This year the Galungan celebration started on April 4, when bamboo poles decorated with young coconut leaf line all over Bali. On this day the Hindu followers from Bali celebrate the victory of Dharma over Adharma, marking the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. As explained by a fellow crew member, this is “the day Balinese will celebrate the kindness of humanity.”

This is a unique celebration lasting 10 days until Kuningan, another associated observance that comes on April 15. The day of Galungan is important for the Balinese, similar to a new year celebration when everyone returns to their home. The holidays are celebrated twice each year by the crew members working on cruise ships. Balinese crew wear their traditional costumes and prepare feast usually in crew mess where all crew is invited.

Here are photos of the crew members Yasa Bukti on Carnival Liberty, Md Arimbawa on Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas and Gustavo Sierra on Celebrity Solstice.

We wish Happy Galungan and Kuningan to all Balinese crew and their families and friends.