If a cruise ship has a hechsher on their food, that means the hechsher verified there's no Shabbos issues on the cruise?
So, I actually registered for this trip, and did ask about Shabbos and Kashrus, but I haven't gotten enough clarity to ease my concerns- and am on the verge of pulling out. Which is a shame- I was hoping
@Something Fishy was going to Antarctica, but haven't gotten any updates from him. I asked about shabbos, and it being a fully Jewish cruise, and was told that they won't be moving on Shabbos, so it's not a problem. When I asked their Rav about the hechsher for the food, he said the following:
"Thank you for your kashrut inquiry. Passengers who care about Kashrut are important to us and therefore the KRC management goes all out when it comes to ensuring kashrut.
The supplies for the Antarctica cruise are presently being arranged through our Hungarian suppliers.
We (through one of our mashgichim) oversee the "shechita" in Hungary. It is done by a globally respected shochet, who lives in Israel, where he supervises two "kollels" which teach Shechita. He goes to Hungary periodically to provide kosher meat for the local clientele. He is a highly respected master of his trade! All of our meats are GLATT. We also get other mehadrin and glatt products (processed foods) from local suppliers in Europe.
We get our "Cholov Yisroel and Pas Yisroel" baked goods in Hungary and Europe as well.
Our mashgichim are mature educated "Talmedai Chachamim" who care about, and are proud of, our exceptional adherence to halacha.
Please contact me if you have any further questions."
and when I asked which hechsher could vouch for him (maybe that's not standard for trips? I'm unsure), he said the following:
"There are no "organizations" which supervise our kashrus.
We rely on the "Shulchan Orech."
The products we purchase have "international," and "local" hashgachot, upon which we rely.
How we use them is solely and totally my responsibility, (which I take very seriously), and my mashgichim, who are talmedai chachomim, and shomrei torah umitzvot, (and in most situations they are musmachim as well) and I am certain that they are "yerai shomaim."
Many chosuvah rabanim and have cruised with us, multiple times.
If needed, I would be glad to give references as to my "farleslichkite."
Please feel free to discuss the issues at your convenience."
Is not having a hechsher or supervisory organization be involved with a trip like this standard operating procedure? I'm trying to figure out if this cruise is ok or not.
@Dan @Something Fishy, any thoughts?
