Cruise Critic member in Israel, happy to answer questions

[happy trailer]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself and let you know I'd be happy to answer questions you have about Israel and visiting Israel. (I'm not a travel agent nor am I associated with any agent, I'm just a smiling resident happy to help out.)

I moved to Israel from New Jersey almost 10 years ago, and live in a Jerusalem suburb. [I'm about to take my first cruise- to the Mexican Riviera :-).]

I'll try to check this board a couple of times a week, and while I'm sure I don't have the answers to all your questions, I'll be happy to answer those I can.

Israel is a beautiful country, and I'm sure you're going to love every moment of it!

[That's a pic of my town in my signature- we live in the Jerusalem hills.]

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
We were wondering if you knew of a licensed tour guide who will not take any $ upfront. We don't want to give a deposit incase we have to cancel out the trip for various reasons. Any suggestions you could give us about a guide or suggestions of what to see in those 2 days would be appreciated.

Thanks in Advance.Ellen



Hi Ellen and Colleen,

I'm sorry but I don't have the names of any tour guides- I occasionally take walking tours here, but have never dealt with an English speaking licensed tour guide.

As to what to see in the 2 days you'll be in Israel-

From the port in Haifa, you can focus on the north, from the Mediterranean thru the Kinneret (sea of Galilee). A 'see as much as you can' tour would probably include the city of Safed (a great place to buy art, btw),Tiberias (for the Kinneret), a quick tour of Haifa, and maybe getting into the Golan Heights. For something a little bit different, you can include the grottos at Rosh Hanikra, which is on the border with Lebanon, a visit to a kibbutz, to the town of Zichron Yaakov where the Rothchilds established a winery, and going as far south as Ceasaria. The ride thru the Galil (Galilee) is beautiful, very lush and green, and you might be able to stop in a Druze village along the way. There's also a small town in the Galil called Klil, where Israelis live a 'back to nature' life without electricity- there's a small artist's colony and a restaurant.

For a fun day that is not so tour intensive, you can go to one of a number of beaches from Haifa to Tel Aviv for rest and relaxation, or go horseback riding or ATV riding in the Galil.

From Ashdod you can tour Jerusalem, of course (if you haven't been to the Old City, then I highly recommend giving yourself 2-3 hours to walk around, preferably with a guide), and also include a trip to the Dead Sea and/or Masada. We're from the Jerusalem area and spend our free time exploring the area, so I have a long list of things to do:

- Herodian: Herod's fortress, south of Bethlehem in the Judean desert.
- Mitzpe Jericho: a town on the way to the Dead Sea, overlooking the city of Jericho, with incredible views of the desert.
- Ein Gedi: a kibbutz at the Dead Sea
- Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, and also Ammunition Hill: both were important sites from the '67 war, with bunkers built and used by the Jordanian army. From Kibbutz Ramat Rachel you also have views of Bethlehem and Herodian, and also a panoramic view of Jerusalem.
- Ein Kerem: a lovely 'village' that is actually part of Jerusalem; it's an important site in Christianity with stunning churches, but it's also a pleasure to walk around. It's also down the road from both Yad V'Shem (the Holocaust Museum) and also Har Herzl, our national cemetary where you will find the graves of Herzl, Golda Meir, and others as well as a very well done and informative multi-media presentation on Theordor Herzl and foundations of Zionism.
- There are jeep tours available in the Judean desert, south of Jerusalem.
- You can also take a Segway tour in Jerusalem, btw.

For something very different, you can take a drive along the Jordan Valley Road. It starts just north of the Dead Sea and goes to the Kinneret, and runs along the border with Jordan. The scenery is breathtaking.

I also highly recommend visiting Mini Israel, which is between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It's exactly what it sounds like - Israel in miniature (not tiny). Here's a link to their website: http://www.minisrael.co.il/home_en.html
I went with a group of Israeli friends, and we all had a surprisingly great time 'walking around the country'.

As to timing, much of Jerusalem closes down from Friday afternoon until after sundown on Saturday evening (many, but not all restaurants are closed, just about all stores are closed, and buses do not run), but some museums and tourist sites will be open. Haifa is more secular, as is much of the Galil (but not Safed), so most restaurants and tourist sites will be open.

Please feel free to ask me any more questions, I'm happy to answer :)

Ruth

[Orange County Murphy]

Ruth,

Thank you so much for your helpful suggestions.

Colleen

[ptcellen]

Ruth,

Thank you so much for your suggestions. We will write again if we have any questions. Do you know what the weather would be like in mid Nov? Will it be very cold? By the way, where are you from in N.J.? See, I already had questions.HaHa.

Thanks

Ellen

[happy trailer]

Hi Ellen,

Mid-November should be in the 60's during the day and the 50's at night, but depending on how sunny it is, it can feel a bit warmer or colder. While the rainy season will have officially begun, the rain doesn't usually start until December, but you could hit a rainy day. I'm not very familiar with the weather in Haifa, but Jerusalem can get chilly at night, even in the summer.

I was born and raised in Paterson, and except for about 5 years in NYC, lived in the area until moving to Israel.

Keep those questions coming :)

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

Thank you so much for your helpful suggestions.

Colleen


My pleasure!

[ldog]

Hi Judy

Thanks for all the information. We will be in Israel in October off the Rotterdam VI.

We are in Haifa from 8 am to 11 pm and then Ashdod from 6 am to 8 pm. Is there enough time to see both Old Jerusalem and the Dead Sea on the one day? How long a drive is it from Ashdod to Jerusalem? I'm quite confused about distances.

[happy trailer]

Thanks for all the information. We will be in Israel in October off the Rotterdam VI.

We are in Haifa from 8 am to 11 pm and then Ashdod from 6 am to 8 pm. Is there enough time to see both Old Jerusalem and the Dead Sea on the one day? How long a drive is it from Ashdod to Jerusalem? I'm quite confused about distances.

Depending on traffic, it will take about 90 minutes (or longer) to get from Ashdod to the Old City; then it's at least another 60 minutes from the Old City to the Dead Sea. (There may be a shortcut to get from the Dead Sea to Ashdod so that you don't have to go back via Jerusalem, but I'm not sure.)

[The driving distance from Ashdod to Jerusalem is less than 50 miles, but that's just to the entrance of Jerusalem- you'll have to drive thru downtown traffic to get to the Old City (in addition to any rush hour traffic you'll hit on the way to Jerusalem).]

You'll want to take 2-3 hours to tour the Old City- I'm not sure if you have a particular religious slant that you'll want to take, but in any case between the 4 quarters of the Old City, and the souk, there is a lot to see and absorb.

You could fit in a trip to the Dead Sea as well, but it will be an exhausting and somewhat hurried day. Figure if the ship docks on time, the earliest you could be in Jerusalem would be 8AM, and maybe a bit later because of rush hour. 3 hours in the Old City, then 60 minutes to the Dead Sea is already approaching 1PM, and you have to be back at the ship by 7PM, so you'd have to start heading back to Ashdod by 5PM. Do you want to see Masada? Float in the Dead Sea (it's a lot of fun!)? Stop for a camel ride along the way? The drive from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is breathtaking, and you'll want to stop for photo ops along the way as well.

Just out of curiosity- is your ship offering any shore excursions that include both the Old City and the Dead Sea? That might give you a clue as to whether it's really doable. They are both 'must see' places, but I've never taken any visiting friends to both on the same day. Personally, I'd lean toward skipping the Dead Sea and focusing on both old and new Jerusalem, but I can understand why you'd want to squeeze in both if you were able.

HTH!

Ruth

[Bewer]

Hi Ruth

We will be visiting Israel in October. I have been trying to find out how to travel from the port of Ashdod to Jerusalem without using an organised tour. Depending on who wants to go with us we could be any number from 2 to 10. What sort of price would a taxi be? Is Sheroot a possibility? Is there a bus or train service?

We like to 'do our own thing' so generally don't take tours. My rough idea once we get to Jerusalem to to take the hop on hop off bus and explore what we want. May also book a tunnel tours.

Really looking forward to our visit. Last time we were in Israel was 26 years ago for our honeymoon. Shame on us for taking so long to come back!

[SteveS]

Hi Ruth,

We cruised to Israel last summer and loved it so much that we a comming back this September for 3 weeks. We docked in Haifa over night and hired a private guide to show us around we stated at the Dan Panaroma after touring Jeruselem and then went to Masada and the Dead Sea. We could use so halp on this years trip. Can you help?

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth

We will be visiting Israel in October. I have been trying to find out how to travel from the port of Ashdod to Jerusalem without using an organised tour. Depending on who wants to go with us we could be any number from 2 to 10. What sort of price would a taxi be? Is Sheroot a possibility? Is there a bus or train service?

We like to 'do our own thing' so generally don't take tours. My rough idea once we get to Jerusalem to to take the hop on hop off bus and explore what we want. May also book a tunnel tours.

Really looking forward to our visit. Last time we were in Israel was 26 years ago for our honeymoon. Shame on us for taking so long to come back!

I think doing the 'hop on/off bus' is a great idea, as are the tunnel tours. I finally did the tunnel tours last year with visiting friends, and it was fantastic. The on/off bus has a stop by the central bus station, so if you take a bus in from Ashdod you'll be all set.

I've only gone to Ashdod by car, but there certainly are buses that run to Jerusalem. I would imagine there will be cabs at the port, and they can take you to the bus station in Ashdod. There might be a sherut that runs from Ashdod to Jerusalem as well; either the cab driver can tell you about it and take you to a stop, or there might even be one waiting at the port. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I'm not even sure where the cruise ships dock in Ashdod- I've only been to the cargo terminal.

Because of the distance and traffic from Ashdod to Jerusalem, you might want to check the shore excursions offered, so that you don't have to worry about racing back to the ship after the day of touring.

(I know I've mentioned that to others, and I want to assure you that I don't work for the cruise line!)

BTW- for anyone who is reading this who doesn't know what a 'sherut' is:
it's a shared van. They are very popular in Israel; some follow the regular bus routes, others offer alternate transport between cities. I use them all the time to get to/from the airport.

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

We cruised to Israel last summer and loved it so much that we a comming back this September for 3 weeks. We docked in Haifa over night and hired a private guide to show us around we stated at the Dan Panaroma after touring Jeruselem and then went to Masada and the Dead Sea. We could use so halp on this years trip. Can you help?

Hi Steve,

3 weeks in Israel- great for you! I'm not sure what sort of help you are looking for; give me an idea and I'll be happy to give some advice.

BTW- if you are going to be here mid-September, keep in mind that the High Holy Days (Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur) are at that time, so there will be a few days when tourist sites are closed.

[Bewer]

I think doing the 'hop on/off bus' is a great idea, as are the tunnel tours. I finally did the tunnel tours last year with visiting friends, and it was fantastic. The on/off bus has a stop by the central bus station, so if you take a bus in from Ashdod you'll be all set.

I've only gone to Ashdod by car, but there certainly are buses that run to Jerusalem. I would imagine there will be cabs at the port, and they can take you to the bus station in Ashdod. There might be a sherut that runs from Ashdod to Jerusalem as well; either the cab driver can tell you about it and take you to a stop, or there might even be one waiting at the port. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I'm not even sure where the cruise ships dock in Ashdod- I've only been to the cargo terminal.

Because of the distance and traffic from Ashdod to Jerusalem, you might want to check the shore excursions offered, so that you don't have to worry about racing back to the ship after the day of touring.

(I know I've mentioned that to others, and I want to assure you that I don't work for the cruise line!)

BTW- for anyone who is reading this who doesn't know what a 'sherut' is:
it's a shared van. They are very popular in Israel; some follow the regular bus routes, others offer alternate transport between cities. I use them all the time to get to/from the airport.
Thanks Ruth.
That was very helpful. I'll check out the cruise tours but they do usually work out considerably more expensive than do it yourself. We have done a few cruises now and normally find public transport is a good option although I always do as much advanced research as possible hence my question

[oceanpark]

I am looking at a cruise to Israel in July as I can only travel in July and August. Will the heat be unbearable?

[happy trailer]

I am looking at a cruise to Israel in July as I can only travel in July and August. Will the heat be unbearable?

It depends on where you're from, and what sort of weather you are used to.

I'm originally from northern New Jersey, where we had hot, humid summers, and now, living in the Jerusalem hills, I don't have a need for air conditioning in my home (don't worry, everything all over Israel is air conditioned in the summer!). But, I find summers in Tel Aviv unbearable- very hot and very, very,very humid. Then again, a few hundred thousand people live in Tel Aviv and they manage!

As long as you wear a hat, use lots of sunscreen and DRINK WATER ALL THE TIME (I can't emphasis that enough!), you should be able to tour with little or no problem. You can plan your sightseeing around avoiding the outdoors during the hottest hours of the afternoon.

[marvelous M]

Thank you for all your wonderful information. We will be on the Equinox and docking in Haifa October 29th and Ashdod on Friday October 30th. I have been in touch with a tour group, Gama tours and they suggested doing on Thursday Bahai Gardens, Massada, Dead Sea and Ein Gedi and back to the ship. Then on Friday doing Yad Vashem Western wall tunnels, old city, Kotel and the Jewish Quater and the Davidson Center. Is all this possible on a Friday? I have never been to Israel and am so excited I can hardly wait till October rolls around. Thank you for your help.

[happy trailer]

Thank you for all your wonderful information. We will be on the Equinox and docking in Haifa October 29th and Ashdod on Friday October 30th. I have been in touch with a tour group, Gama tours and they suggested doing on Thursday Bahai Gardens, Massada, Dead Sea and Ein Gedi and back to the ship. Then on Friday doing Yad Vashem Western wall tunnels, old city, Kotel and the Jewish Quater and the Davidson Center. Is all this possible on a Friday? I have never been to Israel and am so excited I can hardly wait till October rolls around. Thank you for your help.

That's a VERY ambitious schedule (although I think there is someone on the 'tour companies in Israel' thread that said they had done something similar a couple of years ago).

That first day, you'll be spending several hours traveling, as Masada is about a 4 hour drive from Haifa.

To be honest, if you can swing it, I'd suggest you plan to spend the night in Jerusalem- you could easily fill a few hours in the evening/night walking around, touring, eating a great dinner, shopping, and then people-watching in a cafe.

The first day go to the Bahai Gardens, which are lovely, and then Masada/Dead Sea/Ein Gedi as planned. Then, instead of traveling 4 hours back to Haifa, you'd spend the night in Jerusalem. [You might even be able to take the tunnel tour at night, depending on how they are scheuled; we did it at night last year with visiting friends; and the kotel is right there, so you would see that on Thursday night, too. And, if you still have the energy, then you could also walk thru the Jewish Quarter at that time, and also walk along the walls.]

By staying in Jerusalem Thursday night, you can take advantage of one of our favorite things to do- the shuk at Machane Yehuda, which is in full swing and chaos on Fridays (we're there every Friday; just got back home a short while ago :-))- you'll be gawking, tasting, and laughing your way thru the shuk as you fight the crowds. It's a lot of fun, and delicious!

If you were able to do the tunnel tours Thurday night, then on Friday you'd have time to do the shuk, Yad VaShem, the Davidson Center, and the Old City. That's still a very full day, but doable, especially if you don't have to get back to the ship until the evening. After 4 or 5pm on Friday, you'll hit little traffic, so the trip to Ashdod from Jerusalem might only take an hour.

[Just to give you an idea where I'm 'coming from', last spring I traveled around the US for a month. While I was in San Francisco, I took a day tour to Yosemite. It was a 12 hour day, about 10 of which were spent in the bus driving to Yosemite and back. While I certainly am happy I took that tour, and still have clear images of the beautiful scenery along the way, and of course of the Yosemite highlights, I was already kicking myself in the park, and I'm still kicking myself, for not choosing the overnight tour. When you only have a day to see a special place, you have no choice but to run and grab what you can, but if you have a chance to stay the night, it's an opportunity that shouldn't be missed.]

I'm not saying that returning to the ship the first night can't be done- it's that staying overnight in Jerusalem will give you a chance to get a taste of the modern city as well, and that instead of spending the hours in the van returning to ship in Haifa, and then commuting to Jerusalem from Ashdod the next morning, you could spend that time touring, relaxing, and really 'feeling' that you have been in Jerusalem.

HTH!

Ruth

[livylotte]

Hello, thankyou for starting this thread it is very informative. Due to family commitments, this cruise has been on, then off and now on again! I am hoping it stays that way!

We arrive in Ashdod on a Sunday at 10am and depart at 10pm and then on the Monday we arrive in Haifa 7am, depart 9pm.

My husband worked on a farm near Be'er Sheva one summer many years ago and afterwards travelled for a while. He talks of Masada, tractors and melons! I wondered if you could suggest an itinerary that would include Masada and Jerusalem... not bothered about the tractors or melons!

We willl have 3 children with us. Although budget is important (Egypt overnight to pay for also!), I don't want to miss this opportunity of visiting Israel so would stay in a hotel if necessary. We only have 2 days and I don't wan't to rush round trying to see everything, just the main tourist sights in Jerusalem and Masada/Dead Sea would be great!

Should we return to the ship or stay overnight in a hotel? Could you suggest ways of doing either option please? ie what places to visit from which port and public transport vs taxi or private tour.

Sorry for so many questions. Thankyou!!

[marvelous M]

Thank you for your suggestions. We had thought about staying in Jerusalem and then starting our next day of touring right from there. It is a good idea and we are going to discuss it being that I heard that the traffic is horrible to Jerusalem and back to the port. Again thanks Marilyn

[happy trailer]

Hello, thankyou for starting this thread it is very informative. Due to family commitments, this cruise has been on, then off and now on again! I am hoping it stays that way!

We arrive in Ashdod on a Sunday at 10am and depart at 10pm and then on the Monday we arrive in Haifa 7am, depart 9pm.

My husband worked on a farm near Be'er Sheva one summer many years ago and afterwards travelled for a while. He talks of Masada, tractors and melons! I wondered if you could suggest an itinerary that would include Masada and Jerusalem... not bothered about the tractors or melons!

We willl have 3 children with us. Although budget is important (Egypt overnight to pay for also!), I don't want to miss this opportunity of visiting Israel so would stay in a hotel if necessary. We only have 2 days and I don't wan't to rush round trying to see everything, just the main tourist sights in Jerusalem and Masada/Dead Sea would be great!

Should we return to the ship or stay overnight in a hotel? Could you suggest ways of doing either option please? ie what places to visit from which port and public transport vs taxi or private tour.

Sorry for so many questions. Thankyou!!


Hi! First, please read thru my previous responses (especially the one right before yours ;)), and you'll see lots of suggestions.

How old are your children? Do you want to gear your touring to them? There are several things you can add to your touring (some I have mentioned previously, too), including a short stimulator ride of Jerusalem history, a camel ride, and Mini Israel, which I highly recommend. Across from mini-Israel is the Latrun Tank Corp Museum, which kids (and adults) also enjoy. And they'll love floating in the Dead Sea!

I'm happy to answer questions, but it's easier for me if you're a bit more specific :)

Ruth

[livylotte]

I'm happy to answer questions, but it's easier for me if you're a bit more specific :)

Ruth

Thanks Ruth, sorry to be a bit vague!

I've re-read through the thread and it's a great help. No, no need to structure our visit round our children, they are happy to go where we decide. But I think they (and I) would love floating in the Dead Sea so we will definitely do that! I think now we will wait to see what excursions the ship offers before we decide.

[ranchobernardo1948]

Hi Ruth,
Our daughter attended Hebrew U on Mt Scopus. I visited her there, but this will be my husband's first time. How long will it take to get from Haifa to Jerusalem by car? What are must see sights (Jewish) in Jerusalem and where else could we go for the day? I think we would want to return to the ship at night.
Marilyn

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
Our daughter attended Hebrew U on Mt Scopus. I visited her there, but this will be my husband's first time. How long will it take to get from Haifa to Jerusalem by car? What are must see sights (Jewish) in Jerusalem and where else could we go for the day? I think we would want to return to the ship at night.
Marilyn

Hi Marilyn,

With traffic, the drive from Haifa to downtown Jerusalem and the Old City is about 3 hours. With that long a drive, and only a day to tour, I'd suggest you limit yourself to the Old City. Going to the Western Wall (the Kotel), and walking around the Jewish Quarter, will take at least 2 hours and you could easily spend an entire day roaming around the Old City and still not see it all!

I also highly recommend Mini Israel, which is on the main highway (Rt 1), about a half hour from Jerusalem. [I'm concerned people are going to start thinking I work for Mini Israel, as I keep recommending people go see it, but I don't- I just was so impressed with it the time I was there, that I think everyone should see it!] Here's the link to their website: http://www.minisrael.co.il/home_en.html

If you'd rather not make the long trip to Jerusalem, there are plenty of other great sites to see within 90 minutes' drive, or less, of Haifa. You could go to Safed, or to the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee), or up to Rosh HaNikra at the Lebanon border. The town of Zichron Yaakov, less than an hour from Haifa, was founded by Baron Rothschild, and is a lovely place, with restaurants, galleries, and a winery. Going a bit further south, you could go to Ceasaria, or even to Tel Aviv (a bit longer drive, but also a somewhat manageable day trip).

There's also plenty to see within the greater Haifa area itself- the Bahai Gardens, Druze villages, and museums.

HTH!

[happy trailer]

Just wanted to mention that in a couple of weeks I'll be leaving on a 2 month trip :), so if you have any simmering questions, ask them now!

I'll check in here every couple of days until March 15; then not again until the end of May.

Enjoy your days, and your travels!

[SteveS]

Thank you Ruth. We live in NJ where as you know summers can get quite hot and humid and our friends traveling with us are from Arizona where it gets really hot! I have been to Palm Springs Ca when it was 116 Degrees and loved it. And found it comroftable Israel in Aug. on last years cruise. The reason we are spending a week in Elait at Club In is that I have a time share week to use and so it's almost free. And we love the beach and wanted to see Petra.

[Kate Monster]

Hi Ruth,

I'm going to be stopping in Haifa and Ashdod on a May cruise. If I just wanted to explore these port towns, what do you recommend for must-see activities? Also, are these walking cities, or would I need to hire a taxi or take a bus to get around? Thanks!

[Jancruz]

We are doing the exact trip as the OP..I have a hotel in Jerusalem and am wondering if how much a taxi from Asdod and return to Haifa would be..we are perfectly capable of sightseeing on our own with the list I have from another board..or does someone have a very inexpensive guide for the 2 days..
Thanks,
Jancruz1

[happy trailer]

Just wanted to mention that in a couple of weeks I'll be leaving on a 2 month trip :), so if you have any simmering questions, ask them now!

I'll check in here every couple of days until March 15; then not again until the end of May.

Enjoy your days, and your travels!


Hi all,

Just checking in for a few moments; sorry- no time to answer questions right now. Please keep in mind that I'm on the road for a couple of months :). I'll be happy to answer q's when I return home at the end of May.

Happy travels!

[happy trailer]

Quick note: You might be able to find answers to some of your questions in previous postings ..

[Lurontravel]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself and let you know I'd be happy to answer questions you have about Israel and visiting Israel. (I'm not a travel agent nor am I associated with any agent, I'm just a smiling resident happy to help out.)

I moved to Israel from New Jersey almost 10 years ago, and live in a Jerusalem suburb. [I'm about to take my first cruise- to the Mexican Riviera :-).]

I'll try to check this board a couple of times a week, and while I'm sure I don't have the answers to all your questions, I'll be happy to answer those I can.

Israel is a beautiful country, and I'm sure you're going to love every moment of it!

[That's a pic of my town in my signature- we live in the Jerusalem hills.]


Hi,
We will be in Ashdod and Haifa in November and are looking to rent cars in both cities. The problem we are having is that all car rental agencies that I can find close at 6pm and we need the car until 8:30. Do you have any ideas? To give you history, my entire family is Israeli and I speak fluent americanized Hebrew, and have been to Israel many times, so getting around will not be a problem.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

I'm going to be stopping in Haifa and Ashdod on a May cruise. If I just wanted to explore these port towns, what do you recommend for must-see activities? Also, are these walking cities, or would I need to hire a taxi or take a bus to get around? Thanks!

As far as I know, there's not all that much to see or do in Ashdod, though the only part of Ashdod I've been to is the beach across from a shopping mall. The beach was lovely, the mall small and pleasant (and, btw, a great place to get Israeli food- such as falafel and shwarma) but, I haven't been there in a few years....

Haifa is another story altogether- it's a nice sized city built on hills (it's often called the Middle East 'San Francisco'). You should definitely plan on seeing the Bahai Gardens, and there's a lovely promenade high on the hilltop. I also haven't been to Haifa in a while, but if the 'Carmalit' is still running- it's sort of a subway that runs uphill, inside the mountain- it's a great way to get around, and a fun experience. Haifa also has lots of beaches, and some great museums, too, as well as a neighborhood of Templar homes. I always got around by bus and Carmelit, but taxis in Israel aren't terribly expensive.

Yikes! I just realized that you said you would be in Israel in May- have you come and gone already??!! If so, what did you wind up doing?

[happy trailer]

We are doing the exact trip as the OP..I have a hotel in Jerusalem and am wondering if how much a taxi from Asdod and return to Haifa would be..we are perfectly capable of sightseeing on our own with the list I have from another board..or does someone have a very inexpensive guide for the 2 days..
Thanks,
Jancruz1


Hi,

Sorry, but I have absolutely no idea how much the taxi fare for your trips would be! There may be sherut (shared van) service from Ashdod to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to Haifa (I think that's what you are looking for, yes?), but again, I don't know the cost. I do know that the cost for a sherut from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion airport (near Tel Aviv) is 50-60 shekels (about $15). [From the airport, you can get a sherut to Haifa.] Your hotel in Jerusalem might have more information, and also be able to make the arrangements. (A cab ride from Jerusalem to the airport is about 200 shekels, btw.)

[happy trailer]

Hi,
We will be in Ashdod and Haifa in November and are looking to rent cars in both cities. The problem we are having is that all car rental agencies that I can find close at 6pm and we need the car until 8:30. Do you have any ideas? To give you history, my entire family is Israeli and I speak fluent americanized Hebrew, and have been to Israel many times, so getting around will not be a problem.

Thanks for your help in advance.

You might want to see if the car rental agencies would let you drop off the car after regular hours. Sometimes they have a drop box for the keys. Or, you might try a smaller, local agency- I've heard they are usually more flexible. {Sorry, but I don't have the names of any of the smaller rental agencies, but you might try finding one online, or by posting to one of the Anglo listservs in Israel (you can find them with a Google search.}

[Lurontravel]

You might want to see if the car rental agencies would let you drop off the car after regular hours. Sometimes they have a drop box for the keys. Or, you might try a smaller, local agency- I've heard they are usually more flexible. {Sorry, but I don't have the names of any of the smaller rental agencies, but you might try finding one online, or by posting to one of the Anglo listservs in Israel (you can find them with a Google search.}

Thanks we have tried that, I tried Tamir, Shlomo, Eldan and a couple of others. None of them allow after hours drop offs. I think in Ashdod, we are going to rent a car at 8am and drive to the dead sea, float for a bit and then head over to Jerusalem. We will have about 4 hours to see as much of the Old City as we can and then head back to the ship.

[ldog]

Welcome back Ruth! I hope you had a great trip.

[happy trailer]

I think in Ashdod, we are going to rent a car at 8am and drive to the dead sea, float for a bit and then head over to Jerusalem. We will have about 4 hours to see as much of the Old City as we can and then head back to the ship.

Sounds like a good plan to me!

[happy trailer]

Welcome back Ruth! I hope you had a great trip.


Thanks, Jan- it was terrific! Paris, NY, Los Angeles, the Mexican Riviera cruise, hiking north of San Francisco...and I got to spend loads of time with my grandchildren :)

I'm already planning my fall trip :D

[pjczech]

Rutherford NJ Here!

We're on the Equinox coming to Haifa on August 25th, out of Ashdod on the 26th. I'm looking at a private tour / driver to get us around. Is this what you'd recommend? Here is the itinerary:

Driving from Haifa you will go first to Nazareth where you will visit the Church of the Annunciation and from here you'll go to Cana where you will visit the Wedding Church. After seeing Cana, you will head next to the Mt. of Beatitudes and Capernaum. You'll visit the Baptismal Site on the Jordan River and go from there through the Jordan Valley, passing by Jericho on the way to Jerusalem. Once in Israel's beautiful capitol city you will drive to one of the panoramic viewpoints (either Mt. of Olives or Mt. Scopus) and then you'll head to your hotel where you'll check in and spend the night. After a good night's sleep, you will check out of your hotel and begin your second full day tour, beginning with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem beginning with Mt. Zion, then on to the Jewish Quarter (the Cardo, the Western Wall), the Christian Quarter (the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre), the Arab Quarter (with its terrific markets) and Jaffa Gate. Then you'll go on a driving sightseeing tour of the modern western side of the city, seeing during this part of your tour Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum; then you'll head out of Jerusalem and drive on to Ashdod.
This is a pricey 1300 USD! Is there a better value or group out there? This is avitours. Thanks so much -

[happy trailer]

Rutherford NJ Here!

We're on the Equinox coming to Haifa on August 25th, out of Ashdod on the 26th. I'm looking at a private tour / driver to get us around. Is this what you'd recommend? Here is the itinerary:
Driving from Haifa you will go first to Nazareth where you will visit the Church of the Annunciation and from here you'll go to Cana where you will visit the Wedding Church. After seeing Cana, you will head next to the Mt. of Beatitudes and Capernaum. You'll visit the Baptismal Site on the Jordan River and go from there through the Jordan Valley, passing by Jericho on the way to Jerusalem. Once in Israel's beautiful capitol city you will drive to one of the panoramic viewpoints (either Mt. of Olives or Mt. Scopus) and then you'll head to your hotel where you'll check in and spend the night. After a good night's sleep, you will check out of your hotel and begin your second full day tour, beginning with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem beginning with Mt. Zion, then on to the Jewish Quarter (the Cardo, the Western Wall), the Christian Quarter (the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre), the Arab Quarter (with its terrific markets) and Jaffa Gate. Then you'll go on a driving sightseeing tour of the modern western side of the city, seeing during this part of your tour Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum; then you'll head out of Jerusalem and drive on to Ashdod.
This is a pricey 1300 USD! Is there a better value or group out there? This is avitours. Thanks so much -

Hi!

The itinerary of your tour sounds great to me. As to the cost, I really don't have an idea of what guides are charging. How many people are you booking the tour for? Do you need more than one hotel room? Do you know the name of the hotel where you'll staying overnight in Jerusalem? Is the cost of the hotel included in the price? [If it is, you can easily find what the rates are for that hotel for the night.]

I know there are a couple of threads on tour guides in Israel; I think you'll find someone there who can tell you if the price you've been quoted is reasonable.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful! But, please don't hesitate to ask me more questions- I'm happy to help (whenever I can).

[happy trailer]

Just thought I'd mention-

If you're going to be traveling from Jerusalem to Ashdod, you'll be traveling right past the town where I live.

I live in Mevaseret Zion, which is the first town outside Jerusalem. You'll see it on your right, after the first few turns as you leave the city. You'll see red-roofed homes cascading down a green mountainside (although the first glimpse will be of our newest neighborhood, which is more densly built).

[The first town you see on the right as you leave Jerusalem is actually part of Jerusalem itself. It's called Ramot, and spreads across several hilltops. Then you'll see a Palestinian town, and then, around the next bend, Mevaseret comes into view.]

That's a photo of my town in my signature, and you can read about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mevaseret_Zion

Quick note: the article refers to Mevaseret as a 'settlement'- that seems to be the term the article uses for 'town'.

[happy trailer]

I just booked a last-minute cruise out of Ashdod on a VERY small cruise line.
4 nights to Rhodes, Cyprus, and Turkey. :D

Turns out there are 2 small cruise lines which are based in Israel; one sails out of Haifa, and the other Ashdod. They use large refurbished ferries, and the one in Haifa also just started sailing a small liner from the 70s.

I leave this Sunday (June 7) and return Thursday, so will be offline from Saturday night until a day or two after I get back home.

[spatsmcd]

I will be on the Royal Princess late August and was wondering how far it is from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and is it worth it to go to Bethlehem or use the extra time in Jerusalem. Both options are shore excersions.
thank you.

[happy trailer]

I will be on the Royal Princess late August and was wondering how far it is from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and is it worth it to go to Bethlehem or use the extra time in Jerusalem. Both options are shore excersions.
thank you.


Bethlehem is right outside of Jerusalem, as short as a five minute drive, depending on your approach.

I'd say the choice of whether or not to visit Bethlehem depends on how important it is to you to see it. If you are a devout Christian, wanting to visit the holy sites, then you might want to include it in your plans.

(Bethlehem is another place I haven't been to in about 40 years, so I'm not sure how much time you would need to spend there, or how much there is to see.)

BTW- I took a quick look at the excursion options for your cruise, and a
couple of the excursions don't seem to go through the modern city of Jerusalem at all- they limit the day to the Old City. That's a shame, because modern Jerusalem is a great city, with plenty to see and experience!

HTH!

[spatsmcd]

My dh is from Ireland and would like to go to Bethlehem, I am Irish American(also Cathlolic) and History was my major, so that is my focus. Although i would like to see the new city, would i have time? I am starting to look for independent tours. thank you.

[happy trailer]

My dh is from Ireland and would like to go to Bethlehem, I am Irish American(also Cathlolic) and History was my major, so that is my focus. Although i would like to see the new city, would i have time? I am starting to look for independent tours. thank you.

There's absolutely enough time to do both old and new Jerusalem, and also Bethlehem, though of course you might not be able to see everything in a great deal of depth.

Even if you just get a chance to drive thru the new city, and make one or two stops, it's worthwhile. The juxtaposition of the old city and the new is one of my favorite things about Jerusalem, and it's especially relevant if you're a student of fairly modern history (from the mid- 1800's on).

BTW- are you planning to take a tour of the Galilee from Haifa? It's just about the prettiest area in Israel, and it's filled with historical and Christian sites.

[spatsmcd]

Yes we will be doing Nazareth and Galilee.

[mobyduck]

Hi Ruth
I was also born in Paterson NJ and lived there until I was five. Then I moved to East Paterson and grew up there. Anyway, my DH and I are on a cruise stopping in Haifa and Ashod in October. I would love to see Massada, the Dead Sea as well as Jeusalem. It seems that it is too far to go to Massada and the Dead Sea from Haifa and the overnight tours are very expensive. Would we be able to go to Massada and the Dead Sea from Ashod and do Jerusalem from Haifa? Would we have enough time to do justice to Jerusalem if we have to travel three hours each way? Any suggestions? Thanks!

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth
I was also born in Paterson NJ and lived there until I was five. Then I moved to East Paterson and grew up there. Anyway, my DH and I are on a cruise stopping in Haifa and Ashod in October. I would love to see Massada, the Dead Sea as well as Jeusalem. It seems that it is too far to go to Massada and the Dead Sea from Haifa and the overnight tours are very expensive. Would we be able to go to Massada and the Dead Sea from Ashod and do Jerusalem from Haifa? Would we have enough time to do justice to Jerusalem if we have to travel three hours each way? Any suggestions? Thanks!


Wow- a real 'landsman'! Hi :)

My recommendation would be to book a private overnight tour (or a do it yourself tour with an overnight in Jerusalem)- I know that some have done that, and I think there is a thread on tour guides in Israel (and I think it might have been discussed on bit on this thread, too).

You can certainly go to Masada and the Dead Sea from Ashdod, but personally I feel that touring Jerusalem from Haifa is really not a great idea.

However, there is someone on these boards who has done that, and he seems to be pleasantly eager to share his experiences. You can find his posting on this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=996187

HTH!

[whale-watcher]

Hi Happy Trailer

Can you tell me approximately how long it would take to drive from the port of Haifa to the Hula Reserve and Kfar Blum in the upper Galil?

Thanks!

[lindashak]

I would like to know if I can get a taxi at the dock that will take me to a hotel in Jerusalem. Does anyone know how much that would cost?

[Longin2cruise]

Rutherford NJ Here!

We're on the Equinox coming to Haifa on August 25th, out of Ashdod on the 26th. I'm looking at a private tour / driver to get us around. Is this what you'd recommend? Here is the itinerary:

Driving from Haifa you will go first to Nazareth where you will visit the Church of the Annunciation and from here you'll go to Cana where you will visit the Wedding Church. After seeing Cana, you will head next to the Mt. of Beatitudes and Capernaum. You'll visit the Baptismal Site on the Jordan River and go from there through the Jordan Valley, passing by Jericho on the way to Jerusalem. Once in Israel's beautiful capitol city you will drive to one of the panoramic viewpoints (either Mt. of Olives or Mt. Scopus) and then you'll head to your hotel where you'll check in and spend the night. After a good night's sleep, you will check out of your hotel and begin your second full day tour, beginning with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem beginning with Mt. Zion, then on to the Jewish Quarter (the Cardo, the Western Wall), the Christian Quarter (the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre), the Arab Quarter (with its terrific markets) and Jaffa Gate. Then you'll go on a driving sightseeing tour of the modern western side of the city, seeing during this part of your tour Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum; then you'll head out of Jerusalem and drive on to Ashdod.
This is a pricey 1300 USD! Is there a better value or group out there? This is avitours. Thanks so much -

I will be in Jerusalem on a land trip this year in October. I always read a Frommer's travel guide to any destination. His book says that you should not hire any guide that is not recommended and licensed by the Israeli Tour Ministry. The link to their web site is:

http://goisrael.com/Tourism_Eng/Tourist+Information/Planning+your+trip/TourGuideSearch.htm

There's several pages listing tour guides, languages they speak,if they have cars, & a link to their email addresses. I chose a name at random & sent him an e-mail requesting information,quote, & payment information. I received a reply within an hour and he responded with a quote of $375.00 for a full day tour of Jerusalem (I'm traveling solo). I am to send him a check for $375.00 which he will hold until such time as I get to Jerusalem. At the time of the tour I will give him the money in cash (US$) & he will return my check to me.
Of course, it is too soon to know how this will all work out but I do appreciate his prompt reply time.

You might try looking at this site & request quotes from several different guide.

Good luck

[happy trailer]

Hi Happy Trailer

Can you tell me approximately how long it would take to drive from the port of Haifa to the Hula Reserve and Kfar Blum in the upper Galil?

Thanks!

Kfar Blum is about 75 miles from Haifa, so the drive should take around 90 minutes, depending on traffic, (but it likely could take up to 2 hours, or a bit longer).

[happy trailer]

I would like to know if I can get a taxi at the dock that will take me to a hotel in Jerusalem. Does anyone know how much that would cost?

I was recently quoted a price of 650 NIS for a cab ride from a Jerusalem suburb to the Haifa port. That's about $170 (depending on the current dollar-shekel rate). You'd probably need to add another 50 shekel or more to get to downtown Jerusalem.

[The cab ride is expensive because, depending on the time of day/traffic, it can take up to four hours to travel between the Haifa port and downtown Jerusalem (at the 'right' time of day, the trip might take just a bit over 3 hours). Additionally, the Haifa cab drivers would be concerned about not being able to get a fare for the return trip to Haifa.]

[whale-watcher]

Kfar Blum is about 75 miles from Haifa, so the drive should take around 90 minutes, depending on traffic, (but it likely could take up to 2 hours, or a bit longer).Thanks! We have some personal reasons for visiting Kfar Blum and the Hula reserve, and were thinking about visiting Safed along the way. Sounds like it will be a long day, but possible:)

[darkauf]

Thanks for your excellent information. We will also be on the Celebrity Equinox that will be in Haifa and Ashdod in October 2009. I have been to Israel twice and my husband once. We were there on our honeymoon in July 1998. However, these were organized tours (both times) through our local Temple, traveling with our Temple Cantor and his family. What an experience that was....

We are looking forward to returning and your suggestions are great. I have copied and pasted them into emails for the people we are traveling with on this cruise. We already have a hired driver/guide for the two days. We will not be staying over but your suggestions for each port will help guide us to what we want to see. I will keep reading to see if anything new pops up.

Darlene

[happy trailer]

Thanks for your excellent information. We will also be on the Celebrity Equinox that will be in Haifa and Ashdod in October 2009. I have been to Israel twice and my husband once. We were there on our honeymoon in July 1998. However, these were organized tours (both times) through our local Temple, traveling with our Temple Cantor and his family. What an experience that was....

We are looking forward to returning and your suggestions are great. I have copied and pasted them into emails for the people we are traveling with on this cruise. We already have a hired driver/guide for the two days. We will not be staying over but your suggestions for each port will help guide us to what we want to see. I will keep reading to see if anything new pops up.

Darlene


Thank you for letting me know you're finding my postings helpful :)
I'm always happy to help, so please don't hesitate to ask. I try to check here every day or two, and to post replies asap.

[darkauf]

I have forwarded all your info to the other 6 people who are traveling with us. We plan to meet on the 4th of July weekend to pick out the points of interest we want to see in Israel in the two ports in which we dock. I definitely need to get back to the Western Wall so I can put those scraps of paper in the wall for my grandchildren and their parents. That is so special. Shabbat at the wall is also special and I have suggested that the Western Wall be the last stop on our excursion before we return to the ship. This way, if we have time, we will be able to see everything that goes on there as the Sabbath is ushered in.

Darlene

[iceburg1]

Thanks for your excellent information. We will also be on the Celebrity Equinox that will be in Haifa and Ashdod in October 2009. I have been to Israel twice and my husband once. We were there on our honeymoon in July 1998. However, these were organized tours (both times) through our local Temple, traveling with our Temple Cantor and his family. What an experience that was....

We are looking forward to returning and your suggestions are great. I have copied and pasted them into emails for the people we are traveling with on this cruise. We already have a hired driver/guide for the two days. We will not be staying over but your suggestions for each port will help guide us to what we want to see. I will keep reading to see if anything new pops up.

Darlene

Hi,
I just happened to come across your posting. We are on the 8/31 Celebrity Equinox sailing and are in the midst of arranging our tours. If you don't mind, could you tell us who is your driver/guide for the 2 days in Israel?

Thanks.

[happy trailer]

I have forwarded all your info to the other 6 people who are traveling with us. We plan to meet on the 4th of July weekend to pick out the points of interest we want to see in Israel in the two ports in which we dock. I definitely need to get back to the Western Wall so I can put those scraps of paper in the wall for my grandchildren and their parents. That is so special. Shabbat at the wall is also special and I have suggested that the Western Wall be the last stop on our excursion before we return to the ship. This way, if we have time, we will be able to see everything that goes on there as the Sabbath is ushered in.

Darlene

Hi Darlene,

Sounds like good planning! As always, I'm available for any questions that might pop up :)

[ptcellen]

Just saw your post on the Africa boards about a tour guide in Israel. We are on the Azamara Journey on Nov. 8th and just signed up with Joel Berman. He came very highly recommended on these boards from people who have already used him. He is more expensive than Avi tours, but only requires a 20% deposit with the balance due after the tour. For us, the deposit is refundable up until the end of Aug. He also refunds it if for some reason the ship will not dock in Israel. We are doing 2-day tours, not an overnight. His e-mail address is jtours@netvision.net.il. Hope this helps.

Ellen:)

[darkauf]

Iceburg1, I did not book the driver in Israel. It was done by someone else who we are traveling with. Apparently this driver/guide was used by someone else and she kept his name and contact number and gave it to the person we are traveling with. Our friend has contacted him and he is available. That is all I know. I am sorry that I can't give you any more info then that.

Darlene

[ldog]

Does it make any sense to rent a car in Haifa, drive to Jerusalem, maybe stop at Caesaria, park the car and tour in Jerusalem, stay in a hotel overnight and the next morning drive to Masada and the Dead Sea and then drive to Ashdod?

We are comfortable driving in many countries. This could let us travel at our own speed (pretty fast) but be economical. We could hire guides at various locations.

[happy trailer]

Does it make any sense to rent a car in Haifa, drive to Jerusalem, maybe stop at Caesaria, park the car and tour in Jerusalem, stay in a hotel overnight and the next morning drive to Masada and the Dead Sea and then drive to Ashdod?

We are comfortable driving in many countries. This could let us travel at our own speed (pretty fast) but be economical. We could hire guides at various locations.

As long as you don't mind that it's about a 3 hour drive (or longer) from Haifa to Jerusalem (from Jerusalem to Ashdod is a bit longer than an hour, depending on traffic), I think renting a car makes a lot of sense.

Stopping in Caesaria is a great idea, and/or you could stop in Zichron Yaakov, especially if you'd like to tour a winery. I'm pretty sure the signs in the archeological park in Caesaria are also in English, so you might not feel the need for a guide. (However, you might want to drive straight to Jerusalem without stopping, in order to give yourself more time to tour the city. Alternatively, as you travel the last stretch to Jerusalem, on highway 1, you'll pass Latrun and Mini Israel, both of which (especially Mini-Israel) I highly recommend.

It's easy to walk around Jerusalem, especially in the evening and at night. I'd recommend getting a private guide for the Old City- you could walk around by yourself, but we've done tours with guides by ourselves and with visiting friends, and were very impressed with how much we learned, and how much we were able to see.

You could also do the Dead Sea and Masada by yourselves, but on our first family visit many years ago, we hired a guide and, again, found it an extremely enriching experience. The Dead Sea is about 45 minutes from Jerusalem, and Masada is another half hour's drive or so along the Dead Sea road. You'd want to get as early start as possible to avoid the worst of the heat.

BTW- ocassionally, depending on the time of year, available hotel rooms in Jerusalem are scarce, and prices are high for those that are available, so you'd want to reserve a room as soon as possible.

Oh- and just so you know: there are lots of speed traps on the main highways, so watch your speed when driving!

[ldog]

thanks Ruth

There are so many options and so much to see and do that I'm having a terrible time making decisions. I know that this won't be our only trip to Israel as we use cruises to see where we want to return to. So , we don't have to see everything in two days. But it is all so enticing.

We want the flavour of your country and some of the famous places but we also want to see the people and the society.

The down-side of cruising is the short times in each port or country.

[happy trailer]

thanks Ruth

There are so many options and so much to see and do that I'm having a terrible time making decisions. I know that this won't be our only trip to Israel as we use cruises to see where we want to return to. So , we don't have to see everything in two days. But it is all so enticing.

We want the flavour of your country and some of the famous places but we also want to see the people and the society.

The down-side of cruising is the short times in each port or country.

Hi Jan,

I'm having the same trouble with a trip I'm planning to New Zealand- I'll have only a week there, and there are soooo many options, that for the first time, I'm finding it difficult to plan! [But, like you, knowing I'll surely be back for another visit makes planning at least a bit easier.]

One of the best ways to get the flavor of Israel, and to see the people and society, is to stroll around at night, and then sit in a cafe or two and people-watch. I love doing that where ever I travel, and Jerusalem is perfect for strolling and people-watching! There is a lovely pedestrian mall in the center of the new city, but just about any neighborhood, including the Old City, will suit you perfectly.

Several times a year, the city of Jerusalem holds special festivals and fairs along either the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall in the center of town, or at the artists center/Sultan's Pool area right outside the walls of the Old City. The new Mamilla mall, located right outside the Old City at Jaffa Gate, also often has evening and night entertainment, so check with your hotel to see if anything special is going on when you're in town. Another popular area for dining and people watching is off the Ben Yehuda mall and Zion Square- Joel Soloman street. All are a short walk from most center city hotels.

HTH!

[happy trailer]

Just thought I'd post a bit of info about taxis in Israel:

- Although I'm sure tourists do, Israelis never tip a cab driver; nor is it expected or asked of us.

- We sit in the front seat, next to the driver.
While it took me a little bit of time to get used to that, I love it- it's how I learned a lot of Hebrew; nowadays I have terrific political discussions whenever I take a cab! [Needless to say, only one person sits next to the driver :p; if you are traveling alone, that's where you are expected to sit (the driver will move anything he's placed on the seat); I'd suggest if you are 3 people traveling together that one sit next to the driver (for both comfort and interesting conversation with the driver (see below)).

- You can ask the cab driver to put on the meter (and you may have to remind him to turn it on), or you can negotiate a price for your trip BEFORE you get in the cab. If you are taking a cab from the cabs standing outside a hotel (especially if you are taking a longer trip), don't accept the first price they quote you. Offer to pay at least 10% lower than the price they are asking, or find out in advance from the front desk how much you should be paying for your trip.

- Israelis love to speak English, but they are also happy to help you with your Hebrew. If you know a bit of Hebrew, and want to learn more, just tell your cab driver and he will almost always be happy to give you a quick lesson. They will also usually be happy to point out places of interest along the way.

HTH!

[ldog]

The car rental idea isn't working. We have to have the car to Ashdod by 4 pm as that's when the rental office closes. Our ship doesn't depart until 8 pm.

Is there enough time to fit in both Masada and the Dead Sea and then drive to Ashdod by 4pm?

Are there any car rental companies that are open late? I've tried Eldan, Avis and Budget.

[happy trailer]

The car rental idea isn't working. We have to have the car to Ashdod by 4 pm as that's when the rental office closes. Our ship doesn't depart until 8 pm.

Is there enough time to fit in both Masada and the Dead Sea and then drive to Ashdod by 4pm?

Are there any car rental companies that are open late? I've tried Eldan, Avis and Budget.

Hi Jan,

Sometimes small, local car rental agencies have lock boxes at their offices, so that you can return your car at any hour. If you can find a local agency in Ashdod, then you might be able to make those arrangements. I did a quick Google search for 'car rental + ashdod', and came up with some entries; I don't know if any of them would meet your needs, but you could give a try.

It's about 2 hours to Masada from Ashdod, so I really don't recommend trying to fit that into a day that has to end by 4pm. Have you thought about hiring a private cab for the day? When you figure in the cost of the car rental, insurance, and gas, the cost of a private cab hire might not seem excessive.

The only other suggestion I have is to return your car to Ben Gurion airport, and take a taxi to the ship from there. You can usually return a car 24/7 to the airport, and the ride to the pier from there should be less than an hour. Not the greatest solution, but if the ship doesn't sail until 8pm, then you'd have an extra couple of hours at the Dead Sea. I have no idea of the cab fare from the airport to Ashdod, but I imagine it would have to be over $50.

[ldog]

Thanks Ruth

We were going to rent a car in Haifa and return it to Ashdod the next day. That makes it harder to use a smaller agency. We want to stay overnight in Jerusalem.

I was trying to fit the most into the two days. I guess I could look into a driver for the day to take us from Jerusalem to Masada and then Ashdod.

I have until October to figure this out.

[happy trailer]

Hi Jan,

I forgot that you were planning to rent the car in Haifa, and then spend the night in Jerusalem..

If you don't mind getting up very early in the morning in Jerusalem, then you actually could visit both Masada and the Dead Sea, and be back in Ashdod in time to return the car before 4pm.

At least in the summer (and likely all year), many tours to Masada leave Jerusalem before daybreak so that the groups can be on top of Masada for sunrise. If you do that (it will mean leaving Jerusalem before 5AM), then you will have time to see all of Masada and spend a couple of hours touring the Dead Sea area, floating on the water, and maybe even either cover yourselves with mud or take a spa treatment.

Another thing you could do, aside from hiring a driver in Jerusalem as you mentioned, would be to join a day tour in Jerusalem to Masada (but a private driver would, of course, be better).

As I'm writing this, I'm 'liking more and more' the idea of your renting a car in Haifa, returning it in Jerusalem, and then hiring a driver to take you to the Dead Sea area and bring you back to the ship. That will allow you to tour independently the first day, give you the evening to stroll around Jerusalem and get a nice feel for Israeli society, and will maximize your time in Masada and the Dead Sea the next day.

HTH!

[iceburg1]

Hi,

We are planning on doing Jerusalem on our own by taxi from Ashdod on a cruise in the beginning of September. I read somewhere that the taxi is about $75 each way for Ashdod-Jerusalem. I am not sure if there will be taxi vans at the Ashdod port that will hold 5 of us. Do you know? Is there a local Taxi Company in Ashdod that we can call to reserve a van that will hold the 5 of us to go to Jerusalem and back?
Thank you.
Harry

[happy trailer]

Hi,

We are planning on doing Jerusalem on our own by taxi from Ashdod on a cruise in the beginning of September. I read somewhere that the taxi is about $75 each way for Ashdod-Jerusalem. I am not sure if there will be taxi vans at the Ashdod port that will hold 5 of us. Do you know? Is there a local Taxi Company in Ashdod that we can call to reserve a van that will hold the 5 of us to go to Jerusalem and back?
Thank you.
Harry

When I took my short cruise out of Ashdod a few weeks ago, there were several local taxis waiting at the port. If none of them have enough room for all of you, then I'm sure you could ask them to call their dispatcher to send one for you.

Unless you speak Hebrew fairly fluently, I wouldn't recommend calling in advance to reserve a taxi van. It will be easy to explain that you need a van if the other cab drivers see the size of your group at the port.

I don't know if an Ashdod taxi driver will be willing to both take you to Jerusalem, and then wait around all day to take you back to Ashdod. So, if you can't make those arrangements:

The bigger issue for you will be getting a taxi back to Ashdod from Jerusalem. I don't know if a taxi you hail on the street in Jerusalem will be willing to take you to Ashdod, and if you try taking a cab from the taxis hanging around hotels you will be charged a very high price. My suggestion would be to find a taxi dispatcher's office, and tell them you what you need. There is a dispatcher at the top of the Ben Yehudah pedestrian mall in the center of the city (it's a bit off to the side, at the first small vehicular street below the main street), and their are other dispatchers scattered around the city (if you see a few cabs lined up- other than at a hotel- then there is a dispatcher nearby).

The other thing you could do is approach a cab on the street, and ask him to call his dispatcher for a van to take you to Ashdod (most cab drivers, especially in Jerusalem, speak at least some English).

One other suggestion is to go into a restaurant or any place that speaks English, and ask them to call a dispatcher for you.

{-Make sure to scroll up a couple of entries in this thread and read my entry about taxis in Israel.-}

HTH!

[iceburg1]

Thanks Ruth. We are doing a tour of Northern Israel from Haifa with a guide the day before we are in Ashdod. Maybe he will know who to call to take us from Ashdod to Jerusalem and back.

Since we are planning to go to Yad Vashem first (with an audio guide), and then head over to the Old City including our doing a tour of the Tunnels at the Kotel (where they supply their own guide), it did not make much sense to hire a guide for the entire day in Jerusalem...... hence the need for just transportation or a taxi for the 5 of us.

Thanks again.
Harry

[happy trailer]

Thanks Ruth. We are doing a tour of Northern Israel from Haifa with a guide the day before we are in Ashdod. Maybe he will know who to call to take us from Ashdod to Jerusalem and back.

Since we are planning to go to Yad Vashem first (with an audio guide), and then head over to the Old City including our doing a tour of the Tunnels at the Kotel (where they supply their own guide), it did not make much sense to hire a guide for the entire day in Jerusalem...... hence the need for just transportation or a taxi for the 5 of us.

Thanks again.
Harry

Yes, that sounds like your best bet. You might want to contact your guide in advance, so arrangements (along with the price) for your driver for Ashdod will be all set before you dock.

The Tunnels tour is really great- I'm sure you're going to enjoy it, and also find it very informative.

At Yad Vashem, make sure to tour the gardens. Also, if you have time, there is a shortcut from Yad Vashem to Mt. Herzl, Israel's main military cemetary . There you will find an area with the graves of all our late leaders, including Golda Meir, etc, and near that area is Herzl's grave (it's about a 10 minute walk from Yad Vashem to that area of the cemetary). The cemetary is very serene, and I always find a visit there to be very moving.

BTW, at the end of the Yad Vashem tour, there are windows that look out at the 'new' Jerusalem suburbs. You'll be looking directly at my town (we see Yad Vashem from our terrace).

[mobyduck]

Hi again Ruth,:)
We have all but ruled out being able to spend overnight in Jerusalem because of the cost. We can either sight see around Haifa the first day of our Israel stop or take a tour to Jerusalem from Haifa and do Masada and the Dead Sea from Ashod. If we stay in the Haifa area the first day we will have to do Jerusalem the second day and will not get to see Masada. Which do you think would give us a better overview of Israel. Masada sounds so interesting but is it worth all the extra travel time involved? Thanks!

[happy trailer]

Hi again Ruth,:)
We have all but ruled out being able to spend overnight in Jerusalem because of the cost. We can either sight see around Haifa the first day of our Israel stop or take a tour to Jerusalem from Haifa and do Masada and the Dead Sea from Ashod. If we stay in the Haifa area the first day we will have to do Jerusalem the second day and will not get to see Masada. Which do you think would give us a better overview of Israel. Masada sounds so interesting but is it worth all the extra travel time involved? Thanks!

What about staying in a hotel at the Dead Sea instead of Jerusalem? I'm not sure of the prices, but maybe it would fit into your budget. I think there is also a nice guest house at Kibbutz Ein Gedi at the Dead Sea.

I don't really feel comfortable advising you whether or not Masada is a 'must see', but let me see if I can give you some information that will help you decide:

If you want to get an overview of the geography of Israel, then instead of touring in Haifa itself, you should take a tour into the Upper Galilee area. You could include a short tour of Haifa (Haifa is a lovely city, but you don't need to devote a long time to it), and then head out towards the Sea of Galilee. If you want to do something entirely different, you could head north from Haifa to the cliffs of Rosh Hanikra, which is on the border with Lebanon.

I can't imagine coming to Israel and not going to Jerusalem- that's one thing I am eager to tell you is a 'must'! Wander the Old City (even better, hire a guide), and then get at least a taste of the new city.

As to the Dead Sea and Masada...

There's a lot to be said for having the fun experience of floating on the Dead Sea...plus the landscape in the Dead Sea area is spectacular. Visiting Masada is a way to understand and to get a feel for Israel, as it will give you an insight to our history, struggles, beliefs, determination, and
dedication to the Land of Israel.

Do you need to see Masada? Should you spend more time in Jerusalem?

I can't answer those questions, but I'll share a few things with you:

From my terrace, I have a view of the new city of Jerusalem. I still gulp every time I watch the city turn pink and gold at sunset. We're a 15 minute drive from downtown Jerusalem, so we're in the city all the time. We do all our fresh fruit and vegetable shopping in the shuk (souk), take a few walking tours a year, and love to wander the city's neighborhoods. We just can't get enough of Jerusalem- Old and new!

We often find ourselves on the road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea (actually, my husband is on that road at least twice a week, on his way to Jordan). Even after all those trips, my eyes still always widen with amazement and excitement as we make that last turn out of the city, and enter the desert. We rarely go past the beginning of the Dead Sea, but on those ocassions when we drive all the way to Masada, the excitement builds in our car, and we never fail to find ourselves with tears in our eyes when we first spot Masada.

I have a feeling my reply may have been less helpful than you had hoped, so please accept my apologies.. Visiting Israel, and deciding what to see in a limited time is such a personal decision, that all I can do is share some of my personal experiences and feelings in the hope that it could help you sort out what would be most important for you to see.

I'm confident that however you decide to spend your time here, you will absolutely fall in love with the country, and that you will have a wonderful time :)

[banness]

Hi Ruth,
I will be traveling with my parents (age 80,84) on a cruise this october with a stop in Haifa and Ashdod. My parents want to do an excursion to Jeruselum and Bethlehem. It is the reason we are taking this trip. My mom is worried because the tour is labeled as mod-heavy walking. She is a slow walker especially on uneven cobblestones. She doesn't require a walker,just my arm. Is the walking very steep and laborous?...or is it labeled that way so people won't complain "that it was too hard?". Some excursions that I have taken were labeled like that and were super easy!
Or, should we look into getting a private tour? Thanks, Betty

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
I will be traveling with my parents (age 80,84) on a cruise this october with a stop in Haifa and Ashdod. My parents want to do an excursion to Jeruselum and Bethlehem. It is the reason we are taking this trip. My mom is worried because the tour is labeled as mod-heavy walking. She is a slow walker especially on uneven cobblestones. She doesn't require a walker,just my arm. Is the walking very steep and laborous?...or is it labeled that way so people won't complain "that it was too hard?". Some excursions that I have taken were labeled like that and were super easy!
Or, should we look into getting a private tour? Thanks, Betty

Hi Betty,

I can't comment on Bethlehem, as the last time I was there was about 40 years ago (!), but as to the Old City of Jerusalem:

Touring the Old City usually does involve going up or down staircases, some of them steep (the tour can be arranged so that you are almost totally going down, not up), and walking on some stone walkways. The 'thoroughfares' of the old Arab souk are very narrow, and not very well lit. If there has been any rain, even a drizzle (which might happen in October, although October is more likely to be rain-free), then walking anywhere in the Old City is VERY slippery.

My mother was in great shape until the last couple of years of her life, but at some point, it became difficult for her to walk around the Old City, and we were always nervous about her falling if we were there with her.

I'd suggest- especially since visiting Jerusalem and Bethlehem are the reasons you are taking this trip- that you consider hiring a private guide. Experiencing both cities with a private guide instead of joining a larger tour will be a much more enriching experience, and you will be able to go at your own pace. (It's also possible that the cost of a private guide for the 3 of you will compare favorably to the cost of the 3 of you going on a ship's excursion.)

Just a small caution: make sure you work with an experienced and reputable tour company, as Israelis are not allowed to enter Bethlehem, so the operator will have to arrange for a different guide in Bethlehem.

[BTW- if possible, I'd suggest touring Jerusalem and Bethlehem from Ashdod, and then while you are docked in Haifa, taking a tour of the area around the Sea of Galilee. The area is beautiful, and filled with many significant Christian religious sites.]

HTH!

[2009trip]

I want to see Israel and would like to do so on a cruise, can anyone advise of which companies conduct these tours? I love being able to go back to the ship after long days of touring...any experience or advice would be appriciated..thanks

[happy trailer]

Since many of you will be visiting this fall, I thought I'd post the holiday schedule for Israel for this September and October.

Many, if not most, national museums and parks (such as Masada and Yad Vashem) will close early on the day before the holiday (usually around 2pm, but earlier the day before Yom Kippur), and will remain closed the day of the holiday. The same holds true for every Friday and Saturday- early closings on Friday, full closure on Saturday.

All year long, in Jerusalem, most restaurants and businesses close sometime Friday afternoon, and remain closed all of Saturday (there are some restaurants that will be open). There is no public bus service in Jerusalem on Friday night or Saturday. Taxis service is available, but somewhat limited.

Haifa is a mostly secular city, with restaurants open on the Sabbath and holidays, and taxis easy to find.

Here are the holiday dates for this fall:

September:

Rosh Ha Shanah (the Jewish New Year) is Saturday and Sunday, Sept 19-20.

Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is Monday, Sept 28.

October:

Sukkot (the Feast of the Tabernacle) runs from Saturday, Oct 3- Saturday, Oct 10. However, although the holiday is week-long, things will run normally from Sunday- Friday afternoon. [If you are in Jerusalem that week, be sure to keep on the lookout for all the succahs (booths) that will be constructed on terraces and porches all over the city!]

HTH!

[ldog]

Thanks for that Ruth.

We are there on a Wednesday and Thursday - October 21 & 22 so everything should be open for us. It would have been fun to see the succahs though.

[happy trailer]

Thanks for that Ruth.

We are there on a Wednesday and Thursday - October 21 & 22 so everything should be open for us. It would have been fun to see the succahs though.

Not all of the succahs are taken down right away, so you should be able to see at least a few of them :).

The weather should be great, too- little chance of rain (although we always hope for it, and you might hit a sprinkle or a brief shower), with pleasant temperatures during the day, and just a bit cool at night.

Personally, I'll be on a flight to Australia on those dates :D

[aggietd]

Hi Ruth,

I just stumbled across your thread, what a fantastic idea, ideas from an insider.

I wonder can you help me, I will be in Israel on Equinox in late October, Haifa on a Thursday and Ashdod on the Friday, we have booked a tour of Jerusalem, so that is accounted for, but in Haifa we really do not want to take an organised tour and really just want to spend some time wandering around and getting a flavour of Hiafa, as the next day will be a long one. I don't expect you to be an expert on Haifa, but I wondered if you knew of anywhere we really should not miss? or web sights where i could get some basic info on Haifa, i have searched the internet in vain for a guide book on only Haifa, with a city map but there does not seem to be one.

Also as we are not Jewish and I would hate to affend anyone in our host country, particularly in Jerusalem on the eve of the Sabbath, is there anything in particular we should not do or say, that could cause offence to anyone.

Thank-you,
Nancy

[aggietd]

Ruth,
Thank you so very much for your helpfull reply, I will do a bit more research, from these websites, and i am sure we will have a wonderful time.
thank you again

Nancy

[Cruise Betty]

Hi Ruth,

We will be on Celebrity Equinox late September , visiting Haifa on 29th September and Ashdod the next day.

What will the weather be like then?

We have booked the ship's tour to Jerusalem and Bethlehem from Ashdod, but nothing as yet for Haifa. You have recommended in other posts a tour round the Sea of Galilee and that region and have also said that the Bahai gardens are beautiful and there are lots of other things to see in Haifa as well. I know you can't make a choice for me but which of these would be your personal preference for a day in Haifa!

Thank you for your very interesting and helpful thread.

Elizabeth :)

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

We will be on Celebrity Equinox late September , visiting Haifa on 29th September and Ashdod the next day.

What will the weather be like then?

We have booked the ship's tour to Jerusalem and Bethlehem from Ashdod, but nothing as yet for Haifa. You have recommended in other posts a tour round the Sea of Galilee and that region and have also said that the Bahai gardens are beautiful and there are lots of other things to see in Haifa as well. I know you can't make a choice for me but which of these would be your personal preference for a day in Haifa!

Thank you for your very interesting and helpful thread.

Elizabeth :)

Hi Elizabeth,

Wow- you will be here at just about the best time of year! The weather will be lovely- still warm during the day (in Jerusalem the temperature will be in the high 70's/low 80's or even a bit warmer during the day, but the nights will be much cooler, so you will need a sweater or jacket), and the rainy season will still be at least a month away. But, more than than- Yom Kippur is on the 28th, and you will be in Jerusalem just as the preparations for Sukkot (the Feast of the Tabernacle) are getting into full swing (the holiday begins on Saturday, Oct 3, so the succahs (booths) will be up or under construction on terraces and balconies all over the city- make sure you look up as you walk and drive around! [You'll see some of that 'construction' in Haifa, but not very much, but in Jerusalem you won't be able to miss it.]

To be honest, if I had only one day in Haifa, I would get out of the city and either go towards the Galilee, or either up North to Rosh Hanikra or south to Zichron Yaakov or Ceasaria. Haifa is a lovely city, but I personally don't think there is all that much to see or do there. However, the Bahai Gardens are lovely and the classic 'must do' in Haifa, and you can easily go to them before you head out of the city (then again, you also can't miss them, as they are visible from the port area- just look up, and you will see them as a line of green running down the Haifa hill).

If Christian religious sites are important to you, then I highly recommend a tour of the area of the Sea of Galilee, as the area is both lovely and filled with sights of great significance. If you want to do something different that isn't a long trip, go up north to Rosh Hanikra, which are white grottos on the border with Lebanon. You access them via cable car, and they are very pretty, but I think the most interesting and exciting part of that trip is learing the history of the tunnels built there, and especially seeing the border outpost and the delineation of the border along the sea. You also get wonderful views of the coastline.


HTH!

Ruth

[happy trailer]

Even more info, and how's this for timing!: Cruise Critic just posted a 'tweet' with this info on Haifa :-):

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=469

[ptcellen]

Hi Ruth,
First of all I want to thank you for all you wonderful and informative information on Israel. You could have a full time job answering all the questions.Ha!Ha!
Wanted to know if you could recommend a store in Jerusalem to buy reasonably priced tallis and yalmakas. Our grandson will have his bar mitzvah soon, and we wanted to bring them home from Israel.
Thank you.
Ellen :)

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
First of all I want to thank you for all you wonderful and informative information on Israel. You could have a full time job answering all the questions.Ha!Ha!
Wanted to know if you could recommend a store in Jerusalem to buy reasonably priced tallis and yalmakas. Our grandson will have his bar mitzvah soon, and we wanted to bring them home from Israel.
Thank you.
Ellen :)

Hi Ellen,

First- mazal tov! :)

You'll find the best prices in the Mea Shearim neighborhood- the very religious neighborhood that is almost in the center of town.

You can walk there (but it is up a fairly steep uphill) from the central business district/pedestrian mall area, and a taxi ride will be less than $10.

You'll be heading for 'Kikar Shabbat'. Once there, head downhill along the main street. (The street will now be one way, and you will be walking in the same direction as the traffic flow.) Only one side of the street you'll now be on has stores; the other side is basically just building walls (covered with interesting posters and announcements).

Just about any store you walk into will offer much more reasonable prices than those found anywhere else in Jerusalem, and they will also offer wider selections.

The other alternative is the Machane Yehudah shuk. Go to the main covered entrance, and about 3 stalls in from the main street, Agrippas (the opposite end from Jaffo St.), there is a store that sells all sorts of small Judaica. [I'm talking about the Israeli shuk in the modern city, not the Arab shuk in the Old City.]

My husband shops in either Mea Shearim, or that stall in the shuk. Both areas are lively, interesting, and fun to visit, so I'd recommend giving yourself time to walk around no matter which you chose. (We LOVE the shuk, and go shopping there every Friday.)

Just be aware that in Mea Shearim you need to dress modestly. I sometimes go to Mea Shearim dressed in wide legged pants and a long tunic, but I'm most comfortable there with a long skirt and long sleeves. There are signs all over (including banners across the streets) reminding visitors to dress modestly, and you ocassionally read of some harrassment of those who don't, but I've never had a problem. You're going to see all sorts of interesting chasidic garb there- it's quite a sight!

BTW- if you find that you only have the opportunity to shop while you are at the Ben Yehudah pedestrian mall in the center of town, then make sure to ask for a better price than the one you will be initially quoted. I know that the store owners will come down in price for me because I am Israeli (but I have to ask, and bargain a bit), but I think tourists will likely have some success bargaining as well.

I'm always happy to help. :) Hmmm...maybe I should start a 'Dear Ruth' column, offering advice to visitors to Israel?! :p:D

[ptcellen]

Hi Ruth,
Wanted to thank you for all your help in suggesting shops for the items we want. We have a private tour guide, and I will give him the addresses of the places you suggested and see if he can take us there for a little while. I think you would make a wonderful "Dear Ruth" columnist.

Ellen:)

[Cruise Betty]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you for your very helpful advices. We have decided to tour the Galilee region from Haifa and I will be sure to look out for the succahs in Jerusalem.

Elizabeth

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you for your very helpful advices. We have decided to tour the Galilee region from Haifa and I will be sure to look out for the succahs in Jerusalem.

Elizabeth


My pleasure, Elizabeth (but thank you for the thank you :)).

I'm sure you will love the Galilee, and find Jerusalem fascinating!

Have a great cruise!

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
Wanted to thank you for all your help in suggesting shops for the items we want. We have a private tour guide, and I will give him the addresses of the places you suggested and see if he can take us there for a little while. I think you would make a wonderful "Dear Ruth" columnist.

Ellen:)

Thanks for the thanks, Ellen :)

Have a great cruise, and happy shopping!

[marvelous M]

Thank you for all your wonderful advise. Is there a store in Jerusalem that sells the Malka Gabrielle Tallit and where is a good place to buy jewelry? Again thank you!

[happy trailer]

Thank you for all your wonderful advise. Is there a store in Jerusalem that sells the Malka Gabrielle Tallit and where is a good place to buy jewelry? Again thank you!

I'm sorry, but I've never heard of the talit you are asking about. I tried googling it, but it didn't come up. However, if Malka Gabrielle is a Judaica artist, then you might be able to find the talit on Yoel Solomon Street, which is right off of Zion Square (Kikar Zion).

Yoel Solomon Street is lined with artisan's shops and restaurants, and is a favorite of both tourists and Israelis. We frequent it both for dining and for shopping for special gifts. There are all sorts of artist's cooperatives selling ceramics, clothing, jewelry, and Judaica, as well as some higher priced stores selling the same.

You might also have luck checking the stores along the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall in the center of the city, which also leads to Zion Square.

I'm not much of a jewelry buyer, but visitors we take to both Yoel Solomon and Ben Yehuda always find things to buy :) There are small storefronts in Mea Shearim, a bit further along the other side of the street I described above to Ellen, that sell jewelry that seem to have good prices, but they don't carry a selection that is anywhere near as varied or as modern as the stores in the center of town.

[Personally, I buy earrings for our granddaughters at a kiosk in our local mall.]

Sorry I couldn't be of more help with the talit, but hopefully this was of some help!

[sutini]

We arrive early Sept for one day in Haifa, docking at 7am and have the day to see sights until 4pm. It seems like the big attractions are the Funicular and Bahai World Center. Do you think we can get a taxi from the port to these sights and not bother hiring a private guide? Are there other sights in Haifa we shouldn't miss? We live near the beach so that's not important to us but would like to eat some local foods for lunch, if you can make suggestions. Are there other sights outside of Haifa in our allotted time that we shouldn't miss?
Thanks

[happy trailer]

We arrive early Sept for one day in Haifa, docking at 7am and have the day to see sights until 4pm. It seems like the big attractions are the Funicular and Bahai World Center. Do you think we can get a taxi from the port to these sights and not bother hiring a private guide? Are there other sights in Haifa we shouldn't miss? We live near the beach so that's not important to us but would like to eat some local foods for lunch, if you can make suggestions. Are there other sights outside of Haifa in our allotted time that we shouldn't miss?
Thanks

Hi!

The answers to all your questions can be found by just scrolling up this page a bit, to some earlier posts about Haifa :) I'd especially suggest the link I posted regarding a tweet I got from cruise critic- it's got the info on taxis and the need for a private guide. I believe it says that you'll need a guide in order to walk around the Bahai Gardens, and provides a link for more info.

I haven't been to Haifa in several years, so can't recommend a specific restaurant, but the 'classic' Israeli foods are basically Mediterranean foods:
falafel, humus, and salad. Strong Turkish coffee is also popular, as are fruit blended shakes. I'd suggest you either ask your cab driver for a recommendation, or head for the busiest cafe or felafel stand you spot- they are bound to have the best food. A popular national chain is Cafe Aroma, and I can recommend their salads, sandwiches, and hot and cold drinks- and their brownies :p

HTH!

[happy trailer]

Just got another Cruise Critic tweet, this one referring to their page with info on Jerusalem. I read thru it, and it's pretty good:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=470

[CrucianGal]

Ruth,
I was reading through this thread as we are planning to return to Israel next year. I love Cafe Aroma and just wanted to say it became our daily habit for morning coffees (with yummy chocolate) and great lunches. They opened a Cafe Aroma in New York City (near NYU) and on a visit to the "Big Apple" we stopped in for lunch. It made us relive our wonderful trip to Israel. We can't wait to get back to Eretz Israel!

Regards from sunny St. Croix,
Ellen

[happy trailer]

Ruth,
I was reading through this thread as we are planning to return to Israel next year. I love Cafe Aroma and just wanted to say it became our daily habit for morning coffees (with yummy chocolate) and great lunches. They opened a Cafe Aroma in New York City (near NYU) and on a visit to the "Big Apple" we stopped in for lunch. It made us relive our wonderful trip to Israel. We can't wait to get back to Eretz Israel!

Regards from sunny St. Croix,
Ellen

How could I not have mentioned that little chocolate they give you with the coffee?! It is sooooooo yummy! Have you ever had their hot cocoa?
It's hot milk, poured over a few of those chocolates- heaven!

Ellen- I want to hear about your life in St. Croix!!

[CrucianGal]

Ruth,
It's like life anywhere else only at a slower pace and with beautiful water and scenery. I work at a place frequented by tourists and I always get asked what's it like living on an island? It makes me smile, because I think some people want to hear that I relax under a coconut palm at the beach everyday. Actually I spend most of the time doing regular things (laundry, grocery shopping, post office etc) I just get to do it on an island. I bet people ask you the same thing. It's just a normal life with moments of "ahhhhh":)
B'shalom,
Ellen

[happy trailer]

Hi Ellen!

I don't know how big St. Croix is, but I'm betting that at the end of the day, if you're in the mood, you can go to the beach and dip your toes in the Caribbean! (And maybe even lunchtime, too..)

We live in the Jerusalem hills, and love it, but we always say it would soooooo much better if the Mediterranean was at the bottom of our mountain, instead of an hour away :p

Wish I was going to be here to meet you on your next trip, but I'll be in the States next October, and- I'm planning to be on a Caribbean cruise :)

[happy trailer]

Since I haven't been to Haifa in several years, and so many are asking for suggestions on what to see, I decided to sign up for a one day tour of the city :)

The tour is on August 18. I'll post a quick review here when I get back.

Thought you'd like to see the itinerary, to get an idea of what Israelis think are 'to dos' in Haifa.

(This tour originates in Jerusalem, 8AM-7PM.)

Mt. Carmel (the Switzerland of Israel), Nesher Park, suspension bridge (longest in Israel). Haifa- Af Al Pi Chen Museum, boat ride in the bay. To the top of Haifa for a breath-taking view of the bay and the world famous, manicured Bahai gardens. On to Muchraka to see the very lush Jezreel valley below.

[I'm looking forward to seeing cruise ships in Haifa bay, too!]

[GreySkies]

I was in Israel last year with a Temple group led by the cantor. The guide that we had was excellent. Based on that, for those that are considering going to Masada, if you can get a tour through it, it's worth it. Don't spend precious time climbing up to it, though. I was sick as a dog that day, plus I was wearing black pants and a black t-shirt on a hot day, but I still found it interesting.

Ruth,

The group I was with visited an area that was ruins just outside the walls to the old temple (?). This area had the beginning and ending of an arch and had what were believed to be market stalls. It is a narrow strip of ruins. It has a mural or mosaic on the wall to the entrance where you get tickets. It is also overlooked by the current entrance for the Arabs to the mosque. I want to take my mother to this, but I have no clue as to the name. Do you?

Also, just out of curiosity, how far is it to Petra from Haifa and Ashdod?

Thanks for the help and previous information.

[happy trailer]

The group I was with visited an area that was ruins just outside the walls to the old temple (?). This area had the beginning and ending of an arch and had what were believed to be market stalls. It is a narrow strip of ruins. It has a mural or mosaic on the wall to the entrance where you get tickets. It is also overlooked by the current entrance for the Arabs to the mosque. I want to take my mother to this, but I have no clue as to the name. Do you?

Hi,

The arch is called 'Robinson's Arch' and the area you are referring to is part of the Davidson Center/Jerusalem Archaeological Park. I did a Google search, and there are so many websites with info on it, that I thought it would be best if I included the link to the Google search:

http://www.google.co.il/search?q=davidson+center+jerusalem&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Also, just out of curiosity, how far is it to Petra from Haifa and Ashdod?


The usual jumping off place to Petra from Israel is Eilat, which is at the far southern point of Israel, on the Red Sea, bordering both Taba, Egypt, and Aquaba, Jordan. Petra is around a 2-3 hour ride from there.

Eilat is 3 + hours from Ashdod, and over 5 hours from Haifa, so you would be looking at at least 8 hours to get to Petra, likely more because of the border crossing.

It's certainly not a day trip from either Haifa or Ashdod, and even an overnight trip would be a stretch, unless you were to fly from Ben Gurion airport (outside Tel Aviv) to either Eilat or Amman, Jordan, and travel to Petra from there. The flight from Ben Gurion to Amman is less than half an hour, and the overland trip from Amman to Petra is about 4 hours. [The flight from Ben Gurion to Eilat is about 45 minutes.] As far as I know, there are no airports at Petra.

HTH!

[HRHMadonna]

Thank you so much for your posts...what a wealth of useful information!

Our cruise ship will dock one day at Haifa and the following day at Ashdod. I just realized that the day we are at Haifa is a Saturday...How will that affect tours and sightseeing? Can we expect the major tourist attractions in Jerusalem & Bethlehem to still be open? We'd appreciate your advice on whether we should schedule Jerusalem & Bethlehem for Saturday from Haifa or wait until Sunday and arrange that tour from Ashdod?

Also, would appreciate anyone's input on this dilemma...What to do? :confused:
A day trip to the Dead Sea and Masada?
Or, a day trip to Nazareth & Galilee?

Thanks!

[happy trailer]

Thank you so much for your posts...what a wealth of useful information!

Our cruise ship will dock one day at Haifa and the following day at Ashdod. I just realized that the day we are at Haifa is a Saturday...How will that affect tours and sightseeing? Can we expect the major tourist attractions in Jerusalem & Bethlehem to still be open? We'd appreciate your advice on whether we should schedule Jerusalem & Bethlehem for Saturday from Haifa or wait until Sunday and arrange that tour from Ashdod?

Also, would appreciate anyone's input on this dilemma...What to do? :confused:
A day trip to the Dead Sea and Masada?
Or, a day trip to Nazareth & Galilee?

Thanks!

I don't know about Bethlehem, although I would imagine everything there will be open on Saturday, as the city is under Palestinian control (you will go thru a checkpoint as you enter and leave Bethlehem; Israelis are not permitted to enter the city).

You will experience a very different Jerusalem on Saturday than you would during the week- public buses do not run, and most stores and restaurants will be closed. Some streets are even closed to private vehicles.

Openings of tourist attractions vary from place to place. For example, Yad Vashem is closed on Saturday, but the Israel Museum is open.

If you are planning to book a private tour guide, then he/she is the best one to consult, as it's possible that you will still be able to visit the sights that are most important to you. However, if you are planning to visit on your own, then I'd suggest waiting until Sunday for your Jerusalem tour.

In any case, visiting Jerusalem from Haifa makes for a long day (it is doable, but I don't really recommend it). Adding Bethlehem to that day will give you very little time to see much of Jerusalem.

[BTW, it happens that I'm going on a one day bus tour of Haifa tomorrow. We leave Jerusalem at 8AM, and return at 7PM. There's not that all that much to see in Haifa, and still we aren't going to have time to see it all.]

If I can chime in on your 'dilemna':

If Christian holy sights are important to you, then I highly suggest you choose a day trip to Nazareth & Galilee. The area is beautiful, and it is filled with many significant and meaningful Christian sights.

HTH, and please don't hesitate to ask more questions! :)

[teemsum]

Hi

We are from Canada and will be arriving in Haifa on the Celebrity Equinox on Sep 07, 2009.
We would like to rent a car in Haifa and drop if off the next day in Ashdod.

Can this be done and do you know which car rental companies are available ?

Thanks for your help.


Cruisingly Yours

[happy trailer]

Hi

We are from Canada and will be arriving in Haifa on the Celebrity Equinox on Sep 07, 2009.
We would like to rent a car in Haifa and drop if off the next day in Ashdod.

Can this be done and do you know which car rental companies are available ?

Thanks for your help.


Cruisingly Yours

Hi,

If you look back at earlier postings in this thread, I believe you'll see that this question has been previously discussed; I also think it may have been discussed on another thread. In either case, it's the sort of question that other cruisers may be able to answer better than I can, so I suggest that you start a thread on the boards (if you can't find one where it's been discussed), and also pose the question on your roll call list.

The only thing I can tell you is that most of the major car rental agencies (Sixt, Avis, Hertz) are represented in Israel. I also think that other cruisers found that they needed to return the car by a certain hour (maybe 6?), and that they couldn't find a way to return the car past that hour.

Sorry I can't be of more help- we don't rent cars very often here, and have never rented in one city and dropped the car off in another. It really is the sort of thing for which other cruisers and tourists would be better sources of info :)

Good luck, and enjoy your cruise- bet you're starting to count the days!

[Our Passport Stamps]

Hi Ruth...

I'm hoping I'm just confused here..

I'm beginning our research this weekend for our 2010 cruise that ports 2 days in Israel.

I was reading about the new enforcement of entry into Israel if you have had your passport stamped by the Palestenian goverment.

If we were to travel to Bethleham as part of private tour would this cause us a problem to get back to the ship?


Thanks

K.

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth...

I'm hoping I'm just confused here..

I'm beginning our research this weekend for our 2010 cruise that ports 2 days in Israel.

I was reading about the new enforcement of entry into Israel if you have had your passport stamped by the Palestenian goverment.

If we were to travel to Bethleham as part of private tour would this cause us a problem to get back to the ship?


Thanks

K.

Hi,

I can understand your confusion and your concern.

From my understanding, the new enforcement basically applies to someone who, upon entering Israel, declares that they intend to visit Palestinian areas in the West Bank. Their passports might then be stamped, "Palestinian Authority Only," which will likely hinder their return to Israel from Palestinian areas.

(This is a newly begun enforcement of a law which was passed a couple of years ago for security measures- Israel has had a couple of attacks by suicide bombers from European countries who trained in Palestinian areas and then entered Israel.)

I feel highly confident in saying that it won't affect cruise ship passengers who take a ship's excursion to Bethlehem. I'd also imagine that any passenger arriving on a cruise ship won't have a problem. Israel encourages and coddles its tourists, so I doubt someone who is on either an organized or private tour to Bethlehem is going to have an issue with this new enforcement.

Needless to say, your best source for the most current information at the time of your visit will be both your ship and the guide you hire.

And, keep in mind that for a variety of security and political reasons, things in Israel change frequently (sometimes it feels like weekly or even more often!). So, it's very possible that this new enforcement will either not be in effect or be barely in effect by the time you visit.

HTH, and eases your concern!

[happy trailer]

Not surprisingly, the government has issued a clarification of the new passport stamping rules.

This appears in today's newspaper:

"The Interior Ministry promised the Tourism Ministry last week that tourists who declare that they intend to enter only the Palestinian Authority will have their passports stamped "Palestinian Authority only," while tourists who declare they intend to visit both Israel and the Palestinian Authority will have their passports stamped with a regular B2 tourist visa, according to an internal memo from a senior Tourism Ministry official."


So, you definitely have nothing to be concerned about if planning to include a visit to Bethlehem during your stay in Israel :-)


[B]only[/COLOR] going to be visiting Palestinian areas, then Israeli passport control stamped your passport with, "Palestinian Authority only."]

[Our Passport Stamps]

Hi!

Thank you so much for both your posts..

We will put Bethleham back on the list as an option during our short time in Israel!

K

[happy trailer]

Hi!

Thank you so much for both your posts..

We will put Bethleham back on the list as an option during our short time in Israel!

K


Glad I could ease your mind :)

I'm sure that even with such a short visit, you're going to fall in love with Israel!

[SteveS]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you for your advise tomorrow we leave for Israel. We will be in Tel Aviv Thursday through Mon. then on to Tiberias. Jerusalem Tues. - Thurs. Then the Dead sea and Elait.

I'm bringing my computer so I'll check the board.

Steve S

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you for your advise tomorrow we leave for Israel. We will be in Tel Aviv Thursday through Mon. then on to Tiberias. Jerusalem Tues. - Thurs. Then the Dead sea and Elait.

I'm bringing my computer so I'll check the board.

Steve S

Hi Steve!

Have an easy flight! The weather is starting to cool down a tiny bit here, and there's even a touch of dampness in evening air where I live, so you're heading for pleasant touring days :)

If you want to get a great 'taste' of Israeli culture, then on Friday morning, while you're in Tel Aviv, walk along the seaside promenade towards the port (away from the direction of Jaffa; it's less than a 15 minute stroll from the Hilton). The port's outdoor tables will be overflowing with Israelis eating brunch and drinking coffee, and the promenade itself will be filled with exercisers and families. The earlier the better, as everyone likes to beat the heat. It's one of my favorite things to do in Tel Aviv! [And, you can treat yourself in the Max Brenner chocolate restaurant, at the far end of the port :-)]

Will you be traveling from Tiberius to Jerusalem via the Jordan Valley Road?
The scenery on that road is wonderful! I also LOVE the trip from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea- the first sight of the desert always gives me a thrill.

Are you driving to Eilat? If so, make sure to plan a stop at Mitzpe Rimon. It's the 'Israeli Grand Canyon'.

You're welcome to contact me me while you're here, and if you'd like to get together when you're in Jerusalem, let me know.

Have a great trip!

[cb-ozzie]

Hi Ruth,

Have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts.

Like some previous posters, my friend and I are arriving in Israel on the Celebrity Equinox Sept. 29th to Haifa ( 10am - 10pm ), and on Sept. 30th to Ashdod ( 7 am - 7 pm ). What may be different from their queries is that, just last September, we were on a pilgrimage tour of Israel ( which I enjoyed immensely !! ). Thus, we have seen many of the beautiful sites that are on the ship's tours ( as well as many of those offered by private companies ). However, we do not want to stay on the ship these 2 days -- I want to see more.

For Haifa, in an earlier post, you mentioned this :
"If you want to do something different that isn't a long trip, go up north to Rosh Hanikra, which are white grottos on the border with Lebanon. You access them via cable car, and they are very pretty, but I think the most interesting and exciting part of that trip is learing the history of the tunnels built there, and especially seeing the border outpost and the delineation of the border along the sea. You also get wonderful views of the coastline."
How might I find out about such a tour ?

For Jerusalem, we do want to return to the Old City and re-visit the sites we were rushed through ( as is the case with many tours ) such as Holy Sepulchre and the Via Dolorosa. We would also like to see the ethnic regions nearby. You had mentioned a walking tour for those. How might I get info for these ?

Last year, we noticed that there are 2 types of dates growing in Israel -- the ones we see which are the brownish ones from the tall palms, and the yellow ones from the short palms. These yellow ones were ripe as we tasted some. I would like to know if they are readily available.

Finally, a clarification. I have read about taxis -- is it best to approach and quote a price ( knowing that it should be about ~$70 US & ~240 NIS ) for atrip to the Old City of Jerusalem -- nicely, of course ? How about a shebut ? How difficult is it to get return transportation to Ashdod from the Old City ?

Thanks so much in advance for both reading my long post, and answering it.

Regards,
Christine :D:D:D

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

Have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts.

Thanks! I'm glad to be of help :)

For Haifa, in an earlier post, you mentioned this :
"If you want to do something different that isn't a long trip, go up north to Rosh Hanikra, which are white grottos on the border with Lebanon. You access them via cable car, and they are very pretty, but I think the most interesting and exciting part of that trip is learing the history of the tunnels built there, and especially seeing the border outpost and the delineation of the border along the sea. You also get wonderful views of the coastline."
How might I find out about such a tour ?I've only done it by car- you can actually see Rosh Hanikra from Haifa; it's a short drive- about 25 miles away. So, one possibility is to rent a car - it's an easy (and safe) drive. Once you get to Rosh Hanikra, ask when the next English language intro film will be shown- it's well worth seeing, and is shown in English several times a day.

I did a google search for 'Tours from Haifa', and came up with several pages of results. CC regulations don't allow me to recommend any particular guide, so I'd suggest you take a look at the google search results and/or search this forum to see if anyone has done a tour out of Haifa (and, if necessay, post the question).

For Jerusalem, we do want to return to the Old City and re-visit the sites we were rushed through ( as is the case with many tours ) such as Holy Sepulchre and the Via Dolorosa. We would also like to see the ethnic regions nearby. You had mentioned a walking tour for those. How might I get info for these ?Again, google is your friend :) A google search for 'walking tours + Jerusalem' comes back with pages of results. Some of the tours are well known- you can read online reviews of them, or check them out on tripadvisor and other sites. And, again- use CC to search and pose :)

Last year, we noticed that there are 2 types of dates growing in Israel -- the ones we see which are the brownish ones from the tall palms, and the yellow ones from the short palms. These yellow ones were ripe as we tasted some. I would like to know if they are readily available.When in season, you'll be able to find them in any supermarket, grocery store, or - the most fun- in the shuk (farmer's market) on Ben Yehuda in Jerusalem. If you go to the shuk, you'll see many different types of dates, and even stands which only sell dates; people can be very particular about their dates here (same for olives), and each type of date has its fans. You can even buy frozen 'reduced sugar' dates in the supermarket.

BTW- many people say that the best way to enjoy the yellow dates is to freeze them before eating :)

Finally, a clarification. I have read about taxis -- is it best to approach and quote a price ( knowing that it should be about ~$70 US & ~240 NIS ) for atrip to the Old City of Jerusalem -- nicely, of course ? How about a shebut ? How difficult is it to get return transportation to Ashdod from the Old City ?If a sherut is waiting at the port (I'm not actually sure if there will be), then make sure it's going to Jerusalem and also ask if it will go to the Old City (I don't think it will). If it's only going to the center of town, you can either walk to the Old City (and easy 20-30 minute walk), or take a cab. Ask where you can get a sherut back to Ashdod, and how often they run.

Yes, you need to make sure you have the price set before letting the taxi driver start driving. I do my negotiating before I even get into a cab.

You need to make sure the driver knows you want to go to the Old City. It's a longer trip than just to downtown, with a lot of traffic, so the price may be higher.

You can ask him for the phone number of his company (or for his own phone number) to see if they will pick you up when you're ready to go back. If not, you can either try to hail a cab, or, if the driver you hail is not willing to go to Ashdod, ask him to call his dispatcher to find a driver who will.

I think your best bet would be to see how much your driver from Ashdod would charge you for a round trip. That way, you can arrange for a pick up time and place, and know you have transportation back to the ship. (Make sure you get his cellphone #, and needless to say, don't pay him the entire fare until you are back at the ship.)

Thanks so much in advance for both reading my long post, and answering it.My pleasure ;)

[Everbest]

Hello Ruth,
I really enjoy reading your posts. Thank you for answering everyone's questions in such great detail.
My daughter & I will be in Haifa for only one day and we were wondering if we should visit the Druze village of Daliyat el-Carmel after we see the Bahai gardens. We're not taking a tour but would go on our own. Is there good transportation? Or do you think it would be better if we do find a tourguide?

[happy trailer]

My daughter & I will be in Haifa for only one day and we were wondering if we should visit the Druze village of Daliyat el-Carmel after we see the Bahai gardens. We're not taking a tour but would go on our own. Is there good transportation? Or do you think it would be better if we do find a tourguide?

On my recent one day tour to Haifa, we drove down the main street of Dalyat El Carmel on our way into the city, and to be honest, it didn't look like anything special to me, but it might be pleasant and interesting to stroll around for an hour or so. (Then again, the great mix of culture here is an everyday thing to me- which I love!- so you may need to take my opinion with a bit of salt ;))

However, I do know many people who have enjoyed a short visit to Dalyat, mainly for shopping. I did a quick google search for you, and am including links to two pages with descriptions of the town. Both mention that bus service from Haifa is very infrequent, but I have a feeling that the cab fare wouldn't be very expensive.

From what I read, I think hiring a guide would be a great idea, especially if they were able to give you insight into the Druze culture and religion.

Here are the links; one is from 'Go Israel', the other from Frommers:

http://www.goisrael.com/Tourism_Eng/Tourist+Information/Discover+Israel/Cities/Daliat+El-Carmel.htm

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/daliat-el-carmelandisfiya/3710010001.html

HTH!

[Everbest]

Thanks for the info Ruth. I think I will look into a guide after all.

[sizzle_sisters]

HI Ruth, maybe you could help the poster in the "convoy" thread. Do you know if you have to travel in convoys in Egypt?
And my question is: Is it better to try to do the Dead Sea from the port of Ashdod, or Haifa?
Should we be thinking of getting off ship in Ashdod (first stop) and not reboarding til after our third day, which is Haifa (ports > Ashdod one day then sail to Haifa for 2 days)
I'm trying to figure out distances between ports and what I want to see. Is this doable
- Dead Sea, Massada, Jerusalem from Ashdod and Haifa?

[happy trailer]

HI Ruth, maybe you could help the poster in the "convoy" thread. Do you know if you have to travel in convoys in Egypt?
And my question is: Is it better to try to do the Dead Sea from the port of Ashdod, or Haifa?
Should we be thinking of getting off ship in Ashdod (first stop) and not reboarding til after our third day, which is Haifa (ports > Ashdod one day then sail to Haifa for 2 days)
I'm trying to figure out distances between ports and what I want to see. Is this doable
- Dead Sea, Massada, Jerusalem from Ashdod and Haifa?

Hi,

Please, please, please read through the previous posts on this thread- these questions have been asked, answered, and discussed many times. If, after you've gone through thread (it's only a few pages altogether ;)), you still have questions, then I'll be happy to answer.

BTW- are you sure you have a total of 3 days in Israel? I've only been hearing from cruisers who have 2 days in Israel- one day in Ashdod, and one day in Haifa. If you do indeed have a total of 3 days in Israel, then your touring opportunities are wide open, and you will have the time to see all the major sites without being rushed.

I'll keep an eye out for your future questions :) [and I'll take a look at the convoy thread and see if I can help]

[mfantasia]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you very much for your thread. I have not questions, just want to pop up to say Thanks, I've been reading your posts to get some information about Israel, we are going soon (I can't wait!) in October

Well, I take that bad, I have one question. Two weeks ago I knew a woman from Israel (in Jury Duty, could you believe that?) and she gave so many ideas than I wish that I can go for months to Israel, but I only have two days, she suffered my interrogation with a lot of patience every day (3 days!), she remained me you, because all the time she was telling me to drink a lot of water, wear a hat and use a lot of sunscreen, even if the early October weather is very nice ( we live in Southern California, she said that will be like here, maybe a little more humid).

She couldn't help me with Bethlehem, as you, she haven't visit it for a long time. She said that should be safe and "crossing” to the city should be easy, do you know anything about going there? Do we have to pass some border checking? Is it safe? We'll go with the cruise excursion, so I'm sure that they will handle that, but my DD is going with us and she is 4 yr old and I worry.

I have re-read your posts and didn't find that information, so I apologize in advance if you already had answered the question (should I say three questions?).

Thanks

[happy trailer]

She couldn't help me with Bethlehem, as you, she haven't visit it for a long time. She said that should be safe and "crossing” to the city should be easy, do you know anything about going there? Do we have to pass some border checking? Is it safe? We'll go with the cruise excursion, so I'm sure that they will handle that, but my DD is going with us and she is 4 yr old and I worry.

I have re-read your posts and didn't find that information, so I apologize in advance if you already had answered the question (should I say three questions?).

Thanks


Already asked and answered a few days ago, a bit further down in the Middle East forum, on the thread:

Is it safe to cross the border in order to see Bethlehem?
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1050770

"Has anyone had any recent experience in taking a tour from Ashdod that combines Bethlehem and Jerusalem? I am a little concerned about the border crossing that is entailed and any problems that have been encountered by others. Are the sites in Bethlehem worth the risks?
Thanks for any info."

My response:

"The crossing into Bethlehem from Jerusalem is perfectly safe. It may take a bit of time, but there is no reason to think that you will experience anything but a smooth and relatively easy crossing.

If there is any sort of security situation going on, then tourists will be kept away from the area altogether- Israel is VERY protective of its tourists."

BTW, we just got back from dinner with business associates of my husband who are in Israel for the day. They toured Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and the only 'problem' they encountered was being mobbed in Bethlehem by 'guides' who wanted to take them into the Church of the Nativity. It took some persistence, but they managed to wave them all off and enter the church on their own.

[happy trailer]

Hi Everyone!

I'm really, truly am happy to answer questions, but, to paraphrase the words of another very helpful poster on this forum:

"Chances are that your question has already been asked and answered on this board. I really urge users of this board to do a search before posting."

I'm afraid I may have come off sounding a bit harsh to the last couple of posters, but please understand that while I really want and enjoy being helpful, I am (happily) posting on a completely volunteer basis. In addition to the 'normal' everyday life I lead, filled with its hectic times and daily events, I'm also busy planning for my own upcoming 2 month trip!

I'm guess I'm just asking for some simple consideration. The search forum on this board is easy to use and is very efficient; it should take you only a moment to find posts relating to your question. I'm willing to bet that in the months since I started this thread, your question has very likely been discussed, if not on this thread then on another thread in the Africa & Middle East forum.

Please take a few moments to do a search in the forum before posting. If, after your search, you haven't found the information you're seeking, then by all means, post here and I'll be happy to answer as soon and as completely as possible. :)

And, speaking of my upcoming trip (to Los Angeles, Australia, New Zealand, and Florida, with 2 cruises thrown into the mix :D)- I'll be pretty much out of touch from September 25- December 1. I may occasionally have a chance to check in for a few moments, but for the most part, I won't be available on this forum during that time.

So, again, please forgive me if I was a bit harsh.

Slightly early wishes to all for happy travels and cruising, and a Happy New Year (if it applies ;)). Ask away (......) over the next couple of weeks, before I head out to visit my grandchildren, and to see some more of the world :)

[sizzle_sisters]

Yes Ruth I am correct, I rechecked, we have one day in Ashdod and two days in Haifa, hence the questions re: how to plan sites to see around time frame that we have. Many thanks.

[reba]

Hi Ruth,
We will be arriving on the Equinox on OCT. 29 in Haifa and plan on renting a car there and returning the next day in Ashdod. We will be spending the night in Jerusalem visiting with relatives. Oct. 30th is a Friday and all the car rental companies want the car returned by 2pm in Ashdod. If we return the car by 2pm in Ashdod is there anything we can do there? Is there a nice beach or cafes by the port? WE do not just want to go back onto the ship at 2pm.
If we were to return the car in Jerusalem is it easy to get to Ashdod by cab? How expensive would it be? We could return the car in Tel Aviv- would it be easier to get to Ashdod from there? Cheaper cab fare from Tel Aviv?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Reba

[mfantasia]

Thanks Ruth.

Have a nice long trip and enjoy. I see that you are coming to LA, it is so hot these days, uncommonly hot and humid. Hope that gets better when you arrive and that the fires are gone too, it has been a very bad fire season, the fires are not problem for tourists, but the air quality is bad and the visibility some times is low...We really, really need some rain.

[mensch999]

Ruth,

I believe Reba coud return the car to Ben Gurion Airport anytime,24 hours a day. She could get transportation back to the ship from the Airport.
Is this not true?

[reba]

What a good suggestion. After we leave Jerusalem and the relatives, we can head to Tel Aviv and hang around there. Since car rentals are open 24 hours there, including Fridays, we can return the car a couple of hours before sailing time.
What kind of transportation would we get at the airport to Ashdod? Are there buses or do we have to take a cab? How much should that cost?
Thanks for the suggestion.

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
We will be arriving on the Equinox on OCT. 29 in Haifa and plan on renting a car there and returning the next day in Ashdod. We will be spending the night in Jerusalem visiting with relatives. Oct. 30th is a Friday and all the car rental companies want the car returned by 2pm in Ashdod. If we return the car by 2pm in Ashdod is there anything we can do there? Is there a nice beach or cafes by the port? WE do not just want to go back onto the ship at 2pm.
If we were to return the car in Jerusalem is it easy to get to Ashdod by cab? How expensive would it be? We could return the car in Tel Aviv- would it be easier to get to Ashdod from there? Cheaper cab fare from Tel Aviv?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Reba

Hi Reba,

If you read back thru the postings on this thread, (or even better, do a search, as I described/requested in a post or two before yours), you'll find several discussions on having to return rental cars early in Ashdod, and cab fares from Jerusalem. You can also do a google search of 'taxis fares + Israel' or 'cab fares + Israel' and come up with sites that give cab fares around the world and specifically in Israel, as well as at least one taxi company that even allows you to pre book cabs (because of CC regulations, I am not allowed to post that site, but you can find it easily).

And, as mensch999 suggests, you can return the car to Ben Gurion pretty much 24/7.

As to what to do with your time (assuming you don't want to spend more time with your relatives, or they don't want to drive you to Ashdod ;)), you can consider these:

-Stay in Jerusalem as late as possible, before hailing a cab to Ashdod.
There is so much to see in Jerusalem, that you will feel that no matter how late you stay, you haven't seen enough! My only caution would be that because you'll be there on a Friday, it may find some difficulty in finding a cab willing to take you to Ashdod.

- Head to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is where we head on at least one Friday a month (weekends here are Friday and Saturday)- great beaches, great restaurants, an entirely different 'feel' than Jerusalem..altogether lots of fun, but not necessarily relaxing!

- Relax in Ashdod. Right outside the port (but I think too far to walk) is a very nice beach that we go to several times a year. There is a cafe at the beach and restrooms, and you can rent beach chairs. Unfortunately, the shopping mall that was across the street from the beach has shut down, so I'd chose this option only if you simply want to relax and unwind. You can ask the cabdriver to take you further down the coast, where I believe there is more activity seaside (we've only gone to that first, quiet beach).

- On the way back from Jerusalem, you can visit 'Mini Israel', and from there return the car at the airport, and then taxi to Ashdod. I've written about Mini Israel several times on this thread, with a link included, so take a few minutes to look thru the thread, or do a search, and you'll find the info on it.

HTH, and please take some time to look thru this thread- I'm sure you will find many of your questions already answered, as well as some great ideas for things you haven't even thought of asking!

[happy trailer]

Thanks Ruth.

Have a nice long trip and enjoy. I see that you are coming to LA, it is so hot these days, uncommonly hot and humid. Hope that gets better when you arrive and that the fires are gone too, it has been a very bad fire season, the fires are not problem for tourists, but the air quality is bad and the visibility some times is low...We really, really need some rain.

I've been keeping up on conditions in the LA area (I've got grandchildren there- of course I check ;)), and know it's been a difficult time lately.

I hope you get relief soon.

Best,

Ruth

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

I believe Reba coud return the car to Ben Gurion Airport anytime,24 hours a day. She could get transportation back to the ship from the Airport.
Is this not true?

Very true, and your post clearly backs up your username ;) Thank you for jumping in!!

[happy trailer]

Yes Ruth I am correct, I rechecked, we have one day in Ashdod and two days in Haifa, hence the questions re: how to plan sites to see around time frame that we have. Many thanks.

What a great situation to be in! Enough time to make a wish list, and see it all!

[JoeyJoJoShabadu]

Hi Ruth

We port in Haifa and leave the next evening in Ashdod. We wanted to rent a car in Haifa and travel to Jeruselum, and then the Dead Sea. 2nd day see the dead sea, travel back and take in possibly one or two small things.

Probelms I have are 2 fold. Car rental has to return the Ben Guiron airpoirt from what I can tell since return date is a Friday, then cab from airport to Ashdod. More importantly... can I drive throught the west bank from Jeruselum to Eni Gedi or similar? Can I even drive a car with israeli plates from Haifa to Jeruslum through the West Bank.

Any places to specifcally avoid if driving? Do companies rent to people driving through there?

TIA. Receiving conflicting info so far. sorry if this is naive or insane or silly. We're Canadian btw, no dual passport if it matters.

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth

We port in Haifa and leave the next evening in Ashdod. We wanted to rent a car in Haifa and travel to Jeruselum, and then the Dead Sea. 2nd day see the dead sea, travel back and take in possibly one or two small things.

Probelms I have are 2 fold. Car rental has to return the Ben Guiron airpoirt from what I can tell since return date is a Friday, then cab from airport to Ashdod. More importantly... can I drive throught the west bank from Jeruselum to Eni Gedi or similar? Can I even drive a car with israeli plates from Haifa to Jeruslum through the West Bank.

Any places to specifcally avoid if driving? Do companies rent to people driving through there?

TIA. Receiving conflicting info so far. sorry if this is naive or insane or silly. We're Canadian btw, no dual passport if it matters.

Well, as you know from recent discussions on this thread, you won't have a problem returning the car to Ben Gurion and then taking a cab to Ashdod.;)

As to driving to Ein Gedi from Jerusalem- I've never considered that a drive through the West Bank! We drive every where in Israel in our car, with an Israeli flag that is attached to one of our windows flapping in the breeze. That includes the areas of Judea and Shomron (the 'West Bank'), the road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, and from there to the Sea of Galilee, then over to Haifa.

You can check with your car rental agency, but, while they often have restrictions on driving your rental car to Judea and Shomron (which many, if not most, people ignore), I don't think I've ever heard of restrictions on driving the road from Jerusalem to Ein Gedi (the road along the Dead Sea, from Ein Gedi to Masada, is not an issue). You will pass through 2 security checkpoints on that road (one on the approach to the Dead Sea area, and one on the return trip, as you approach Jerusalem). The road is well traveled, with tourist and rest stops along the way, especially as you approach the Dead Sea area. Once you are out of Jerusalem proper, travel time to the Dead Sea can be as little as half an hour, depending on traffic.

There are two main ways to travel from Haifa to Jerusalem- the first is along the coastal road, which will take you through the Tel Aviv area, so might get you caught in traffic. The other way is via the new Highway 6, which is a toll road, and much faster as it bypasses Tel Aviv. Neither of these roads travels into the West Bank. (You'd need to check with your car rental agency to see how they handle travel on Highway 6, as tolls are billed electronically.)

There is one other way of traveling from the north to the Jerusalem area, and that is via the Jordan Valley Road, which is filled with spectacular scenery. It starts in the Sea of Galilee/Tiberius area, and ends at the junction to the Dead Sea. My husband travels on that road at least once a week, and although it goes through a couple of Palestinian villages, he travels it without a hitch. (You will see some cars and taxis with Palestinian plates along part of the way.) Again, it's one of the roads that I don't think will be an issue for your rental agency, but I guess you should check with them. I just wouldn't suggest traveling it at night, because for much of the way, it's only a 2 lane (or 3- one for passing) road, not particularly well lit (in some places it's not lit at all), and it has lots of twists and turns with some drop offs. It's an easy drive during the day, but can be an occasional challenge at night.

[BTW- the areas where Israelis and Israeli cars are not permitted are clearly marked way in advance; the signs are marked in English. These areas are not along any of the routes above, or any where near them. If, for some reason you make a wrong turn and start approaching an area which is under Palestinian control, Palestinian police will stop your car and question you, and then send you to the 'right' way to your destination. It's something that happens on occasion (it's happened to my husband), and nothing you need to be scared of, especially as your planned trip- along any of the above routes- does not travel near these areas at all.]

HTH!

[Heelan]

Thanks so much for all your good advice/information. My husband grew up on a farm, and he very much wants to do the ship's Taste of Israel tour of upper Galilee and the Golan Heights. We would visit a farm, winery and brewery. The tour takes almost 10 hours--pretty much all of our time in Haifa and costs $389 pp. Yikes! He really wants to do this. What do you suggest? Thanks in advance.

[happy trailer]

Thanks so much for all your good advice/information. My husband grew up on a farm, and he very much wants to do the ship's Taste of Israel tour of upper Galilee and the Golan Heights. We would visit a farm, winery and brewery. The tour takes almost 10 hours--pretty much all of our time in Haifa and costs $389 pp. Yikes! He really wants to do this. What do you suggest? Thanks in advance.

It'll be able to be of best help if you'll either copy and paste the description of the tour, or the link to the description. Once I have a look at the details of the tour, I'll be able to see if I can give you alternate ideas.

For now, I can tell you that Israeli wines and cheeses are top quality and very delicious, and that the Golan area, especially, is known for the quality of its wines. ;)

I'll keep an eye out for your post with the description :)

[Heelan]

Ruth, thanks so much...

"The tour starts with a visit to En Cammoniem Farm - in Upper Galilee hills,where we taste the dairy produced in the farm. Then, on the slopes of the Golan Heights we will see Qatrzin, the old city and the ancient synagogue. Then, we see the Magic of Golan, a complex that includes a model of the Golan Heights and the latest venture in the area - a Brewery. After lunch at the brewery, we will continue to the Ramat Hagolan Winery for a tour and taste the different blends."

The tour takes approx. 10 hours and leaves Haifa at 8:00 a.m. The ship leaves Haifa at 10:00 p.m.

Any ideas/suggestions are appreciated. We're just a little over 6 weeks from sailing are are very excited to visit your beautiful country.

[happy trailer]

Ruth, thanks so much...

"The tour starts with a visit to En Cammoniem Farm - in Upper Galilee hills,where we taste the dairy produced in the farm. Then, on the slopes of the Golan Heights we will see Qatrzin, the old city and the ancient synagogue. Then, we see the Magic of Golan, a complex that includes a model of the Golan Heights and the latest venture in the area - a Brewery. After lunch at the brewery, we will continue to the Ramat Hagolan Winery for a tour and taste the different blends."

The tour takes approx. 10 hours and leaves Haifa at 8:00 a.m. The ship leaves Haifa at 10:00 p.m.

Any ideas/suggestions are appreciated. We're just a little over 6 weeks from sailing are are very excited to visit your beautiful country.

It sounds like a great day- the area you'll be in is beautiful, and while we've never had a chance to go to Qatzrin, it's on our 'to do' list as everyone we know who's visited there says it's a great day trip.

But, both my husband and I were astounded at the price for your tour! Before you book the ship's excursion, I'd suggest you check the threads in this forum for recommendations for private guides, and see what they would charge for a similar tour. Also, check the roll call for your cruise, and see if anyone would be interested in joining you on a private tour (or if anyone has already organized one).

If you'd be satisfied with just a winery tour, Zichron Yaakov is only about 40 minutes (or less) from Haifa, and from there you could continue to Ceasaria to tour.

If money is not too much of an issue, and if you'd be concerned about making it back to the ship on time, then the ship's excursion sounds like it will be a very pleasant (and delicious ;)) day. If you're more adventurous, then you could rent a car in Haifa, and explore the wineries and farms on your own.

HTH!

[Heelan]

Ruth, thanks! Now I'm really looking forward to doing this. The price is...yowza high. I'm sure we're going to do something like that though. I've posted on our roll call, but so far, no response. I'll keep trying. Thanks again.

[Heelan]

I usedGuy Tours , our tour was great

Would you mind giving me more info? e.g., did your tour cover the same itinerary as ours; did you get back to the ship in plenty of time, etc. I'm going to Google Guy now. Thanks for the tip.

[happy trailer]

Just a quick reminder that I'll be traveling, and basically unavailable, from Sept 25-Dec 1. I may peek in every now and then, but I wouldn't count on it :D

So, if you have any questions for me, or think you might have questions- ask them soon!

Enjoy your travels!

[epixx]

Hi Ruth:

I searched this thread but did not find any posts about the time elevator. Have you done this? Would you recommend it for teen (age 15) and preteen (age 11), or is it too fake and hokey?

Karen

[CrucianGal]

Hi Ruth,

I want to wish you a terrific trip and La Shana Tova!

I have a quick question about Zichron Yaacov. My cousins just returned from 3 weeks in Israel and fell in love with Zichron Yaacov. They are even considering real estate there. Do you know how spread out things are there? We plan to have a rental car, but were wondering is there a centralized pedestrian area? We would like to park and then walk. Based on our past visit to Israel we learned that finding parking can some times be a challenge.
Thanks and regards from St. Croix,
Ellen

[cacky]

Hi Ruth,

1. We will be on RCCL's Vision of the Seas, at port in Haifi on Thurs, Oct 1st and in port in Ashod on Fri, Oct 2nd. We always book shore excursions through the ship. Our excursion is from 8:00 AM to 6:15 PM. Sites include, the West Wall, Garden Gesthaneme, Via DelaRosa, and Church of the Sephlacre, and Bethlehem. From reading previous posts, it seems that things close down on the evening of Oct 2nd, so we should be able to see the sites on Friday during the day. I have read through the posts and have several additional questions.

2. I have seasonal allergies to enviornmental things, like pollen. I am going to start my Allergra a week before we leave. Do you know of anything in bloom at this time of the year?

3 I am planning on wearing capris and a button up shirt, with a shell underneath. I am also bringing a light-weight shawl. I am assuming this will be acceptable.
4 Do we need to bring bug spray?

5. Are you aware of the ports refusing entrance of the ships because of flu onboard? On our last cruise in June in the Caribbean, two ports refused our ship docking because two people, who were quarantined, had the flu. Also, are you aware of any flu outbreaks there? My husband is purchasing these special masks to wear on the plane, which, hopefully will filter out some of these bugs. Do you know of tourists wearing masks while on their excursions? I read from the CDC site that there is the threat of the West Nile Virus.

Thanks so much in advance for your reply.

Catherine Walker
Toccoa GA

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

I want to wish you a terrific trip and La Shana Tova!

I have a quick question about Zichron Yaacov. My cousins just returned from 3 weeks in Israel and fell in love with Zichron Yaacov. They are even considering real estate there. Do you know how spread out things are there? We plan to have a rental car, but were wondering is there a centralized pedestrian area? We would like to park and then walk. Based on our past visit to Israel we learned that finding parking can some times be a challenge.
Thanks and regards from St. Croix,
Ellen

Hi Ellen!

Shana Tova (and happy travels) to you, too! Yikes- we were just asked to host several US students for at least one of the meals, so I'm already shopping and cooking!

Zichron Yaakov is beautiful; I'm not surprised that your cousins fell in love with it. (It also has a substantial English speaking community, btw).

The town itself is spread around the hillside, but there is a central pedestrian area that is lovely. It's filled with cafes and artist's galleries, and the 'wine route' is also in that area. There's a lot of very interesting modern Israeli history in Zichron, and when you walk around you will find commemorative plaques and a small museum or two.

I think that the only times there might be a problem finding parking in Zichron would be on weekends and holidays. (The weather in October should be perfect for walking, so even if you need to park a few blocks from the pedestrian area, it shouldn't be a problem.)

HTH, and enjoy!

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

1. We will be on RCCL's Vision of the Seas, at port in Haifi on Thurs, Oct 1st and in port in Ashod on Fri, Oct 2nd. We always book shore excursions through the ship. Our excursion is from 8:00 AM to 6:15 PM. Sites include, the West Wall, Garden Gesthaneme, Via DelaRosa, and Church of the Sephlacre, and Bethlehem. From reading previous posts, it seems that things close down on the evening of Oct 2nd, so we should be able to see the sites on Friday during the day. I have read through the posts and have several additional questions.

Yes, that's correct- you should have no problem visiting the sites on Friday morning (stores and restaurants will start closing down on Friday afternoon). You are in for a special treat during your visit- Friday is the eve of the week long 'Feast of the Tabernacle' (Succot), so keep looking up- you'll see succot (booths- temporary 'rooms' that are built for the holiday) on the balconies in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City (and all around the city and most of the country).

2. I have seasonal allergies to enviornmental things, like pollen. I am going to start my Allergra a week before we leave. Do you know of anything in bloom at this time of the year?

With its fairly mild climate, there is always something blooming in Israel! My husband and I experienced a switch in our seasonal allergies when we moved here- the spring allergies I used to get hit with in the States affect me in the fall here, while my husband's allergies switched from the fall to the spring. In general, we've both found that our allergies are milder here, so I think you should be fine with the Allegra.

3 I am planning on wearing capris and a button up shirt, with a shell underneath. I am also bringing a light-weight shawl. I am assuming this will be acceptable.

It will be perfectly acceptable. There's a chance that you might be asked to wrap the shawl around your waist (over your pants) in some areas, but I wouldn't worry about it. BTW- Jerusalem can get cool in the evening (it will still be a bit hot during the day), so you will need the shawl for warmth.

4 Do we need to bring bug spray?

I haven't had any problems with mosquitoes, etc (most Israeli homes don't have screens on their windows), but I personally don't travel anywhere in the world without a naturopathic insect repellent (I use one that comes in a small tin, so it's easy to carry and use).

5. Are you aware of the ports refusing entrance of the ships because of flu onboard? On our last cruise in June in the Caribbean, two ports refused our ship docking because two people, who were quarantined, had the flu. Also, are you aware of any flu outbreaks there? My husband is purchasing these special masks to wear on the plane, which, hopefully will filter out some of these bugs. Do you know of tourists wearing masks while on their excursions? I read from the CDC site that there is the threat of the West Nile Virus.

I haven't heard of any ships being refused entry here because of the flu. Israel is like any country in the world- we have cases of H1N1, and deaths have been associated in those with other medical conditions. We had bouts of regular flu this summer, mostly in summer camps popular with US visitors (I got the flu from a friend who was visiting from the States, and flew here knowing she had the flu!), but while the health authorities are advising everyone to be smart and to take sensible precautions, there isn't a particular sense of concern here. I haven't seen any tourists wearing masks; the newspapers here would definitely report- with photos- if there were.

My understanding is that West Nile virus occurs at the same rates in Israel as it does in the US. Again, it's not a huge concern here- every year the newspapers report a few cases of the virus, but that is it.

To be honest, I'm more concerned about getting the flu on my upcoming trip to the States than I am about contracting it here. I'm especially starting to think I was nuts to book a short Baja cruise before I fly on to Australia and New Zealand- I'll be walking around the ship with my antibacterial wipes, washing my hands religiously, and avoiding the buffet!

Thanks so much in advance for your reply.

Catherine Walker
Toccoa GA

HTH, and enjoy your trip!

[cacky]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you so much for your invaluable information! You are so kind to share your wealth of information to us travelers!

Best Regards,


Catherine

[ptcellen]

Ruth,
Just wanted to tell you to have a wonderful vacation and enjoy your time with your grandchildren as well. We can't thank you enough for all your valuable help in answering all our questions. We will miss you.
Ellen:)

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

Thank you so much for your invaluable information! You are so kind to share your wealth of information to us travelers!

Best Regards,


Catherine

My pleasure- I love living here, and am glad to be of help :)

Have a wonderful cruise!

[happy trailer]

Ruth,
Just wanted to tell you to have a wonderful vacation and enjoy your time with your grandchildren as well. We can't thank you enough for all your valuable help in answering all our questions. We will miss you.
Ellen:)

Thank you, Ellen, for your wishes and your lovely words. I'm glad to help :)

Happy travels!

[Everbest]

Ruth,
I just wanted to add that I too have enjoyed reading your posts and also wish you a Shana Tovah!
Doree

[iceburg1]

Ruth,

Have a great vacation and a Shanah Tovah. Thank you for all the terrific information that you provide.

Harry

[happy trailer]

Ruth,
I just wanted to add that I too have enjoyed reading your posts and also wish you a Shana Tovah!
Doree

Thank you, Doree! Shana Tovah to you, too, and have a great cruise!

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

Have a great vacation and a Shanah Tovah. Thank you for all the terrific information that you provide.

Harry


Thank you, Harry! I'm glad to see everything worked out for you with the cab from Ashdod- it sounds like you had a true mensch of a tour guide!

Shana Tovah!

[SteveS]

Hi Ruth,
Thank you for all your advise. We just returned from our 3 week visit. Driving in Israel is as easy as driving in NYC or LA. I had no problems even without a GPS. We rented a cellphone from Travelcell and a car from Eldan and stayed in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Tiberias, En Gedi and Elait. A wonderful trip. We even saw Mini-Israel which we enjoyed. Enjoy your vacation in LA.

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
Thank you for all your advise. We just returned from our 3 week visit. Driving in Israel is as easy as driving in NYC or LA. I had no problems even without a GPS. We rented a cellphone from Travelcell and a car from Eldan and stayed in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Tiberias, En Gedi and Elait. A wonderful trip. We even saw Mini-Israel which we enjoyed. Enjoy your vacation in LA.

Thanks Steve! Glad to hear you had a great trip :)

You're bolder than me, tho'- I think Israeli drivers are nuts! My husband and I could go on and on about the crazy things we've seen on the roads. :eek:
(Mmmm...then again, since you're comparing driving in Israel to driving in NYC or LA- I guess you didn't find it so strange :p)

[marvelous M]

Thank you for all your wonderful advise. L'Shana Tova

[happy trailer]

Thank you for all your wonderful advise. L'Shana Tova


Thanks- you too :)

[Aquarians]

Hi Everyone!
....And, speaking of my upcoming trip (to Los Angeles, Australia, New Zealand, and Florida, with 2 cruises thrown into the mix :D)- I'll be pretty much out of touch from September 25- December 1.
:)
Kia ora from AotearoaNZ.
We will be visiting your country on a cruise next October.m Thanks for all the information you have supplied on Israel. I'm sure you will love NZ & Aus. Don't miss our town, Rotorua, the tourist must see of the North Island. When will you be here?
Aquarianshttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon7.gifhttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[happy trailer]

Kia ora from AotearoaNZ.
We will be visiting your country on a cruise next October.m Thanks for all the information you have supplied on Israel. I'm sure you will love NZ & Aus. Don't miss our town, Rotorua, the tourist must see of the North Island. When will you be here?
Aquarianshttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon7.gifhttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Hi!

I'll be in New Zealand the first week of November. Unfortunately, I only have time for a week in NZ this trip, so will be only on the South Island (I won't even have time to see friends in Auckland!). But- I'm already starting to make plans for a second, longer trip in 2011 :D- so I'll visit Rotorua then :)

[Cruiser Cats]

Ruth,

You have been so helpful on this board. I searched the posts but did not find any recommendations for hotels. If you've already posted them, and I missed them, I apologize. We will be staying in Jerusalem on a Saturday night next June. We would like to stay in a moderately priced hotel in a safe area in which we could walk around. Do you have any recommendations?

Many thanks!

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

You have been so helpful on this board. I searched the posts but did not find any recommendations for hotels. If you've already posted them, and I missed them, I apologize. We will be staying in Jerusalem on a Saturday night next June. We would like to stay in a moderately priced hotel in a safe area in which we could walk around. Do you have any recommendations?

Many thanks!

I'm pretty sure that on the first page of this thread I wrote a response with a few Jerusalem hotels- I'm leaving on my trip in a short while, and just stopping in for a quick check, so I'll leave it to you to go back and check the first couple of pages. Since your trip is several months away, if you don't find the post, then you'll have plenty of time to ask again when I get back ;)

[BTW- any area in west Jerusalem is perfectly safe to walk around 24/7. I don't think twice about walking around the city alone at any hour.]

OK- that's it- I'm off to finish packing! Happy travels everyone- I'll be back online at the beginning of December :)

[SteveS]

Two weeks ago we stayed at the Dan Panorama. It cost $220 and included a great breakfast buffet. You can walk to Ben Yehuda St. and the Jaffa Gate. Also check out the YMCA, a block away, which is said to be cheap and nice. We ate there and it very good.

[Cruiser Cats]

I'm pretty sure that on the first page of this thread I wrote a response with a few Jerusalem hotels- I'm leaving on my trip in a short while, and just stopping in for a quick check, so I'll leave it to you to go back and check the first couple of pages. Since your trip is several months away, if you don't find the post, then you'll have plenty of time to ask again when I get back ;)

[BTW- any area in west Jerusalem is perfectly safe to walk around 24/7. I don't think twice about walking around the city alone at any hour.]

OK- that's it- I'm off to finish packing! Happy travels everyone- I'll be back online at the beginning of December :)

For those who are following this thread, I went back and found Ruth's hotel recommendations on Post #28.

Thanks, Ruth!

[mfantasia]

Hi Ruth,

I just came back from the cruise and I want to tell you how impress I'm with Israel. The people was very friendly and I feel very safe all the time. I wish I can go back and spend more time. Thanks for your help.

[museumlover]

I have enjoyed reading your replies. Thanks! Here are my questions: (1). What type of weather should we expect on a typical February 28? (2). We are very familiar with Jerusalem. What is your opinion of using a taxi to go from the port to Jerusalem and back? Any problems? Any estimate of taxi cost? Thanks again!

[motib]

I have enjoyed reading your replies. Thanks! Here are my questions: (1). What type of weather should we expect on a typical February 28? (2). We are very familiar with Jerusalem. What is your opinion of using a taxi to go from the port to Jerusalem and back? Any problems? Any estimate of taxi cost? Thanks again!

God is the only one to know about the weather... but it is winter time, it will be a bit cold, can be rainy and if you'll be lucky....snowy!
Taxi is expensive! Take the bus.

[museumlover]

Thanks Moti! I had not consider the bus. Is bus service frequent between port at Ashdod and Jerusalem? How long does it take for a bus? By the way, we love Israel! While we have always done Israel with a "big bus" tour, we are thinking about doing this one day on our own. Are we stupid to consider this method?

[motib]

Thanks Moti! I had not consider the bus. Is bus service frequent between port at Ashdod and Jerusalem? How long does it take for a bus? By the way, we love Israel! While we have always done Israel with a "big bus" tour, we are thinking about doing this one day on our own. Are we stupid to consider this method?

No you are not!!!!

First bus from Ashdod 438 or 448 to Jerusalem is on 06:00am.it around 1.5hr the same like by car
between 07:00-08:00 you have a bus every 15min and later on every 30min. The price by the wat is 19Nis (arround 5$)
you can check the full schedual of all buses here (http://www.egged.co.il/eng/)
Getting back you have bus every 45min from the afternoon.
to this you should add taxi fares from the port to the bus staion (not more then 6-8$) and back. In Jerusalem you can take the bus to the old city (1.5$) that runs every 5-10 min

[familiesfirst]

Thanks! Using the bus is now one of our options we are considering. Thanks again!

[adriennerenee]

Dear Ruth,

We will be on a cruise which stops in Haifa, and Ashod August 1 and 2. My husband Robert has a lot of questions and I just wanted to say hello before he sends you his questions. And I would like to thank you in advance for being so helpful. We are from your neck of the woods - New York!

Adrienne

[museumlover]

Dear Ruth:
While I realize temps can change from year to year and only God can control the weather, what type of typical temps and/or rainfall can one expect at the end of February? Thanks in advance!

[lcumpire]

Ruth

We are on the roll call for the Equinox Holy Land leaving 10/18/10 and we are working on our private tours. I am working with GuidedToursIsrael in planning a Christian and Jewish itineary since we will be in Ashod one night and then in Haifa for one night. We are thinking the first day from Ashod the Christian trip would include om the port of Haifa the Christian itinerary will visit Nazareth, Cana, Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Tabgha, Jordan River, Kibbutz Ginosar, and Mount of Beatitudes. The Jewish trip might include Acre, Rosh Hanikra (optional), Safed, Rosh Pina (optional), Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, and a Kibbutz.

The second day would include Masada and the Dead Sea, etc. The ship stays overnight in Haifa so as long as we are back for dinner we are OK.

Does this sound like a good itinerary?

Any assistance will be very much appreciated.

Thank you

Larry

[happy trailer]

Hi Everyone,

I'm back home from my travels, and getting back into things a bit quicker than I anticipated. While I have family obligations thru the first week of December that will limit my time online somewhat, I'll try to check in here a couple of times a week until mid-December, and then regularly after that.

BTW- I had a FANTASTIC time in Sydney and especially in New Zealand - what a breathtakingly beautiful country!!- (I was on the South Island only), and absolutely loved the cruise I took on the Emerald Princess. I'll be posting on those boards, so if you have any questions regarding my most recent travels, look for me there.

As for any questions re travels in Israel, as always, I'm happy to help :)

[banness]

Hi Ruth,
I contacted you a while back about traveling with my elderly parents in Israel. I followed you advice about seeking out a private tour as my mom has difficulty walking long distances at a large "tour-bus pace" and my dad has vision difficulties. We toured Jerusalem/Bethlehem with Dina from Avitours and it was awesome! She was fabulous! She was enthusiastic,incredibly knowledgeable and patient. She reversed the tour through the city so we walked downhill and ended at the Wailing Wall! My mom was ecstatic that she completed the tour with ease! Thank you so much for your valued information and input. It was truly a day that we all will remember forever. The 2 days we spent in Israel were not enough and I look forward to visiting your amazing country again!
Thank you,
Betty:)

[adriennerenee]

Hello Ruth,
I'm Robert from the U.S. I really feel like you are doing such a nice thing by communicating with all of us to help us in your beautiful country. I have been researching Israel for many weeks to get a tour for our 1 Day visit to Haifa and 1 day visit to Jerusalem. Our Day 2 in Jerusalem should be easier than Day 1 out of Haifa. Day 1 I want to go east and north towards the Upper Galilee and the Golan. I have so many sites that I would want to do. Could you possibly help me to pick what you think are as many of these sites which can be seen in one day as possible. I have a group of 8-10 people and they want to see as many as possible ( even though we know that is not how we would really like to see this area). We get picked up by a guide at 7:30 a.m. in Haifa and we'll be back to Haifa port by 6:00 p.m. Here's what I'm thinking, what do you think will work of the sites I'm thinking about?: Beit She'arim, Zippori, Mt. of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, Korozim, Gamla, Safed, Rosh Pina, Mt. Bental, Beit Shean, Mt. Bental, Nimrod's Castle, any other Golan sites, Monfort's Castle and back to Baha'i Gardens in Haifa. I know we can't do nearly all of these but which would you rule out and which would you think we can do? I'm really confused. Thank you for your gracious help. You're a winner! Robert

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
I contacted you a while back about traveling with my elderly parents in Israel. I followed you advice about seeking out a private tour as my mom has difficulty walking long distances at a large "tour-bus pace" and my dad has vision difficulties. We toured Jerusalem/Bethlehem with Dina from Avitours and it was awesome! She was fabulous! She was enthusiastic,incredibly knowledgeable and patient. She reversed the tour through the city so we walked downhill and ended at the Wailing Wall! My mom was ecstatic that she completed the tour with ease! Thank you so much for your valued information and input. It was truly a day that we all will remember forever. The 2 days we spent in Israel were not enough and I look forward to visiting your amazing country again!
Thank you,
Betty:)

I'm glad to hear my advise was helpful, Betty! Thanks for letting me know :)

[happy trailer]

Hello Ruth,
I'm Robert from the U.S. I really feel like you are doing such a nice thing by communicating with all of us to help us in your beautiful country. I have been researching Israel for many weeks to get a tour for our 1 Day visit to Haifa and 1 day visit to Jerusalem. Our Day 2 in Jerusalem should be easier than Day 1 out of Haifa. Day 1 I want to go east and north towards the Upper Galilee and the Golan. I have so many sites that I would want to do. Could you possibly help me to pick what you think are as many of these sites which can be seen in one day as possible. I have a group of 8-10 people and they want to see as many as possible ( even though we know that is not how we would really like to see this area). We get picked up by a guide at 7:30 a.m. in Haifa and we'll be back to Haifa port by 6:00 p.m. Here's what I'm thinking, what do you think will work of the sites I'm thinking about?: Beit She'arim, Zippori, Mt. of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, Korozim, Gamla, Safed, Rosh Pina, Mt. Bental, Beit Shean, Mt. Bental, Nimrod's Castle, any other Golan sites, Monfort's Castle and back to Baha'i Gardens in Haifa. I know we can't do nearly all of these but which would you rule out and which would you think we can do? I'm really confused. Thank you for your gracious help. You're a winner! Robert

Hi Robert!

Wow- you really have been doing your research! I'm not an absolute expert on the Galilee and Golan areas, but I agree that you won't have time to see everything on your list.

I have a suggestion on how you might choose which sites to see, and which to skip:

Your list includes religious, natural, and historic sites. You might 'poll' the people in your group and see which of those types is most important to each person. For example, if most people say religious sites are most important, and nature sites second most important, then your tour guide can do a mix of religious and natural sites, with a bit more emphasis on the religious sites. If, however, most people say that natural, and then historical sites are most important, then your guide can build your day around those. (You might want to include wine/food tasting as an option in your poll, too, as your list includes places that offer those opportunities.)

Is anyone in your group very interested in the mystical? In art? Then Safed would be a good choice for them.

As always, a good and experienced tour guide is your best bet for these sites. Consult with him/her well in advance, and keep in touch as your tour date approaches, so that you can be sure that everyone in your group has the chance to see and experience the things which are most important to them.

One thing I can assure you- no matter exactly where you wind up, you are going to have a terrific day, as the scenery in both the Galilee and the Golan areas is beautiful!

HTH!

[Capricruiser]

Hello Ruth,
Our cruise ship will stop at Ashdod on 24 January and we'll take the excursion to Masada and the Dead Sea. Can you tell us please what weather we may expect in that period? Thank you very much.

[happy trailer]

Hello Ruth,
Our cruise ship will stop at Ashdod on 24 January and we'll take the excursion to Masada and the Dead Sea. Can you tell us please what weather we may expect in that period? Thank you very much.

Hi,

While you'll be visiting Israel during our rainy season, there will be little chance of rain in the Dead Sea area. The temperature will be in the mid 50's to mid 60's, and the skies will possibly be overcast.

It's great weather for visiting Masada, and while the water in the Dead Sea will be chilly, many people like to take a 'float' anyway (as corny as it sounds, it's really a 'not to be missed' experience!), so I'd suggest bringing your bathing suit and also packing a sweater :)

[BTW, the weather in Ashdod will be cooler than at the Dead Sea, tho' if it's raining in Ashdod the chance of rain at the Dead Sea, while possible, is still pretty low.]

HTH!

[Capricruiser]

Thank you, Ruth. Looks like I may forego the "float" but I'm really looking forward to seeing Masada. I'll bring the rain gear.

[epixx]

Hi Ruth:

Our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids ages 15 and 11) will be in Tel Aviv for 3 days at the end of December. We have reservations for the Dig for a Day at Beit Guvrin, but this excursion would require us to rent a car for one additional day and pay an extra night's parking at the hotel. We're trying to decide whether such a day trip is worth the effort and expense. It's hard to tell from the website exactly what goes on. Have you ever done this? Do you think that kids these ages would find this really interesting? Most of the reviews are quite positive about it.

[happy trailer]

Thank you, Ruth. Looks like I may forego the "float" but I'm really looking forward to seeing Masada. I'll bring the rain gear.

If you have a choice between packing a bathing suit or something for the rain- pack a bathing suit! It's REALLY fun to float in the Dead Sea! (OK, so you might want to also consider packing a light windbreaker and a hat in case it rains :D)

[bluehorizonlover123]

Hi Ruth:

Our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids ages 15 and 11) will be in Tel Aviv for 3 days at the end of December. We have reservations for the Dig for a Day at Beit Guvrin, but this excursion would require us to rent a car for one additional day and pay an extra night's parking at the hotel. We're trying to decide whether such a day trip is worth the effort and expense. It's hard to tell from the website exactly what goes on. Have you ever done this? Do you think that kids these ages would find this really interesting? Most of the reviews are quite positive about it.

I do not recommend renting a car in Israel. They do not have speed limits on any of their roads and the people drive like maniacs. I am not kidding about this. Plus all the signs are in Hebrew so it will be almost impossible to find the streets that you want to turn on. They only have 2 lane roads in most areas and motorcycles cut between all the cars to get to the front of the line of cars. No one gets tickets for the way they are driving. You are taking your life into your own hands when driving there.

[bluehorizonlover123]

There are so many more fun things for kids to do. Camel riding, ATV riding, I think they would like that better. Sifting thru the dirt for stuff would only be fun for a very short while. There are also tons of tunnels to explore at some of the sights.

[bluehorizonlover123]

Thanks Moti! I had not consider the bus. Is bus service frequent between port at Ashdod and Jerusalem? How long does it take for a bus? By the way, we love Israel! While we have always done Israel with a "big bus" tour, we are thinking about doing this one day on our own. Are we stupid to consider this method?

Be careful about the bus, if it is Sabbath a lot of the buses don't run!!!

[happy trailer]

Be careful about the bus, if it is Sabbath a lot of the buses don't run!!!


Buses in Haifa run on Saturday (but not on Friday night), and in cities where there is no bus service on Sabbath, taxis and, in some cities, private inter city vans (sheruts) are available.

[happy trailer]

I do not recommend renting a car in Israel. They do not have speed limits on any of their roads and the people drive like maniacs. I am not kidding about this. Plus all the signs are in Hebrew so it will be almost impossible to find the streets that you want to turn on. They only have 2 lane roads in most areas and motorcycles cut between all the cars to get to the front of the line of cars. No one gets tickets for the way they are driving. You are taking your life into your own hands when driving there.


I'd like to assure everyone that Israel does have enforced speed limits on all their roads. I have a feeling that because our road signs are different than those in the US, bluehorizonlover123 may not have spotted them.

In addition, all road signs are written in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.

We have several multi-laned highways here as well :), but as in most countries, 2 lanes roads can be found in rural areas.

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth:

Our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids ages 15 and 11) will be in Tel Aviv for 3 days at the end of December. We have reservations for the Dig for a Day at Beit Guvrin, but this excursion would require us to rent a car for one additional day and pay an extra night's parking at the hotel. We're trying to decide whether such a day trip is worth the effort and expense. It's hard to tell from the website exactly what goes on. Have you ever done this? Do you think that kids these ages would find this really interesting? Most of the reviews are quite positive about it.

Hi Epixx,

Unfortunately, the detailed response I posted several days ago has been removed by the moderators.

I've contacted the moderators, and when all is straightened out, I'll be happy to post another response :).

[epixx]

Hi Epixx,

Unfortunately, the detailed response I posted several days ago has been removed by the moderators.

I've contacted the moderators, and when all is straightened out, I'll be happy to post another response :).

Thanks, Ruth. I read it earlier and found it helpful.

[SteveS]

I rented a car from Eldan in Sept. and drove all over Israel for three weeks. This included Tel Aviv, Tiberias, Jerusalem, Haifa and Elait. Driving in the country side is very easy in the cities it's no more difficult than any large American city. If you are comfortable driving in LA or NYC you should have no problem. All the signs are in English and the roads are well marked and well paved.

[CrucianGal]

I do not recommend renting a car in Israel. They do not have speed limits on any of their roads and the people drive like maniacs. I am not kidding about this. Plus all the signs are in Hebrew so it will be almost impossible to find the streets that you want to turn on. They only have 2 lane roads in most areas and motorcycles cut between all the cars to get to the front of the line of cars. No one gets tickets for the way they are driving. You are taking your life into your own hands when driving there.
What you have posted is ridiculous and very incorrect. We rented a car for a week and had absolutely no problem driving in Israel. The roads are well maintained and all signage is in Hebrew, Arabic and English.

[whale-watcher]

I do not recommend renting a car in Israel. They do not have speed limits on any of their roads and the people drive like maniacs. I am not kidding about this. Plus all the signs are in Hebrew so it will be almost impossible to find the streets that you want to turn on. They only have 2 lane roads in most areas and motorcycles cut between all the cars to get to the front of the line of cars. No one gets tickets for the way they are driving. You are taking your life into your own hands when driving there.

What you have posted is ridiculous and very incorrect. We rented a car for a week and had absolutely no problem driving in Israel. The roads are well maintained and all signage is in Hebrew, Arabic and English.

I agree with cruciangal... The roads are well marked, most with tri-lingual signs, and we did not experience any of the traffic issues (now Athens and Cairo were another story). Parking in popular and congested city centers can be an issue, however

[baesue]

Hello Ruth, baesue here;

Your posts have been very informative and I want to thank you for all of your information. However, no one asked you, nor did you comment, on your experience listed in post #41. I would be very interested in a similar cruise as my wife and I are undecided about taking a cruise which includes 1 day stops in Haifa and 1 day in Ashdod vs flying to Israel spending more time in your lovely country and then taking a short cruise from there to neighboring ports.

Any suggestions?? Thanks for your reply.

Barry & Sue (baesue)

[happy trailer]

Hello Ruth, baesue here;

Your posts have been very informative and I want to thank you for all of your information. However, no one asked you, nor did you comment, on your experience listed in post #41. I would be very interested in a similar cruise as my wife and I are undecided about taking a cruise which includes 1 day stops in Haifa and 1 day in Ashdod vs flying to Israel spending more time in your lovely country and then taking a short cruise from there to neighboring ports.

Any suggestions?? Thanks for your reply.

Barry & Sue (baesue)

Hi Barry & Sue!

Wow- what timing! A few days ago, I posted a blog entry about that cruise! (You can find a link to my blog in my signature.)

I enjoyed that cruise, and think that spending more time in Israel and then taking a cruise from here is a terrific idea, but there are a few BIG things you need to be aware of:

- First of all, when I booked, my TA said the cruise line only wanted to deal with my Israeli passport, so I'm not even sure you can take that cruise with a different passport (I thought that was strange, but then I realized it was because the cruise line arranged all the visas), but I guess you find a way around that.

- All announcements, written material, entertainment, cruise excursions, etc, are in Hebrew only, so I can't recommend that cruise line if you aren't at least somewhat comfortable communicating in Hebrew. [The service staff did speak English (and very little Hebrew!), however.]

- The ship I was on was basically a refurbished ferry. I booked of the least expensive cabins, and it was really bare-bones. Very, very clean, but very basic- very narrow bed, one wooden school type chair, and a tiny desk. A full closet, however. I spoke to a couple who had booked one of the most expensive cabins, and they were thrilled. [Another example of what the ship was like: the first two days, there were several announcements (along with a sign in my bathroom) reminding people not to flush toilet paper, but to throw it into the covered trash pail instead!]

- The dining experience is likely not at all what you are used to: A very basic dining room (think school cafeteria), one seating only with no assigned seating, and mostly large tables. Buffet only, and the food is Israeli: lots of salads, and the food is mostly Middle Eastern, and it is kosher (so no seafood or pork, and no milk with meat). Very fresh, very tasty, and only a selection of 2 desserts each meal. Huge breakfast selection, including made to order omelets (the only area that was not self-serve). They did have theme nights: one night Moroccan, one night Chinese.

- The swimming pool was the size of a large hot tub.

- There was no smoking inside the ship, but smoking was allowed on the outside decks- and it was often difficult to find a spot to sit outside that was smoke free.

[BTW, there are two Israeli cruise lines. One sails out of Ashdod, the other out of Haifa. (CC guidelines don't allow me to tell you the names of those lines, but you should be able to find them with a Google search; I don't know if you can book them from outside Israel.) I originally wanted to take a cruise out of Haifa (bigger ships, better itineraries), but my TA very strongly advised against it, saying that cruise line was known to attract, as he tried to gently put it, 'a very raucous and unsophisticated crowd,' so I booked with the other line. When I got home from the TA's office, I mentioned what he said to some of my neighbors, and they all said he was absolutely right, and they would never book with the line out of Haifa. (That being said, I think I would consider the cruises out of Haifa, but only during the school year.) I'm not sure if either of them cruises in the winter, btw.]

If all that is making you gulp, and rethink your thought on cruising from here-

Airfares from Israel to Europe are usually fairly low, so you might want to consider spending some time here, and then flying to a port in Italy, Greece, or elsewhere for your cruise. (You might even be able to build those flights into your ticket to Israel.) Italy, Greece, and Istanbul are no more than 3 hours from Israel; Cairo an hour; and London is around 5 hours.


HTH!

[museumlover]

Greetings in the New Year!
My husband and I will be docking at Haifa on Saturday, February 27th on Costa Pacifica at 0700 hours and departing Haifa later the same day at 1900 hours. This will be our 2nd time to visit Israel. We hope to tour Caeasera (we toured in 1999), Mt. Carmel, and perhaps Zippori or Akko. We will not be doing any major shopping or long meals, mainly just touring. We are searching for a private tour guide for 2 people. We would love to hear your comments on the above mentioned sites. What is the most likely weather during this time of the year (temp range - etc.). Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[motib]

Greetings in the New Year!
My husband and I will be docking at Haifa on Saturday, February 27th on Costa Pacifica at 0700 hours and departing Haifa later the same day at 1900 hours. This will be our 2nd time to visit Israel. We hope to tour Caeasera (we toured in 1999), Mt. Carmel, and perhaps Zippori or Akko. We will not be doing any major shopping or long meals, mainly just touring. We are searching for a private tour guide for 2 people. We would love to hear your comments on the above mentioned sites. What is the most likely weather during this time of the year (temp range - etc.). Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

One thing you must know. Caesarea and Zipori are not in the same direction from Haifa. To Caesarea you drive 30Km south to Haifa while Zipory is 35km north-east to Haifa.
You better chose one of the two.
There were no major excanation in Caesarea since 1999 and most of the restoration work there were done between 1993-97.
Zipory is a site that was excavated mainly in the late 90s and there are amazing mosaic there. taking a tour to Zipory you can also visit Nazareth at the same day.

Have Fun

[Ramizraja]

Hey Ruth,

We are docking in Port Haifa for the day and I was wondering whether we should go north or head down to Jerusalem? Which area would be worth seeing? We are only there for 1 day!

Thanks :-)

[museumlover]

After doing some more research and considering that we only have one day, we are leaning toward touring Caesarea and Haifa/Mt. Carmel. Since we arrive on a Saturday plus it's the day before Purim, how will all of this impact us?

[happy trailer]

Hey Ruth,

We are docking in Port Haifa for the day and I was wondering whether we should go north or head down to Jerusalem? Which area would be worth seeing? We are only there for 1 day!

Thanks :-)

Hi!

It all depends on what is most important for you to see.

While going to Jerusalem from Haifa will be a bit of a trip, it can be done, as other cruisers have pointed out on the other thread. It will be a long day, but very worthwhile and rewarding.

It's possible, though, to have a full, rich day of touring in the north. (The Galilee is a beautiful region, btw, so any touring up north will include wonderful scenery.):

- The Galilee is filled with important Christian sites, from the Sea of Galilee itself, to several lovely and nearby significant churches and towns. There is also a baptismal site, Yardenit (http://www.biblewalks.com/sites/yardenit.html), nearby.

- If you are interested in mysticism and also in visiting artist's galleries, then visit Safed, which is also in the Galilee.

- You can make arrangements for a food and wine tour of the Galilee and Golan areas.

- If you are interested in a very pretty natural experience, mixed in with a bit of modern history, head north to Rosh Hanikra (http://www.rosh-hanikra.com/default.asp?lan=eng), which is on the border with Lebanon. You'll take a cable car down to the grotto, where you can also see a brief film about the area. You'll also see the border- both the land and sea border- and also have a great view of the Israeli coastline, all the way to Haifa and beyond.

- If you are interested in the Roman era, then head to Caesarea; if the Crusaders interest you then Acco is a good choice.

Some of the above can also include a bit of touring in Haifa, including the Bahai Gardens.

Whatever you choose to do, I wouldn't suggest attempting to tour on your own- with only one day in Israel, the best way to make the most of your visit would either be by booking a ship excursion, or by making arrangements with a private guide.

HTH!

Ruth

[happy trailer]

After doing some more research and considering that we only have one day, we are leaning toward touring Caesarea and Haifa/Mt. Carmel. Since we arrive on a Saturday plus it's the day before Purim, how will all of this impact us?

Hi!

Your plans won't be affected by Purim at all (though the stores will be filled with costumes and hamentashen (a yummy, triangular shaped filled cookie) :)); and Saturday won't be much of an issue, either- Haifa is considered a secular town, so I believe many, if not most, stores and restaurants will be open. The archeological park in Caesarea will also be open, although I think that the guided tours in English may run on a different schedule than during the week.

BTW- the weather should be pleasant (mid to upper 60's at least), but it will be towards the end of our rainy season, so there is always a chance that you might get some rain.

HTH!

Ruth

[museumlover]

Ruth:
Thanks a bunch for the info. I was a little worried about Purim and Saturday impacting our touring.
We have budgeted $300 for our Israel day. So far we have located a wonderful guide but his price (which is in line with all other guides) is $450 for the car and his services for the day. With a quick lunch, entrance fees, and souvenirs the cost goes up to over $500. We are now looking for someone to join us in the car in order to drop the $500+ cost down to our $300 budget. We hope to find someone. Because we are on Costa, that may be difficult to find another English speaking couple. If worst comes to worst, how do you feel about renting a car and doing Caesarea/Haifa/Mt. Carmel by ourselves (we toured Caesarea back in 1999). I have driven in Los Angeles, etc. but only once overseas (England).

[happy trailer]

Ruth:
Thanks a bunch for the info. I was a little worried about Purim and Saturday impacting our touring.
We have budgeted $300 for our Israel day. So far we have located a wonderful guide but his price (which is in line with all other guides) is $450 for the car and his services for the day. With a quick lunch, entrance fees, and souvenirs the cost goes up to over $500. We are now looking for someone to join us in the car in order to drop the $500+ cost down to our $300 budget. We hope to find someone. Because we are on Costa, that may be difficult to find another English speaking couple. If worst comes to worst, how do you feel about renting a car and doing Caesarea/Haifa/Mt. Carmel by ourselves (we toured Caesarea back in 1999). I have driven in Los Angeles, etc. but only once overseas (England).


The very good news is that in Israel, we drive on the same side of the road as in the US :)

I think renting a car is not a bad idea- all road signs in Israel are in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, and most Israelis speak at least some English and will be happy to help with directions, if you need them (and, of course, if you get a GPS unit in your rental car, getting around will be even easier). To get to Caesarea from Haifa, you just follow the coastal road (Highway 2).

On another thread, Moti wrote, "The car rental offices in Haifa are in the Check Post Industrial Area that means they'll have to go all the way to there to pick a car."

I don't think that will be a problem because you can take a cab to the rental offices. However, even though Haifa is a secular city, you should make sure you'll be able to rent a car on Saturday- and check to see how late you can return it, because even if the car rental agency is open on Saturday they may open late and close very early (possibly early in the afternoon).

[BTW, there is more to Caesarea than just the archeological park! There's an artist colony, some terrific restaurants, and a nice beach at the Roman aquaduct. I found a great web site filled with information on what there is to do, but because it is run by a private corporation I can't list it here, but you can easily find it and other informative sites by doing a google search for 'tourism and caesarea'.]

HTH!

Ruth

[bluehorizonlover123]

here are a few pixs of Rosh Hanikra

[bluehorizonlover123]

another rosh hanikra

[bluehorizonlover123]

Ceasarea and military at Rosh Hanikra border crossing

[happy trailer]

bluehorizonlover123,

It's good to see that you enjoyed your visit to Israel :D

May I suggest that you either post all your pics in one posting, or else give us a link to a site that has your pics? I'm sure your photos are lovely, and it's nice that you want to share them, but most CC'ers find it easier to share and view photos if they are all in one post, or even better on a web page, or on a photo sharing site. (An added benefit of having them on a web page or photo sharing site is that it makes it easier for you to share them with friends and family, and you also have an easily accessible storage area for your photos.)

[bluehorizonlover123]

Happy Trailer - all great ideas but I don't have that available here. I was trying to get all the pixs to load to one post and had some technical difficulties. Sorry it bothered you so much that I had to post in a number of posts!!!

[happy trailer]

Happy Trailer - all great ideas but I don't have that available here. I was trying to get all the pixs to load to one post and had some technical difficulties. Sorry it bothered you so much that I had to post in a number of posts!!!

There are plenty of free photo sharing sites available to anyone, anywhere in the world- that's how travelers share their photos from where ever they are!

Some of the most popular are: Picasa, Flickr, and Photoshop, but the list goes on and on. You can even use Facebook to share and store pictures. They are all a cinch to use, with clear and easy to follow directions (in English), and you can upload photos from anywhere (and add captions and comments to your photos), often even from a public computer. You can add a '.com' to any of the above and get started within moments, or do a google search for 'free photo sharing sites' and get a list with even more to choose from.

Once you set up an account and start uploading and sharing your photos, you'll wonder how you managed without one before!

[If you are feeling just a bit more ambitious, setting up a free web page or a blog is also very easy to do, with several popular choices available. A google search for 'free web pages,' or 'free blogs' will also bring up plenty to choose from.]

HTH, and enjoy!

Ruth

[museumlover]

I just found out that it will be impossible to rent a car on a Saturday in Haifa (why in the world does Costa schedule Israel on a Saturday???). So, it's either blow up our budget (we had budgeted $300 for Israel touring and a private tour is around $500) ...take money from one of the other 6 ports ...or walk around in Haifa and then get back on the boat. We were hoping to find someone to join us and keep our budget in line but that may not be possible. We have a great guide lined up, we just need one more person. Oh well, we will keep on working and hoping for that one person. Thanks for all the great info and tips. Cruise Critic folks are the best!

[cruisemom42]

I just found out that it will be impossible to rent a car on a Saturday in Haifa (why in the world does Costa schedule Israel on a Saturday???). So, it's either blow up our budget (we had budgeted $300 for Israel touring and a private tour is around $500) ...take money from one of the other 6 ports ...or walk around in Haifa and then get back on the boat. We were hoping to find someone to join us and keep our budget in line but that may not be possible. We have a great guide lined up, we just need one more person. Oh well, we will keep on working and hoping for that one person. Thanks for all the great info and tips. Cruise Critic folks are the best!

What are your other ports and what are you planning? I'm pretty good at DIY in most places; maybe I can share ideas...:)

[happy trailer]

I just found out that it will be impossible to rent a car on a Saturday in Haifa (why in the world does Costa schedule Israel on a Saturday???). So, it's either blow up our budget (we had budgeted $300 for Israel touring and a private tour is around $500) ...take money from one of the other 6 ports ...or walk around in Haifa and then get back on the boat. We were hoping to find someone to join us and keep our budget in line but that may not be possible. We have a great guide lined up, we just need one more person. Oh well, we will keep on working and hoping for that one person. Thanks for all the great info and tips. Cruise Critic folks are the best!

That's so frustrating!

But- if it turns out that you need to stay in Haifa for the day, you can still have a full and enjoyable day!

The Haifa Tourism Board (http://www.tour-haifa.co.il/eng/index.php) has a good web site, with suggestions of what to see in the city. They also have suggested touring routes, including some self guided walking tours, and I'm pretty sure the city runs at least one walking tour (in English) on Saturdays. You'll be able to catch a cab, and in Haifa some buses run on Saturday.

(Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the cable car does not run on Saturday, but you'll still be able to get to the scenic overlooks in the city.)

I'm hoping that Moti will enter this discussion, as in his profile has his location as Haifa, so he should have great suggestions on what to do in Haifa on a Saturday.

You might even consider asking your guide how much he would charge for a tour of Haifa. While you can do Haifa on your own, if his price for some local touring is reasonable, that might be something to consider (maybe he could include some spots outside the city as well, or you could hire him for a half day tour outside the city, and then spend the rest of the day exploring Haifa on your own).

And, with Cynthia's (cruisermom42) help, maybe you will find that you can shift a bit of your budget from another port or two to your Israel budget, and then be able to enjoy a full day of guided touring in Israel.

Don't despair! With all of us putting our heads together, you're sure to have a terrific day in Israel (so good, that of course, you're going to want to come back for another visit :D).

[hobein]

Hi Ruth,
thanks for all your wonderful input to the forum. I have read through the posts and planned the following for touring northern Israel from Haifa:
Haifa, especially the Bahai gardens
Galilee
Golan Heights
Rosh Hanikra
Nazareth and/or Acre.

We are in port from 7am until 10pm. This is my first time in Israel, I don't know how much travel time to calculate between sites. Do I have too much for the one day?

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,
thanks for all your wonderful input to the forum. I have read through the posts and planned the following for touring northern Israel from Haifa:
Haifa, especially the Bahai gardens
Galilee
Golan Heights
Rosh Hanikra
Nazareth and/or Acre.

We are in port from 7am until 10pm. This is my first time in Israel, I don't know how much travel time to calculate between sites. Do I have too much for the one day?

Well, theoretically you could fit all those in during one day of touring, but a lot of it would be only getting a quick look out the car window as you drove by.

My suggestion would be to do either:

The Galilee and the Golan Heights

or

Rosh Hanikra and Acre

If you really want to see Nazareth, you should include it with a tour of the Galilee- but you wouldn't have time for the Golan Heights.

You might be able to fit in some touring in Haifa with the visits to Rosh Hanikra and Acre, but it would be a bit of a squeeze.

HTH- and keep asking :)

Ruth

[zelker]

Hi, Ruth.

I just discovered (very joyfully) that we have the option of physically planting trees in two forests while there! :D Both are open from 8-4. What I'm trying to determine is which one I can do without disrupting touring. It appears that we could get off the ship really early on our last morning (we're docked there the night before and don't sail until noon) and go to the one at Golani Junction, be there when it opens at 8, and easily be back at the ship by 1100. I'm not sure the one at Yad Kennedy will work timewise for us since we'll be coming from the Dead Sea on the first afternoon and I think it will be too late by the time we get towards Jerusalem (after 4 pm).

So assuming we do the northern one, what would be the fastest and easiest way to get there and back (it says it's only 35 miles between Haifa and Tiberius so I'm assuming this is doable?)?

I am SO excited at the prospect of being able to physically plant trees in my parents' memory.

Barb

[happy trailer]

Hi, Ruth.

I just discovered (very joyfully) that we have the option of physically planting trees in two forests while there! :D Both are open from 8-4. What I'm trying to determine is which one I can do without disrupting touring. It appears that we could get off the ship really early on our last morning (we're docked there the night before and don't sail until noon) and go to the one at Golani Junction, be there when it opens at 8, and easily be back at the ship by 1100. I'm not sure the one at Yad Kennedy will work timewise for us since we'll be coming from the Dead Sea on the first afternoon and I think it will be too late by the time we get towards Jerusalem (after 4 pm).

So assuming we do the northern one, what would be the fastest and easiest way to get there and back (it says it's only 35 miles between Haifa and Tiberius so I'm assuming this is doable?)?

I am SO excited at the prospect of being able to physically plant trees in my parents' memory.

Barb

That is exciting news, Barb!

I agree that the forest at Yad Kennedy won't easily fit into your plans, especially as you'll have to deal with the traffic around Jerusalem.

The good news is that the Golani junction is only about 1/2 hour from the outskirts of Haifa, so you could easily be back at the ship by 11. Travel is all on major roads, so if you rent a car the driving should be easy, but be aware that there is often road work in the area that can cause delays (but you will still be able to return to the ship by 11). I don't know about getting there by public transportation; hopefully Moti will check in soon and will have a suggestion.

HTH!

Ruth

[zelker]

That is exciting news, Barb!

I agree that the forest at Yad Kennedy won't easily fit into your plans, especially as you'll have to deal with the traffic around Jerusalem.

The good news is that the Golani junction is only about 1/2 hour from the outskirts of Haifa, so you could easily be back at the ship by 11. Travel is all on major roads, so if you rent a car the driving should be easy, but be aware that there is often road work in the area that can cause delays (but you will still be able to return to the ship by 11). I don't know about getting there by public transportation; hopefully Moti will check in soon and will have a suggestion.

HTH!

Ruth

I haven't looked yet but will be surprised if we can get a rental car that early (700-730) so may be relegated to hiring someone to take us. When checking car rental companies, what part of Haifa would be the closest to the port area?

I'm glad to know that you think it's doable so I'm sure we'll get it worked out.

[happy trailer]

I haven't looked yet but will be surprised if we can get a rental car that early (700-730) so may be relegated to hiring someone to take us. When checking car rental companies, what part of Haifa would be the closest to the port area?

I'm glad to know that you think it's doable so I'm sure we'll get it worked out.

I live in the Jerusalem area, so I'm not really familiar with Haifa things, but on another thread Moti (who is listed as being from Haifa) wrote:

'The car rental offices in Haifa are in the Check Post Idustrial Area that means they'll have to go all the way to there to pick a car. The ofifices open at 08:00 and close at 19:00'

If that's the case, then I guess it looks like you'll either need to hire someone to take you, or seeing if you can arrange your Dead Sea area plans in order to fit in the Yad Kennedy forest.

Mmmmm.... not to make light, but you could always come to my home and plant a tree in my yard- hand painted certificate and regular photo updates happily provided. [Sorry, I couldn't resist :D]

[zelker]

Mmmmm.... not to make light, but you could always come to my home and plant a tree in my yard- hand painted certificate and regular photo updates happily provided. [Sorry, I couldn't resist :D]


LOL!! You are too funny.

I did some checking as well and couldn't find a car before 800 either so I'll have to look for a driver to take us which is ok - that way I know we'll have plenty of time.

PS - what time is dinner? :rolleyes:

[happy trailer]

LOL!! You are too funny.

PS - what time is dinner? :rolleyes:

Pizza and Chinese deliver, so anytime is fine :D

[museumlover]

Thanks to everyone for your great advice. These postings are wonderful. A special thank you to Ruth for her great insight into Israel and for Cynthia's willingness to help! You gals are the greatest! At this time we are DIY for the following ports: Savona (taking a train to Genoa), Olympia (renting a car wiht another couple to Olympia), Rhodes (just walking around in the old city), Cyprus (renting a taxi service with another couple), Athens (taking the metro/train to the city), and then paying for a private guided tour in Israel and Egypt. If we need any more info we will post again. Thanks!

[Tilly43]

Hello Ruth

I have been fascinated by the wonderful information you have given other cruisers on topics related to Israel.
My partner and I are cruising into Ashdod on 5 February and have arranged a semi private tour of Jerusalem and Bethlehem - looking forward to it very much indeed :)
Two questions I wondered if you could help with:
First - what are the likely temperatures in Jerusalem at this time of the year?
Second - my partner is a smoker (he uses hand rolling tobacco to roll his own cigarettes - usually a brand called Old Holburn). When we cruise he usually tries to buy tobacco at whatever port is likely to be least expensive. Would you know what the price of hand rolling tobacco is likely to be in Jerusalem? Also is there likely to be a duty free shop in which he would be able to buy the tobacco?
I know the second question isnt directly connected to cruising but I would be grateful if you could help with the information, if you have it.
Many thanks
Susan (and Chris)

[happy trailer]

Thanks to everyone for your great advice. These postings are wonderful. A special thank you to Ruth for her great insight into Israel and for Cynthia's willingness to help! You gals are the greatest! Aw, shucks :) At this time we are DIY for the following ports:... Rhodes (just walking around in the old city) We docked right outside the old city; it's easy and very pleasurable to walk around .. and then paying for a private guided tour in Israel... Yeah! I'm glad it you were able to work it out! ...If we need any more info we will post again. Please don't hesitate to ask! Thanks! My pleasure- glad I was able to help! :)

See my remarks above :)

[happy trailer]

Two questions I wondered if you could help with:
First - what are the likely temperatures in Jerusalem at this time of the year?

I can tell you what the weather's been like in the Jerusalem area this past week: we've had days in the 50's, and days in the 70's. Very sunny days, and overcast days with a touch of a drizzle in the morning, and I think we had some rain, too.

The weather this time of year is very changeable, but it definitely won't be hot in Jerusalem the first week of February, and it's our rainy season so there is a possibility that you could hit a downpour. And, although it's been a pretty warm winter so far, Jerusalem does get a dusting of snow at least once most winters, and a snowstorm every few years! So, my best advice is to wear layers, and if it looks overcast as you set out, then be prepared for rain, just in case. No matter what, have a hat and sunscreen- the winter sun here is very strong, and I never go out on even a partly sunny day without sunscreen and a hat.


Second - my partner is a smoker (he uses hand rolling tobacco to roll his own cigarettes - usually a brand called Old Holburn). When we cruise he usually tries to buy tobacco at whatever port is likely to be least expensive. Would you know what the price of hand rolling tobacco is likely to be in Jerusalem? Also is there likely to be a duty free shop in which he would be able to buy the tobacco?
I know the second question isnt directly connected to cruising but I would be grateful if you could help with the information, if you have it.
Many thanks
Susan (and Chris)

I'm not a smoker, and none of my friends smoke, either, so unfortunately I can't be of much help with this question, either!

I think there's a store in my local mall that sells tobacco; if I remember, the next time I'm in the mall I'll take a look. There used to be a cigar and tobacco store on the pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem, but I'm not sure if it's still there.

Your best bet would be to ask your guide- he/she might be able to take you to a store that sells what you're looking for (and know if the store is duty free as well).

One note: although many Israelis smoke, the public smoking laws here are pretty much the same as in the US- basically, no smoking is allowed in indoor public spaces.

Yikes! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!

[Tilly43]

Yikes! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful![/quote]

No problem Ruth - I really appreciate your trying to answer the questions and your advice on the weather has been really helpful. I understand perfectly that you didnt have the information re tobacco - as a non smoker myself I wouldnt have that sort of information either :)

If you do find out anything more on the tobacco front, I would be really grateful but please dont put yourself to any trouble to do this.

Thank you for your help
Regards
Susan (and Chris) :)

[happy trailer]

Will keep my eyes open re the tobacco, Susan.

Thought you'd want this update:

A huge storm moved in last night (the first big storm of this rainy season): lots of lightening, and huge downpours throughout the country. Bad flooding in many places, too, especially in desert areas. The road to Masada and nearby hotels is flooded; no bus service to Eilat; the Jordan Valley Road (from the Dead Sea to Tiberius) is flooded). The storm is expected to continue for several days. Here, in the hills outside of Jerusalem, we're experiencing sheets of rain with plenty of lightening.

Yesterday morning it was bright and sunny!

Oops- add hail to the list! As I posted this, we started to get hail mixed in with the sheets of rain. The electricity is 'blinking' every now and then, too, so I'm going to unplug my laptop for a while.

That's winter in Israel- you never know what you're going to get! (I wouldn't be surprised if next week brought the return of sunny, 70 degree weather :-))

[Capricruiser]

Ruth, I hope your wishes for sunny weather next week come true. I will arrive on Sunday and hope to find the road to Masada and the Dead Sea reopened!!!

[Tilly43]

Thanks Ruth for the good :( news on the weather!!!!

We have had several weeks of very cold weather here in Scotland (also in other parts of the UK) - large falls of snow, much ice, roads closed or only partially open, driving conditions dreadful - things are a bit better now in Scotland - its good to see roads and pavements again without the covering of snow and ice.

Keeping our fingers crossed that the storm will have passed by the time we visit Israel.

Best wishes
Susan

[happy trailer]

Ruth, I hope your wishes for sunny weather next week come true. I will arrive on Sunday and hope to find the road to Masada and the Dead Sea reopened!!!

I think you'll be fine! The sun is shining today, with no clouds in the sky :)

The temps by me have dropped into the low 50's, and it's windy, but while they're predicting a few more rainy days ahead, it looks like the big storm has passed.

Enjoy your visit!!

[happy trailer]

Thanks Ruth for the good :( news on the weather!!!!

We have had several weeks of very cold weather here in Scotland (also in other parts of the UK) - large falls of snow, much ice, roads closed or only partially open, driving conditions dreadful - things are a bit better now in Scotland - its good to see roads and pavements again without the covering of snow and ice.

Keeping our fingers crossed that the storm will have passed by the time we visit Israel.

Best wishes
Susan

We heard about the difficult winter weather in Europe and the UK! Glad to see things have cleared up by you!

No worries- this worst of this storm has passed. :)

[ferrytale]

First, I apologize if this question has been answered on this thread, but I don't want to scroll through several hundred posts.

My port of call to Jerusalem is late October. Ship docks at 10am. Being the first Israel port, how long does it take before I can get ashore?
I wish to see Dead Sea as well as Jerusalem, which is offered by a local tour company. At that time of the year, sun probably sets at 5, meaning I should go to Dead Sea first, then visit Jerusalem afterwards. Will I miss a significant part of the Jerusalem sights because of low light or night time? Or is it so well illuminated that it makes little difference?
I am debating whether I should just give up going to Dead Sea if the late afternoon to Jerusalem is undesirable.
Thanks.

[happy trailer]

First, I apologize if this question has been answered on this thread, but I don't want to scroll through several hundred posts.

My port of call to Jerusalem is late October. Ship docks at 10am. Being the first Israel port, how long does it take before I can get ashore?

Hopefully someone who has docked in Ashdod (where your ship will actually dock for Jerusalem, which is about 60-90 minutes away, depending on traffic) will be able to answer your question. I docked in Ashdod last summer, but that was on an Israeli cruise ship returning to its home port, and my understanding is that it is a different experience than what you might experience.

I wish to see Dead Sea as well as Jerusalem, which is offered by a local tour company. At that time of the year, sun probably sets at 5, meaning I should go to Dead Sea first, then visit Jerusalem afterwards. Will I miss a significant part of the Jerusalem sights because of low light or night time? Or is it so well illuminated that it makes little difference?
I am debating whether I should just give up going to Dead Sea if the late afternoon to Jerusalem is undesirable.
Thanks.

Jerusalem is beautiful at night! The Old City walls are illuminated, the area is filled with residents and tourists, and it's possible that the arab souk will be open, too. The new city hustles and bustles at night, just like any major city, with restaurants, shops, the pedestrian mall, etc open and busy. I'm not sure of the operating hours for museums like Yad Vashem, and some of the archeological sites tho', (although the tunnel tours are open at night) so you may have to forgo those if you are only in Jerusalem at night, but other than that, you will have a wonderful experience visiting and touring Jerusalem at night!

[Just as long as you won't be visiting Jerusalem on a Friday night, as just about everything will be closed- you'd still be able to walk thru the Old City (which will be illuminated), and to the Western Wall, and a few restaurants in the new city will be open, but pretty much everything else, including stores, shuts down by 2 hours before sunset on Friday.]

HTH!

Ruth

[happy trailer]

I tried t0 edit my post to add this, but didn't make the editing window, so here you go:


BUT- if your ship doesn't dock until 10, then you won't be at the Dead Sea until around 'noonish'. I don't know how late your ship will be docked in Ashdod, but even if you didn't have to be back at the ship until late at night, you wouldn't be giving yourself time for much more than a brief look at Jerusalem if you also go to the Dead Sea. A visit to the Dead Sea is a real treat, but unless you feel it's a must, I'd recommend you skip the Dead Sea and spend the entire day in Jerusalem instead. JMO..

[Croissant]

Dear Ruth,
Would it be possible to get easily to Tiberias and Tsfat from the port at Haifa and get back on time on our own? The prices for private tours are somewhat out of my budget.
I have been to Israel a number of times, got to Haifa, but nothing else more northerly.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[happy trailer]

Dear Ruth,
Would it be possible to get easily to Tiberias and Tsfat from the port at Haifa and get back on time on our own? The prices for private tours are somewhat out of my budget.
I have been to Israel a number of times, got to Haifa, but nothing else more northerly.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Very doable, but you'd want to rent a car rather than travel by bus.

It's a very easy and direct (via highway), and very beautiful drive! You can travel to both Tiberias and Tsfat, have time to explore both cities and make additional stops along the way. It's best to allow for a complete 8 hour day, but it could be done in less time.

Just check the rental car office's carefully- many people have mentioned that you need to return the car in the early evening. And, my understanding is that you'll need to take a cab to (and from) the car rental offices, but that's no big deal.

Theoretically, you could do it by public transportation (bus), but I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, you'd really only be able to go to one of the cities, and also the drive is so pretty that you're going to want to make several photo stops, and of course, you wouldn't be able to do that by bus.

You should be able to rent a car for the day for around $50, if not less. All road signs in Israel are written in Hebrew, English, and Arabic. Most Israelis speak at least some English, and are always happy to help with directions, too.

Tiberius and Tsfat each has its own unique qualities, so by visiting both you would have a wonderful, varied day!

[And, BTW, if you rent a car, there are many special places up north you can choose to visit. Instead of Tiberius and Tsfat, you could go to Akko, and/or Rosh Hanikra, or you could go south to Ceasaria. About half an hour from Haifa is Zichron Yaakov, a very pretty town where you can visit a winery and artist's galleries.]

HTH!

Ruth

[motib]

Dear Ruth,
Would it be possible to get easily to Tiberias and Tsfat from the port at Haifa and get back on time on our own? The prices for private tours are somewhat out of my budget.
I have been to Israel a number of times, got to Haifa, but nothing else more northerly.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Tzfat and Tiberias in 1 day independently is too risky to my opinion with public transportation. It is possible with a car but you must take into consideration few things:
1. Opening hours of the car rental office. You'll have to take a bus to any car rental you'll chose and will be able to start your driving not before 08:30-09:00. You'll have to be back no later than 16:30 because the offices are closed at 17:00. All this is true if you are not coming on Saturday.
2. Mileage. In 1day renting you have a limit of 200km. if you drive to Tzfat Tiberias and back 180Km if you drive directly and not off the route. Any extra Km is charge by the rental companies and usually it makes the renting very expensive.

Out of those 2 options I would recommend Tzfat. It is not complicated to do it independently. Take from the port exit bus no 103 or 113 to Merkazit Hamifrats CBS and from there bus no 361 to Tzfat – 2hr and 38.5NIS. The old city of Tzfat is in walking distance from the CBS
Another option would be to find partners from your cruise and arrange a private tour with a guide for a small group – for a group of 6 it will cost you around 1100-120$ pp.

http://www.travel-israel.info/siteimages/safed1_200.jpg http://www.travel-israel.info/siteimages/safed2_200.jpg

[cwuer]

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast body of knowledge with us. I want to ask you if you think it is advisable to visit jerusalem in the morning, then the dead sea that afternoon or is that too much for one day? I will be in Ashdod on a cruise in June on a Sunday June 6th from 9am to 10pm, and would like to do both, but don't know if this is advisable. I am with a group of 10-18 depending on if all choose the same shore excursion. We are all in reasonably good shape and most under 50 years of age. thank you very much.

[YorbaLinda]

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast body of knowledge with us. I want to ask you if you think it is advisable to visit jerusalem in the morning, then the dead sea that afternoon or is that too much for one day? I will be in Ashdod on a cruise in June on a Sunday June 6th from 9am to 10pm, and would like to do both, but don't know if this is advisable. I am with a group of 10-18 depending on if all choose the same shore excursion. We are all in reasonably good shape and most under 50 years of age. thank you very much.


Yes...Thank you for sharing - it is very generous.

We are arriving in both Ashod and Hafia, each for a full day. We are travelling with friends who really like being on their own - so much so, they say, why not catch a taxi and just go into town. Given the drive time, I am thinking a taxi is expensive, and perhaps unsafe. I thought I would ask an opinion and if there are facts such as difficulty getting a taxi or costs that will help us with our friends.

[pauline wales]

Very doable, but you'd want to rent a car rather than travel by bus.

It's a very easy and direct (via highway), and very beautiful drive! You can travel to both Tiberias and Tsfat, have time to explore both cities and make additional stops along the way. It's best to allow for a complete 8 hour day, but it could be done in less time.

Just check the rental car office's carefully- many people have mentioned that you need to return the car in the early evening. And, my understanding is that you'll need to take a cab to (and from) the car rental offices, but that's no big deal.

Theoretically, you could do it by public transportation (bus), but I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, you'd really only be able to go to one of the cities, and also the drive is so pretty that you're going to want to make several photo stops, and of course, you wouldn't be able to do that by bus.

You should be able to rent a car for the day for around $50, if not less. All road signs in Israel are written in Hebrew, English, and Arabic. Most Israelis speak at least some English, and are always happy to help with directions, too.

Tiberius and Tsfat each has its own unique qualities, so by visiting both you would have a wonderful, varied day!

[And, BTW, if you rent a car, there are many special places up north you can choose to visit. Instead of Tiberius and Tsfat, you could go to Akko, and/or Rosh Hanikra, or you could go south to Ceasaria. About half an hour from Haifa is Zichron Yaakov, a very pretty town where you can visit a winery and artist's galleries.]

HTH!

Ruth
Hi Ruth. We have just booked a cruise with one day in Ashdod which is a brand new part of the world for us. I was then lucky enough to find you on Cruise Critic. If we decide to just do our own thing whilst there what would you recomend. Many thanks

[happy trailer]

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast body of knowledge with us. I want to ask you if you think it is advisable to visit jerusalem in the morning, then the dead sea that afternoon or is that too much for one day? I will be in Ashdod on a cruise in June on a Sunday June 6th from 9am to 10pm, and would like to do both, but don't know if this is advisable. I am with a group of 10-18 depending on if all choose the same shore excursion. We are all in reasonably good shape and most under 50 years of age. thank you very much.

It's a pleasure to help :-)

Visiting both Jerusalem and the Dead Sea in one day is possible, but you are really going to short change yourself on the Jerusalem part of your visit.

Most tour guides (and also me, just a regular resident of Israel who loves to travel :)) recommend that cruisers plan on an overnight stay for their Jerusalem (Ashdod) visit, if possible. That allows you to get a good taste of Jerusalem, and also enjoy time at the Dead Sea (and Masada, if you want).

But, let's consider if you decide to only spend the day in the area:

Here are the highlights of a visit to the Dead Sea, followed by those in Jerusalem-

Dead Sea:

- Floating in the Dead Sea (highly recommended!) and:
- Covering yourself in mud (supposedly therapeutic, good for your skin, and definitely fun)
- Visiting Masada
- Some like to take a quick look at the gardens and waterfalls at Ein Gedi (very pretty and relaxing, but on a one day trip you'll want to skip this)

[BTW, if you are interested, Jesus' baptism site is a very short drive from the Dead Sea, towards Jericho. It used to be difficult to visit, but now it is usually accessible.]


Jerusalem:

The modern city:

- Yad VaShem, and possibly the cemetery at Mt Herzl (which adjoins Yad VaShem), where you can visit the graves of Golda Meir and others
- The Israel Museum (esp for the Shrine of the Book - where you'll see the Dead Sea Scrolls, and also for the model of the Second Temple period)
- The Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (for shopping, snacking and/or a meal)
- A quick pass by the Knesset (our Parliment building), and other sites
- The promenades that overlook the city
- We always recommend the shuk at Machane Yehuda (this is not the same as the Arab souk in the Old City- it's more of a very lively farmer's market mixed in with boutiques and trendy cafes). Most cruisers don't ever see it, but we never miss our regular Friday visits (it's open Sun-Fri)- we've been going for years, and it's always the highlight of our week!

The Old City:

- The Western Wall (the Kotel)
- The Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- The Jewish Quarter
- The Arab Souk
- The Tunnel Tour (at the Western Wall)
- The recent excavations
- Also, the Burnt House
- The Tower of David Museum

The drive from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is filled with very dramatic desert scenery.

Travel time from Ashdod to the entrance to Jerusalem is at least an hour; to the Old City add another half hour. Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is an hour; Masada is a half hour further (with more dramatic scenery along the way). You can return to Ashdod from the Dead Sea without going thru Jerusalem; I think the travel time would be under two hours, but I'm not familiar with the route.

So- can you do visit both the Dead Sea and Jerusalem in one day? Yes, it can be done, but you'll obviously need to eliminate many of the highlights. You'd get to Jerusalem at 10:30 at the earliest, and you'd need to leave the Dead Sea area by no later than 7pm, and probably a bit earlier to be on the safe side. You'd only be able to spend a few hours in Jerusalem before heading to the Dead Sea.

If you decide to visit both, plan on a non-stop, exhausting, but extremely fulfilling day. If you decide to just visit Jerusalem, plan on a cultural and social whirlwind, with time to sit every now and then to soak up the atmosphere, do some people watching, and have some fun and tasty food.

You can certainly visit Jerusalem without stopping at any museums- even if you decide to only visit Jerusalem, and skip the Dead Sea, I'd suggest a drive thru the new city, stopping at the overlooks and maybe one or two other places, and then focusing on touring the Old City. You can also certainly go to the Dead Sea without visiting Masada.

I think the best idea would be to poll your group and see what most people envision seeing when they think of a visit to Jerusalem, and then see if you can fulfill most of their 'musts' and still include a stop at the Dead Sea.

HTH, and please don't hesitate to ask more questions!

Ruth

[happy trailer]

Yes...Thank you for sharing - it is very generous.

We are arriving in both Ashod and Hafia, each for a full day. We are travelling with friends who really like being on their own - so much so, they say, why not catch a taxi and just go into town. Given the drive time, I am thinking a taxi is expensive, and perhaps unsafe. I thought I would ask an opinion and if there are facts such as difficulty getting a taxi or costs that will help us with our friends.

Taxis in Israel are very safe, even for tourists- but you would want to agree on a price before you enter the cab.

[There have also been varying reports by CCers on various threads in this forum about the availability (or lack of) taxis at the pier, so many suggest you arrange for a driver in advance.]

The drive time from Ashdod to Jerusalem is about an hour (rare)- 90 minutes, and can be longer depending on traffic. Getting to the Old City will take about another half hour. I haven't checked the fare in quite a while, but I believe that sometime last summer I posted that I had been charged from my town (which is about 15 minutes from the entrance to Jerusalem) to Ashdod, around 250 shekels. The fare from Ashdod to Jerusalem would probably be about 75 shekel more than that (possibly even more if you want to go to the Old City). (Nowadays, that's about $85 altogether, which I think is pretty reasonable.) BUT my memory could be way off, so hopefully a CC'er who has visited recently will be able to give an accurate estimate of the taxi fare!

[Moti, a tour guide who often posts here, sometimes tells people that they should think about taking a bus from Ashdod to Jerusalem instead of a taxi. I personally don't recommend doing that, because your time is limited and I know I wouldn't want to spend any extra moments waiting for a bus (not to mention getting to the bus station). That's especially true if you want to go directly to the Old City- you'd have to take another bus once you get into Jerusalem, which would take add at least another hour to your travel time, or else grab a cab (easy, and about $10-$15).]

HTH!

Ruth

[cwuer]

What valuable information you have just given me. Yes, I think from reading that, that to do both would mean really cutting Jerusalem short, and I do want to soak up a little of the "feel" of the city, and be able to stop to eat street food and watch any interesting locals I might encounter. People watching is always enjoyable! I know an overnight would be much better but I am traveling with a family of 5 ( 3 children 21, 17, and 17) so adding overnights really adds up. We do dock at Haifa the next day so theoretically could go back down there and pick up dead sea the next day as a day trip, but that would mean leaving off Nazareth, Galilee, and other places that are so meaningful to Christians as part of Jesus' ministry, so I hate giving that up! I suppose floating in the Dead Sea will have to wait, but it sure does sound fun! Thanks again, you are a blessing to this board!

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth. We have just booked a cruise with one day in Ashdod which is a brand new part of the world for us. I was then lucky enough to find you on Cruise Critic. If we decide to just do our own thing whilst there what would you recomend. Many thanks


Spend the day in Jerusalem! The new city, the Old City- museums, archeological sites, religious sites, new foods, great people watching...!

I've listed a few of the highlights of the city in my response to CWER's post (it's just one or two posts before this one), so take a look there and then think about this:

Are you mainly interested in history, in visiting religious sites, or in soaking up the modern culture and tastes of a city (Jerusalem has an unbelievable and incredibly and uniquely varied cultural mix!)? Your answer will help you decide how to plan your day in Jerusalem. (And, please don't hesitate to post more questions here :))

Or, on an entirely different track-

You could spend the day in Tel Aviv- a fun, modern city with great beaches! (And even some ancient history- you can walk the beach promenade down to Jaffa.)

[You probably noticed I haven't suggested spending the day in Ashdod. That doesn't mean there's anything 'wrong' with Ashdod. It has lovely beaches.... But it's not a 'tourist' city- for cruisers, it's the gateway to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea (and to Tel Aviv); very few land tourists ever visit the city at all.]

HTH!

Ruth

[happy trailer]

Hi everyone,

I'm finalizing my plans for my spring visit to my grandchildren in the States, so wanted to mention that while I'll try to check here occasionally while I'm away, you might want to ask any 'pressing' questions in the next couple of weeks, as I'll be pretty much out of touch during the entire month of April.

Ruth

[houch]

Ruth,

I was in Israel on a cruise last Nov. We didn't do an overnight but had 2 awesome full day tours. The first to Galilee and area and nest we did a Jerusalem/Bethlehem tour. We just couldn't imagine not visiting the city of Christ's birth and coming home to be in the Christmas season made it even more special. I found Israel to be a beautiful country with friendly people. I wouldn't mind returning some day to see more of it. This was a very moving journey for me as a Christian.

[jagi]

Ruth,

I've only just found your thread and am grateful to you. I've never been to Israel (my family is horrified since I've traveled extensively) so I am planning to spend 3 weeks there in late April or early May. Do you think that is enough time to soak up the history, archeology, and contemporary ambiance--or am I asking too much. I can plan for more time if it is needed. My cousin is in Jerusalem for 6 months researching his book and he suggested I spend 5 days to a week there. I'm hoping to join an excursion to Petra, looking at 2-3 days there. I have some friends in Caesaria, but I don't want to overstay my welcome. You have listed so many wonderful things and I want to do them all. I understand the country is small, but is it small enough to experience in 3 weeks--or will I just come away with a "taste"?
Judith

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

I've only just found your thread and am grateful to you. I've never been to Israel (my family is horrified since I've traveled extensively) so I am planning to spend 3 weeks there in late April or early May. Do you think that is enough time to soak up the history, archeology, and contemporary ambiance--or am I asking too much. I can plan for more time if it is needed. My cousin is in Jerusalem for 6 months researching his book and he suggested I spend 5 days to a week there. I'm hoping to join an excursion to Petra, looking at 2-3 days there. I have some friends in Caesaria, but I don't want to overstay my welcome. You have listed so many wonderful things and I want to do them all. I understand the country is small, but is it small enough to experience in 3 weeks--or will I just come away with a "taste"?
Judith




Hi Judith,

I'm sure you're excited about your upcoming visit to Israel!

Three weeks is fine for a first visit to Israel (and 2-3 days is also perfect for Petra, btw).

I'd suggest, that at least for a few of the days, you consider hiring a guide, or else joining some local walking tours. The Friday English language newspapers (Friday is the weekend edition here) have lists of walking tours and upcoming events for the following week (including that Friday).

Also, for a first visit, 5 days in Jerusalem is enough time- you want to have time to explore the rest of the country! In those 5 days, you'll be able to explore both the Old City and the new city; visit modern museums and archeological digs; and spend plenty of time in cafes people watching (and enjoying the food :)).

HTH!

Ruth