Jewish Sabbath Services aboard Celebrity Silhouette sailing 5, January 2012

Hello, this is my first time using the CC forum. My husband and I are sailing on the Silhouette,5 Jan 2012 . We are interested in knowing if the Celebrity line is preparing to host Jewish Sabbath Services on Friday, 06 Jan 2012 and 13, Jan 2012? We have sailed on several lines which were prepared with Challah,candles and wine but no prayer books. Others had prayer books. Can someone confirm if Celebrity will be hosting Jewish Services? and will there be a Lay Leader? Please fill me in on the Celebrity Silhouette's plans to assist me and fellow Jewish pax observe the Sabbath.

thnx, sandee cohn,

The only time Celebrity holds any religious services is during a religion's special holy days such as Christmas, the High Holy Days and perhaps Easter. They've never "hosted" Sabbath. They don't provide anything but they will allow passengers to do "do it yourself" services by providing a room.

I have been on several Celebrity cruises in which wine and challah and either real or battery candles were provided for services to be led by the congregation. Usually prayer books were available, and I've seen both Reform and Conservative books on different ships. Be prepared for an egalitarian service, as it sometimes takes both men and women to make a minyan!

This is sometimes not in the daily schedule, but posted near guest relations. If your cruise starts a few days before Shabbat, ask guest relations to check with the Activities Director (this person works under the cruise director, and is responsible for things like Shabbat location and supplies.)

There always seem to be Friday night services with wine and challah, but the guests who attend lead the services. It's always been fun for us.

I take my own battery operated tea lights to light candles in our stateroom, but i have seen them also in the room set up for the services.

There should be a sign up sheet.

Hello, this is my first time using the CC forum. My husband and I are sailing on the Silhouette,5 Jan 2012 . We are interested in knowing if the Celebrity line is preparing to host Jewish Sabbath Services on Friday, 06 Jan 2012 and 13, Jan 2012? We have sailed on several lines which were prepared with Challah,candles and wine but no prayer books. Others had prayer books. Can someone confirm if Celebrity will be hosting Jewish Services? and will there be a Lay Leader? Please fill me in on the Celebrity Silhouette's plans to assist me and fellow Jewish pax observe the Sabbath.

thnx, sandee cohn,

We were just on the Eclipse in November and had two Friday night services. The first week there were about 50 people who attended, the second over a hundred. Celebrity provided challah, wine and prayer books. The was someone among passengers to lead the service, and lucky for us also a retired cantor. But always check in advance to make sure they post it. Ours was even announced in the daily.

Did not happen to me good friend's were on a Celebrity Caribbean Cruise think it was last year and went to the self run Friday night service about 20 people give or take a few no one felt up to leading the service finally a women says I guess I should out my husband he is a trained Reform Rabbi but now is in another profession. He lead the service and it was a wonderful service he led. My friend's return from the cruise tell me the story I learn the Ex Rabbi is in TX turn's out after asking his name he was my synagogue's religius school director for several years. Talk about a small world.

Hoping for the opportunity to worship on board on my next Celebrity cruise on Century in March from Sydney- Honolulu 17 nights but wonder being with many Australian's on board and few from Australia are Jewish if it will materialize having services making minion.

Peace to all and smooth sailings,

HSB5956

I was on Celebrity Nov 30 Sydney to Auckland. In the daily info sheet there was mention of Jewish celebrations both Fridays. There was nothing for the Christians on the first Sunday but by the 2nd Sunday a retired Uniting Church minister had arranged for a service at 5 pm. There were 60 - 70 attending and it was a lovely service, held in the card room. This was also advertised in the daily.

On thé Millenium last September, we had two Friday nights. The first one had candles, challah, and wine on a podium but no Celebrity personnel and no visible prayer books. We hunted around and found one Reform and one Orthodox (all Hebrew) prayer book as well as a Bible in Hebrew (I'm using the English words for these books). Luckily my brother-in -law is Yeshiva trained and led a lovely egalitarian service that we could all participate in. The following week the assistant cruise director was present because she had heard about real candles being used and was (understandably) alarmed. She said that this was her first voyage on the Millie and asked what could be done to make Friday nights special for us. She was impressed that we didn't need a Rabbi--just a set of prayer books or even photo copied sheets so we could be "on the same page."

On previous cruises we have usually had the "set up" every Friday including prayer books--usually Reform ones. HAL did a particularly lovely job with cake and a lovely table. RCCL actually assigned a waiter to assist in serving (which, unfortunately unnerved the very large Orthodox Italian extended family who felt that this rendered the wine un-Kosher). Last Passover we were on Regent who actually flew in Kosher chicken and provided a Seder set-up with gourmet meal and all the trimmings. None of the lines have Rabbis aboard routinely unless one happens to be among the passengers.

To summarize, every cruise ship we have ever been on (many) has been more than happy to accommodate our needs, but sometimes they need a bit of education. We always enjoy going to whatever is available and are always amazed at how a group with varied traditions, melodies, and customs somehow finds a willing leader and shares a warm, community Shabbat.

Sandee Cohen,

We were on the transatlantic Silhouette cruise in Oct. Celebrity did have Friday services & provided wine, challah, and prayer books. A lay leader led the service. It will not be in the daily newspaper & most people at Guest Services knew nothing about this service. Just keep asking & sooner or later you will find someone who knows the time and place. We will be on the Silhouette again in January...she is a lovely ship....you will love the cruise.

We're on the Solstice on Passover. Anybody ever been on a Celebrity cruise on Passover. The Celebrity brochure indicates a Rabbi will be on board for a sedar. Not sure how that works but intrigued to do a sedar at sea.

Here is what Celebrity says about religious services on their website:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do?faqSubjectName=Onboard+Services&faqId=3977&pagename=faq_answers

There always seem to be Friday night services with wine and challah, but the guests who attend lead the services. It's always been fun for us.

 

I take my own battery operated tea lights to light candles in our stateroom, but i have seen them also in the room set up for the services.

 

There should be a sign up sheet.

Hi Janet, Royal uses the sign-up sheet but X doesn't. Notification and information will vary from ship to ship. I have been on Infinity for Shabbat on two different cruises and there was always challah and wine and some form of candles.

Caroline

Several years ago we were on the Infinity during Passover. Celebrity arranged for part of the Deck 10 Oceanview Cafe to be sectioned off for a Seder. They provided a Rabbi, traditional meal, haggadahs..the whole works. Truth be told, however, I did see several guests barely nibble their chicken dinner and head out a little early for their late seating in the MDR.

We're on the Solstice on Passover. Anybody ever been on a Celebrity cruise on Passover. The Celebrity brochure indicates a Rabbi will be on board for a sedar. Not sure how that works but intrigued to do a sedar at sea.

I was on the Infinity for Passover a couple of years ago on a Panama Canal cruise and they set aside an area in the buffet and did tablecloths and a very nice dinner with a choice of chicken or salmon. A rabbi was on board to lead the seder, but the ship staff could not find the haggadot, so the rabbi made a flip chart as well as a half-page cheat-sheet for each of us at the tables. They only had one box of matzoh, though, and couldn't provide it for the remaining days of Passover. The ship kitchen's interpretation of haroset was pretty, um, different, whether you prefer the Sephardic or Ashke****c version. Nevertheless, people were in good spirits and we had a good time. One non-Jewish couple attended and seemed to enjoy themselves. On all the cruise lines, any religious activity is open to people of all faiths (or no faith). Once on HAL, the seder was on Lobster Night in the MDR, and at least half the seder participants ducked out half-way through to partake.

(asterisks above inserted by CC. If you can figure out the missing letters, you'll see why, although it's weird that their robot takes those letters out in any context.)

Hi Janet, Royal uses the sign-up sheet but X doesn't. Notification and information will vary from ship to ship. I have been on Infinity for Shabbat on two different cruises and there was always challah and wine and some form of candles.

 

Caroline

...so how does one know when and where the services will be?

From our roll call on infinity, it's looking like we should have more than a minyan. I've been on cruises where no one wanted to volunteer, so I led a brief Kabbalat Shabbat service which was maybe not so good as I am not very adept at carrying a tune.:)

...so how does one know when and where the services will be?

 

From our roll call on infinity, it's looking like we should have more than a minyan. I've been on cruises where no one wanted to volunteer, so I led a brief Kabbalat Shabbat service which was maybe not so good as I am not very adept at carrying a tune.:)

Even though X sometimes says they're not going to put it in the daily program, they usually do. It's usually BEFORE early dinner seating, and lasts about 30 minutes.

Regarding carrying a tune, I think people are more relieved that someone has stepped up to lead than they are judgmental about the singing skills of the volunteer!

When I was on Infinity and inquired about Sabbath services, I was told at Guest Services I was on my own. The woman said they can't promote one faith over another, but they would provide a room, down on deck three near the theater. They would not post it in the daily but would put a notice on the desk.

When I was on Infinity and inquired about Sabbath services, I was told at Guest Services I was on my own. The woman said they can't promote one faith over another, but they would provide a room, down on deck three near the theater. They would not post it in the daily but would put a notice on the desk.

Thanks. My experiences were two and three years ago.

Caroline

I will call Celebrity and ask them about Friday night services on Infinity. I have never been on an RCI sailing where there was not a provision for them. I'm certain that Celebrity will provide a room, battery candles, challah, wine and a few siddurim, which on RCI are basic Reform.

If the rest of the group doesn't mind off-key Hebrew, I'll volunteer to lead if no one else with a better voice does.

I will post the results of my call on the roll call for our cruise.

We have sailed Celebrity every year since 2000 and they always have a Friday night service available. It's usually around 5PM. They provide challah and wine and usually candles.

We will also be on the Silhouette on January 5th. We're on our way to a minyan!!

I have cruised Celebrity twice and several other lines and have always had Shabbat services late Friday afternoon. The two x cruises were during Chanuka and there was a rabbi. They provided Challa, wine, and, since it was Chanuka, latkes. There was candle lighting every night of Chanuka, as well. (On the Summit, in 2001, the candles were lit on the last night by two ship's officers, who were Israeli security).

At other times of the year, services are led by one of the guests. I have done it several times. There have always been books or xeroxed prayer sheets. On the Allure this month, I had a choice of the Reform prayer book or the Conservative one by Bokser. We had more than 50 people both Fridays.

Of all my cruises (see list below), the only time we did not have a minyan was the second Friday on the Amsterdam (when we were still in port in Juneau).

Then: Celebrity Century, 15 day Hawaii, rt San Diego, 11/19/2012

Next: Maasdam 10-day Eastern Caribbean Passover, April 6 2012

14-day Allure Eastern/Western b2b, 27 November 2011

Allure OTS, 7-day Western, 3 July 2011

Jewel OTS, 11 day Panama, 13 December 2010

HAL Amsterdam, 14 day Alaska, 14 June 2010

Celebrity Equinox, 10 day Eastern Caribbean, 4 December 2009

Independence OTS, 14 day Western/Eastern Caribbean b2b, 12/08

Jewel OTS, 14 day Western/Eastern Caribbean b2b, 12/07

Brilliance OTS, 11 day Panama Canal. 12/06

Crystal Harmony, 12 day Alaska, r/t San Francisco, 6/05

Island Princess, 10 day Panama Canal, 3/04

Brilliance OTS, 10 day Southern Caribbean, 12/02

Celebrity Summit, 10 day Eastern Caribbean, 12/01

Voyager OTS, 7 day Western Caribbean, 12/00

Majesty OTS, 4 day Bahamas, 8/00

This is all great news.

This Friday night we wil be attending Shabbat services at a synagogue in Buenos Aires (pre-arranged) The next 2 Friday nights we'll be on the Infinity.

I'm brushing up on L'cha Dodi as I type

Hello, this is my first time using the CC forum. My husband and I are sailing on the Silhouette,5 Jan 2012 . We are interested in knowing if the Celebrity line is preparing to host Jewish Sabbath Services on Friday, 06 Jan 2012 and 13, Jan 2012? We have sailed on several lines which were prepared with Challah,candles and wine but no prayer books. Others had prayer books. Can someone confirm if Celebrity will be hosting Jewish Services? and will there be a Lay Leader? Please fill me in on the Celebrity Silhouette's plans to assist me and fellow Jewish pax observe the Sabbath.

thnx, sandee cohn,

We have sailed on Celebrity for over ten years. My husband and I were on the Silhouette for it first TA. The line will provide Challah, candles and wine for each of these Friday services. The books that the Celebrity provides are not the ones my husband uses at home. However, he leaded services on this cruise and usually leads unless someone else wants to lead. The time on the services is usually posted near the guest services desk. On this cruise the time was posted in the daily activity sheet. Services are at 5:30 no matter what time candle lighting is.

My husband and I love going to these events and we do thank Celebrity for providing these services.

sailnjmom49

Depending upon the ship you get either real candles or the electric ones. The hard part is getting matches----very few people smoke nowadays---especially crew.

I've found 2-3 different sets of sidderum on board and often some pre- printed sheets. Yarmulkes are also provided. The CD staff are the people responsible. Depending upon how long they've been on board crew may or may not know the Friday night routine.

We find the Challis (always two) are outstanding.

Last year we sailed during Purim. We brought a recipe for Hamantashun with us that the pastry chief made for us. I conducted a Megalah service. I had brought on board a migallah but one set of sidders had the migallahs in them. We all read in turn and booed in the right places. Everyone enjoyed the Hamantashun and the Hotel Director found Baron Rothschild wine to use instead of Manishavitz.

On one cruise a Gabbi's wife was not pleased with what they put out the first Friday---the following week they put out Gefilta fish and horshradish.

One must be proactive in making sure they provide for Shabbat. They have the capabilities but someone among the passengers needs to lead.

Fortunately I have never been asked to lead services. I can handle both Reform and Conservative and have been a lay leader forever but chant - not so good or as my grandfather would say "nicht zer gut!"

There have been Shabbot services on every cruise we have taken, and that's quite a few.