Since then, I have conducted worship a number of times and have been blessed with many opportunities for ministry. Granted, as a minister, I am on vacation, and on some trips I have opted not to do the service, because I needed the rest; but other times, especially when a Sunday has come at the beginning of the cruise, I have been able to lead a service and still have a restful vacation. As a result of leading worship, we have met Christian friends with whom we have had great fellowship during the remainder of the cruise, and I have had opportunity to do significant counseling on numerous occasions.

Some years ago, my wife and I saw a cruise to the Bahamas advertised at a bargain price. We bought it, had a great time, and have been sold on cruising ever since. Despite all the recent negative reports on cruise travel, we love to vacation this way. We unpack once, and enjoy great ports, accommodations, food and service. It’s an ideal escape; we come home thoroughly rested and ready to get back to work. Last year, for our fortieth anniversary, our ship was the perfect floating hotel and restaurant, taking us from port to port throughout the Med.

Despite our satisfaction with cruising, one thing we soon missed was gathering with the Lord’s people on Sunday to worship. Some cruise lines will occasionally supply a Roman Catholic priest for special religious services, such as, Easter and Christmas, and one cruise line usually has one for long cruises; but Protestants are largely forgotten. Around the time we took our fourth cruise, we took three of our children and their spouses, and I decided that because there was going to be a day at sea on a Sunday, I was going to try to get the cruise line to allow me to conduct Protestant worship services that morning. I made a lot of phone calls, and finally got it scheduled. Some friends at church laughed at the idea that anyone would show up for worship; but when the time came, over a 100 did attend, and that represented about 8% of those on board. We found that there were others like us who wanted very much to be with God’s people on the Lord’s Day for worship.

Since then, I have conducted worship a number of times and have been blessed with many opportunities for ministry. Granted, as a minister, I am on vacation, and on some trips I have opted not to do the service, because I needed the rest; but other times, especially when a Sunday has come at the beginning of the cruise, I have been able to lead a service and still have a restful vacation. As a result of leading worship, we have met Christian friends with whom we have had great fellowship during the remainder of the cruise, and I have had opportunity to do significant counseling on numerous occasions.

It is estimated that 20 million people in the world cruise each year, and about 12 million of these are from the United States. Among these are many Christians who want to worship, and I have some good advice to share, which I have learned over time, as to how some of you reading this can conduct worship on a cruise ship. Let me give you the details I’ve learned from my experience.

In order to lead worship, you should be an ordained minister or elder, or someone in a leadership position in the church. Cruise ships like for their passengers to enjoy themselves; they are happy to help groups get together for activities on a ship; however, if you plan to lead worship, they are probably going to want to see something from you indicating that you have an official leadership position in your denomination or local church. Their dance instructors know how to teach dancing, so if you are going to lead worship, they would like to see that you are authorized by some group to do so. You can get a letter or document of an official nature from your church or governing board before you leave on your trip and carry this with you.

If you are hoping that you can get a free cruise or some kind of discount by doing this, forget it. These opportunities are rare. If you want to lead worship, then do it simply for the joy of worshipping with other believers and serving them by organizing a worship service; and please don’t ask for any special perks; you’ll look bad and make others of us look bad as well.

Earlier, I mentioned Sunday as a sea day; this is the only Sunday I would try to do a service. If the ship is going to be in port, folks are going to go do whatever that port has to offer. On port days, if timing allowed it, we have gone into town and found a church where we could worship (the last time we did this, we were in St. Kitts, arrived at church late, and unknowingly sat in the deacons’ section).

Before you leave on your trip, you should have an idea of what the service is going to look like. I would print an order of service, front and back on one sheet of paper. Make copies to take with you, or ask the cruise director’s office to do so, once you get permission to lead worship. You can include The Apostle’s Creed, a responsive reading from a Psalm, and maybe a couple of familiar songs, such as, “Amazing Grace.” Remember, this is a service for a wide range of Protestants, so when you do the sermon, don’t use it as an opportunity to wax eloquent on predestination or baptism; and of course, you would not include an offering. Tailor the service to last an hour. Don’t be surprised if some of the crew shows up; the last service we attended, the Cruise Director came.

I mentioned earlier that I made phone calls to the cruise line before the cruise began; I have learned that this is not the best way to proceed. Basically, if you have a service, it is up to the Cruise Director to authorize it; when you are on land before the cruise, the Cruise Director is at sea, and the home office has better things to do than try to coordinate a worship service between you and the Cruise Director.

Here’s what you do: the first day of the cruise, as soon as you can, go to the Cruise Director’s office and try to speak with someone, letting them know that you would like to lead a worship service on Sunday. Be sure to have your request in writing, and write your cabin number on your request, so that they will be able to contact you later. Present them with a letter that (1) lets them know that you are authorized to lead worship, and attach documentation; (2) ask for a room to do the service, and a piano and pianist if possible; provide music for pianist to use (you will probably lead worship in a theater or bar); (3) ask for a time for the service, such as 9 or 10 am. Ask for an hour, as that is all that you will get, because the cooking show may start as soon as you have the closing prayer. (4) If you are in a large room, you will need a sound system. (5) Finally, and this is very important, emphasize to the cruise director to place the worship service on the daily schedule of activities. Each evening, cabin stewards will leave a schedule for the next day in all the cabins, so you want to make sure you get on that schedule, or no one is going to know to come to the Schooner Lounge for worship at 9 am.

On Sunday morning, arrive early before the service. There might be music over the sound system that you will want to ask someone to turn off. Greet your pianist and those who come to worship. Hand out your order of service and begin the worship service.

Maybe some of these details sound like a lot of work to remember, but it really isn’t that much to do. Those who attend will sincerely appreciate all you did, and you will be blessed as well.

K. W. Pete Hurst is a part-time associate pastor at Calvary Reformed, PCA, Hampton, VA and an Associate Broker in Real Estate with DuVal Associates in Newport News, VA. He blogs at www.GodsFool.com.