Hello, everyone. This past Saturday while the Freedom was on a sea day, they had a burial at sea. I heard the cruise director and a crew officer talking about it during a "tv show" they were recording on Freedom next to the Flowrider. I think I heard them say it was RCCL first burial at sea. I also heard from other passengers that it was a Japanese family that had requested it, and it was done off of deck 2. I thought that was neat. I wonder if this will be a commom occurance as time goes by, as word gets out. Bye, Lil' Lori
Hello, everyone. This past Saturday while the Freedom was on a sea day, they had a burial at sea. I heard the cruise director and a crew officer talking about it during a "tv show" they were recording on Freedom next to the Flowrider. I think I heard them say it was RCCL first burial at sea. I also heard from other passengers that it was a Japanese family that had requested it, and it was done off of deck 2. I thought that was neat. I wonder if this will be a commom occurance as time goes by, as word gets out. Bye, Lil' Lori
I was standing by watching the taping of the TV show Lori mentioned. When the Cruise Director mentioned the burial at sea I got a little misty-eyed. He was discussing it with the Guest Relations Manager - whom he was interviewing. I then realized this was why the ship had slowed down earlier that morning. The Guest Relations Manager said it was very dignified with flowers and a small ceremony. We had a large number of Japanese folks aboard for this sailing. I wonder how many of them were there especially for the burial?
When I was in the Navy we did an occasional burial at sea for retired military personnel. It is such a poignant thing to witness.
I hope we will be hearing more on this idea-a burial at sea is one of the most moving experiences - and one of the most moving! Hopefully this will become easily available to us all!!
There's a thought for you... imagine it being so popular that the ship slows down three times a day and everyone knows why. There are some people who would get the willies knowning there were corpses on board. Not a bad idea for another type of ship but not a cruise ship. Something more private comes to my mind.
My understanding is it was ashes which were cast overboard. I don't think they'll do bodies and caskets for this.
True story.....a retired Naval officer was buried at sea in the 1980's and he was in a casket. They rolled the casket over the side and it didn't sink! The officer in charge panicked and had the honor guard put live ammo in their rifles and shoot the casket in an effort to sink it. Thankfully there were no family members aboard, but word got out from the crew. Not sure what happened to the guy who ordered the shooting, but the Navy revised the rules for burial at sea.
The Navy casket story was from the mid-80's I think. I am sure it happened after I was discharged, which was in 1984. And it could have been that the casket contained cremains.
Lil' Lori
Linear Mode
