Catholic Mass on Cruise Ship

[dixieagle]

Why would a Catholic plan a cruise on a cruise ship that does not offer Mass. I have perused many cruise lines and nothing is ever said about Sunday Mass, therefore I will not book a cruise.

Even if nothing is noted in the literature/ads, there often is Mass offered aboard. If not, there is often the chance to find a Mass in port on a Saturday evening or Sunday. However, in the event that attendance at Mass is impossible, despite your best intentions, “Traveler’s Dispensation” applies, meaning that if getting to Mass while traveling involves substantial hardship, then the obligation is suspended that one time. (On the rare occasion this has happened to us, we have sometimes been able to attend a daily Mass shortly thereafter and have done so.) Of course, we should not make a frequent habit of missing Mass due to travel, but the Lord certainly doesn’t begrudge us the occasional vacation or cruise to see more of His wonderful world.

 

[barbfromtucson]

Well Michael W. Smith is going to have another music cruise in July 2008 to Carribean, and it is going to be on Carnival.

I e-mailed Carnival regarding Mass availability and was told that they do NOT have them on their ships. And since Carnival owns Princess, it may be true of Princess.

I know that Holland America, Celebrity, and Royal Carribean has Mass available.

Take Care,

Barbara

 

[kage_ar]

Well Michael W. Smith is going to have another music cruise in July 2008 to Carribean, and it is going to be on Carnival.

I e-mailed Carnival regarding Mass availability and was told that they do NOT have them on their ships. And since Carnival owns Princess, it may be true of Princess.

I know that Holland America, Celebrity, and Royal Carribean has Mass available.

Take Care,

Barbara

I would suggest calling the offices of the Christian music artist in question. Let them know that Catholic Christians will have no access to the Mass during the cruise, and cannot consider buying the trip in such a circumstance. If it is going to hit the artist in the pocketbook, they might be more apt to insist the ship provide Mass. Should the Christian music artist or their “people” not care, well, then I guess the fact that they do not respect Catholic Christians is apparent and you can find a Catholic ministry to support with the $$$$$.

 

[barbfromtucson]

I would suggest calling the offices of the Christian music artist in question. Let them know that Catholic Christians will have no access to the Mass during the cruise, and cannot consider buying the trip in such a circumstance. If it is going to hit the artist in the pocketbook, they might be more apt to insist the ship provide Mass. Should the Christian music artist or their “people” not care, well, then I guess the fact that they do not respect Catholic Christians is apparent and you can find a Catholic ministry to support with the $$$$$.

Unfortunately, MWS is a Christian/non-Catholic artist, and a good portion of his fans are non-Catholic. I think those of us MWS fans who are Catholic–if we decided not to go on the cruise, it’s not going to hurt MWS’s pocketbook. On this past Alaska Cruise, there were about 900 of us MWS fans on the ship, and maybe about 25 of us at Mass that was provided for on Holland America.

I’ve been a MWS fan since I saw him at World Youth Day 1993 in Denver, CO. I’m not going to miss the cruise over the Mass issue.

I know many members here will not leave their home if they are unable to attend Mass while on vacation…I’m NOT one of them.

–Barbara