It is becoming more and more popular for tourists to take a cruise to Israel, with the Israeli ports of Haifa and Ashdod featuring as stops on the itineraries of more and more cruise companies. The cruises stopping in Israel tend to stop for one night in Haifa and one night in Ashdod (south of Tel Aviv), although occasionally they’ll stop for two nights in one of these ports.
The cruises which go to Israel tend to be Mediterranean cruises and stop in other Mediterranean basin countries such as Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt, meaning that they are well suited to those looking to encounter history, archaeology and religion in ancient lands.
Many people visiting Israel on a cruise choose to take tours inland. Our Israel cruise excursion tours cover the highlights of Israel, popular options for visitors who are :
The Port of Haifa is located on the edge of Israel’s Galilee region in the north of the country. The city itself has the famous Bahai Gardens which slope down Mount Carmel overlooking the bay of Haifa, and ending at the city’s restored German Colony. Beyond Haifa itself, however, there are loads of options for easy day-trips within an hour or two’s drive. The Sea of Galilee is about an hour away, and is the heartland of the New Testament with literally tens of sites to visit relating to Christianity ranging from churches and monasteries, to the Jesus boats which sail across the Sea of Galilee, and, just south of the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River Baptism site. To the East of the Sea of Galilee, in the Golan Heights is the amazing Gamla Nature Reserve and Israel’s only ski resort is at Mount Herman, whilst to the West is the Jezreel Valley, famously known as the Valley of the Armageddon. The Hula Valley is one of the world’s greatest bird-watching sites, whilst the Galilee region is flooded with leisure activities from biking and hiking, to paragliding and windsurfing. The archaeological site at Beit Shean is one of the largest in the world, whilst the amazingly conserved harbor at Caesarea, on the Mediterranean coast south of Haifa is fascinating. And, let’s not forget, the nearby Alona Valley and towns of Binyamina and Zichron Yaakov is the heart of Israel’s wine region.
The Port of Ashdod is located just south of Israel’s vibrant, cosmopolitan cultural capital, dubbed the “Mediterranean Capital of Cool” by the NY Times: Tel Aviv. Dripping with culture, leisure, and just about everything else conceivable, Tel Aviv’s White City is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its Bauhaus Architecture, the port of Jaffa is one of the world’s oldest ports, and the Tel Aviv Beach is a great option if you feel like doing very little. From Ashdod, Jerusalem is just an hour away. Jerusalem speaks for itself. Certainly the world capital of religion, the city should not be missed.
Israel Shore Excursions
It is possible to join a Israel cruise excursion tour to take you on your whistle-stop cruise tour of the Holy Land, but what is almost certain is that you will become addicted, and want to come back to see more!
