The moment you disembark from your cruise ship in Ashdod port you’ll be in the capable hands of a professional tour guide. The day begins with a drive south through ever-changing landscapes until you reach the Judaean Mountains. Then enjoy the thrill of the winding road that takes you down below sea level to the lowest point on Earth. We pause for a moment to enjoy the view and take a photo of the sign indicating that we are now going beneath sea level. Our first stop is at Masada, a massive rock outcrop 434m-high (1,424ft). Ride the cable car to Masada’s flat summit where there are incredible views of the desert and the Dead Sea below. Your guide will give you a tour of the remaining structures from King Herod’s palace-fortress. Find out about the history of Masada, and how it served as an untouchable refuge for Herod and later for Jewish rebels. Learn how King Herod built this palace complex in 37BC-31BC, and see mosaics and archaeological remains of a Roman bathhouse, storerooms, guardhouse, palaces, and more. At the end of the Masada tour, you can spend time in the Masada Museum located at the foot of the mount. The museum holds more than 500 artifacts discovered at Masada, and there is an informative movie about Masada’s history. We continue from Masada to Ein Bokek, a hotel and resort area on the shore of the Dead Sea. Here you can enjoy the Ein Bokek beach. The tour will stop for a lunch break either at a restaurant at the foot of Masada or at the beach. Spend the remaining time relaxing on the beach, and enjoying the unique environment of the Dead Sea. Try smothering your skin in the mineral-rich black Dead Sea mud, or float in the hypersaline water. The water is so thick with salt that you can’t sink! The Dead Sea water, mud, and even the Dead Sea sun are known to be therapeutic to the body and soul. After a satisfying day of new experiences, we drive via the city of Arad back to your cruise ship in Ashdod port.

Your guide will be waiting for you when you disembark from your cruise ship in Ashdod and the tour will begin with a pleasant drive to Jerusalem in a comfortable vehicle with A/C. At Mt. Scopus, the tour stops for a panoramic view across the city rooftops. Then drive towards the Old City passing biblical sites like the Garden of Gethsemane that stands on the Mount of Olives alongside the Church of All Nations. Also, spot the ancient Jewish tombs in Kidron Valley, and the Ophel Promenade as we drive parallel to the Old City walls. We enter the Old City on foot through one of the massive gates in the 16th-century walls and pass the Western Wall excavations as we walk towards the Western Wall. This sacred Jewish site is all that remains from the 2,000-year-old holy Jewish Temple that once stood on Temple Mount. In the Jewish Quarter, we see the Byzantine Cardo lined with columns, then we walk along a section of the Via Dolorosa, as Jesus did bearing his cross. The Via Dolorosa culminates at the Holy Sepulcher Church which was built in the 4th century to encompass Christ’s tomb and the site of the crucifixion at Golgotha (Calvary). The tour stops for a lunch break in the Old City and you have time to meander through one of the traditional markets. Leaving the Old City we can see Mount Zion as we drive towards the town where Christ was born. In Bethlehem, we tour the Nativity Church and see the Holy Grotto where the nativity took place. The tour ends with a drive back to Ashdod port where you can rejoin your cruise ship and continue to your next port of call.

This 10 hour small group shore excursion meets at the cruise port and we head off to the walled city of old Jerusalem to explore the Christian, Jewish and Armenian quarters. Visit the Wailing Wall, aptly named for the devout who cry out in prayers at the wall. See the Temple Mount and King David's Citadel, then retrace Jesus' footsteps to his crucifixion on the venerated Via Dolorosa. You will enjoy the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, this was built over the tomb of Jesus. You can also explore the popular Arab Markets during our stop here. We explore outside the famous old city walls, here you can explore Mount Zion, King David's tomb and Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus stayed up all night praying with his disciples. Once you have appreciated the history of Jerusalem, we head on a scenic journey out to the Dead Sea. Known as one of the largest health spas in the world from Herod the Great. You will have the option of stepping into its therapeutic waters and float along while the sea's high mineral content supports you. If you choose to not go into the waters of the Dead Sea, you also have the option of purchasing a snack and beverage at the cafeteria located on the beach. From there, you can enjoy your snack and take in the magnificent views. This tour is for cruise customers only when in port for the day, we recommend to book early as it is very popular.

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This tour of the old city of Jerusalem is completely flexible and can include all the places that you want to see. If you’d like to visit sites of particular interest to Christianity, you'll be accompanied by a guide expert in all the relevant sites. On this full-day excursion you’ll discover the church of the Holy Sepulcher, Via Dolorosa, Garden of Gethsemane, Room of the Last Supper, and much more. If you prefer a Jewish-focused tour your guide will be expert on sites such as the Western Wall, Mount of Olives, Jewish Quarters, the synagogues, and others. You can also visit Bethlehem and the church of the nativity, make a visit to the Holocaust Museum at Yad Vashem, or spend more time in Jerusalem's new city. You might prefer to include a short visit to the Dead Sea for an afternoon float at the lowest place on earth! Whatever you choose to do, you’ll have a full day of travel and sightseeing through the Holy Land, customized to meet your preferences.