Cruise ships aren’t always known for their solemn atmospheres and testaments to personal faith, reflection, and communing with one’s beliefs. This may be particularly true of Carnival Cruise Line, which has a party-vibe reputation and has more than once been cited for passengers showing their wild side.
But, should cruise ships offer a dedicated chapel space for travelers who do want to have faith and fellowship onboard?
“I am shocked that Carnival Cruise Line has taken away the chapel from their ships. You have taken away time spent with God and replaced it with games in the arcade. Every new ship you are building now should have a chapel,” one commenter wrote to John Heald, Carnival’s official Brand Ambassador.
It is true that some Carnival cruise ships used to have chapels, but no longer do. For example, the Spirit-class vessels, including Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Miracle used to have dedicated chapels on Deck 3, Atlantic Deck.
The small chapel was originally located mid-ship portside, between the piano bar and the ship’s library. The space offered a quiet, reserved space for personal reflection or faith-based gatherings as guests wished. The chapel was also an option for onboard weddings and vow renewals.
As the ships have been updated and renovated, however, the seldom-used space has been turned into the ship’s Warehouse Arcade with a much noisier and far less faith-based atmosphere. At the same time, the libraries have also been removed, also for arcade space.
It is not uncommon for cruise ships to be updated and spaces repurposed to meet guests’ changing preferences over the years. Another example is the new additions of smoke-free casino spaces, which are proving to be very popular with travelers.
Larger spa facilities, more onboard retail areas, and new specialty dining options are also changes that have come to the Carnival cruise ship fleet over the years.
Heald, however, is always respectful of guests’ inquiries and does give attention to the mention of chapels with a poll question posed to his more than 591,000 Facebook followers. This is the very best way to gauge interest in the space from avid Carnival cruisers.
Of more than 53,700 votes cast in the poll, 21% – roughly 11,280 responses – believe that new Carnival ships should not feature a dedicated chapel space. Just 7% – approximately 3,760 votes – agree that new vessels should have such a quiet space for faithful reflection.
Interestingly, 34% of votes – roughly 18,260 – are cast, noting that travelers “do not use the arcade” when sailing. To be fair, the arcade space is typically most popular with young cruisers and teens, not the same sort of responders who would be reading Heald’s Facebook page and responding to his questions.
The onboard arcades are not, however, exclusively youth spaces and cruisers of all ages are welcome. In addition to video games, the arcades usually offer some prize-oriented games as well as popular favorites like air hockey and skeeball.
Just 4% of voters – 2,150 responses – enjoy visiting the onboard arcades and playing the various games.
What About Worship Onboard Carnival Ships?
Many different commentors chimed in on the issue of onboard chapels, noting that the dedicated space is not required for interested individuals.
“I honestly do not need the chapel in order to pray and spend time with God, I can do that in any location,” one commenter said.
“I don’t think a chapel is necessary to spend time with God. Find yourself a quiet place, whether it be in your stateroom, or out on the balcony, looking at the blue water, and enjoy your time there,” another commenter agreed.
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Similar sentiments have been expressed by many Carnival fans, though some do suggest that a “meditation room” useful for all faiths might be a welcome space. At the same time, there are plenty of quieter places onboard at different times of day where anyone could practice whatever type of personal reflection they prefer.
Guests also note that there are many amazing churches in different ports of call, giving faithful travelers beautiful and diverse options to practice their faith.
Would you use a chapel space onboard your Carnival cruise? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!
