Any Sunday worship services offered?

[randbmom]

I looked at an old Liberty Compass but didn't find what I was looking for. Does anyone know if there are regular worship services on RCCL ships? I'm specifically interested in a Catholic Mass. On Costa Crusies (Italian ships) years ago they actually had not only Sunday Mass and a non-denominational service, but daily Mass as well.

Any info is appreciated. Counting the days on one hand...

[TPKeller]

It's been my experience that unless the Sunday is a turnaround day, there is sometimes a service on board. It seems to depend on whether or not there is a minister sailing on board. At one time, they had some sort of a program where a minister got a bit of a discount if they held a Sunday morning service, but I don't know if that is still the case.

 

One cruise I was on had no ministers, so one of the lower level entertainment staff read through some script-type readings, and half-heartedly lead some traditional hymn type songs. It wasn't really much.

 

Theron

[hermang]

It's been my experience that unless the Sunday is a turnaround day, there is sometimes a service on board. It seems to depend on whether or not there is a minister sailing on board. At one time, they had some sort of a program where a minister got a bit of a discount if they held a Sunday morning service, but I don't know if that is still the case.

 

One cruise I was on had no ministers, so one of the lower level entertainment staff read through some script-type readings, and half-heartedly lead some traditional hymn type songs. It wasn't really much.

 

Theron

 

Every Celebrity ship we have ben on has a Catholic Priest for Daily Mass.

 

Jewish Sabbath services are available on Friday night if at least 10 people sign up

[MSUSpartan]

We usually have our own service. We are a group from our church and wanted to have a service (non-Catholic). We just asked at the pursers desk and they arranged for us to have our service in one of the lounges. It really was quite a nice experience.

[iheartbda]

Every Celebrity ship we have ben on has a Catholic Priest for Daily Mass.

 

Jewish Sabbath services are available on Friday night if at least 10 people sign up

 

Not arguing by any means, just posting our experience. Only once out of 5 Celebrity cruises was there a priest on board.

 

OP, it will probably depend on whether or not there happens to be a priest on board, in other words, it's hit or miss.

[randbmom]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate it. Maybe it was just a Costa thing that daily Mass was offered. Cruising WOULD be a pretty sweet deal for a priest or minister in retirement...

[lady_cruiser]

Of course I have only been on 3 cruises but the only time I knew of Catholic masses being said on a cruise every evening was when there was a Catholic group that was sailing with us. I just happened to run into the priest on board the first day and struck up a conversation with him. It was nice to be able to attend mass during our cruise.

 

I don't think that our Catholic Church allows priest to be onboard all the time. We have too few priests now to handle our churches here on land now as it is.

[rubyblue]

My DH and I cruised on Empress last year and they had an interdenominational Church Service on Sunday morning. That was the closest I've come to a Mass on any of my cruises.

[lb0103]

I am a Catholic and RCCL does NOT participate in the program that has a priest onboard.

 

HAL and Celebrity do and there is another line but I can't remember. On any given cruise the priest may not be able to make it as they plan them a year at a time and some we have had on HAL had been sick, most are retired. They do have a daily mass.

 

On only one RCCL did we have mass and a priest just happen to be on board with his mother and offered mass.

 

I understand the OP needs and even though RCCL is my first choice in cruise lines, that is the one area they could improve.

[iheartbda]

I don't think that our Catholic Church allows priest to be onboard all the time. We have too few priests now to handle our churches here on land now as it is.

 

Retired priests are permitted.:) My sister was on Celebrity's Mercury to Alaska last July that had a retired priest who was on it all the time. He said that was his mission now, being on a cruise ship.:cool:

[hermang]

Retired priests are permitted.:) My sister was on Celebrity's Mercury to Alaska last July that had a retired priest who was on it all the time. He said that was his mission now, being on a cruise ship.:cool:

 

As I stated earlier - at least on the Summit Constellation and Millenium there were priests offering mass. That was 2005,2006 and 2007 and it was Alaska, Caribbean and Med cruise.

 

Someone told me they were retired - NICE GIG - 3 squares a decent cabin and days in port.

 

I suspect the big issue is this - If they offered mass - would a muslim demand an imam on board, In the case of the Jewish faith - any male over 13 can conduct services. But in this day and age of - ME - I am surprised the cruiselines offer anything like organized religion for fear of getting sued by some religion that is not represented.

[iheartbda]

I suspect the big issue is this - If they offered mass - would a muslim demand an imam on board, In the case of the Jewish faith - any male over 13 can conduct services. But in this day and age of - ME - I am surprised the cruiselines offer anything like organized religion for fear of getting sued by some religion that is not represented.

 

I guess the way they get around such issues is to say THEY don't necessarily provide services, they are only held if a particular clergy is available.

[waterbugohio]

Not sure if this will help OP, but last week there was a thread with the Serenade Compass, I printed it off and over the weekend was reading it all over. I was surprised to see that there was a catholic mass offered 4 or 5 of the mornings. Not sure if this had anything to do with it being the week after Easter. I know they showed a couple of different service on Easter Sunday and then a couple more Catholic masses throughout the week.