Priests/Ministers on Board?

[babscruiser]

Do Holland America cruises have religious leaders (Priests - Anglican or Catholic) and Protestant ministers on board to perform religious services?

If so, do the cruises have to be a certain length?

[BJzink]

2 hours ago, babscruiser said:

Do Holland America cruises have religious leaders (Priests - Anglican or Catholic) and Protestant ministers on board to perform religious services?

If so, do the cruises have to be a certain length?

It is my understanding that there is a Catholic mass said every day on HAL ships, and on occasion the priests have also provided a Protestant service also. 

[RuthC]

Barring unavoidable circumstances, HAL has a Catholic priest on every sailing. Mass is celebrated every day, normally in the morning on sea days, and late afternoon on port days.
Rarely, on those days when the ship is in port from extremely early until very late (once I was off the ship at 6:00 AM, and not back until after 7:00 PM), there is no Mass.

I believe Protestant ministers serve on some cruises, but there is a minimum length. I don't know how long those cruises must be.

[Himself]

HAL does have a priest on every cruise. This summer in Alaska all Masses were at 5PM in the afternoon and on the Signature ships were at 5PM

[richwmn]

5 minutes ago, RuthC said:

I believe Protestant ministers serve on some cruises, but there is a minimum length. I don't know how long those cruises must be.

I also don't know what the minimum length is, but the Voyage of the Vikings last year had a Priest, Minister, and Rabbi aboard.

In addition, I believe HAL has a minister aboard for religious holiday cruises like Easter, Christmas, and I suppose a few others.

[g&gtravel]

All the priest, on every cruise I have been on, have been Catholic. 

 

The only day that we have not had access to daily mass was on last cruise where on embarkation day a quilting group took over the location assigned for mass, so mass had to be cancelled.  

Edited August 21, 2019 by g&gtravel
Additional comment

[rkacruiser]

On my July Westerdam cruise and my Coral Princess cruises, no Protestant or Jewish clergy, but a Priest was aboard and conducted services on each ship.  Jewish and Protestant guests were encouraged in the "Princess Patter" and the "When and Where" to volunteer to lead their service.

[Loreto]

On our Alaska cruise on the Oosterdam in July all the masses were at 5 PM each day.  In the past they have been in the morning on sea days, which I appreciated.  I wasn't able to attend at all due to dining conflict.  I hope this isn't the new norm for future cruises.

Karen

[RuthC]

Mass has always been at 5:00 PM on port days, so the time hasn't changed.
What I don't understand is why you feel it interfered with dinner? Unless it was Sunday or the Vigil, the priest always has kept Mass to a half hour or a bit less. Even Sunday/Vigil has gone at most 10 minutes longer.

You can go to open seating at any time. Early seating starts at either 5:30, or sometimes 5:15, but your table is held for 15 minutes. If you tell the steward the night before that you'll be a couple of minutes late, I'm sure he'll hold your place.
And Mass doesn't conflict at all with main seating.

[HAL4NOW]

13 hours ago, richwmn said:

I also don't know what the minimum length is, but the Voyage of the Vikings last year had a Priest, Minister, and Rabbi aboard.

In addition, I believe HAL has a minister aboard for religious holiday cruises like Easter, Christmas, and I suppose a few others.

We were on the Zaandam this year during the Easter season. HAL supplied a priest, but he was taken off the ship for medical reasons and died. It took a couple weeks to replace him (just in time for Easter service). The protestant services were 'congregationally led' and well attended. 

HAL doesn't supply protestant ministers except for Grand World Voyages and Legendary Voyages (according to 'Guest Staff' department).

[HAL4NOW]

1 hour ago, HAL4NOW said:

We were on the Zaandam this year during the Easter season. HAL supplied a priest, but he was taken off the ship for medical reasons and died. It took a couple weeks to replace him (just in time for Easter service). The protestant services were 'congregationally led' and well attended. 

HAL doesn't supply protestant ministers except for Grand World Voyages and Legendary Voyages (according to 'Guest Staff' department).

I should clarify that "Apostleship of the Sea" is who supplies the priests for HAL.

[Himself]

12 hours ago, RuthC said:

Mass has always been at 5:00 PM on port days, so the time hasn't changed.
What I don't understand is why you feel it interfered with dinner? Unless it was Sunday or the Vigil, the priest always has kept Mass to a half hour or a bit less. Even Sunday/Vigil has gone at most 10 minutes longer.

You can go to open seating at any time. Early seating starts at either 5:30, or sometimes 5:15, but your table is held for 15 minutes. If you tell the steward the night before that you'll be a couple of minutes late, I'm sure he'll hold your place.
And Mass doesn't conflict at all with main seating.

I usually give a SHORT Homily and can finsh the Sunday Mass in 30 minutes.  I usually don't have singing.

[avian777]

8 hours ago, HAL4NOW said:

I should clarify that "Apostleship of the Sea" is who supplies the priests for HAL.

Thanks for the clarification - here's a link to AOS' web site for anyone who'd like to know more about AOS and/or support AOS' Cruise Ship Priest Program:  http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/pastoral-care-of-migrants-refugees-and-travelers/apostleship-of-the-sea/index.cfm

 

[RuthC]

48 minutes ago, Himself said:

I usually give a SHORT Homily and can finsh the Sunday Mass in 30 minutes.  I usually don't have singing.

Thank you! May your tribe increase. A couple of priests not only have singing, but 2-3 verses of each song!

Now, I love to sing, but.... I do want to have time to shower and dress for cocktail time, too.

[Loreto]

13 hours ago, RuthC said:

Mass has always been at 5:00 PM on port days, so the time hasn't changed.
What I don't understand is why you feel it interfered with dinner? Unless it was Sunday or the Vigil, the priest always has kept Mass to a half hour or a bit less. Even Sunday/Vigil has gone at most 10 minutes longer.

You can go to open seating at any time. Early seating starts at either 5:30, or sometimes 5:15, but your table is held for 15 minutes. If you tell the steward the night before that you'll be a couple of minutes late, I'm sure he'll hold your place.
And Mass doesn't conflict at all with main seating.

Hi Ruth,

This cruise was different as I left DH at home and took my daughter in law and 10 year old grand daughter to Alaska.  They are not Catholic, the cruise was for them and it was their first cruise.  If it was my DH I would have met him in the diningroom.  I always enjoyed 8 am Mass and am usually a lector.  I have been on cruises where the 5 pm mass has been lengthy and it doesn't look good to duck out early.

Karen

[RuthC]

Thanks for the reasoning. I do understand. I don't get why the sea day Mass was also in the evening, but that was the ship's decision.
Personally, I don't do mornings, so the late afternoon Mass works for me.