"Short" cruise w/ Greek Islands & Israel (3 days?)

[GeezerCouple]

The other recent thread on Mediterranean cruises reminded me (but I don't want to hijack that thread, as that OP did *not* want to go to the eastern end).

 

There is what seems to be a wonderful cruise this year (2014) from (I think) Istanbul, with a couple of stops in Greece, and THREE days (2 nights) in Israel.

 

There seem to be a really great variety/choice of shore excursions in Israel, even without considering private excursions.

 

But I can NOT find anything like that in 2015 - with the same amount of time docked in Israel.

 

We are looking in the 10-day range.

The only similar itinerary I could find in 2015 was a much longer cruise that continued to Dubai. There don't seem to be shorter segments offered.

 

I'm also having some difficulty finding all of the cruises via the Oceania website. (I found a few using Google that I had NOT been able to find directly on the Oceania website, but perhaps I just need more familiarity with the site.)

 

IF there is such a cruise in 2015, we'd like to be planning other activity/travel so that we can do this cruise.

Unfortunately, we cannot do the one this year, a real shame.

 

Many thanks!

 

GeezerCouple

Edited March 11, 2014 by GeezerCouple

[LHT28]

Would this work for you only 2 days in Haifa though

 

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/easternmediterranean/rva150917/default.aspx

[GeezerCouple]

Would this work for you only 2 days in Haifa though

 

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/easternmediterranean/rva150917/default.aspx

 

Thanks very much.

 

Yes, I did find that one.

 

But (curses!) having already seen the 3-day Haifa stay...

To have that FULL middle day, in addition to the arrival and the departure days, there was a very different "feel" to the time there.

 

We are new to Oceania. Might they open up the longer cruise to segments, as time gets closer (subject to cabin availability limitations, obviously)?

 

Thanks again!

 

GeezerCouple

[wripro]

Israel is a very short flight from Istanbul. Why not do a few days pre or post cruise on your own and give yourself the time to visit in more depth?

[pacheco18]

The other recent thread on Mediterranean cruises reminded me (but I don't want to hijack that thread, as that OP did *not* want to go to the eastern end).

 

There is what seems to be a wonderful cruise this year (2014) from (I think) Istanbul, with a couple of stops in Greece, and THREE days (2 nights) in Israel.

 

There seem to be a really great variety/choice of shore excursions in Israel, even without considering private excursions.

 

But I can NOT find anything like that in 2015 - with the same amount of time docked in Israel.

 

We are looking in the 10-day range.

The only similar itinerary I could find in 2015 was a much longer cruise that continued to Dubai. There don't seem to be shorter segments offered.

 

I'm also having some difficulty finding all of the cruises via the Oceania website. (I found a few using Google that I had NOT been able to find directly on the Oceania website, but perhaps I just need more familiarity with the site.)

 

IF there is such a cruise in 2015, we'd like to be planning other activity/travel so that we can do this cruise.

Unfortunately, we cannot do the one this year, a real shame.

 

Many thanks!

 

GeezerCouple

 

 

I am doing an Azamara B2b with that itinerary in Sept 2015 on Journey. Fabulous itinerary with some new ports for us.

You could choose the second cruise that starts in Athens and ends in Istanbul

 

SUN 20-SEP PIRAEUS (ATHENS), GREECE Embark 6:00 pm

MON 21-SEP MYKONOS, GREECE Tendered 8:00 am 11:00 pm

TUE 22-SEP PATMOS, GREECE Tendered 8:00 am 9:00 pm

WED 23-SEP BODRUM, TURKEY Docked 8:00 am 6:00 pm

THU 24-SEP KAS (TURQUOISE COAST), TURKEY Tendered 8:00 am 9:00 pm

FRI 25-SEP FETHIYE, TURKEY Tendered 8:00 am 11:00 pm

SAT 26-SEP MARMARIS (KNIDOS/DAYLAN), TURKEY Docked 8:00 am

SUN 27-SEP MARMARIS (KNIDOS/DAYLAN), TURKEY Tendered 5:30 am

SUN 27-SEP RHODES (LINDOS), GREECE Docked 9:00 am 7:00 pm

MON 28-SEP SANTORINI, GREECE Tendered 8:00 am 6:30 pm

TUE 29-SEP PIRAEUS (ATHENS), GREECE Debark 5:00 am

TUE 29-SEP PIRAEUS (ATHENS), GREECE Embark 4:30 pm

WED 30-SEP AT SEA Cruising

THU 1-OCT ASHDOD (JERUSALEM), ISRAEL Docked 10:00 am

FRI 2-OCT ASHDOD (JERUSALEM), ISRAEL Docked 10:00 pm

SAT 3-OCT HAIFA (NAZARETH), ISRAEL Docked 7:00 am 8:00 pm

SUN 4-OCT PAPHOS, CYPRUS Tendered 12:00 pm 8:00 pm

MON 5-OCT KAS (TURQUOISE COAST), TURKEY Tendered 8:30 am 10:00 pm

TUE 6-OCT RHODES (LINDOS), GREECE Docked 8:00 am 8:00 pm

WED 7-OCT PATMOS, GREECE Tendered 8:00 am 10:00 pm

THU 8-OCT KUSADASI (EPHESUS), TURKEY Docked 8:00 am 10:30 pm

FRI 9-OCT DIKILI (PERGAMUM), TURKEY Docked 8:30 am 3:00 pm

SAT 10-OCT ISTANBUL, TURKEY Docked 9:00 am

SUN 11-OCT ISTANBUL, TURKEY Debark

Edited March 11, 2014 by pacheco18

[pacheco18]

If you are open to other cruise lines, there's also these three meeting the criteria of three nights in Israel, shorter duration:

 

• Silversea http://www.silversea.com/destinations/plan-voyage/?voyage=5531&year=2015
  
• Azamara http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/view-cruise-itinerary/12-night-best-of-holy-lands-voyage_JR12U140-1443499200
  
• Regent http://www.rssc.com/cruises/MAR150916/summary/default.aspx
  

 

The Azamara one is the one pacheco18 mentioned.

 

I was booked on the Oceania Holy Land cruise in May, but canceled it upon further reflection. It would have been very hectic to do all the touring we wanted to do even if we stayed overnight in Jerusalem So we are going to do a 7-day land tour in Israel instead.

 

The Azamara cruise will be our second 3 night stay in Israel. I will just keep finding itineraries with stops in Israel until I've seen everything I want to see LOL

 

Don't be a slave to a single cruise line. Find the itinerary you want -- that is the most critical issue IMO

Edited March 11, 2014 by pacheco18

[A Knitter]

We are doing the Historic Holy Land tour in June. My suggestion would be to do what we have planned. 5 days in Jerusalem. Fly to Istanbul and pick up your ship there. One of the veteran posters had his cruise to Israel canceled by O in 2012 I believe due to concerns of continued middle east uprisings. In the event Oceania decides not to dock, our trip isnt a total waste especially if you are going there to see Israel. If we dock there, a win-win. Our tour guide we have hired for Jerusalem will also meet us in Haifa. We are also taking a short trip to Capadoccia before embarking the Majestic Insignia. Our cruise ends in Athens but we are flying to Rome for a few days.

[pacheco18]

Maria's approach makes sense

if we want to be sure we go somewhere in particular -- especially somewhere for an extended stay -- we book it pre or post cruise. With all the uncertainty in the world, you can never be sure of stopping at ANY scheduled port.