Israel Ports

[pikwe012]

Anyone know if Ashdod and Haifa are allowing cruise ships to dock  this spring?

[Host Kat]

5 hours ago, pikwe012 said:

Anyone know if Ashdod and Haifa are allowing cruise ships to dock  this spring?

 

Howdy  @pikwe012 

 

Thank you for your thread titled Israel Ports on the Ask a Cruise Question forum.  However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Your question is in regard to specific ports. 

 

To help you out, I have moved your thread to the Africa & Middle East forum where it will be on topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have been to Israel frequent this forum and provide feedback here. Browse through the thread titles on this forum l👀king for threads of interest. You will probably find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that will be of interest to you.

 

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[bennybear]

I’m wondering the same?

 

[Mystictraveler]

The Health Ministry has now posted their rules regarding cruise ships. It can be found here:

 

https://corona.health.gov.il/en/abroad/cruise/

[Markanddonna]

I'm hoping the rules for isolation end soon.

[roothy123]

Cruise ships have reported that everyone on the ship must undergo Israeli-supervised PCR testing when they arrive the first day.  So far I've heard, but can't confirm as I wasn't on any of the ships, that 2 ships were held up in releasing passengers until 3 PM, and one ship was able to let people off at noon. I think all 3 ships were in Ashdod on the same day.  

 

In any case, yes, the Ashdod and Haifa ports are open to cruises.  But you may loose a day's touring due to PCR testing. You may want to plan with that possibility in mind.   

[bennybear]

1 hour ago, roothy123 said:

Cruise ships have reported that everyone on the ship must undergo Israeli-supervised PCR testing when they arrive the first day.  So far I've heard, but can't confirm as I wasn't on any of the ships, that 2 ships were held up in releasing passengers until 3 PM, and one ship was able to let people off at noon. I think all 3 ships were in Ashdod on the same day.  

 

In any case, yes, the Ashdod and Haifa ports are open to cruises.  But you may loose a day's touring due to PCR testing. You may want to plan with that possibility in mind.   

Thanks for the update!   Doesn’t sound good, as most cruise are only there for two or three days. 

[roothy123]

3 hours ago, bennybear said:

Thanks for the update!   Doesn’t sound good, as most cruise are only there for two or three days. 

Yes, and to embark, even if you embark somewhere else, not in Israel, Israel requires that proof of a  negative PCR test no more than 72 hours old must be presented when you embark the cruise. So basically, if you're visiting Israel on a cruise ship, look at the link provided above by Mystictraveler.  Requirements may be different from those of the cruise line or airline.  

 

[Crazy planning mom]

We are doing this itinerary in October.

Do you think they could adjust for this and offer 5 hour tours instead of 10-11 hours?

I signed for an NCL excursion to Masada and Dead Sea.  Maybe, we could just do one of them.

[epixx]

6 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

We are doing this itinerary in October.

Do you think they could adjust for this and offer 5 hour tours instead of 10-11 hours?

I signed for an NCL excursion to Masada and Dead Sea.  Maybe, we could just do one of them.

Drive from Ashdod to Masada is at least two hours each way.  I doubt the cruise line will offer this option for a five hour port stop.

 

October is a long time in the future.  COVID-19 entry rules might change significantly (for better or for worse) by then.  Keep checking.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

28 minutes ago, epixx said:

Drive from Ashdod to Masada is at least two hours each way.  I doubt the cruise line will offer this option for a five hour port stop.

 

October is a long time in the future.  COVID-19 entry rules might change significantly (for better or for worse) by then.  Keep checking.

I agree - by October things may change.  And at least by cruise lines going to Israel will likely be aware of current Israel rules (and hopefully less restrictive!) so perhaps they can do something to be less impacted.    

 

I do know that in the case of Oceania Insignia, which had multiple days in Israel, Oceania knew about the planned testing at least a few days in advance, so canceled the long excursions on first day but left 5 hour ones. For people who booked small group tours with Guided Tours Israel, they are saying they WILL run the planned small group tour for our first day tour.  But the itinerary could be pretty seriously impacted. But there may be more flexibility if someone has book one of their private tours.

 

I'm still wondering if it's true (assume so) that Jade got to send their passengers off at noon, and if that was because Israel sent all their testers/supervisors to Jade at 6 in the morning. Maybe my ship will be lucky.