Why "Catholic Cruises" are not a good idea.

I'm shocked to see Catholic news and apologetics outlets have started to advertise "Catholic Cruises" these last few years. This just seems wrong. It seems too much like the American Protestant approach to Christianity, where a congregation is built around a business-entertainment model. That model is the opposite of what Catholicism is supposed to be based upon. While going on a Cruise is not intrinsically immoral, it still seems to me that Cruises are a not a good thing, especially when formally united to a Catholic event.

I can see Protestants having Cruises, there is some logic there. In most Protestantism (not all), there is no sanctuary and entertainment is a key factor in bringing in the crowds, so a Cruise makes sense. Plus, with the contraceptive and divorce mindset firmly implanted, a Cruise is great for those couples who are holding off having kids so they can see the world first, as well as a great place to find a second spouse. And with Christians in general not too far removed from the mainstream Paganism, it seems a Cruise is a venue all Americans should be up for. And that's why Catholics should not be following behind.

The first thing that comes to mind when I hear the mention of a Cruise is that of hedonism at sea. That is, after all, the business model of the modern Cruise Ship industry. It's to get people away from home where they can party hard, meaning lewd dancing, fornicating, drinking, etc. While you often do get to sight-see, there is still a lot of "free time" to do those other things when you're captive at sea. This is why Cruises regularly feature activities like hot-tubbing, gay-friendly evens, casual dating, night clubs, gambling, etc. They know people want that stuff, so they offer it. Even regular things like swimming routinely involve women in bikini swimsuits (which I've talked about HERE) and dancing that can involve inappropriate moves and music. I'd strongly bet they even keep a large supply of contraceptives readily available. So the nature of the "boat" is not that of a Christian friendly environment. And it is these very boats that Christian groups pay to rent, which continue their "regularly scheduled activities" after the Christian tours are finished!

Given this, it seems wrong to dress things up so that it will be acceptable for good Catholics to board. While things like fornication and lewd dancing might be out of the question for Catholic Cruises, there are things like irresponsible drinking and bikinis that could very well be allowed to slide since there will be no way to really block them. Also, it's not like this is the context in which to engage in Mass and Adoration, since they're to be done in solemnity in consecrated areas, not some dance floor that's temporarily converted into a make-shift chapel by adding a few rows of chairs and a table.

And what about the cost? The Cruise that one otherwise very good and traditional Catholic media outlet is recently hosting is $1,100 per person, up to $2,900 per person for more luxurious cabins. And this is not including airfare, which is going to be no cheaper than $500. So every individual who goes on this Cruise will be spending $1,600 minimum, and double that if they're taking their wife. This is not exactly chump change, as $1,600 is more than a typical family monthly mortgage payment. In fact, that can easily be a month's mortgage and a month's groceries for a family. To just earn that amount a person making $25 per hour would take about 80 hours (2 weeks) of work to afford this, and 160 hours (1 month) of work if they're taking their wife. That just sounds like irresponsible spending and not to be encouraged. And since the above costs are not including children, this means there are more hidden costs to account for (e.g. childcare), unless the father or mother leaves their spouse and kids at home (which isn't responsible either). Vacations should be about family time, and there are many great options a whole family can do for $1,000 or less.

This raises the question then about who really is able to go on such Cruises. It seems the only people this is really feasible for are singles who are in their mid-20s and those who never married. But is that the audience Catholic outlets are supposed to be focusing on, alienating a much wider audience? It comes of as very insensitive when I turn on Catholic shows after they've returned from their fun and hearing them talking about how great and fun the trip was, despite the fact such an event was totally out of reach for the great majority of their audience. Such things are horrible ways of getting financial support for their apostolate, since if viewers think the apostolate has all this money to blow, there's no good reason to give them your hard earned money to do it. And to make matters even worse, such Cruises often involve increasing the real cost of a cabin so that the Catholic celebrities and their staff and family end up getting their vacation paid for by those who payed to attend.

To conclude, I'm not saying a Catholic should never go on a Cruise. There very well could be good deals, great sights, and wholesome activities. But I think it's wrong to do this within the context of promoting Catholicism, given what I've said above. What should really be promoted is parishes or a group of local Catholics just pay to have the Catholic celebrity come speak, which is a much more responsible use of finances and allows more Catholics to share in the fun. I could go on a tangent about the obscene costs that some (not all) Catholic celebrities charge, but I'll leave that for another time. All I'll say is that Catholicism and the business-entertainment model do not mix.