Religion-themed cruising has come a long way since Noah built his ark.
Luxury cruise lines are offering a range of new options for travellers
seeking a sacred experience at sea or an Easter escape in 2013.
For its upcoming European season (April to December), Crystal
Cruises is uniting with Christian Heritage Tours to enable passengers
to make a pilgrimage to Bosnia’s Apparition Hill, where people have
reported visions of the Virgin Mary.
Crystal is also the first cruise line to organise a private mass for
guests at Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia.
In Italy, passengers can assist the 400-year-old charity brotherhood
of Pio Monte della Misericordia via a complimentary “voluntourism”
excursion.
Also in Europe, SeaDream Yacht Club is introducing an itinerary
that follows in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle.
Departing from Istanbul on 30 June 2012, the voyage visits
significant churches in Turkey and Greece, a healing centre and the
archaeological site of Ephesus.
Next year, on 4 August 2013, Azamara Club Cruises has a sevennight
‘Vatican To The Acropolis’ sailing from Civitavecchia (Rome) to
Piraeus (Athens), Greece.
This year, Azamara Journey will offer an 11-night Holy Land voyage
in October, with an overnight stay in Ashdod to give passengers time
in Jerusalem, Nazareth, Galilee and the River Jordan, as well as
Rhodes and Ephesus.
Celebrity Cruises also operates several Holy Land voyages this year,
including 12-night trips aboard Celebrity Constellation that feature
three immersive days in Israel: a two-day overnight, in-port stay in
Ashdod and Alexandria and a full-day call in Haifa.
Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas has new 12-night roundtrips
from Rome, available in May, September and October, which dock
overnight in Jerusalem and Alexandria, Egypt.
Other cruise lines offer shore excursions with a religious theme.
For example, Regent Seven Seas organises tours in Jerusalem
during Voyager’s ‘Gateways of Antiquity’ cruise from Luxor to Rome,
departing 4 May 2013; and Mariner’s ‘Empires of Antiquity’ from
Athens to Istanbul, departing 29 September 2013.
The tour includes stops in Nazareth; Basilica of the Annunciation,
where Archangel Gabriel informed Mary she would give birth to the
Messiah; Church of Joseph, the site that once housed Joseph’s
carpentry shop; Mary’s Well; Cana, where Jesus turned water into
wine; Mount of Beatitudes; and Capernaum, considered the centre
of Jesus’ ministry.
Another excursion is called ‘A Day in Jerusalem and Bethlehem’,
which visits the Christian quarter, Manger Square and the Church of
the Nativity, where Jesus is believed to have been born.
Both of these tours are complimentary as part of Regent Seven
Seas’ all-inclusive fares.
Closer to home, Australians can spend next Easter at sea (but
without any religious activities) on Carnival Spirit, from Sydney to
Fiji, for a 12-night South Pacific cruise, departing 21 March 2013.
From Brisbane, P&O’s Pacific Dawn sets sail on Easter Saturday to
the Whitsundays, Cairns and Port Douglas.
Princess Cruises’ Dawn Princess will embark on an Australian
circumnavigation on Easter Sunday, preceded by a two-day cruise
from Melbourne to Sydney on Good Friday.
For bookings, contact a travel agent.
