Cruise Critic member in Israel, happy to answer questions

[cwuer]

Been reading over this thread. Thank you so much for all the info you are giving to us. Like one of the poster's above some in my group want to cram in Jerusalem city with the dead sea. Our hours in port are a little longer 9am to 10pm. Does that help at all, or not as the daylight hours are still limited (don't know what time it gets dark there in June.)Our ship (Azamara) does not even do an excursion to the dead sea. But I have found a company that says they can do both in one day. The family that wants to do this are all in good health, ages 40's and 2 young adults. Do you think this is advisable? thanks again.

[happy trailer]

Been reading over this thread. Thank you so much for all the info you are giving to us. Like one of the poster's above some in my group want to cram in Jerusalem city with the dead sea. Our hours in port are a little longer 9am to 10pm. Does that help at all, or not as the daylight hours are still limited (don't know what time it gets dark there in June.)Our ship (Azamara) does not even do an excursion to the dead sea. But I have found a company that says they can do both in one day. The family that wants to do this are all in good health, ages 40's and 2 young adults. Do you think this is advisable? thanks again.

 

Hi-

 

Ummmm.... you already asked- and I replied in length- just a few posts earlier.

This is from my reply post, #244 above:

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

 

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

[cwuer]

I am so sorry that I repeated myself. I do not know how I missed the reply. I have been doing research non-stop for weeks now and I just did not remember this. I think I read it but thought you were responding to the poster that said she was in port only until about 6pm. Again, I apologize for asking the same thing twice and I doubly thank you :)

[happy trailer]

I am so sorry that I repeated myself. I do not know how I missed the reply. I have been doing research non-stop for weeks now and I just did not remember this. I think I read it but thought you were responding to the poster that said she was in port only until about 6pm. Again, I apologize for asking the same thing twice and I doubly thank you :)

 

No worries :) Apology (and double thanks) accepted!

 

Believe me, I know how crazy doing research, etc for a trip can be! I usually take two extended (4-8 week) trips a year as an independent traveler (who is also one heck of a totally absorbed trip planner!); I'm in the midst of planning my spring trip right now :D

[ashlandbards]

We are alta cockquers. I'm seeing a few el cheapo nice sounding repositioning cruises Ft. Lauderdale to Rome, to London and to Barcelona. I mean cheap. Like 799 for 16 days. But I'm not easily finding out about getting from those ports to Tel Aviv and then back to Oregon. And how to set up an 8-11 day trip in Israel, at least reasonably. Ideally we'd love to hook up with another couple or two and get a private guide, but I haven't found a forum for that either.. I'm 75 and my wife is 68. I'm not as mobile as her. No real long walks and I cheat and use a wheel chair to save my knees in airports and museums and the like.

 

I've been to Israel a number of times but a while ago. Linda hasn't.

 

I see from your posts and blog that you have LA and NJ roots. We are both from LA (Hami Hi) but went separately in life, me as a college prof and researcher her as a middle school special ed teacher-and we found each other on JDate 4 wonderful years ago. :) Her daughter is a Jewish Educator and Son in Law, a rabbi, in a Scotch Plains, NJ congregation that is builiding now and used to be in I think North Plainfield. Myself, I'm one of the founders of Jewish Renewal, and was a Shlomo Carlebach guy back in the day. (now some of his people have at Moshav Modin-if you recognize any of these names and terms).

 

I saw this guide Motti's post and tried to connect with him but he didn't reply.

 

Lot's of questions for you. Any answers? :)

 

Martin and Linda (meir and batya)

[ashlandbards]

Yes this focused research on trying to make these things work is sometimes maddening. Links that don't work. Sites that give you everything but prices. Or just start crashing.

 

For those of you who are not Jewish, we have a great word for what it does to you. Makes one MESHUGENAH.

 

And if you want to go a step further. that whcih makes one Meshugenah is their Michegass. :)

 

Just look at it like cultural infusion. When someone on your trip to Israe starts bugging you, just say, STOP You are making me Meshugenah.

[happy trailer]

We are alta cockquers. I'm seeing a few el cheapo nice sounding repositioning cruises Ft. Lauderdale to Rome, to London and to Barcelona. I mean cheap. Like 799 for 16 days. But I'm not easily finding out about getting from those ports to Tel Aviv and then back to Oregon. And how to set up an 8-11 day trip in Israel, at least reasonably. Ideally we'd love to hook up with another couple or two and get a private guide, but I haven't found a forum for that either.. I'm 75 and my wife is 68. I'm not as mobile as her. No real long walks and I cheat and use a wheel chair to save my knees in airports and museums and the like.

 

I've been to Israel a number of times but a while ago. Linda hasn't.

 

I see from your posts and blog that you have LA and NJ roots. We are both from LA (Hami Hi) but went separately in life, me as a college prof and researcher her as a middle school special ed teacher-and we found each other on JDate 4 wonderful years ago. :) Her daughter is a Jewish Educator and Son in Law, a rabbi, in a Scotch Plains, NJ congregation that is builiding now and used to be in I think North Plainfield. Myself, I'm one of the founders of Jewish Renewal, and was a Shlomo Carlebach guy back in the day. (now some of his people have at Moshav Modin-if you recognize any of these names and terms).

 

I saw this guide Motti's post and tried to connect with him but he didn't reply.

 

Lot's of questions for you. Any answers? :)

 

Martin and Linda (meir and batya)

 

 

Hi..

 

Mmm...hopefully, I can be of some help :):

 

Most major European and Israeli airlines, as well as some smaller discount lines, offer flights to Israel from cities all over the Continent.

 

I usually start my research for flights to any destination on sites like Kayak, Expedia, etc, (they will let you build and price an itinerary for one way or multiple destinations) but you may want to consult a travel agent as well.

 

Our r/t flights from Tel Aviv- Los Angeles are always painfully expensive, but the prices do vary by several hundreds of dollars seasonally. If you are flying into or out of Israel within a week or two of the beginning or the end of Passover or Sukkot the prices will be at their highest, and summer fares are usually high as well.

 

As for touring in Israel, you might want to check into an organized tour for your entire stay. I would imagine that a Google search would give you some leads on finding a tour; you should be able to join them in Israel if you will be flying in from a European port. (You could also check with your local Federation, etc and see if they are running tours, or have any to recommend.) That would be the easiest (and maybe even the most economical) way to tour.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[Aliasamy]

Hi Ruth,

I hope I am not asking you something that you already have replied to.

I am going to Israel in October and stopping in Ashdod on Oct 8th and leaving Haifa on Oct 10th.

Our plan is:

Get a lift from Ashdod to Jerusalem and book in for two nights. On the Friday (8th) just wander around on our own. My husband has visited Israel many times and knows Jeruselem quite well.

On Saturday 9th we plan to hook up with a privte driver and visit Masada, Dead Sea etc and then come back to Jerusalem on Saturday night. On Sunday 10th we plan to explore Jerusalem and visit places that were closed due to the Sabbath and then make our way back to e ship.

I know we will be missing many places in Israel but that is the way we like to do things. I know you cannot see everything in one visit so we would rather spend most of our time exploring mainly Jeresalem.

My questions are:

Is it easy to get a driver from the port of Ashdod to take us to Jerusalem or is this something we should pre arrange?

We plan to stay at the Citadel for two nights - I guess that the best thing would be to arrange a car with them to take us from Jerusalem to Haifa on the Sunday? Do ou know how long this trip would take?

Anything else you could ad would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

Amy

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth,

I hope I am not asking you something that you already have replied to.

I am going to Israel in October and stopping in Ashdod on Oct 8th and leaving Haifa on Oct 10th.

Our plan is:

Get a lift from Ashdod to Jerusalem and book in for two nights. On the Friday (8th) just wander around on our own. My husband has visited Israel many times and knows Jeruselem quite well.

On Saturday 9th we plan to hook up with a privte driver and visit Masada, Dead Sea etc and then come back to Jerusalem on Saturday night. On Sunday 10th we plan to explore Jerusalem and visit places that were closed due to the Sabbath and then make our way back to e ship.

I know we will be missing many places in Israel but that is the way we like to do things. I know you cannot see everything in one visit so we would rather spend most of our time exploring mainly Jeresalem.

My questions are:

Is it easy to get a driver from the port of Ashdod to take us to Jerusalem or is this something we should pre arrange?

We plan to stay at the Citadel for two nights - I guess that the best thing would be to arrange a car with them to take us from Jerusalem to Haifa on the Sunday? Do ou know how long this trip would take?

Anything else you could ad would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

Amy

 

Hi Amy,

 

Your plans sound great- I love spending a few days exploring one place, and, as your husband surely knows, there is plenty to see and experience in Jerusalem!

 

I think the easiest thing to do would be to make arrangements with the same driver you hire for your visit to Masada, to both take you from Ashdod to Jerusalem, and then again from Jerusalem to Haifa. (BTW- One caution that's been mentioned by others on this forum is to try to make sure the driver has a permit to enter the Ashdod port area- you'll be on your way to Jerusalem much faster that way.)

 

The trip from the Citadel hotel to the port in Haifa should take about 2-3 hours, depending on traffic. The fastest way to travel would be via the newer toll road, Highway 6, but if you allow for some more time, you could also include the much more scenic coastal road for at least part of the trip.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[jagi]

Ruth,

Thank you so much for your reply to my inquiry.

 

Here's my problem. I have been invited to stay with friends in Cesaeria, and my cousin is in Jerusalem for 6 months finishing his book. Since this is my first trip--and I have only 22 days--I want to see as much as I can. Can I arrange tours once I am there? I don't want to be beholden to a prearranged schedule. Also, can you suggest a logical itinerary? From Tel Aviv, should I go to Cesearia first, then to Jerusalem and then to Petra--or is there a better way to plan the order in which I see things and visit friends and family? I will try to arrange my Petra excursion in the U.S., but I need to figure out the dates and whether it is best to go at the beginning, end, or middle of my trip.

 

I truly appreciate the time you have taken on this thread. Hope you have a good visit in N.J.

 

Should it be relevant, my dates are May 5-May 27.

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

Thank you so much for your reply to my inquiry.

 

Here's my problem. I have been invited to stay with friends in Cesaeria, and my cousin is in Jerusalem for 6 months finishing his book. Since this is my first trip--and I have only 22 days--I want to see as much as I can. Can I arrange tours once I am there? I don't want to be beholden to a prearranged schedule. Also, can you suggest a logical itinerary? From Tel Aviv, should I go to Cesearia first, then to Jerusalem and then to Petra--or is there a better way to plan the order in which I see things and visit friends and family? I will try to arrange my Petra excursion in the U.S., but I need to figure out the dates and whether it is best to go at the beginning, end, or middle of my trip.

 

I truly appreciate the time you have taken on this thread. Hope you have a good visit in N.J.

 

Should it be relevant, my dates are May 5-May 27.

 

You can certainly arrange tours once you're here- there are several tour companies that operate a variety of tours every day, departing from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. You can either find them with a google search, or else pick up their brochures at any hotel.

 

There are also very good walking tours in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv offered by several organizations and guides. They will be listed in the weekend (Friday) editions of the English language newspapers. Most of the tours just require a phone call the day before to register, so you can pretty much 'wing' it. I think the same might be true of the bus tours.

 

[Hope this doesn't sound harsh, but you might want to consider arranging the schedule of your visit around what's most convenient for the friends and family who will be welcoming you into their homes. We laughingly say that many of our US friends who come to visit seem to feel as if they are coming to 'Israeland'- they forget that we have to work, and go about our daily lives while they are here on vacation!]

 

As to the best time to visit Petra- the sooner the better, as the longer you wait, the hotter it will be there.

 

Another thing to consider is that your visit includes the holiday of Shavuot. It's only a one day holiday here, but in the Jerusalem area that means that stores will start closing on Tuesday afternoon (May 18), and they will remain closed all day Wednesday. There will also not be any public transportation in most parts of the country on Wednesday.

 

HTH, and don't hesitate to keep asking questions! I'm heading to my grandchildren in LA in a couple of weeks, and from there to a week of shows and museums in NYC, so ask soon- I try not to be online much while I'm traveling, and I'm not planning to return home until towards the end of April :D

[cwuer]

Just wanted to thank you again for the advice. Most in my group have decided to just do the day trip in Jerusalem, but a family of 4 is hell bent on floating in that Dead Sea! So.... I have arranged for them to have that experience with Guided tours of Israel. They would be happy to have a few others share the cost, but I think will still do it even if they can't find others that are brave enough to do them both. I am just so grateful to you for the insight you gave to me and I know the information is invaluable.

[happy trailer]

Just wanted to thank you again for the advice. Most in my group have decided to just do the day trip in Jerusalem, but a family of 4 is hell bent on floating in that Dead Sea! So.... I have arranged for them to have that experience with Guided tours of Israel. They would be happy to have a few others share the cost, but I think will still do it even if they can't find others that are brave enough to do them both. I am just so grateful to you for the insight you gave to me and I know the information is invaluable.

 

 

I'm sure everyone in your group is going to have a wonderful day!

 

I'm glad I was able to help- thanks for letting me know ;)

[jagi]

Thanks for all your advice. It certainly helps to know I can book tours when I get there. Not having to pre-book anything beyond my flights will give me the flexibility to work around my friends' and family's schedule.

 

Have a wonderful time in LA.

[Carol From California]

Ruth,

Have enjoyed reading your posts and all the information you share on these boards. We are going on a Regent cruise in September, spending 1 day in Haifa and 2 days in Ashdod. Regent offers free excursions and I picked my excursions the other day. Today I looked online and the excursion that I picked for Haifa is no longer listed and that excursion I picked is apparently no longer offered. I will be calling Regent tomorrow to find out why. In the meantime, I was very excited about the excursion which included a visit to Safed, a stop to a Kibbutz for lunch and Golan Heights. The excursions I picked for Ashdod are (1) Jerusalem and (2) Tel Aviv. There are various Jerusalem excursions and we picked the one that is more Jewish oriented as we are Jewish. So, this leaves me with my questions about Haifa. The remaining choices for excursions are Jerusalem (we are already going from Ashdod) and then there's one called "Herod's Dream, Caesarea Maritime" and another called "Acre and the Crusader's Kingdom". My question is, should I skip the excursions offered by Regent and book an independent tour to Safed and the northern part of Israel, OR should I pick Caesarea or Acre? I have been to Israel before (my husband has not), but it has been many, many years. There is not enough time in 3 days to see everything, but I am hoping my husband gets enough of a taste so we will plan another trip to Israel giving us more time to visit Massada, the Dead Sea, (I have been to both before) and some of the other amazing places. Another question I have is that we will be visiting Israel after Rosh Hashanah and before Yom Kippur. In fact, I just realized that we will be in Haifa on September 11, a Saturday. Perhaps that is why they cancelled the tour, being Shabbat. Will it be difficult to find an independent tour to Safed on that day due to it being Shabbat? Will everything be closed? We will be in Ashdod on Sunday, September 12 (that's when we are going to Jerusalem), and on Monday, September 13 (that's when we are going to Tel Aviv). Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

Have enjoyed reading your posts and all the information you share on these boards. We are going on a Regent cruise in September, spending 1 day in Haifa and 2 days in Ashdod. Regent offers free excursions and I picked my excursions the other day. Today I looked online and the excursion that I picked for Haifa is no longer listed and that excursion I picked is apparently no longer offered. I will be calling Regent tomorrow to find out why. In the meantime, I was very excited about the excursion which included a visit to Safed, a stop to a Kibbutz for lunch and Golan Heights. The excursions I picked for Ashdod are (1) Jerusalem and (2) Tel Aviv. There are various Jerusalem excursions and we picked the one that is more Jewish oriented as we are Jewish. So, this leaves me with my questions about Haifa. The remaining choices for excursions are Jerusalem (we are already going from Ashdod) and then there's one called "Herod's Dream, Caesarea Maritime" and another called "Acre and the Crusader's Kingdom". My question is, should I skip the excursions offered by Regent and book an independent tour to Safed and the northern part of Israel, OR should I pick Caesarea or Acre? I have been to Israel before (my husband has not), but it has been many, many years. There is not enough time in 3 days to see everything, but I am hoping my husband gets enough of a taste so we will plan another trip to Israel giving us more time to visit Massada, the Dead Sea, (I have been to both before) and some of the other amazing places. Another question I have is that we will be visiting Israel after Rosh Hashanah and before Yom Kippur. In fact, I just realized that we will be in Haifa on September 11, a Saturday. Perhaps that is why they cancelled the tour, being Shabbat. Will it be difficult to find an independent tour to Safed on that day due to it being Shabbat? Will everything be closed? We will be in Ashdod on Sunday, September 12 (that's when we are going to Jerusalem), and on Monday, September 13 (that's when we are going to Tel Aviv). Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

 

Thank you!

 

Hi Carol,

 

I wouldn't recommend going to Safed on Shabbat (Saturday), as just about everything will be closed. While I thought there might be a few stores or galleries open, my husband is pretty sure that all will be closed. So, even visiting with a private tour would be disappointing (it's still a very pretty place to walk around, but I'm sure that any private guide you consulted would also recommend not going that day).

 

As to alternatives:

 

Akko (Acre) and Caesaria are both very interesting places to see, so which tour to choose would depend on your personal interests. Acre is a living city, even the fortress area, with an Arab souk, restaurants, and a nice waterfront area. I haven't toured the fortress area in over 30 years, but I remember enjoying the city's atmosphere.

 

On the other hand, while Caesaria itself is a very upscale Israeli city, the area you'll be visiting is a seaside archeological site. Many people who are interested in Roman era history feel that Caesaria is a 'not to be missed' site. (We personally go to Caesaria for the beach, which is at the site of a Roman aqueduct.)

 

If you're not a particular fan of ancient Roman or Crusader history (or you've already had your fill of it on this cruise ;)), the I'd suggest you consider hiring a private guide for a food and wine tour of the Galilee and Golan areas. The scenery is lovely, and the food is great, with many boutique and artisan fooderies to visit. Your guide will know which are open on Saturday, and will also be able to suggest an itinerary which best suits your interests.

 

BTW- the day you are in Jerusalem is a fast day (the Fast of Gedalia), but it shouldn't have any impact on your visit (all stores and most likely all restaurants will be open); Israel also switches off of Daylight Savings Time that weekend.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[happy trailer]

Our weekend newspaper ran an article about a website that is filled with maps, books, and atlases for Israel.

 

[it's a commercial site, so I contacted the CC admins to get the OK to post the link here; I got the OK last night.]

 

The company is associated with Carta maps, and describes itself this way:

 

'Your source for biblical knowledge and research. Large selection of Bible history and geography atlases, books, wall maps and charts. Travel guides to the Holy Land, maps of Israel and Jerusalem for travelers and pilgrims.'

It looks like they also specialize in the archeological history of Israel as well.

 

Here's the link: Bible Books & Maps

Please note that I am not associated with them in any way, and that I can't personally vouch for them. But, based on the article in the newspaper, I took a look thru their website, and they certainly do seem to have something that matches just about any interest or curiosity about Israel.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

 

(I'm about to leave on a month's trip; will be posting for only a couple of more days, then not again until the end of April.)

Edited March 23, 2010 by happy trailer

[RealtorLisa]

WE are doing an overnight tour in Israel on November and would love recommednations for hotels to stay in Jerusalem. Feel free to e-mail me directly - LGDFRND2aol.com. Thanks and enjoy your vacation.

 

Lisa

[RealtorLisa]

Sorry my e-mail address is LGDFRND@aol.com.

[trishs]

Our weekend newspaper ran an article about a website that is filled with maps, books, and atlases for Israel.

 

[it's a commercial site, so I contacted the CC admins to get the OK to post the link here; I got the OK last night.]

 

The company is associated with Carta maps, and describes itself this way:

 

'Your source for biblical knowledge and research. Large selection of Bible history and geography atlases, books, wall maps and charts. Travel guides to the Holy Land, maps of Israel and Jerusalem for travelers and pilgrims.'

It looks like they also specialize in the archeological history of Israel as well.

 

Here's the link: Bible Books & Maps

Please note that I am not associated with them in any way, and that I can't personally vouch for them. But, based on the article in the newspaper, I took a look thru their website, and they certainly do seem to have something that matches just about any interest or curiosity about Israel.

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

 

(I'm about to leave on a month's trip; will be posting for only a couple of more days, then not again until the end of April.)

 

Hi Ruth,

Hi Ruth,

I have been reading as much as possible, I just booked a trip 2 days ago and I'm trying to catch up on research. We are coming in Oct 8th Friday to Ashdod, Oct 9th and 10 our ship will be in Haifa. We are planing to spend the first night in Jerusalem not sure on 2nd.

1. Where to stay? Suggestions what to see. We are interested in Christian and Jewish sites.

2. Should we stay 2 nights in Jerusalem or spend one towards Tiberias or near there?

We will have 3 days and want spend time wisely.

Any suggestions would be great. We would like a place to stay that we can still see the sites and clean and nice but middle of the road, not too expensive.

Thanks Trish

[chatsfan]

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 there,

 

We would to see Tel-Aviv from Haifa since we plan to join a small group from Ashdod to see Jerusalem. We will have about 10 hours to do so. The travel agency suggested that we go the taxi route since it might be less than their minimum of $450 for the day. We have been quoted between $220 - 250 by taxi companies. How reliable are the taxi drivers in Tel-Aviv since we would not want to scramble on the day if there is a no show.

 

Your input/suggestions as a expat would be so much appreciated as this our first, and might be the only time we get to visit Israel. Thank you.

 

Lani Boris

[cruisecookie]

We will be flying into Tel Aviv next week and visiting Israel for 2 weeks. Do you know if TSA luggage locks are recognized in Israel? I've heard that some people are told when they leave the US that the locks are okay, but when they pick up their bags in Tel Aviv the locks are gone.

 

Also, can women wear long pants at the Kotel and the tunnel tours during the week? Thanks.

[Alistair]

Hi Ruth,

Thanks for your insights! We will be traveling to Israel in mid-October. Our ship will dock in Haifa for one day then travel overnight to Ashdod. We're trying to figure out whether to do a day tour out of each port or make it a 2-day excursion and stay overnight in Jerusalem. Having never been there, we don't know if staying overnight in Jerusalem would be worthwhile since we'd be seeing it the next day on tour though we'd miss part of the scenery driving from the northern region to Jerusalem - what are your thoughts? Also, can you tell us what the weather typically is in this region in mid-October?

Thanks!

Connie

[bluehorizonlover123]

You definitely can use your TSA locks and you definitely can wear pants in tunnels and at the Kotel. We just went in December and did both.

[weston gal]

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 Ruth. We are 2 seniors, 74 and 68 visiting on Oct 12 and 13. Our ship arrives in Ashdod at 10:am on the 12th and we are in Haifa on the 13th at 7:am. The most important places my husband wants to see are Masada and the Wailing Wall. we would also like to see other jewish sights if there is time. We do not want to stay overnight unless we must. Do you have any suggestions.