Mass or church services?

[Markanddonna]

I was looking at the MSC Divina dailies and didn't see a daily mass or interdenominational services offered. I thought with being an Italian cruise line that MSC would have a priest on board. Not Catholic, just wondering. I noted they offered Hannukak services this past Dec, but they were self led.

[ready2cruzagain]

I have been on NCL, Carnival, Princess and Celebrity and don't recall any of them holding mass in recent years.

[Homosassa]

55 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I was looking at the MSC Divina dailies and didn't see a daily mass or interdenominational services offered. I thought with being an Italian cruise line that MSC would have a priest on board. Not Catholic, just wondering. I noted they offered Hannukak services this past Dec, but they were self led.

Surprise! Surprise!

 

Not all Italians are Catholic (my family is not now and never has been  - even right off the boat in 1896).

 

A majority of cruisers have no interest in church services on board ship.

 

In any case, only Holland America has a priest on board on all sailings. The cruise line does not provide the priest. It is an outside organization that funds the position.

[mom4mom]

I asked this question directly to MSC as we are on a 20 day transatlantic on Davina.  I was told that they do not provide a priest.  I'm extremely disappointed as on Royal Caribbean transatlantics in the past, we have had one.

 

[Nunagoras]

Industry wise, generally speaking religious services are provided on a guest's availability basis. If a Roman Catholic, or other faith group leader appears ready to officiate, the cruise line will likely to offer a time slot on any adequate venue to hold their services as well as all the needed equipment. That said one never knows where or when that will be possible. As my memory can remember, last year on my Magnifica TA from Brazil to Leixões there was a Pentecostal Evangelical group that wanted to hold daily services. They've got the meeting room for daily prayer and the theatre for Sunday morning services.

 

Have a nice day!

[Markanddonna]

There has been a priest on every transatlantic, transpacific and Panama Canal cruise I've been on the last six years on NCL, RCL, and HAL. 

 

Just wondered.  While the majority of passengers have no interest, there are obviously some who do. Most cruise lines allow spaces for Protestants to meet on sea days, but they are required to do their own leading which is never a problem. 

 

The cruise lines don't set it up, but it always seems some passengers do.  They advertise it various ways and the people all seem to find one another.  We've been part of these groups about six times in the last six years. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Here is a current list of cruises that will have a Catholic Priest on board:

 

A Catholic Priest on every cruise:

⇒ Holland America Cruise Lines: all sailings (placed by AOS-USA)

⇒ Crystal Cruises all sailings, space available* (placed by Compass)

*Crystal gives 30 day notice in case they will not have a priest on board, but according to Compass, this rarely happens.

 

A Catholic priest on certain cruises:

⇒ Azamara Cruises: Christmas, Easter (placed by Compass).

⇒ Celebrity Cruises: Christmas, Ash Wed., Lent & all Holy Land (placed by Compass).

⇒ Cunard: QM2 every sailing; QE & QV only Easter, Christmas (placed by Compass).

⇒ Norwegian Cruise Line: Christmas & Easter (placed by AOS-USA).

⇒ P&O Cruises: Christmas & Easter (placed by AOS Great Britain).

⇒ Royal Caribbean: Christmas, Easter and re-positioning cruises, (placed by AOS-USA).

⇒ Seabourn: Christmas, Easter and world cruises (placed by AOS-USA).

⇒ Silversea: Christmas & Easter (placed by Compass).

 

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

[DMH15]

I have been on many cruises with my mom.   I had a nickname for her, "the Catholic police" because on Sunday she would always asked me have you been to Mass yet? 

 

I don't know if it was by chance or what but on our first couple of cruises together therebwas always a Catholic priest on board, including our transatlantic.  

 

 Then on our South American Cruise there was no priest so we researched where to go when we were in Port on Sunday. Unfortunately our ship was late and we were not able to attend Mass, so we just said a rosary together. 

 

I lost mom last year but I still think of her when I cruise and make my spiritual plans. 

 

 Now that I get the Internet, usually unlimited, at sea I can stream some kind of service or at least the scripture readings. 

[graphicguy]

6 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Surprise! Surprise!

 

Not all Italians are Catholic (my family is not now and never has been  - even right off the boat in 1896).

 

A majority of cruisers have no interest in church services on board ship.

 

In any case, only Holland America has a priest on board on all sailings. The cruise line does not provide the priest. It is an outside organization that funds the position.

 

100% Italian, too.  You’re right...not all Italians are Catholics.  I did read that nearly 90% of Italians are, though!

 

All ships I’ve been on have a chapel.  Not sure how many cruises have Catholic priests aboard, however!

 

DMH....I had a Mother who participated in the Catholic guilt “thing” every Sunday, too.  No matter how many times I had to tell her “no”, she still asked......every Sunday!  I know the drill....LOL!