Cruise Chaplaincy FAQ

A Cruise Chaplain may join a ship from 1 to 3 weeks. It’s important that the Feast days are celebrated. P&O will endeavour to make arrangements to work for the Cruise Chaplain by arranging flights and disembarkation to suit.

This will depend on the country that you reside, the passport issuing country and the countries that you will be visiting. The Stella Maris Cruise Chaplaincy team will be able to help guide you in this area and advise if you need to apply for a visa.

Costs will vary but Stella Maris will reimburse all costs associated with obtaining the visa including appointment and travel costs. Cruise chaplains need to book an appointment with the relevant local visa office. Stella Maris will provide evidence of flights and will provide a Letter of Authority to hand to the Visa Office.

Sometimes this can take a few weeks depending on the countries involved, especially the passport issuing country and where they are based, so it is always better to apply for a visa in good time before embarking on a cruise ship.

No. Stella Maris will cover you under the charity travel insurance policy and will provide you with a schedule and emergency travel insurance contact numbers.

Stella Maris will cover this cost as you will be travelling under the Stella Maris travel insurance policy.

All P&O cruise ships embark from Southampton. Sometimes it is necessary for a cruise chaplain to travel to Southampton the night before and Stella Maris will make overnight arrangements in a nearby hotel and cover the cost.

P&O arrange and cover the cost of all flights to the nearest main airport. Travel costs to the nearest airport are covered by Stella Maris.

P&O and Stella Maris arrange for travel to the cruise ship.

If you embark at Southampton, then a member of the Stella Maris team will welcome you and ensure you embark from the cruise terminal smoothly.

You are allowed to carry 2 cases weighing 23 kgs each.

Stella Maris will cover the following:

• Accommodation
• Food
• Visa if required
• All travel costs from home to the cruise ship
• All travel costs from the cruise ship to home
• Any onboard ministry costs can be reimbursed

• Drinks
• Onshore excursions. Some priests offer to help as tour guides and are not charged for the excursion.

Yes, you will be provided with a personal link to the P&O system where you can view the itinerary. The Stella Maris Cruise Chaplaincy team also have a copy of each P&O ships itinerary.

You will be working with the HR Manager in connection with the crew and the Entertainments Manager in connection with passenger guests.

You will be provided with a cruise cabin.

There will be 2 Masses celebrated. You will be expected to celebrate Mass late at night when the crew finish their shifts (usually 11:30pm) and celebrate the other Mass in the morning for passenger guests before breakfast (usually 8:30pm). You will arrange the times with the HR & Entertainment Managers.

As you will be onboard the ship during important Feast days at Christmas and/or Easter you will arrange various additional Masses e.g. Triduum, Christmas Eve, Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Years Day.

Yes, you will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation daily and maybe asked to offer other Sacraments when needed eg. Sacrament of the Sick.

• Travel Mass Kit
• Missal
• Hosts
• Holy Wine
• Bibles of various languages to hand out
• Rosaries
• Prayer Cards

You will be reimbursed for your travel costs home including train, bus, taxi and car park costs.

The HR Manager will assist, and you will have contact with the Stella Maris Cruise Chaplaincy team.

Faith resources can be kept onboard but it’s important they are kept in a safe place and a member of the Stella Maris Cruise Chaplaincy team are advised. If Gift Aid envelopes have been handed to you or a collection then these must be passed to a member of Stella Maris Cruise Chaplaincy team or to Stella Maris Head Office.

Yes, the Stella Maris Cruise Chaplaincy team offer a post-cruise Zoom meeting. It’s an ideal time to receive feedback and helps improve the service for the next cruise chaplain.