Easter on HAL ships - what to expect.

[Cruisepucks]

If plans work out as we hope, we will be on a HAL ship this year on Easter Sunday. (It will be a port day for us.)

 

Would those of you who have HAL Easter experience please let us know if HAL does anything special for Easter? While we've been on a dozen or so HAL cruises, we've never been on board for any of the traditional holiday festivities. 

 

Thanks for passing along any information about Easter on HAL ships. We are so looking forward to dusting off the passports and getting on a ship again.

 

Enjoy the weekend.

 

[Florida_gal_50]

To be honest I've been on a ship a few times at Easter. I don't remember anything special.  That said  it been a few years.

[CruiserBruce]

I also don't remember anything special,  except perhaps a little nicer menu at dinner.

[FOPMan]

I would not expect much. The one thing that may occur is one of the gala dinners may be scheduled for that evening, especially if the ship is already scheduled for a late departure.

[HAL4NOW]

We sailed on the Zaandam during Holy Week in 2019. I do not remember any special decorations or events planned by HAL. We did have a wonderful time meeting with others for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday. The protestant services were led by the congregation; HAL was very accommodating with making the Hudson Room available and providing bread and juice for communion.

The Catholic contingent met every day, even though the priest was taken off the ship with a medical emergency in Peru where he ended up dying. Another priest joined the ship later in the ABC islands.

[KAKcruiser]

Wow.  What a terrible experience for that priest.  

[KAKcruiser]

Does anyone know if there will be an Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday?

[HAL4NOW]

23 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

Does anyone know if there will be an Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday?

There should be, as long as a priest is on board. I have been hearing that some of the recent cruises have sailed without a priest. 

[KAKcruiser]

There are certain regulations about an Easter Vigil Mass.  Usually it is a longer service and is supposed to be conducted after nightfall.  I wasn't sure if there would be an exception to this since we are at sea.

[Caribbean Chris]

I was on once years ago when there was an open seating Easter brunch buffet in the main dining room which was packed as I recall - waiters carrying trays of mimosas had to slide through the crowd with difficulty. There was a person in an Easter Bunny costume with some activities for kids. I don’t think they do that anymore.

[Taters]

We boarded Zuiderdam in Ft. Lauderdale for a transatlantic cruise in 2018.  The only thing different I noticed were a few decorations.

[Hlitner]

We have been on a few HAL cruises at Easter (generally doing repositioning cruises to Europe) and do not recall anything overly special other than a few decorations in the atrium.  I imagine they also had ham and perhaps turkey on the dinner menu.  This year we will be on a Seabourn cruise for Easter (part of the HAL Group) and are curious if they do anything special.

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

The Easter season cruise that I remember was on the original Royal Princess.  Protestant and Catholic clergy were aboard.  An excellent Good Friday service was held in the ship's movie theater (and was well attended).  Easter morning, a Sunrise service was scheduled on an open deck.  Because of wind conditions, the service had to be moved to the nearby Horizon Lounge.  Again, well attended.  Later in the morning, an interdenominational service was conducted on the aft open deck with the Captain leading the service and providing the message for the day.  The Atrium outside the Dining Room was decorated with displays of goodies from the Galley's bakers.  No memory of a special menu, however.  

 

Sailing on HAL during Easter, I don't recall anything that elaborate.  Decorations erected in certain venues?  Yes.  Easter services?  If clergy are aboard, yes, I would expect at least an interdenominational service.  But, I would not count on it during this era of cruising,  

[cruisinteach2]

Check for possible Easter brunch. Our Eurodam sailing shows you can sign up for a brunch served in Pinnacle Grill. We have had wonderful gathering led by the congregation or a pastor on longer cruises if one was onboard. Think there is service chg for the brunch