Passover

A World Cruise is high on our 'wish list', and I'm looking to 2019 when I will be celebrating a special birthday; it'll take that long to save up:o

However, there is a problem which could prove to be unsurmountable and that is Passover. Apart from going to Israel we have never been away at the time because of the dietary restrictions. What do people do?

I know we could leave the cruise early, but that defeats the purpose of a World Cruise. Any advice would be appreciated, even if it's something I don't want to hear :(

On this year's world voyage on Queen Elizabeth, a rabbi was brought onboard for Passover. There was a seder held the first night of Passover. I did not hear any complaints about how Cunard handled the dietary restrictions.

So you can enjoy looking forward to your world voyage (I planned and saved for 18 years), I would call the various cruise lines you might be interested in sailing and talk with someone about what procedures the line has for Passover.

I hope you are able to go on a world voyage. It is an amazing experience!

thanks for the quick reply. can't wait 18 years though! Hopefully DH and I will still be around, pg, but we'll be a bit old even for cruising :)

Any tips on saving? One way would be to cut back on our holidays, but neither of us can face the thought of no holidays for 5 years. Rob a bank? Start a money printing press?

thanks for the quick reply. can't wait 18 years though! Hopefully DH and I will still be around, pg, but we'll be a bit old even for cruising :)

 

Any tips on saving? One way would be to cut back on our holidays, but neither of us can face the thought of no holidays for 5 years. Rob a bank? Start a money printing press?

I had money taken out of my pay check before taxes (don't know if the UK has the same type of thing) so it was fairly painless. Each year when I got a raise, the extra went into savings. I actually saved almost three times what I needed but could not go until I retired.

I don't think there is a "too old" for cruising. One lady at our dinner table turned 83 on the voyage and she was travelling solo! She is my role model for cruising in the future.

A World Cruise is high on our 'wish list', and I'm looking to 2019 when I will be celebrating a special birthday; it'll take that long to save up:o

 

However, there is a problem which could prove to be unsurmountable and that is Passover. Apart from going to Israel we have never been away at the time because of the dietary restrictions. What do people do?

 

I know we could leave the cruise early, but that defeats the purpose of a World Cruise. Any advice would be appreciated, even if it's something I don't want to hear :(

If you wish to follow the orthodox dietary restrictions for Passover on a (non-kosher) cruise ship, it would seem be basically the same procedure as following all of the kosher laws for food on the ship at any other time. Only the food would need to be kosher for Passover.

You would, of course, need to eat only prepackaged Passover foods on paper plates with plastic utensils and paper cups for all drinks. As with Kosher food, the meals would need to be heated inside their packaging and only opened by you at the dining table.

There is usually a Passover Seder on cruise ships but unfortunately, you could not eat any of the foods offered, rather only your prepackaged meal with Passover matzos served in their unopened box and the Passover wine in paper cups.

The situation apparently would seem to be doable if you’re comfortable with making the preparations and allowances necessary.

Scott & Karen

Slightly off topic: For a World cruise would we be best booking early or waiting in hope that the price drops? We've done both in the past, but with an early booking we would get the chance to choose our cabin, which may be better as we will be in it for a long time :D

On Crystal Cruises World Cruise there is a rabbi onboard for the entire world cruise. We have a Seder and also celebrate the other holidays such as Purim on board. In addition there is a priciest on board and also a minister.

Keith

Slightly off topic: For a World cruise would we be best booking early or waiting in hope that the price drops? We've done both in the past, but with an early booking we would get the chance to choose our cabin, which may be better as we will be in it for a long time :D

If you have a specific cabin you really want, I would go ahead and book it.

You never know what is going to happen. I booked my world cruise in September 2012 for 2014. The price for the full world never went down (at least in the US) although segments were put on sale. Cunard had a huge sale this summer on the 2015 world voyage with up to 30% off in some cases. It is a gamble.

For a world cruise, Holland will have a rabbi on board for the entire cruise, as well as a priest and a minister. They will also provide kosher food but they used to admit it is loaded on board as pre-packaged food. Not sure if still true. If interested, you can call ship's services and ask for more information.

I book as soon as I can for world cruises as prices rarely change and I have a specific cabin that I really like. I am now cruising solo and the 2016 Holland world cruise decreased the single supplement percentage - which was an excellent refund! That is about the only decrease I have seen on Holland in a long while, except segments as scrapnana mentioned. This is why I have already booked the 2017 world cruise.