certainly do not need a Rabbi for the service but you need someone who can lead the service. 

 

Also the food - will they have kosher food and by that I mean supervised. 

 

As the food you eat over Passover is special food ( Matzo and that is kosher for Passover matzo)   and a special level of Kashrut I can not imagine any observant Jew going unless it was run but an organisation such as Kosherica. There are many other customs and keeping them on a ship is near impossible.

 

 

[avian777]

1 hour ago, bmwman said:

This is interesting … The Seder is a religious ceremony and depends on your level of the observance and in the US there are many degrees of the faith. You certainly do not need a Rabbi for the service but you need someone who can lead the service. 

 

Also the food - will they have kosher food and by that I mean supervised. 

 

As the food you eat over Passover is special food ( Matzo and that is kosher for Passover matzo)   and a special level of Kashrut I can not imagine any observant Jew going unless it was run but an organisation such as Kosherica. There are many other customs and keeping them on a ship is near impossible.

 

 

Thanks for your very enlightening Post, bmwman - always nice to have an informed person to turn to.  An earlier Post indicated that "HAL did provide some appropriate food for Passover (certainly not genuine ...), which leads me to ask, What is "appropriate food" that is "not genuine"? Thank you in advance for your answer.

[sail7seas]

I have been on HAL ships many  times for Passover and Easter.  Thwre  has been  a  Rabbi a few times bt u mostly not and turthfully,   that is fine..   There is the opportunity for the seder to be conducted  by a memberf of gthe   group  gathered.  Chefs have always pepared traditional food, delicious and lots.  of if.  the  ' trick  to enjoying'  iMO, ist o keep in mind, everyone  has heir own special faim ly traditions and there is a good chance that might not happen at a seder with such a  large  group possibly from many  countires and different  family  traditions.   Don' t  travel on your holiday if  you will be expect ing   as it is in your homes  or congregations.   .   HAL makes it a very good experience.   

 

 

 

Easter is always well done.  the Easter  bunny has climbed out of a ships funnel at ttop of  rhe ship,  sometimes  on Easter  morning      in full   Bunny   attire.  The kids love it  Very viewable from 

aft pool  😉 Bunny usually 'plays with the litle kids   in the show lounge. 

 

 

 

Very fun and   festive.

[sail7seas]

3 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

I have been on HAL ships many  times for Passover and Easter.  Thwre  has been  a  Rabbi a few times bt u mostly not and turthfully,   that is fine..   There is the opportunity for the seder to be conducted  by a memberf of gthe   group  gathered.  Chefs have always pepared traditional food, delicious and lots.  of if.  the  ' trick  to enjoying'  iMO, ist o keep in mind, everyone  has heir own special faim ly traditions and there is a good chance that might not happen at a seder with such a  large  group possibly from many  countires and different  family  traditions.   Don' t  travel on your holiday if  you will be expect ing   as it is in your homes  or congregations.   .   HAL makes it a very good experience.   

 

 

 

Easter is always well done.  the Easter  bunny has climbed out of a ships funnel at ttop of  rhe ship,  sometimes  on Easter  morning      in full   Bunny   attire.  The kids love it  Very viewable from 

aft pool  😉 Bunny usually 'plays with the little kids   in the show lounge. 

 

 

 

Very fun and   festive.

 

Edited October 12, 2019 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

3 hours ago, avian777 said:

Thanks for your very enlightening Post, bmwman - always nice to have an informed person to turn to.  An earlier Post indicated that "HAL did provide some appropriate food for Passover (certainly not genuine ...), which leads me to ask, What is "appropriate food" that is "not genuine"? Thank you in advance for your answer.

 

 

Kosher jJews eat everyday in mDR and all over the ship on allother days andnights of the year..  Why would they not   trust kosher for pasover  if HAL assures them it is?  Why trust 'koshe r but not kosher for passover.  HAL  has been doing th8s too ong nd too well tonot 'get it right.

[sail7seas]

On 10/6/2019 at 8:33 PM, kazu said:

I can help a bit on this based on my last several Easter cruises.  (But they were longer ones).

 

We did have an Easter menu if you wanted it.

 

And there was the special Jewish Seder.  IIRC, on one, they lucked into a rabbi and the other it was congregation held.  HAL did provide some appropriate food for Passover (certainly not genuine I’m sure as I have been to a few Jewish celebrations), but it was a nice celebration and everyone seemed happy with it.

 

How does one '"Luck  into  a Rabbi?  🙄

Either the ship had arranged  for and paid  a rabbi to  be aboard for   the seder,    Same as   having a preist on the ship for daily mass.     or   perhaps  there   was a group traveling together for the holiday and they had a Rabbi who conducted the seder for all  who wished to attend  ..  questionable.  IMO  .

 

 

 

On 10/6/2019 at 8:33 PM, kazu said:

 

 

 

[avian777]

 

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Oh for crying out loud.  

I simply reported my experiences ...

 

You can question all you want.  I report facts from my cruises.

 

Okay, what did you mean when you posted that, "HAL did provide some appropriate food for Passover (certainly not genuine ...)"? TIA

Edited October 13, 2019 by avian777

[bmwman]

On 10/7/2019 at 3:46 PM, ghstudio said:

I can't comment on HAL, but we were on a Celebrity S-class ship for Passover.  They had a full seder including a seder plate on each table...manischewitz wine, matzoh a full "traditional" meal and celebrity arranged for a retired cantor to be on board to run the service.  It was held in a private section of the buffet with waiters serving the meal.  Incredible! (BTW, no extra cost).

 

 

Ah even the food supplier are the ame over the world love Mani.... And yes this sounds authentic (giveaway Seder Plate) 

[slidergirl]

We went through this kind of discussion for those sailing during Hanukkah...

It honestly feels like the luck of the draw - if you do not celebrate Easter in either of it's forms (religious or Bunny), you are left out of a special meal.  You can pre-order that standard Kosher-in-foil meals, but I do not know if they have the Kosher-for-Passover pre-made meals - you'll have to contact HAL Special Services for that one.

Outside of that, you could arrange a little Seder among your friends.  Divide up the food to bring on board so it won't be too much for anyone - the matzoh, a GOOD bottle or two or four of Kosher-for-Passover wine (there's more than Mani out there!).  Depending on how observant Kosher you go or if you are willing to use common products, you could probably get cut veggies from the kitchen or even the Buffet for the appetizer to dip in the saltwater, get some grated horseradish from the kitchen or bring a little bottle, grab some romaine from the buffet, bring a little baggie of your bitter herbs.  Don't know about how to mix the dip for the romaine.  

 

Sometimes we have to do what we can.  Part of the Seder is sharing with friends - if you have to fudge it, food-wise, that's up to you.  Good luck! 

[bmwman]

5 hours ago, avian777 said:

 

Thank you for your response, bmwman.  However, my Post was NOT referring to the Post from sail7seas.  My Post contained a quote from Post # 2, and I still would like an answer to my question.  If you are able to answer it, fine.  If not, that's fine too.

Thanks again for your input.

I think I know what is meant. They are saying that the food is not Kosher for Passover. I have to say not sure if I am correct

[kazu]

1 hour ago, bmwman said:

I think I know what is meant. They are saying that the food is not Kosher for Passover. I have to say not sure if I am correct

 

You are 😉 There was supervised food on one cruise I was on and not on the other.

 

I don’t know for sure, but I believe arrangements were made by the rabbi to bring it on board.  I had a number of Jewish friends on that cruise and was very interested in their feedback.

 

The other cruise was definitely not kosher. 

[sevenseasnomad]

Call ship services and request the food and service you and your Jewish friends desire.  They will contact the ship and confirm with you.  I have found this department to be very accommodating of most requests.  It may be your best bet to assure your friends are able to observe Seder as they wish.  

 

We, too, enjoy observing other faiths' holy days and learning about them from friends who practice those religions. 

Edited October 16, 2019 by sevenseasnomad

[avian777]

17 hours ago, bmwman said:

I think I know what is meant. They are saying that the food is not Kosher for Passover. I have to say not sure if I am correct

Thanks for your response, bmwman.  I was having difficulty understanding how food could be "appropriate" but "not genuine".  I am not Jewish,  so I thought that you might be able to answer that question since the OP ignored my request for an explanation.  In any event, thank you for responding.

[VennDiagram]

3 hours ago, avian777 said:

since the OP ignored my request for an explanation. 

 

Perhaps the poster did not see your question. There are a couple of reasons that could happen.

 

[sail7seas]

On 10/16/2019 at 6:31 PM, kazu said:

 

You are 😉 There was supervised food on one cruise I was on and not on the other.

 

I don’t know for sure, but I believe arrangements were made by the rabbi to bring it on board.  I had a number of Jewish friends on that cruise and was very interested in their feedback.

 

The other cruise was definitely not kosher. 

 

 

'

How can you  know it 'was definitely  not kosher?

 

 

 

 

Much (most ?)of the kosher food on  cruis e ships is frozen in one time use oven proof containers.  It is kashered by a  Rabbi who has overseen it being prepared.  It goes to the ships kashered.  .    However,I have no idea wha t they do about ovens used for kosher and not   as well as    forboth   dairy  and meat.  Passover presents another circumstance to manage.   They have their processses which have been set out  and approved  long ago by Rabbi (s).

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

[Mr Maverick]

On 10/17/2019 at 4:25 AM, sail7seas said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the sake of accuracy, Sail 7 Seas is a Jewish woman.  Not tOO  much offense  raken.

 

Sometimes   we do not know what we do not know. 😕  Seeems that after posting here for more than10 years, someoene still thnisk I am a man.    Oh well.............

 

 

 

 

 

For the sale of acccuracy,  sail7 seas is a Jewish  woman.     not a man and of no other religion ,  Not TOO   much offense taken.  

 

    Sometimes we do not know what  we  do Not know. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just saw the word Passover and just to say SAIL7Seas is giving a very unusual take on Kosher. It is simple unless the kitchens are supervised the only food kosher is sealed prepacked food anything else is NOT  Kosher. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by Mr Maverick