I returned last Monday from two weeks on a cruise ship from Seattle to Alaska and back to Seattle. I served as the Cruise Ship Priest, as I always do when I sail with Holland America.  This was my first cruise with all pandemic restrictions lifted and with a ship at full passenger capacity.  We had resumed offering Mass and other sacraments on cruise ships a little more than a year ago, after a two-year absence.

Last year, I had my first post-pandemic cruise with some capacity, vaccination, and masking restrictions still in place.  I noticed, as did our other cruise ship priests, reduced Mass attendance from pre-pandemic levels.  In our country, many parishes, including both of ours, have still not experienced pre-pandemic Mass attendance or involvement in parish activities.  I wondered what I would experience on a primarily domestic voyage with passengers on vacation.

We boarded both 7-day voyages on Sunday at 11 am.  Mass was scheduled for 5 pm, about two hours after sailing away from Seattle. Typically, Mass on boarding day is poorly attended. Many passengers haven’t even looked at the “daily bulletin” and have no idea there is a priest on board and Mass offered. Both Sundays, I was surprised to encounter over-capacity crowds, nearing 100 at the 5 pm Mass.

Even more surprising was attendance at daily Mass.  I served on-board for two 7-day back-to-back sailings.  On both sailings, with completely different passengers, we averaged 40-50 persons for daily Mass offered at 8 am. Passengers scheduled confessions and anointing with me, as well as some seeking counseling. 

Before my vacation, I worried we would never return to the level of participation experienced before the pandemic.  With two separate sailings of people who were intentionally “on vacation,” I was happily surprised, and the passengers were happy to have the opportunity to worship regularly.  Usually, I return from vacation with an overflowing “in-box” and unfinished work. This time, I return from vacation more optimistic that we can “turn the corner” here and begin to grow both of our churches.  Maybe I need to go on vacation more often!