Haifa

    Passengers of the Christian faith and those with a general interest in theology and world history will be fascinated by this excursion that encompasses the special places related to the life of Christ. Leave the port for a 1,5 hours drive to Nazareth, the largest city in the North District of Israel and the childhood home of Jesus, according to the New Testament. Many guests will be interested in paying a pilgrimage to the surprisingly modern "Basilica of the Annunciation", a church built on the site where the Gabriel announced the news of Jesus' birth to the Virgin Mary; visitors can see the underground grotto where Mary received the Annunciation. The second part of the tour will take you to Canaan, an Arab city in the region of Galilee and where Jesus 'turned water into wine' during the famous Canaan Wedding. Return to the port.
Please note: this tour includes walking on 3 km on uneven ground. For 2 days calls, this tour is foreseen on the second day of call.
 

Price per person $68.00 Adults $48.00 Children

   

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    Our excursion will start at the port with a sightseeing tour of lovely Haifa Bay and views of the beautiful Bahai Gardens. The Bahai Gardens are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle East, and many flock here to enjoy the intricate designs and peaceful tranquillity of this immaculate and elaborate setting. The special beauty of the Bahai Gardens earned them UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2008. The Gardens pay tribute to the founders of the Bahai faith, a monotheistic religion that originated in Persia during the middle of 19th century and which is centred on 'unity across cultures and religions'. The second part of the tour includes a visit to the village of the Druses community, a religious Muslim order founded in Egypt in the 11^th century.
Please note: this tour includes walking on 3 km on uneven ground. For 2 days calls, this tour is always run on the second day of call. This tour is not foreseen for MSC Melody calls.

Price per person $59.00 Adults $41.00 Children

   

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      Come with us on a 2-hrs drive to Jerusalem, one of the most inspiring cities in the world and renowned for its historical significance, spiritual symbolism and visual splendour. Your excursion will begin with a stop at the Mount of Olives Promenade to enjoy the breathtaking view. The visit continues with a walking tour through the old town of Jerusalem. Pass Dung Gate, the Western Wall - the remains of the second temple destroyed by Romans in 70 AD and the most sacred Jewish shrine in Jerusalem. Walk along a part of the "Via Dolorosa", considered by Christians to be the holiest road in the world, the path where Jesus was led to death. You can also admire the Church of the Holy Sepulchre without entering the tomb. Lunch will be followed by a trip to a souvenir store in Jerusalem, from where we will drive back to Haifa port.
Please note: guests have to walk 2.5 km on uneven, cobblestone terrain with some steps and inclines. Comfortable shoes are recommended; wear conservative attire when visiting religious sites. Please cover shoulders and knees; expect crowded sites. For 2 days calls, this tour is always run on the first day of call.

Price per person $134.00 Adults $94.00 Children

   

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    This half day excursion will allow you to admire two of the best-known symbols of Galilee. Leave the port for a 1,5-hour drive to Nazareth, the largest city in the North District of Israel and the childhood home of Jesus, according to the New Testament. Many guests will be interested in paying a pilgrimage to the surprisingly modern "Basilica of the Annunciation", a church built on the site where the Gabriel announced the news of Jesus' birth to the Virgin Mary; visitors can see the underground grotto where Mary received the Annunciation. Your second stop will be Yardenit, on the bank of the River Jordan, which countless pilgrims visit each year to recall the places where Jesus was baptized. Here you will have the unique opportunity to enter the water and submerge yourself on the spot where Jesus was baptized. You will be dressed in the style of the early Christians as you bath in the water of the quintessential holy river.
Please note: this tour includes walking on uneven ground. Wear conservative attire when visiting religious sites. Please bring a swimming costume and towels for the baptism ceremony (it is compulsory to change into the tunic on the site in the changing rooms; the price for the tunic is not included). For 2 days calls, this tour is foreseen on the second day of call.

Price per person $78.00 Adults $55.00 Children

   

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          If you are in need of relaxation and revival you will not want to miss this great day out in the historic city of Massada with the chance to bathe in the relaxing mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea. A 2,5 hours bus drive will take you to Massada via Ared, heading towards one of Israel's historic spots where scenes of battle, power and revolt played out with tragic results. Herod the Great had a fortress and a palace built on the Massada Plateau between 37 and 31 BC as a personal refuge in case of revolt. The plateau, situated 442 metres above the Dead Sea, was also the last point of resistance by the Jewish Zealots against the Romans, where 960 Zealots committed mass suicide by in 72 BC rather than surrender to the Romans. It is partly for these reasons that Massada is the most visited site in Israel after Jerusalem. As Massada is located high on this rocky plain we will need to ascend the mountain via cable car and once at the top, we will visit one of the oldest synagogues in the world. From these lofty heights we will descend to the lowest point on earth - the Dead Sea - located 400 metres below sea level. Because of the high salt content the water, the Dead Sea is undrinkable and cannot support life ; hence its name. However the salts have rich health benefits and therapeutic qualities and the very high levels of saline help bathers to float ! Lunch will be held at a leading resort hotel by the seashore before returning to the port.
Please note: guests have to walk 2,5 km on uneven, cobblestone terrain with some steps. The order of the visits may vary. Comfortable shoes, towels, swimsuit and sun protection are recommended. Tour not suitable for guests with low blood pressure or heart problems. For 2 days calls, this tour is run on the first day of call.

Price per person $155.00 Adults $109.00 Children

   

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      Visit Mount Carmel and the ancient town of Acre. Your route takes you via Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery to Panorama Ave, named for its astonishing view of the city, Haifa Bay, the coastline and all of northern Israel. Stop to view the Baha'i Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from the upper terrace. These are the largest hanging gardens in the world. The shrine is the second holiest place for the world's Baha'i community. Continue your drive down Mt. Carmel, leaving Haifa and crossing the bay to Akko (Acre), the oldest city in the northern region. More than 4,000 years of recorded history will unfold before your eyes as you walk through Acre's narrow cobblestone passageways and colorful bazaar. The present-day town was built in the 18th century on the ruins of the 12th-century Crusader city. Acre has changed hands and names many times over the millennia, but since 1948 it has returned to its biblical name of Akko. Visit the Crusaders' Halls, built by the Hospital Knights (the Knights of St. John) and the subterranean Crusader city. Walk past Al Jazzar's Mosque, built in the 18th century, through the bazaar to the port and Khan el-Umdan (Inn of the Pillars), a handsome 18th-century caravanserai. Then descend to the 12th-century level again to visit the unforgettable Templars' Tunnel. This amazing engineering feat is a tunnel more than a thousand feet long, carved through solid stone, connecting the fortress (no longer standing) to the port (still intact). As its name implies, the tunnel was constructed by the Knights Templar-the Crusaders charged with guarding the temple in Jerusalem. The Saladins forced the Templars to retreat to Acre, which was their last bastion in Israel until the Fall of Acre in 1297.  The tunnel will lead you to the lighthouse and the sea wall. After a morning of adventure, you will have some free time to shop in the bazaar; then return to Haifa and the ship.
Please note: this tour includes walking on uneven ground. For two days calls, this tour is foreseen on the second day of call.

Price per person $59.00 Adults $41.00 Children

   

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      If you're a fan of architecture or if many of your excursions thus far have been steeped in ancient history, then come with us to the future-forward destination of Tel Aviv, the first 'modern Jewish city'. From its skyscrapers to modern hotel complexes, business centres to the unique Bauhaus district, Tel Aviv positively buzzes with life. Enjoy a sightseeing bus tour of the main attractions including the White City (the 1920s 'Bauhaus area' and the world's largest collection of Modernist buildings, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Rothschild Boulevard, Tel Aviv port, Rabin Square and Tel Aviv's older quarters. We will have time to stroll around the Carmel food market before contrasting this resolute modernism with the ancient city of Jaffa (Yafo). Starting at the famous clock tower built by the Turkish Sultan Abed-el Hamid in 1906, we will meander through the charming narrow streets of this historic city. Return to port at the end of the tour. You will have free time at the old port of Tel Aviv for lunch and shopping
Please note: for two days calls, this tour is always run on the first day of call.

Price per person $66.00 Adults $46.00 Children

   

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      Come with us on a 2 hours bus ride to Jerusalem, one of the most inspiring cities in the world and renowned for its historical significance, spiritual symbolism and visual splendour. Your excursion will begin with a stop at Haas Promenade to enjoy the breathtaking view over the town; next continue with a walk through the old town of Jerusalem. Pass through Jaffa's gate and along a part of the "Via Dolorosa", considered by Christians to be the holiest road in the world, the path where Jesus was led to death. You can also admire the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (without entering the Tomb) and the Western Wall: the remains of the second temple destroyed by Romans in 70 AD and the most sacred Jewish shrine in Jerusalem. Enjoy a delicious lunch before continuing your tour in Bethlehem; we will end our day with a special visit to the Church of Nativity, birthplace of Christ.
Please note: guests have to walk 2.5 km on uneven, cobblestone terrain with some steps and inclines. Comfortable shoes are recommended; wear conservative attire when visiting religious sites. Please cover shoulders and knees; expect crowded sites. No inside visit to the silver star grotto. In order to enter Bethlehem it is mandatory to bring your passport; all guides are not allowed to enter Bethlehem and so they can be replaced by a local tourist escort speaking English. The guide will join the bus only after the visit to Bethlehem. For 2 days calls, this tour is foreseen on the first day of call.

Price per person $146.00 Adults $102.00 Children

   

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      A place of miracles in ancient times and a popular spot with tourists and pilgrims today, this excursion covers another important sight of the Holy Land - the Sea of Galilee. This large water mass is not actually a 'sea' but a lake: the largest freshwater lake in Israel and located near the Golan Heights. It was here that Jesus conducted most of his ministry activities and where many of Jesus' miracles happened, such as walking on water and the 'Feeding of the 5000'. We will drive to Nazareth, the largest city in the North District of Israel and the childhood home of Jesus, according to the New Testament. Many guests will be interested in paying a pilgrimage to the surprisingly modern "Basilica of the Annunciation", a church built on the site where the Gabriel announced the news of Jesus' birth to the Virgin Mary; visitors can see the underground grotto where Mary received the Annunciation. Next we will reach Capernaum, the ancient city of Galilee; the town is mentioned in the New Testament in the Gospel of Luke and is reported to be the home of the Apostles Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew. We will walk around the ruins of the synagogue where Jesus taught on the Sabbath and prayed. Proceed to Tabgha which is, according to tradition, the site of three of the most important episodes of the New Testament: the Sermon on the Mount, the miracle of the loaves and fishes and the appearance of Jesus after Resurrection. After lunch you will proceed to the Mount of Beatitudes, the hill from where Jesus gave his famous 'Sermon on the Mount' and where Pope John Paul II celebrated a mass in March 2000.
Please note: this tour includes walking on uneven ground. Wear conservative attire when visiting religious sites. The bus ride to the Sea of Galilee takes about 2 hours. For two days calls, this tour is foreseen on the first day of call.

Price per person $134.00 Adults $94.00 Children

   

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