Daily Mass

[lysolqn]

I guess Celebrity doesn't want to be rated as a "Mass" market cruise line. :eek: I'm sorry but I couldn't resist it.

 

Now that's funny!

[sloopsailor]

Sue, I think you're right about letting Celebrtity know how you feel.

In the meantime, if Celebrity insists on making itself an irresponsible cruise choice for Catholics, there's always Holland America, who still has a priest on every sailing (even if HAL's smoking policy does stink:p)

 

I think you should have worded this "....if a few Catholics insist on believing Celebrity is an irresponsible cruise choice for themselves...".

As a Catholic, I fully understand Celebritys position on the matter. I am not offended, nor prone to overly emotional reactions, and will happily continue to cruise with Celebrity. They are not in the business of trying to save my soul, nor do I expect them to be.

[usha]

I think you should have worded this "....if a few Catholics insist on believing Celebrity is an irresponsible cruise choice for themselves...".

 

As a Catholic, I fully understand Celebritys position on the matter. I am not offended, nor prone to overly emotional reactions, and will happily continue to cruise with Celebrity. They are not in the business of trying to save my soul, nor do I expect them to be.

Let me ask you: did you attend Mass onboard when it was regularly available?

[contom]

I would be willing to pay a Church fee, like a soda fee to have a Priest. The $1000 split among the 200 that usually attend Mass comes to $5 each. My problem is that Celebrity did this without notice, and has put many of us in a position where they will not refund our money, and cause us to miss Mass if we continue with our cruise. In the Catholic faith it is a sin to miss Mass on Sundays. My point is that when I made the purchase of the cruise I was "guaranteed" a Priest. When they voided their end of the deal, they should have had to provide a refund. If they choose to discontinue a service, they should do it with ample warning. Its like ordering a car with air conditioning and when it comes in it has none, and then you are expected not to receive a refund from the dealer. Another question...why do they keep closing our links when we wish to discuss this?????????????

[FinelyCruising]

What do you think the US Statistics are telling you?

 

That the Roman Catholic faith is not the predominate religion in the US.

[usha]

Then what is the predominant religion in the US?

[FinelyCruising]

What does it say? That the Roman Catholic church does not predominate, but that there is an aspect of belief that it does. I think people should be proud, I think as individuals we should all be proud and follow our convictions, spiritual or otherwise. But we need to be open minded and realize for the most part that we all want the same things in life and at the end of the day too.

 

Do we feel superior to those in inside cabins? Do Royal suite guests feel superior to those in standards? I suppose there are some that do. But most do not. Most are happy to cruise based on what they enjoy and we all find a way to avoid elbowing others.

[elvnga]

By definition, Catholic mass is for Catholics; that no one is barred from attending and some passengers who aren't Catholic choose to attend doesn't change that very basic fact. The accommodation by a cruise line to provide a priest to conduct(?) mass is exclusionary in its very meaning, clearly not in a bad way but exclusionary nonetheless.

 

Onboard activities like spas, gyms, entertainment, enrichment, bingo, internet, hot tubs, etc. are plentiful, varied, aimed at a wide variety of passengers and available to all. Surely you would agree that the same cannot be said about denominationally specific religious services. That some passengers choose not to play bingo, use the internet or workout in the gym is a matter of personal choice and does not make those activities any less inclusive.

 

 

"Exclusionary" is an adjective that that refers the noun "exclusion" which means the act of excluding or the state of being excluded. To "exclude" means to shut or keep out, to shut out from consideration, to expel or thrust out.

 

I can not for the life of me understand how including a service or person can be understood to be exclusionary. I never minded paying for dance instructors or bridge leaders when I did not use them. I do not mind paying for the entertainers I do not go see. I do not mind paying for the gym instructors I certainly to not listen to. I don't feel excluded when there is something offered I am not interested in. Having mass available is an enrichment activity from the standpoint of the cruise line and it adds significant value to a significant minority of the passengers. It also adds to the quality of life for a number of the employees who live and work very hard on the ship. I don't mind supporting the staff bar or cafeteria through my fare and I don't mind a portion of my fifty cents providing this desired service for even a small portion of the crew.

 

It seems to me that this "exclusion" is in the mind of those who choose to feel excluded and it is a sad commentary on the state of the world that this kind of perception is more important than reality.

[usha]

What does it say? That the Roman Catholic church does not predominate, but that there is an aspect of belief that it does. I think people should be proud, I think as individuals we should all be proud and follow our convictions, spiritual or otherwise. But we need to be open minded and realize for the most part that we all want the same things in life and at the end of the day too.

 

Do we feel superior to those in inside cabins? Do Royal suite guests feel superior to those in standards? I suppose there are some that do. But most do not. Most are happy to cruise based on what they enjoy and we all find a way to avoid elbowing others.

...what does any of this have to do with Celebrity discontinuing having priests onboard???:confused:

[MaggieAtSea]

For those to whom the change matters (and my family and my relative's family would be among that number), it is worth a note that from my friend who works on HAL I learned that they still do offer regular Catholic Mass. If it matters to you, reward cruiselines with your business who made the call the way you would want them to.

[FinelyCruising]

...what does any of this have to do with Celebrity discontinuing having priests onboard???:confused:

 

You tell me...you are among those having a fit over changes:o

[davestic]

Ugh.

 

More debate over my/your religion, how you worship don't worship.

 

Cruises are a vacation vehicle. Its not the cruise lines responsibility to do anything more than what is in the interests of the majority of their paying passengers. If you require a service/ammenity not offered, go where it is offered.

 

I wonder if they have an app for that?!

[usha]

You tell me...you are among those having a fit over changes:o

Why don't you just stick out your tongue & say: "NEENER NEENER NEENER", and get it over with?:rolleyes:

[sloopsailor]

Let me ask you: did you attend Mass onboard when it was regularly available?

 

How and where I worship is none of your business, nor Celebrity's. And yours is none of mine - nor Celebrity's.

[Karynanne]

How and where I worship is none of your business, nor Celebrity's. And yours is none of mine - nor Celebrity's.

 

Amen.

[FinelyCruising]

Why don't you just stick out your tongue & say: "NEENER NEENER NEENER", and get it over with?:rolleyes:

 

That is what children bratty children do.

[sailsalot]

To those looking for another cruise outlet with priests, besides HAL, Cunard also offers priests with daily Mass.

[Sea and Me]

Carol, here's a link to Celebrity's email form:

https://secure.celebritycruises.com/contactus/custSvcsForm.do;jsessionid=0000bMJN98ax6tzdy2huBT97FkB:12hdebebp

Thanks so much. I did email them.

 

Carol

[denims]

That is what children bratty children do.

 

Usha & finelycruising, be nice or we'll lose this thread for the third time!

[lifevicarious]

"Exclusionary" is an adjective that that refers the noun "exclusion" which means the act of excluding or the state of being excluded. To "exclude" means to shut or keep out, to shut out from consideration, to expel or thrust out.

 

I can not for the life of me understand how including a service or person can be understood to be exclusionary. I never minded paying for dance instructors or bridge leaders when I did not use them. I do not mind paying for the entertainers I do not go see. I do not mind paying for the gym instructors I certainly to not listen to. I don't feel excluded when there is something offered I am not interested in. Having mass available is an enrichment activity from the standpoint of the cruise line and it adds significant value to a significant minority of the passengers. It also adds to the quality of life for a number of the employees who live and work very hard on the ship. I don't mind supporting the staff bar or cafeteria through my fare and I don't mind a portion of my fifty cents providing this desired service for even a small portion of the crew.

 

It seems to me that this "exclusion" is in the mind of those who choose to feel excluded and it is a sad commentary on the state of the world that this kind of perception is more important than reality.

 

So if the prior Celebriuty policy of giving a cabin to a Catholic Priest on every cruise is not exclusionary, could a Baptist Minister get the same deal? What about a Rabbi? What about a monk? This policy was absolutely discriminatory and exclusionary in the fact that Celebrity only gave rooms to Catholic priests.

 

Discriminatory - characterized by or showing prejudicial treatment, esp. as an indication of racial, religious, or sexual bias

[lifevicarious]

Thanks so much. I did email them.

 

Carol

 

I e-mailed them as well. But I'm guessing our e-mails had very different viewpoints. :)

[lysolqn]

"Exclusionary" is an adjective that that refers the noun "exclusion" which means the act of excluding or the state of being excluded. To "exclude" means to shut or keep out, to shut out from consideration, to expel or thrust out.

 

Following your example of quoting the dictionary,

 

"Significant" - important, of consequence;

 

"Minority" - a smaller party or group; a group differing in race, religion or ethnic population from the majority of a population.

 

Having mass available is an enrichment activity from the standpoint of the cruise line and it adds significant value to a significant minority of the passengers.

 

Are you suggesting that Catholics comprise the only "significant minority" of passengers on cruise ships and therefore are somehow entitled to have their religious needs accommodated by the cruise line, whereas the religious needs of those you deem less "significant" can be disregarded? If that's not what you are suggesting (and I sincerely hope it is not), then surely you can see how the cruise line finds itself in the position of having to provide for all or provide for none. Rather than becoming a floating religious retreat, it has decided to provide for none. At least that way everyone can be equally offended if they choose.

[usha]

I guess that a lot of you need to write to the US Army and the US Navy and complain about how your tax dollars are being squandered on chaplains to serve our men in the armed forces!:rolleyes:

[Shirley and Les]

I guess that a lot of you need to write to the US Army and the US Navy and complain about how your tax dollars are being squandered on chaplains to serve our men in the armed forces!:rolleyes:

Bravo!

[lifevicarious]

I guess that a lot of you need to write to the US Army and the US Navy and complain about how your tax dollars are being squandered on chaplains to serve our men in the armed forces!:rolleyes:

 

I believe that most or our issues have little or nothing to do with religious services being offered, they have to do with a representative of specific religion being the ONLY one allowed to travel for free. Last time I checked (which was moments before this post) Chaplains are from ANY faith. If they limited it to Catholicism, they would be sued for discrimination.

 

Here are the requirements if you want to look:

http://www.goarmy.com/chaplain/requirements.jsp

 

And regardless, there is a big difference between the presence of a religious official amongst those dodging bullets and bombs and those deciding between bingo or the buffet.