Religious Service Question--Majesty of the Seas

[BunkerVA]

Hi!

 

I've got a bit of an odd question for you. Usually there is a Sabbath service offered on Friday night or Saturday morning on week-long cruises. I was looking though the 3 night Majesty of the Seas Cruise Compasses mommabean posted and I don't see any mention of one. I saw the Interdenominational Service offered on Sunday, but none earlier than that. Does anyone know if it is, in fact, offered? Usually you just had to sign up at the Pursers desk if you were interested. (It seems unlikely that the interdenominational service would include this...but maybe I'm wrong)

 

Not a make-or-break, but I like to go!

 

Thanks

Sam ;)

[Lifes_A_Cruze]

Hi!

 

I've got a bit of an odd question for you. Usually there is a Sabbath service offered on Friday night or Saturday morning on week-long cruises. I was looking though the 3 night Majesty of the Seas Cruise Compasses mommabean posted and I don't see any mention of one. I saw the Interdenominational Service offered on Sunday, but none earlier than that. Does anyone know if it is, in fact, offered? Usually you just had to sign up at the Pursers desk if you were interested. (It seems unlikely that the interdenominational service would include this...but maybe I'm wrong)

 

Not a make-or-break, but I like to go!

 

Thanks

Sam ;)

 

If it is not listed services can be held independent of the ship, while someone from the group chooses to lead. I'm curious myself what they will do for Christian services over our Easter cruise. If search is working, you might have some luck with other posts, as I know this has been covered recently.

[Merion_Mom]

Hi!

 

I've got a bit of an odd question for you. Usually there is a Sabbath service offered on Friday night or Saturday morning on week-long cruises. I was looking though the 3 night Majesty of the Seas Cruise Compasses mommabean posted and I don't see any mention of one. I saw the Interdenominational Service offered on Sunday, but none earlier than that. Does anyone know if it is, in fact, offered? Usually you just had to sign up at the Pursers desk if you were interested. (It seems unlikely that the interdenominational service would include this...but maybe I'm wrong)

 

Not a make-or-break, but I like to go!

 

Thanks

Sam ;)

As far as I know, all Royal Caribbean ships offer the possibility of Shabbat services on Friday night. They are always lay-led. Show up at the appointed time and place, and someone has to step forward to lead. They provide prayerbooks. (have been Gates of Prayer on my cruises)

[mommabean]

I went to the Sunday morning "service" on Majesty last weekend. Unlike my last cruise on Majesty it wasn't a real service but I give the young man from the cruise director's staff credit for showing up. Only one other woman showed up. He asked if we wanted to say the "our Father" which made it clear he is actually Catholic since protestants say the "Lord's prayer". :)

 

He asked if we had anything to share. Which I did briefly since it was something that had originated on my last Majesty cruise. I had really hoped Francesco Orlando would be there. He was a head waiter who conducted a great service complete with music last May. There were 7 people at that service including the man who did the headliner show on board.

 

I mention this so you can understand that any service can vary from ship to ship and cruise week to cruise week on the same ship.

 

We discussed the various denominational services after this 5 minute "service" was over. I asked because I will also be on board for Easter. He said that they do make the effort to try to have someone on board to conduct the various services during the Holiday periods. And as someone said, sometimes they have the service based on whether or not enough people sign up for it.

 

Or you can do as my husband did in Nassau last week. If you are in port, go to the service of your choice in port. I would think that many countries have a Jewish population even if it's very small. (Or maybe not) That will be an experience possibly like none you've experienced before. DH is Catholic so he went to the closest Catholic church to port in Nassau. He could not believe that the service was 2 hours long, full of world class singing, and no one seemed eager to get out of there and get on with their day. He said that when the 2 hour service was complete - no one walked out. They all began to kneel and privately pray.

 

Then they had a bake sale outside where my husband bought me something that looked like a bird seed patty. :) It was all sesame seeds stuck together with a little firmed up sugar solution. It tasted like bird seed, too. Maybe it was! But I ate it anyway. :D

 

So, basically. The experience will be what you make of it. If it doesn't make or break your cruise, inquire at the purser's desk if you see nothing in writing. Sign up if you can. Or get off the ship if you are in port and find a place to go for your service. You should research this prior to your cruise. I think my husband found the info he needed at virtual tourist.

 

We will have a sea day on Easter when I'm on the Enchantment of the Seas. I was told that Francesco Orlando is now on that ship but that he may be on vacation that month. If he is on board, I'm sure he'll conduct a service. I'll go if he's there. If he's not on board, I suspect they will have a Catholic service to which I'll go since my daughter's friend who she is taking is Catholic and I think her family would probably be pleased that she attended Mass on Easter Sunday.

 

Sorry for the long story....but your options are open as you can see.

[BunkerVA]

Hi everyone!

 

Thank you for the responses! I'll head to the pursers desk and see what's up. When I haven't been able to find a service, I spend an hour of quiet contemplation...bobbing along in Caribbean Sea!

 

mommabean--as it is a Sunday when I will be in Nassau, it is unlikely I will find a Jewish service, (Shabbat is sundown Friday-"sundown" Saturday) but thank you for all of your suggestions and observations! I loved looking at the Compasses!

 

I am counting the days!!!

Safe Travels,

Sam :D

[BunkerVA]

Oh forgot!

 

Life's A Cruze--I can't remember the last time I tried to search and DIDN'T get the white screen of death! :) Thanks for letting me know though!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Sam :)

[Tasha999]

If you happen to do the AOS Southern, the worlds oldest functioning synagogue is in Curaco. The floors are made of dirt. The ship does not stop there on Friday, but it is quite interesting to see. The floors are dirt. I purchased a poster of the synagogue, had it matted and framed.

 

Tasha

[rcgolfs]

Hi Sam! I saw your username, so I thought I would drop by and say hello! I hope you and John (and the cats and dogs) are doing well. I see you have 2 cruises planned - including the FOS - excellent! Laraine and I are doing the Southern Caribbean in November on the Serenade. That will be our first cruise since we were on the Radiance with you guys. Tell John I said hello, and take care!! :)

 

Rob

[mrBit]

Yasher Koach BunkerVA

[cruisePRN]

That is an expression I'd never heard so i looked it up. You learn something new every day.........looking forward to meeting you Marcel and claudia on our voyager sailing next January.

Shalom:)

[BunkerVA]

ROB!!!!!

 

How are you?!?!?! I was so miffed at myself that we got off the ship and didn't exchange email addresses! That was the BEST Meet and Mingle/CC Thread I've ever been on! I am still in touch with Mimi and Deb! We keep talking about a reunion! (And Mimi is actually cruising with Patty this November!)

 

I hope you and Larraine have been well! Things are staus quo here. I am in the middle of a master's program and graduate next June. Oh! And the girl John's brother met on our Radiance is now John's brother's fiance! They are getting married next year! :) And John's sister and her husband welcomed a baby boy into the world in November!! It's been an exciting year!

 

How have you and Larraine been? I think of her whenever I go to a shoe sale :D

 

Anyway, when are you headed out on Serenade and Freedom? We are on Freedom in December.

 

I hope you all are well!!! Get in touch if you can! I'm va2can at earthlink dot net.

 

Take Care!!!!!!!!!

Sam

[BunkerVA]

Thank you Mr. Bit! :D Shalom!

[mrBit]

shalom and happy Purim coming up :) :D :cool: party time!!!

 

same here CruisePRN, come on January!!!!

[erniesband]

Shalom, and Chag Sameach!

 

Every cruise we've been on, there's been a sign up list for Shabbat service, usually by the Guest Relations desk. We've only been to one, on Enchantment, I think. It was led by a volunteer passenger, up in the Windjammer. RCCL provided photocopied siddurim, challah and wine.

 

Rcgolfs, for your Serenade itinerary, if you're interested, both St. Thomas and Barbados have interesting synagogues to visit. They are among the oldest in the Western Hemisphere (St. Thomas is 2nd oldest, I believe, right after Curacao's), both still functioning.

 

Jodi

[Merion_Mom]

Be happy! It's Adar!

 

:) :) :)