Jews--Consider avoiding sailing with celebrity over the High Holidays

[El Crucero]

If a line offers these services and it offends you, cruise elsewhere.

 

If a line DOESN'T offer these services and it offends you, cruise elsewhere.

[wombatjoey]

Oxfan, this is not about the cruiseline. It is about the OP's expectations.

 

The tone, that a cruiseline owes them, is what is embarrassing to me. Celeb does not owe any interest group anything, the fact that you may get it is a bonus. So be grateful for what you get, instead of whining for what you want.

 

If you want special treatment, go with a specialty line that may cater to you, if that exists and if not then stay home.

[Ox Fan Cruiser]

If a line DOESN'T offer these services and it offends you, cruise elsewhere.

 

EXACTLY!! It's a free market... Look for what you want. avoid what you don't want.

[NordicPrince]

"Freedom of Church & Ship"

 

 

Oh, BO1953, how does "EC - Yes, as created by the SCOTUS in 1947." have ANYTHING to do with a ship in international waters and not flying a USA flag????

 

It's meant as a joke by a guy who has a dry sense of humor. Lighten up.

 

Personally I try to avoid cruising on the days up to and including Good Friday for religious reasons.

 

The OP may want to consider asking HAL what they do. They used to always have some religious officials on board every cruise. Maybe they do something special for the Jewish spiritual holidays.

Edited November 4, 2016 by NordicPrince

[Ox Fan Cruiser]

Oxfan, this is not about the cruiseline. It is about the OP's expectations.

 

The tone, that a cruiseline owes them, is what is embarrassing to me. Celeb does not owe any interest group anything, the fact that you may get it is a bonus. So be grateful for what you get, instead of whining for what you want.

 

If you want special treatment, go with a specialty line that may cater to you, if that exists and if not then stay home.

 

The OP was promised something when he booked the cruise. Celebrity failed to deliver what was promised. He should be upset. Why shouldn't he be? It's not like he handed them a check and then ordered them to provide a service they never said they would.

Wombatjoey, lets say you booked a suite and they gave you an inside cabin. you wouldn't be upset? They told you one thing when you paid and gave you something less when you arrived. It would kinda suck now wouldn't it?

[Ox Fan Cruiser]

It's meant as a joke by a guy who has a dry sense of humor. Lighten up.

 

Personally I try to avoid cruising on the days up to and including Good Friday for religious reasons.

 

The OP may want to consider asking HAL what they do. They used to always have some religious officials on board every cruise. Maybe they do something special for the Jewish spiritual holidays.

 

I'm not so sure he meant it as a joke. What makes you think he did?

[El Crucero]

The OP was promised something when he booked the cruise. Celebrity failed to deliver what was promised.

 

Celebrity delivered what they promised. The OP presumed and expected it would be more than what was provided. It is not Celebrity's fault that the OP had unreasonable or unrealistic expectations. The OP may want to consider cruising a different line to see if they can meet his expectations.

 

I'm not so sure he meant it as a joke. What makes you think he did?

 

I believe I was the one who proposed the separation of "church and ship." I would also propose the separation of "people who take themselves too seriously and ship."

[bEwAbG]

The OP was promised something when he booked the cruise. Celebrity failed to deliver what was promised. He should be upset. Why shouldn't he be? It's not like he handed them a check and then ordered them to provide a service they never said they would.

Wombatjoey, lets say you booked a suite and they gave you an inside cabin. you wouldn't be upset? They told you one thing when you paid and gave you something less when you arrived. It would kinda suck now wouldn't it?

 

It is not analogous to booking a suite and getting an inside room. The OP said he was told there would be a rabbi on board and there was. Everything else he expected was not promised with any sort of specificity, so nobody failed to deliver anything.

[LondonTowner]

Cruise ships should be secular and not conducting any religious services. If you want to attend a synagogue, church, mosque or any place of worship then do it where you are residing.

[monicajay]

Cruise ships should be secular and not conducting any religious services. If you want to attend a synagogue, church, mosque or any place of worship then do it where you are residing.

Like !

[Fish Lover]

The OP was promised something when he booked the cruise. Celebrity failed to deliver what was promised. He should be upset. Why shouldn't he be? It's not like he handed them a check and then ordered them to provide a service they never said they would.

Wombatjoey, lets say you booked a suite and they gave you an inside cabin. you wouldn't be upset? They told you one thing when you paid and gave you something less when you arrived. It would kinda suck now wouldn't it?

 

Celebrity didn't promise him anything, he made assumptions. You know what they say about that.......

[Ox Fan Cruiser]

Cruise ships should be secular and not conducting any religious services. If you want to attend a synagogue, church, mosque or any place of worship then do it where you are residing.

 

so given the power, you would forbid cruise lines to offer religious services? Why?

[reilly1]

As a devoted Pastafarian, Celebrity thankfully provides enthusiastic support of my worship needs, most specifically with their offerings in the Tuscan Grille but also randomly at other establishments on every single day of the year. This level of care is very important for the annual Pastover meal. Most don’t realize that Celebrity converted the bistro to Sushi on 5 specifically in support of the holy month of Ramendan. Considering the company’s ties to the sea, this should not come as a surprise to devout believers, but they are to be commended highly for their enthusiastic and unwavering devotion to the One who boiled for our sins.

 

 

I think I love you. Sooooo funny. Great attitude.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Ox Fan Cruiser]

Celebrity didn't promise him anything, he made assumptions. You know what they say about that.......

 

whether or not he was told or assumed it would be the first day isn't my main concern. I find it odd that so many replied saying he shouldn't be wanting those services. Here in America we have Freedom OF Religion, not Freedom FROM Religion. We pride ourselves in being tolerant of others beliefs. To say if they want a religious service then they should stay home is down right hateful. The OP never implied that other cruisers should be forced to attend them.

[gek]

whether or not he was told or assumed it would be the first day isn't my main concern. I find it odd that so many replied saying he shouldn't be wanting those services. Here in America we have Freedom OF Religion, not Freedom FROM Religion. We pride ourselves in being tolerant of others beliefs. To say if they want a religious service then they should stay home is down right hateful. The OP never implied that other cruisers should be forced to attend them.

 

Celebrity are in a bind. If they try to cater to the religious then the non-religious will complain. They cater to one religion and other religions will demand their turn. They ban religious services completely and they get accused of intolerance.

 

The best that Celebrity can do is provide an area where small private events or services can be held on-demand, organised by the passengers themselves. They shouldn't be expected to organise events for every religious group, but nor should they ban them. Perhaps in this case Celebrity didn't properly manage the customer's expectations but I think they did enough in just providing a place and time for the services to be held.

[kitty9]

To the OP: if you want your religious services performed, I suggest you cruise Crystal where there's a Rabbi and a Priest on every cruise. Better yet, take a world cruise on Crystal where they have a Priest, a Rabbi AND a Protestant Minister. Rabbi Morris Hershman has become a fixture on Crystal and is much beloved.

 

As far as Celebrity is concerned, they used to have a Priest on every cruise as well as a Rabbi on quite a few cruises a year, and services were published. But from what I understand, they had complaints that religious services should not be part of the cruise experience, so they only have religious personnel during religious holidays.

[USNUZULOOSE]

No religion here, personal relationship. I know I don't need anyone to conduct a service.

[Muushka]

no religion here, personal relationship. I know i don't need anyone to conduct a service.

 

;) :)

[LondonTowner]

Religion causes too many problems in the world. Certainly not needed on a cruise.

[El Crucero]

cruise ships should be secular and not conducting any religious services. If you want to attend a synagogue, church, mosque or any place of worship then do it where you are residing.

 

like!

[El Crucero]

The best that Celebrity can do is provide an area where small private events or services can be held on-demand, organised by the passengers themselves. They shouldn't be expected to organise events for every religious group, but nor should they ban them. Perhaps in this case Celebrity didn't properly manage the customer's expectations but I think they did enough in just providing a place and time for the services to be held.

 

like!

[pengu1n]

I'm surprised no one else has posted this so far, but here's what the Celebrity website states:

 

Are religious services available on board?

Celebrity ships offer religious services for Catholic and Jewish faiths, as well as, Interdenominational services during major religious holidays (see detailed information below). Guests of all faiths are able to host their own spiritual fellowship or group gathering by inquiring with the Guest Relations Desk onboard.

 

Catholic Mass: A Roman Catholic Priest will conduct daily mass during Lent, Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day.

 

Interdenominational Services: A Minister will conduct services on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day.

 

Jewish Services: A Jewish Rabbi or Cantor will conduct services during Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah.

 

In-Port Religious Services: Please check with the Guest Relations Desk for information pertaining to your respective faith. Due to the varied itineraries, each ship has religious services information for local houses of worship.

 

Holy Land Voyages: A Roman Catholic Priest will conduct Daily and Sunday Mass during each Holy Land cruise. A Jewish Rabbi or Cantor will conduct Friday evening Shabbat Service during each Holy Land cruise.

 

So, the OP maybe read this, and called to confirm it, but things were not to his liking. But having read the statement by Celebrity, I too would expect some regular type of religious activity. I do agree if you have specific criteria for your religious services, you might not have them met by a cruiseline. I don't think this is "free cruise" for pain and suffering worthy, but I think Celebrity was not very accommodating to only schedule 30 minutes for a service.

 

To those of you who feel religion does belong on their cruiseship, I guess you'll all be looking for another cruiseline now. While I no longer participate in religious activities, I can't really understand why it would bother anyone else that somewhere onboard a huge cruiseship a handful of people are celebrating their religion. I mean, really, they're only tying up a room for 30 minutes . . .

[El Crucero]

To those of you who feel religion does belong on their cruiseship, I guess you'll all be looking for another cruiseline now. .............why it would bother anyone else that somewhere onboard a huge cruiseship a handful of people are celebrating their religion. I mean, really, they're only tying up a room for 30 minutes . . .

 

Then should Celebrity provide services for Muslims, Atheists, Pastafarians, etc.? Where does the expectation of entitlement end?

 

The OP was complaining that a room was not provided for more than 30 minutes for religious services. As I read the Celebrity policy, they met their responsibility. Stop complaining or cruise with a different line.

[caribill]

I find this whole topic just embarrassing. Where in the world does one have the "hutzbah" to think that a cruise line should cater to any faith, belief, indulgence, ideology of any particular group.

 

I want Celebrity to keep it as far from religious overtones of any kind as possible. No special services for any group. That is a personal matter so keep it personal. Do whatever you do in your own home, dont inflict it on others.

 

If you want immersion in a particular ideology/faith, you can expect it in a country of its predominance. Not on a ship where we are all from different backgrounds and faiths or no faiths.

 

Celebrity, please keep ships secular.

 

I assume that you are therefore against having ships with Xmas decorations and Xmas trees in December.

 

I have not sailed on Celebrity yet, but on Princess and RCCL every Sunday there are services for Christians (conducted by clergy or ship's personnel) and every Friday evening there are services for Jews (conducted by passengers). These are usually mentioned in the daily summary of activities.

 

Nobody is forced to go to any of these services and their existence should not detract from anyone's on-board experience.

[caribill]

 

As far as Celebrity is concerned, they used to have a Priest on every cruise as well as a Rabbi on quite a few cruises a year, and services were published. But from what I understand, they had complaints that religious services should not be part of the cruise experience, so they only have religious personnel during religious holidays.

 

My understanding is different.

 

There are less clergy on ships (not just Celebrity) as a cost savings measure. No free or discounted cabins needed.