The other day, I was discussing Caribbean cruises with a coworker. She mentioned that, on the cruise she had been on, several years ago, The Star Spangled Banner was played nightly in the dining room, and everyone had to stand, etc.
I have been on only one cruise so far (on Celebrity, circa 2009) and this didn’t happen.
How common is this practice?
(For the record, I find national anthems and flag-salute rituals really silly.)
I’ve been on a bunch of cruises, of several different major companies, and I’ve never seen or heard of this.
Me neither. And one was along the coast of Alaska, so in US waters.
Every cruise I’ve been on had many non-US nationals, so this would be very odd.
Odd indeed especially as most cruise ships aren’t registered in the USA. Best I can tell Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America is the only cruise ship registered in the USA.
And on all the cruises I’ve been on, the entire crew, from the captain down to the stateroom attendants, are all non-Americans. So it would be very weird for them to lead the passengers in the U.S. national anthem.
But it sure would be a cool opportunity to film a replay of the dueling-anthems singing scene in Casablanca 
I hear that on Carnival Cruises these days, they play the “Norovirus Blues” after the evening meal.
Standing is optional.
Ah, I just asked my coworker about the details, and she said it was on a Carnival ship, “around 2001-2002”. She said there was also a huge U.S flag in the ship’s concert hall.
The time period, of course, explains a lot.
Thanks for all the replies.
Are you sure she wasn’t just in the Navy?
:p:D
I’ve been on 11 or 12, including US-flagged ships, and have never encountered this (including in 2001).
…but it is tradition to go up on deck afterwards & feed the fish.
I’d love to see a throw away mock-documentary on the TV in the back ground of some TV show or movie with a faux- Carnival spokesman admitting that it was all intentional:
“Look, too many people were bitching about gaining weight with all the midnight lobster buffets. To maintain market share we had to come up with Something.
But how do you promote 24-7 food while promoting a Sports Illustrated swimsuit look?
Then, in 2012, while a bunch of us Board members were over in Italy laughing at the Costa Concordia disaster, I visited an amphitheater showcasing Ancient Rome… and when I walked back stage, I had the most Brilliant Idea…”
I actually laughed out loud. Best post of the day.
I was on a Carnival cruise last year. No national anthems of any country. Also, no poisonings, leaking sewage, or marooned ship for that matter. In fact it was much more pleasant than I was expecting.
I’ve been on a number of cruises and have never heard any country’s national anthem being played. Weird idea.
Come to think of it, the only anthem I’ve heard on a cruise is that of the *Philippines *- on a Dutch ship in Alaska. The Filiipino crewmembers did a talent show on every southbound trip, and the Indonesians on the northbound leg, starting with their anthems.
Cruise companies (which are almost all Carnival brands now, btw) have customers from all over the world. No need to irritate any of them.
That was my first thought, that it must have been shortly after 9/11.