Maidstone’s Millennium Masters and their ladies on board.

Cruising is an increasingly popular type of holiday, and many Freemasons from this Province and beyond, enjoy the delights of the big cruise ships, sailing the seven seas and visiting diverse parts of the world. Such is the popularity of cruising amongst Freemasons, that it is common for a Masonic get-together to take place on board. W Bro David Herron of Maeides Stana Lodge No7868 has written to tell us about a group of Past Masters from lodges at the Maidstone Masonic Centre who, with their ladies, recently joined P&O’s flagship liner Arcadia for a cruise around the Caribbean.

A Masonic Charity Party was organised, attended by nearly fifty Brethren with their wives and partners. The Senior Brother present was a Deputy District Grand Master from Portugal, who acted as President for the event, which raised almost £1,000 for the Captain’s nominated charity; the RNLI.We have also heard from W Bro Bill Boggia PGStdB PPrJGW of the Graveney Court Lodge No8637 regarding his similar experiences, who picks up the narrative.

“It is absolutely amazing what a small band of Masons on board a cruise ship can raise. An informal gathering usually takes place after an announcement in the ships daily bulletin, and on longer cruises of ten days or more, there may also be a Ladies Event, such as a cocktail party. These are very jovial events which give both the ladies and the boys a rather special time to remember.Quite often the Captain or a Senior Officer attends to receive the cheque and join in the fun.

My most recent cruise was on the new Fred Olsen liner ‘Boudicca’, which went into service in February 2007. Although it was only a short seven day cruise, we managed to put together a Ladies Cocktail Party with the aid of the staff and some of the entertainers aboard who were Brother Masons, and raised £235 for the Royal Naval Lifeboat Institution. We learned that in the ship’s short time of commission, £2,000 had already been raised at similar Masonic events. I was pleased to be able to present to the Cruise Director, a bound blue leather attendance register with gold leaf titles, in which anyone attending a Masonic event on board the Boudicca in the future can sign their name and look back at those who have gone before.

If you cruise on board the Boudicca yourself, do look at the register. You will be surprised at where Brethren have come from; The British Isles, Europe, Asia, Africa, The Americas and Australia. All meeting together, communicating happiness and raising funds for charities.”

From Ed46, P15