Ashdod and Haifa Guided Cruise Excursions

One of the most amazing destinations of a cruise is Israel, cruise ships(Carnival Cruise, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity X, Odessy of the Seas, and Norwegian  ), passing by Israel always stop for a few days in Ashdod and Haifa ports.

Israel has so much to offer from the historical and religious perspective but also has a big selection of national parks! spending just a few days in Israel is probably not enough but I'm here to solve this issue and allow you to see the best in a very short period!

My private shore excursions from the port of Ashdod or Haifa provide a unique option to see the main sites of Jerusalem in one day, explore the Judean Desert with fantastic swimming in the Dead Sea, travel to Galilee and follow Jesus' footsteps, or just a great urban tour in the secular capital of Israel - Tel Aviv.

SHORE EXCURSIONS DEPARTING FROM THE PORT OF ASHDOD

Private Jerusalem shore excursion

My private shore excursion from the port of Ashdod is a unique custom-made journey to the most important and exciting city in the world -  Jerusalem, this is the best and the most effective option to explore this amazing city in just one day. we will explore the most important sites that the city has to offer and begin discussing straight from the port of Ashdod but on the other hand, keep close attention to the time frame of the ship. after many years of guiding cruises, I can assure you that we will see everything and be back on time.

The day will begin with our meeting, less than 5 meters from your cruise ship in Ashdod, and after warm greetings, we will head to Jerusalem,
Reaching the Israeli capital, we will begin with a stunning view from the Mount of Olives with a fascinating story about the history of the city and a toast with the finest Israeli wine, this is the perfect place for traditional photos.

Our next destination will be the Church of All Nations and the famous Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed for the last time. right after we will circle the old city walls and observe the Kidron Valley and reach the old city of Jerusalem, we will walk the famous Via Dolorosa where Jesus carried the cross for the last time, and finally visit the most important church in the world, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

During the middle of the day, we will take a break to have a traditional Israeli lunch with a stunning view over the old city(recommended food: Hummus, Fallafel ).

Continue exploring the old city, we will visit the Jewish Quarter and the holiest place for Jews, the Western Wall, I will tell you the story about the Jewish Temple and the meaning of this sacred place.

The second part of the day can include a visit to the Holocaust Museum -Yad Vashem or the central Jerusalem market Mahane Yehuda or just free time in the old city for shopping and photos.

For Christian visitors, it is also optional to visit Jerusalem and Bethlehem on a single daily cruise excursion from Ashdod port.

Make sure you won't miss this amazing Jerusalem shore excursion day while your cruise ship is docking in the port of Ashdod.

Highlights of the day

♥The Mount of Olives observation point

♥The Western Wall

♥Church of the Holy Sepulcher

♥Gethsemane Garden

♥Yad Vashem

♥Mahane Yehuda Market

Private Dead Sea and Masada shore excursion

Exploring the Judean desert is a unique experience, this amazing Dead Sea and Masada private cruise excursion will take you to the secret fortress of the desert, back in time to the last heroic struggle between the Jews and the Romans, and then to the lowest point on earth - the Dead Sea beach for a relaxing float.

The independent cruise excursion from Ashdod port will begin straight from the cruise ship, after 2 hours we will reach the Masada national park, this amazing fortress was built by the great king Herods during the first century BC on a natural flat Plato and served his as a winter resort, we will find the ancient Roman baths, the Palace of the King, bathrooms and other not typical facilities for the desert. We will discuss the great war between the Roman army and the last Jewish warriors and see the final steps of the Roman siege over Masada.

Reaching the top of the mountain can be by taking up the snake path, the climb will be around 40 minutes but the better option is the cable car which will be available to take us up any time.

The promised beach is just 15 minutes away, after a history lesson you will enjoy your free time floating in the Dead Sea and rubbing yourself with the best natural cosmetics in the world, the mud of the Dead Sea.

An optional addition is a visit to Qumran. this is the actual place where the famous Dead Sea scrolls were found, or for Christians, we can visit the actual place where Jesus was baptized, the Jordan River, and perhaps add a Baptism ceremony.

Highlights of the day 

♥Masada Fortress 

♥Dead sea Float

♥Jordan River

♥Qumran 

Private Tel Aviv and Jaffa shore excursion

This excursion begins from the port of Ashdod and directly to the port of Jaffa, Jaffa is 4000 years old and one of the oldest cities in the world, today we will walk the ancient city's narrow streets and hear about the battle of Napoleon, continue to the floating tree which is the symbol of the city with its famous oranges and visit the amazing St Peters' Church where Petrus raised Tabitha from the dead.

We will have lunch in an oriental restaurant and taste the amazing local cuisine, then continue to the modern capital of Israel, Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 and was the first Hebrew city in Eretz Israel, I will take you through the timeline to explore the first neighborhood Neve Zedek and tell you about the founders.

Continue forward walking in the central Blvd of the city, the famous Rothschild Blvd, and enjoying the "White City" open-air museum, just a few blocks away we will find the famous Carmel market in which we will have our food tasting tour.

Highlights of the day

♥Jaffa port 

♥St.Peters' Church 

♥The Floating Tree 

♥Neve Zedek 

♥Rothschild Boulevard 

♥Carmel Market

SHORE EXCURSIONS DEPARTING FROM THE PORT OF HAIFA

Private Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, and Nazareth shore excursion

Get ready to follow in Jesus' footsteps by visiting the most famous sites and churches in the world.

We start from the northern part of Israel and head to Nazareth to visit the Church of Annunciation in which Mary received the sign about her pregnancy, an amazing Basilica from the 6th century constructed by the famous architect Giovanni Muccio, this is our chance to visit the authentic home of the holy family and watch a huge collection of amazing mosaics donated by all Catholic countries of the world.

Continue the Galilee shore excursion to the Sea of Galilee and explore the Baptism Site at the Jordan River, a great chance to get baptized and wash your sins from the past! next, we will have a traditional Galilee lunch in a local restaurant to have a quick pause.

The excursion will lead us next to Tabcha where Jesus fed 5000 people with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread, next we will drive to Capernaum also known as the town of Jesus to see the oldest church in the world and an ancient synagogue from the 5th century.

Before heading back to the port, we will visit Mt of Beatitudes and watch the sunset over the Sea of Galilee.

Highlights of the day

♥Church of Annunciation 

♥Baptism Site at the Jordan River 

♥Tabitha 

♥Capernaum 

♥Mt of the Beatitudes 

Private Akko, Haifa, and Caesarea shore excursion

Just 30 minutes from the port of Haifa there is an exciting city, Caesarea! this is the famous port constructed by one of the greatest builders of the holy land, king Herods, we will discover the port and the construction technology, Roman amphitheater, Hippodrome, Roman baths, and learn about the cruelest stories from ancient times.

After an educative visit to Caesarea, on this shore excursion from Haifa, we will visit a local winery and enjoy the perfect Israeli wine with homemade cheese and fresh vegetables in a pastoral location of the Carmel region.

Continue north to visit the famous Bahai Gardens from the top of the Carmel mountains and create amazing photos and memories.

Heading up north and passing the industrial zone of Israel we will discuss the progress and the technologies of Israel, and finally, reach Akko! this is an amazing city also known as the capital of the crusaders! exploring the secret tunnels and the crusaders' halls, walking in the central market, and admiring the perfect color of the blue sea with pleasant weather.

Finishing our great day in local seafood and fish restaurant and watching the sunset before heading back to the cruise ship.

Highlights of the day

♥ Caesarea 

♥ Bahai Gardens 

♥ Akko 

♥ Local winery

Cruise Excursions summary

Most of the cruise excursions in Israel offered by different tour operators are big group tours in big touristic buses with 50 people on board or small groups of 16 people with a very tiring tour guide.

Ask yourself only your question, do you want to spend your only day in the Holy Land with a group of unfamiliar people and follow a slow and not personal schedule? or you want to maximize your cruise excursion to Israel with a private tour guide and a private licensed car just for you.

My Private Guided Shore Excursions in Israel are unique and custom made according to your requests without any doubt, we will explore the highlights of Israel depending on your schedule without missing a single location, as a private tour guide with a special luxury "Eshkol Car" I am authorized to drive you and to guide you with all necessary permissions from the ministry of transportation and tourism.

I can offer shore tours in Israel in different languages: English, Russian, Hebrew, or even Arabic since I have a master's degree in international relations.

The biggest advantage of my private shore excursion 

♥Private luxury car

♥Private guide

♥Tailor-made schedule

♥Flexible timing

♥Affordable prices

♥No agent commissions

♥Entrance tickets included(excluding Masada National Park)

How to book a private shore excursion?

Please contact me in advance, by email, WhatsApp, or a regular call to book your preferred date, time, and the number of passengers intending to travel, I charge per single tour meaning the price won't be per person as tour operators offer, this is the most affordable and comfortable option.

Where do you meet me on the Shore Excursion?

This is a very important part! Since I'm a licensed tour guide in Israel with all the required permits I can pick up my clients straight from the cruise ship! I have a special permit to enter the port of Ashdod and the port of Haifa without any time limitations, meaning that you don't have to book any special transfers from your cruise ship and pay extra.

What is the price for a shore excursion?

My average rate is between 550USD to 800USD depending on the route and you can share the trip with up to 6* people.

*Additional charges might be added according to the number of sights and mileage.

See you soon at the port!