Catholic Mass?

wallawallakids

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 22, 2012
Hi Dis'ers!
I know Disney does not usually have a Priest onboard who can say Catholic Mass but I am curious about Christmas week cruises. Would they have one on board to say Sunday AND Christmas Masses during that week or would we still need to schedule our trip around a port that would have Mass? Thank you very much!
 
Hi Dis'ers!
I know Disney does not usually have a Priest onboard who can say Catholic Mass but I am curious about Christmas week cruises. Would they have one on board to say Sunday AND Christmas Masses during that week or would we still need to schedule our trip around a port that would have Mass? Thank you very much!
Typically, there is an interdenominational service on cruises that cruise over Sunday. That is, if the embarkation date and/or debarkation date are a Sunday, there's no service. This is generally just a space set aside for those who wish to to congregate. Often it must be lead by one of the attendees. Sometimes it's lead by a CM who's volunteered to do so.

In the past there have been special services for special dates like Easter. But that's always on a Sunday. In 2016 Christmas was on a Sunday, and there was an interdenominational service in the Walt Disney Theater.
 
Typically, there is an interdenominational service on cruises that cruise over Sunday. That is, if the embarkation date and/or debarkation date are a Sunday, there's no service. This is generally just a space set aside for those who wish to to congregate. Often it must be lead by one of the attendees. Sometimes it's lead by a CM who's volunteered to do so.

In the past there have been special services for special dates like Easter. But that's always on a Sunday. In 2016 Christmas was on a Sunday, and there was an interdenominational service in the Walt Disney Theater.

Ok. That helps to know. Thank you.
 


It probably depends on the priest who is on board. We cruised over Christmas week in 2009 on the Magic, and the priest actually held daily mass all week in the Buena Vista Theater, plus midnight mass on Christmas Eve in the Walt Disney Theater. I assume there as another mass Christmas day as well (but we spent the day on Castaway Cay...). My DMIL went to mass almost every day, but we only attended the midnight mass. It was well-attended by off-duty cast members as well as guests.
 
We have never had the fortune to be sailing when a Catholic priest was on board. We have had pretty good luck finding a local church when in port on a Saturday or Sunday. Failing that, we try to go once during the week. On our Alaska cruise which sailed out of Seattle, the ship stopped in Victoria for just a few hours (maybe 6pm - 9 pm) as the non-US port. Someone contacted a nearby church and arranged for a special mass for anyone who wanted to attend. They had a priest, a cantor and an organist. My son helped out as altar boy, my daughter was one of the readers. It was a very special Mass.
 


Hi Dis'ers!
I know Disney does not usually have a Priest onboard who can say Catholic Mass but I am curious about Christmas week cruises. Would they have one on board to say Sunday AND Christmas Masses during that week or would we still need to schedule our trip around a port that would have Mass? Thank you very much!

We celebrated Ash Wednesday on the Fantasy. But I would imagine this isn't a normal experience and we were just extremely fortunate. I would do your research into Mass in the ports and then look at the Navigators for information to see if you are in luck.
 
We have never had the fortune to be sailing when a Catholic priest was on board. We have had pretty good luck finding a local church when in port on a Saturday or Sunday. Failing that, we try to go once during the week. On our Alaska cruise which sailed out of Seattle, the ship stopped in Victoria for just a few hours (maybe 6pm - 9 pm) as the non-US port. Someone contacted a nearby church and arranged for a special mass for anyone who wanted to attend. They had a priest, a cantor and an organist. My son helped out as altar boy, my daughter was one of the readers. It was a very special Mass.
Wow! Wonderful!
 
I was on the Fantasy for Christmas 2016 and was able to go to midnight Mass. It was wonderful, so many of the staff we'd seen earlier in the day were there.
 
I am sad to learn there are no Catholic masses on at least Christmas or Easter. Unlike other faiths, an interdenominational service does not satisfy the obligation of a Catholic Mass.
There are Catholic masses, if there's a priest onboard who's willing to officiate.

Holland America is the only cruise line that I know of that sails with a priest on every cruise. Primarily for the crew, but they do hold masses for passengers, as well.
 
This may not be canon law, but our pastor has told us that we are excused from the Sunday Mass obligation if at sea without a priest. Though he did suggest it would be appropriate to try to attend a weekday Mass on a port day if possible.
 
This may not be canon law, but our pastor has told us that we are excused from the Sunday Mass obligation if at sea without a priest. Though he did suggest it would be appropriate to try to attend a weekday Mass on a port day if possible.

Just wanted to second this. Like gatordoc's experience, our pastor said that if we were at sea with no available priest it was considered a valid excuse for missing the Sunday obligation (similar to if a person was too sick to attend Mass). We are able to attend Mass in port for our upcoming cruises, but I was curious for hypothetical future cruises.

That being said, I wouldn't like not being able to attend Christmas Mass so it's not a cruise that would personally be a good fit for our family even though there's technically no issues with it. We do look forward to the simplicity of attending onboard Masses if we use Holland America for future cruises on destinations where they often have (imo) superior itineraries to Disney (Alaska, Europe).
 
I am sad to learn there are no Catholic masses on at least Christmas or Easter. Unlike other faiths, an interdenominational service does not satisfy the obligation of a Catholic Mass.

We cruised last year over Easter. There was a Catholic mass on Easter morning in the WDT and an interdenominational service as well. In addition, mass was offered Monday through Friday of that week in the BVT. If you notice in this thread and others I have read here over the years, it seems mass on Christmas and Easter is normal. It may not be guaranteed (probably isn't) but it does seem to be the norm.

This may not be canon law, but our pastor has told us that we are excused from the Sunday Mass obligation if at sea without a priest. Though he did suggest it would be appropriate to try to attend a weekday Mass on a port day if possible.

And not just for cruises. Many years ago, I was told Sunday mass requirement was waived when one was x number of miles from a church. Can't remember the number of miles but it wasn't many....far less than from the nearest port on a sea day on the Fantasy.

Just wanted to second this. Like gatordoc's experience, our pastor said that if we were at sea with no available priest it was considered a valid excuse for missing the Sunday obligation (similar to if a person was too sick to attend Mass). We are able to attend Mass in port for our upcoming cruises, but I was curious for hypothetical future cruises.

That being said, I wouldn't like not being able to attend Christmas Mass so it's not a cruise that would personally be a good fit for our family even though there's technically no issues with it. We do look forward to the simplicity of attending onboard Masses if we use Holland America for future cruises on destinations where they often have (imo) superior itineraries to Disney (Alaska, Europe).

As I mentioned from other reports, mass on Christmas day seems to be the norm. We cruised over the High Holidays from Miami a number of years ago now...2013, I think. A rabbi and his family were seated near us in the dining room and IIRC I saw a mention of Jewish services in the Navigator.
 
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This may not be canon law, but our pastor has told us that we are excused from the Sunday Mass obligation if at sea without a priest. Though he did suggest it would be appropriate to try to attend a weekday Mass on a port day if possible.
You can also ask your priest to give you a dispensation before you go on vacation. Generally, I think most priests will give you one.
 
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Yes I can get dispensation when going on vacation. That is not the point. For such important holidays as Christmas and Easter it is important to have a mass on those sailings (IMO). Glad to hear most do for those holidays. BUT, I will be sailing Holland America next, as the ability to have mass onboard is important to us, so much that we will choose this cruiseline because of it. Thanks for all the replys!
 
Yes I can get dispensation when going on vacation. That is not the point. For such important holidays as Christmas and Easter it is important to have a mass on those sailings (IMO). Glad to hear most do for those holidays. BUT, I will be sailing Holland America next, as the ability to have mass onboard is important to us, so much that we will choose this cruiseline because of it. Thanks for all the replys!
Everyone has their reasons for making choices like this. You might consider contacting DCL explaining that it's important to you. Change can start with one person's request/comment.
 

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