Jewish holidays on board ship

During a cruise last year, we were so happy that Princess helped Jewish passengers mark Pesach. This year with Passover beginning April 3, 2015, I thought I'd share our experience. You might want to check with your individual ship when you are onboard if there is a major holiday.

Princess was very helpful organizing a First Night Seder.

This is what they said at the time:

"We respect our passengers' religious beliefs and invite them to practice on their own or with their fellow passengers. Passengers who wish to lead religious services may volunteer by contacting the Passenger Services desk or a member of the Cruise Staff. In some cases, our shipboard staff will lead services. However, Princess Cruises does not place clergy on board our vessels.

Clergy traveling as Passengers onboard our vessels are welcome to conduct services while sailing. They should leave their name, cabin number, and services offered at the Passenger Services Desk and they will be contacted by a member of the Cruise Director's Staff. Approval of services will be made based on schedule suitability, appropriate onboard supplies, etc. Please bring your Letter of Celebret or Letter of Good Standing with you to provide to the onboard staff.

Please note that during Passover, there will be a Seder service (including Passover meal) held onboard. For Hanukkah, services are available and will be passenger-led with wine, Challah bread, prayers and an electric Menorah (no candles or live flames) provided by Princess. Supplies are present and available for anyone who wants to lead the service at 5:30 pm on Friday evenings."

Enjoy your cruise, wherever you are going!

Shalom

This is great. Would you mind sharing this on the Cruising Jewish thread in the Floataway section of CC, or I could copy and paste there. Often we get asked on that thread about how specific cruise lines handle Jewish celebrations.

In 2005 on the Island Princess, there was a rabbi (undoubtedly retired) on board for Hanukkah, and for the nightly menorah lighting ceremony, often a full lounge. Many families did bring their menorahs and brought them up on the table provided. The rabbi invited the kinder there to come up and help him light the candles. We didn't bring ours, but put up a sticky foam one in our cabin (Michaels art stores sold kits).

Princess did a very nice job for Hanukkah on two different Coral sailings we were on in 2007 and 2014--the latter had a surprisingly detailed printed handout "Hanukkah Celebration" book of prayers and songs in English and Hebrew, along with latkes with applesauce and sour cream. Passengers conducted the service and quite a few people attended.

Thumbnail shows a Princess Captain sharing latkes at Chanukkah time.

During Passover there will be matzo available in the dining rooms and at the buffet.

You will have to ask for it and possibly only supervisors will understand what you are asking for.

Very cool. Wish more people and organizations would support the celebration of all religious holidays.

It would be a fun experience at sea to observe your holidays.

I will do that. Wasn't aware of that section. Thanks for letting me know.

Shalom

Glenn

We were on the Crown two years ago over Passover and there was indeed a seder onboard.

Apparently, Princess is no longer offering deals for Rabbi's on holiday sailings. Last April, 2014, a small part of the Buffet was reserved for a sedar. It looked nice, but the serving staff didn't know what they were doing (not their fault)--

The wine that was put on the tables were "not for Passover" labeled-- food was lousy-- there were very few (copier machine) Hagadahs. A few of us tried to kind of lead the readings. We gave up after eating dreadful matza ball soup- it was a few tiny very hard matzah balls (not even sure they were made out of matzah--- tasted closer to miso soup, and not a good one at that.

Let's just say, my dh and I will avoid Passover sailings in the future.

I will do that. Wasn't aware of that section. Thanks for letting me know.

Shalom

Glenn

Thanks for posting on that thread. :) We're a bit of a cyber shul but many times people post there with questions. And sometimes even non-Jews will read it.

I have been on a few cruises during Jewish holidays...the Patter one time gave the name of a volunteer Rabbi for services, and twice the services were led by volunteer Cantors.

My husband and I will be on the CB during Passover. How do we find out about first night Seder?

My husband and I will be on the CB during Passover. How do we find out about first night Seder?

It should be in the Patter, but I would ask the Maitre d' about it to be sure.

From the Princess web site

We respect our guests' religious beliefs and invite them to practice on their own or with their fellow guests. Guests who wish to lead religious services may volunteer by contacting the Guest Services desk or a member of the Cruise Staff. In some cases, our shipboard staff will lead services. However, Princess Cruises does not place clergy on board our vessels.

Clergy traveling as Guests onboard our vessels are welcome to conduct services while sailing. They should leave their name, cabin number, and services offered at the Guest Services Desk and they will be contacted by a member of the Cruise Director's Staff. Approval of services will be made based on schedule suitability, appropriate onboard supplies, etc. Please bring your Letter of Celebret or Letter of Good Standing with you to provide to the onboard staff.

Please note that during Passover, there will be a Seder service (including Passover meal) held onboard. For Hanukkah, services are available and will be guest-led with wine, Challah bread, prayers and an electric Menorah (no candles or live flames) provided by Princess. Supplies are present and available for anyone who wants to lead the service at 5:30 PM on Friday evenings.

If you would like to bring on your own Menorah, you may. However, since candles are prohibited onboard all Princess ships, it must be electric (no live flame).

I have not been on Princess during a Jewish holiday, but experienced a similar Hanukah celebration on Carnival a few years ago that was well attended and itvwas nice that the effort was made. As for Passover, I wouldn't have high expectations for sedar food (nor would I imagine it would be kosher for Pesach) but, again, I appreciate the thought and effort behind it. If the Sedar meal is important to you, best go to bubbie's house :)

I have not been on Princess during a Jewish holiday, but experienced a similar Hanukah celebration on Carnival a few years ago that was well attended and itvwas nice that the effort was made. As for Passover, I wouldn't have high expectations for sedar food (nor would I imagine it would be kosher for Pesach) but, again, I appreciate the thought and effort behind it. If the Sedar meal is important to you, best go to bubbie's house :)

Bubbie's House is the Best, but it will be second night of Seder for us :)

I wouldn't have high expectations for sedar food (nor would I imagine it would be kosher for Pesach) but, again, I appreciate the thought and effort behind it.

On Princess you could order a Kosher meal (a couple of days in advance of the Seder from a list of available meals) and would receive the same type of Kosher meal that would be served on an airplane. Previously frozen, heated and still sealed and with plastic cutlery.

It would be impractical for Princess to prepare freshly-cooked kosher for Passover meals. It's been some years since I've dealt with this kind of thing, but to my recollection, as a practical matter, you'd need a separate facility with plates reserved for the purpose (with meat and dairy dishes separated), the room would have to be specially cleaned before the holiday. The plates couldn't be used the rest of the year. And a supervising rabbi would be nice.

Perhaps this was done in the past. I have a Cunard plate I bought some years ago with "MEAT" in the middle of it and the Yiddish translation underneath.