mahassiddasairy Posted May 24, 2010 #1 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Does anyone know if HAL offers any religious services onboard on Sundays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmoo here Posted May 24, 2010 #2 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Does anyone know if HAL offers any religious services onboard on Sundays? On our Alaska cruise (9/2009) I attended an interdenominational service on Sunday. It was held in the Hudson room. I don't know if this is always offered, because the gentleman who was performing the service was also the on-board narrator for our cruise and happened to be a retired minister, so it was arranged for him to do this also. My understanding is there are Catholic services on board, but I don't have any info about them. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usha Posted May 24, 2010 #3 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Daily Catholic Masses are celebrated onboard HAL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahassiddasairy Posted May 24, 2010 Author #4 Share Posted May 24, 2010 My understanding is there are Catholic services on board, but I don't have any info about them. :) Are there? That would be great. I looked into going to Mass in Juneau, but there's no way to get there in time. I figured the best we'd get on the ship was, as you said, a nondenominational type of thing, but Mass would be wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Himself Posted May 24, 2010 #5 Share Posted May 24, 2010 For many, many, years HAL has carried a Catholic Priest on Board. My sister was on an earlier version of the Statendam in January and earlier February and they had daily Mass and Sunday Mass. As one of those who has served as a Catholic Priest on board I can attest to this. Now what happens is there is a non-demoninational Service that also takes place on Sunday. If there is no Minister on Broad the priest also takes this service. I have done it many times and have had nothing but positive results from this service. The Priest also does a Crew Mass on late Sunday evening for members of the crew who are Catholic. I hope this clarifies things for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahassiddasairy Posted May 24, 2010 Author #6 Share Posted May 24, 2010 For many, many, years HAL has carried a Catholic Priest on Board. My sister was on an earlier version of the Statendam in January and earlier February and they had daily Mass and Sunday Mass. As one of those who has served as a Catholic Priest on board I can attest to this. Now what happens is there is a non-demoninational Service that also takes place on Sunday. If there is no Minister on Broad the priest also takes this service. I have done it many times and have had nothing but positive results from this service.The Priest also does a Crew Mass on late Sunday evening for members of the crew who are Catholic. I hope this clarifies things for you. It does, thank you. Do you know if the priest onboard is usually willing to answer any questions passengers may have for him? I've been feeling qualms lately about spending money on vacationing when there are so many needy charities, and would like to ask a priest's advice about finding a middle ground between traveling and giving to the poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvcruisn' Posted May 24, 2010 #7 Share Posted May 24, 2010 When I was aboard the Prinsendam last November, we had a Catholic Priest, a Lutheran Minister, and a Rabbi on board, due to the length of the cruise, and the holidays observed on it. The Catholic Priest was at our dinner table one night, and mentioned that he also did counselling on the cruise, as well as the Masses, so I think the Priest onboard your cruise would be open to answering questions such as you've outlined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahassiddasairy Posted May 24, 2010 Author #8 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Is it weird to hope the priest gets assigned to our table? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jena1 Posted May 24, 2010 #9 Share Posted May 24, 2010 In January DH and I were on the Zuiderdam and we befriended the Priest onboard (we went to Mass most everyday). We all went to see the Cathedral in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, together and when we got back to the ship we bought him a drink and made arrangements to have dinner together that evening. We had a couple of other meals with him. It was a nice treat. Introuce yourself to the Priest on your trip and maybe you can also have dinner together! Have a great cruise.:):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geocruiser Posted May 24, 2010 #10 Share Posted May 24, 2010 jena1, You are so right. Ten years ago on the old Noordam My husband and I became friends with the on board priest. Since then we vacation with him every year and he comes an stays with us in Florida. We will be sailing with Father this Dec on Princess. We use to cruise with him when he was HAL's on board priest. He has stopped being an on board priest because of his age (91 years young). But he still loves to cruise with us. He is one of the best friends that we have. Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magandab Posted May 24, 2010 #11 Share Posted May 24, 2010 There are usually Friday night services as well, for Jews on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candbgirl Posted May 24, 2010 #12 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Having the priest say daily Mass is one of the things I love about HAL. It always amazes me how crowded the Mass is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juanita462 Posted May 24, 2010 #13 Share Posted May 24, 2010 On our recent Zaandam cruise there was a Protestant minister onboard who not only had services on Sunday but had a devotional time every sea day as well - it was much appreciated. It would be nice if they provided a keyboard for the religious services - usually someone in the group can play so they wouldn't have to use the ship musicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverado44 Posted May 24, 2010 #14 Share Posted May 24, 2010 In my 6 Holland America cruises, I have yet to see a Buddhist service. That would please my family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capital Cruiser Posted May 24, 2010 #15 Share Posted May 24, 2010 It does, thank you. Do you know if the priest onboard is usually willing to answer any questions passengers may have for him? I've been feeling qualms lately about spending money on vacationing when there are so many needy charities, and would like to ask a priest's advice about finding a middle ground between traveling and giving to the poor. On a Celebrity cruise last year, the on-board priest suggested that in lieu of a collection at mass, the passengers give a certain percentage of what they were spending on the cruise to a charity at home. I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gablin Posted May 25, 2010 #16 Share Posted May 25, 2010 In my 6 Holland America cruises, I have yet to see a Buddhist service. That would please my family. HAL does whatever they believe will keep the most customers happy, and makes little or no effort to provide for those of minority faiths, at least on a daily or weekly basis. I wonder if they have ever had a Buddhist service or a Friends Meeting on any HAL ship, for instance. Most Mormons who I know would not feel they had been to a worship service if they were to attend a nondenominational service or a Catholic or Episcopal mass. "Nondenominational" probably works for many mainline Protestants, but certainly not for Quakers, Unitarians, Wiccans, Buddhists, etc. If a small group of people of one faith wanted to get together for a lay led service, maybe HAL would make a room available for them. I hope so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TracieABD Posted May 25, 2010 #17 Share Posted May 25, 2010 In my 6 Holland America cruises, I have yet to see a Buddhist service. That would please my family. Same on Princess...:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchByAssociation Posted May 25, 2010 #18 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Does anyone know if HAL offers any religious services onboard on Sundays? So long as there are no medical or travel difficulties in getting the clergy to the ship... Catholic Priests are onboard for daily mass Protestant Ministers are onboard cruises of 10 days or more and also during major holidays (Easter, Christmas) Jewish Rabbis on cruises of (I want to say 10 but it may be 15?) days and during High Holy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahassiddasairy Posted May 25, 2010 Author #19 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I know HAL can't keep a religious leader on board for every minority faith. But it seems like they should at least tell customers that they can call in ahead of time, and that if they request a religious leader be on board, they will be. I know it's an expense for HAL, but no passenger should be asked to give up his conscience for a cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TracieABD Posted May 25, 2010 #20 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I know HAL can't keep a religious leader on board for every minority faith. But it seems like they should at least tell customers that they can call in ahead of time, and that if they request a religious leader be on board, they will be. I know it's an expense for HAL, but no passenger should be asked to give up his conscience for a cruise. Define "minority faith"... If it is Buddhism that you are referring to, as a world-wide religion, it would not be a minority faith at all!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahassiddasairy Posted May 25, 2010 Author #21 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Sorry. I mean minority faith based on usual passenger demographic. For example, if a cruise tends to attract mainly Western Europeans and U.S. citizens, I'd consider faiths like Buddhism, Islam, and Taoism to be minority faiths for HAL, even if they're "majority" faiths in other parts of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gablin Posted May 25, 2010 #22 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Define "minority faith"... If it is Buddhism that you are referring to, as a world-wide religion, it would not be a minority faith at all!:) I think "minority" in this case, would only be among North American cruisers, not world-wide population. Buddhism might grow among cruisers, if services were offered. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverado44 Posted May 25, 2010 #23 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I know HAL can't keep a religious leader on board for every minority faith. But it seems like they should at least tell customers that they can call in ahead of time, and that if they request a religious leader be on board, they will be. I know it's an expense for HAL, but no passenger should be asked to give up his conscience for a cruise. But HAL has Jewish services on Fridays. Judaism has 14 million followers worldwide, Buddhism has 376 followers worldwide. Buddhism is not a minority religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahassiddasairy Posted May 25, 2010 Author #24 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I clarified my meaning in my last post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UandMe4Ever Posted May 25, 2010 #25 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Wouldn't it have been nice to say ..."for the Jewish people on Board"? instead of "Jews on Board"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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