It’s been two months since 125 guests and staff returned from the Catholic Exchange/Catholic Scripture Study cruise to Alaska, and the memories are still as fresh as when we were on board the ship. This was not only the first Catholic Exchange cruise, but also my first cruise of any kind, so I didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be a week that far exceeded anything we might have hoped for.
The Church Afloat
From the minute we boarded the Holland America Zaandam in Seattle, the quality and high standards of the ship were immediately apparent. The crew welcomed us aboard with genuine friendliness. The ship’s common areas were very well-kept and clean, and the cabins were spacious and comfortable. We departed on time at four in the afternoon on a very un-Seattle-like sunny day. Our passage through Puget Sound revealed the emerald-green beauty of Olympic National Park and the San Juan Islands. During our first get-together, some of our guests spotted a pod of dolphins leaping and playing in front of the ship. This was truly an auspicious beginning to our cruise.
Over the next six days, the cruise became a combination spiritual retreat, Catholic conference, and “Last Frontier” adventure. Every morning began with Mass celebrated by Fr. Patrick Winslow, followed by the rosary. Not only did Father Patrick’s insightful homilies provide food for prayer for the rest of the day, but we were also treated to talks by our speakers followed by lively question-and-answer sessions.
It was exciting finally to meet renowned Catholic writers like Patrick Madrid and Mark Shea, as well as Gail Buckley, the executive director of Catholic Scripture Study (CSS), and Fr. Winslow, lecturer for CSS. Steve Ray joined the cruise in Juneau. His talk about St. John the Evangelist, and his DVD following the footsteps of St. Paul, vividly brought the early years of the Church to life, and demonstrated that the Church in those early days was the same holy, catholic, and apostolic church of today.
Compelling Attractions
Three representatives of Corporate Travel Service accompanied our group, specifically to help us have the best trip possible. They made sure that everyone’s cabin was comfortable, the meeting facilities well supplied with coffee, tea and fresh-baked cookies, and any problem was dealt with immediately. Their presence made a real difference for our guests, many of whom called and wrote the Corporate Travel Service offices expressing their thanks.
Catholic Exchange editors and staff, as well as the speakers, rotated among the guests at the dinner tables, where gourmet four-course meals were accompanied by a live orchestra. This gave CE staff a chance to get welcome feedback about how regular visitors to our site can best be served by our daily mix of news and articles. In turn it gave our guests a chance to share fellowship with the authors, ask questions and enjoy the general conviviality of the occasion.
With the outstanding facilities, delicious restaurants, and comfortable accommodations on board the Zaandam, many of us almost didn’t want to disembark when the ship arrived in port. However, the four ports had many compelling attractions of their own. Our first stop, Juneau, is set in a small harbor with majestic green mountains rising from the shoreline. Once you get past the cheesy souvenir shops at the dock, Alaska’s state capital is a friendly small town, with the enormous Mendenhall glacier just a short bus ride away. Sitka, which has been the state capital when Alaska was Russian, boasts a small but lovely Orthodox cathedral on the town square. Ketchikan is a step back into the Gold Rush days, with a pleasant wooden boardwalk along the creek in the center of town. Our last stop was a night visit to Victoria, British Columbia, a touch of England in Western Canada.
Fellowship and Looking Forward
The Catholic Exchange Cruise was one trip on which the journey is the destination. When we weren’t in port, most of the cruising was through the scenic Alaskan Inside Passage, a wonderland of islands, mountains, and wildlife. Our guests saw whales, seals, dolphins, puffins, and exotic sea birds. The sightseeing highlight was Glacier Bay National Park, where we saw at least 5 active glaciers with icebergs crashing into the sea. As we relaxed on the wooden deck chairs, the crew brought us wool blankets and piping-hot pea soup; we could not have been more comfortable in the tropics.
Over and above the beautiful ship, fascinating ports, and outstanding speakers, the highlight of the Catholic Exchange Cruise was the fellowship with the other guests, and the many friendships that grew over the course of the week. We had guests from at least five countries, and others from all over the USA, and our shared faith brought us together. On the last day of the cruise, many guests exchange phone numbers and emails with new friends, and expressed hope that they would travel together again.
As we prepared to disembark in Seattle, the Catholic Exchange and Corporate Travel Service team received numerous thanks and compliments from our departing guests. The most frequent question was “When is the next cruise?” We are currently looking into destinations for another Catholic Exchange/Catholic Scripture Study cruise — and we hope you can join us!
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Brendan Hickey manages advertising, development, and special projects for Catholic Exchange.
For more information about Corporate Travel Service and their cruises and pilgrimages, please visit their website.
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