Ashdod Shore Excursion: Jerusalem and Bethlehem - for cruise ship guests only
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Jerusalem, Israel
- 7 to 10 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
When arriving in Israel at the Port of Ashdod, visit the holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem on this guided, full-day shore excursion. Discover the history of the different religions of this region and witness the mix of cultures. See the Dome of the Rock, an iconic Jerusalem landmark; the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus was born; the famous Western Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites; and many more. Port of Ashdod pickup and drop-off included.
- Full-day shore excursion to Jerusalem and Bethlehem from Ashdod Port
- Stop at the Mount of Olives for views of Old Jerusalem, and see the Garden of Gethsemane
- Visit important Christian sites such as the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- See the Western Wall, Jewish Quarter and an Arab souk
- Spend time in Bethlehem and visit Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity
What's Included
- Port pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Viator's worry-free guarantee
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup point
- Port of Ashdod
Pickup details
Look for a sign with your name on it as you arrive at the cruise terminal in Ashdod. This tour is available to cruise ship passengers only.
Operating hours.8:00 am
Itinerary
This full-day tour begins with a Port of Ashdod pickup in an air-conditioned minivan. The first stop is at the Mount of Olives for a scenic overview of the entire city of Jerusalem. This mountain ridge is east of the Old City and named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. According to the Gospels, a number of important events in the life of Jesus took place here, including his ascent into heaven. The Mount has been a site of Christian worship since ancient times and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant believers. From here, see the Dome of the Rock, an iconic Jewish landmark at the Temple Mount Esplanade. It has been said that this is where heaven meets earth.
Continue past the Garden of Gethsemane, where it is believed that Jesus prayed on the night he was arrested by Roman soldiers. Continue to Mount Zion and the Last Supper Room, then to the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem to see the famous Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites. In the Christian Quarter, walk along the Via Dolorosa, the street that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion. Here, look for the 14 Stations of the Cross while retracing Jesus’ steps to the Hill of Calvary, now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Continue on to Cardo, the main thoroughfare of Byzantine Jerusalem where the coach will provide transportation for the short trip to Bethlehem.
Explore the Church of the Nativity, where the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is said to have occurred. Manger Square is where the majority of religious activity in Bethlehem takes place, with the Church of the Nativity and the Mosque of Omar, the oldest and only mosque in the old city of Bethlehem. See where Jesus was placed in a manger after his birth. Shop for souvenirs at some of the Palestinian markets, then board the coach for a return trip to the Port of Ashdod.
Worry-free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your timely return to the Ashdod Port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
Continue past the Garden of Gethsemane, where it is believed that Jesus prayed on the night he was arrested by Roman soldiers. Continue to Mount Zion and the Last Supper Room, then to the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem to see the famous Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites. In the Christian Quarter, walk along the Via Dolorosa, the street that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion. Here, look for the 14 Stations of the Cross while retracing Jesus’ steps to the Hill of Calvary, now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Continue on to Cardo, the main thoroughfare of Byzantine Jerusalem where the coach will provide transportation for the short trip to Bethlehem.
Explore the Church of the Nativity, where the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is said to have occurred. Manger Square is where the majority of religious activity in Bethlehem takes place, with the Church of the Nativity and the Mosque of Omar, the oldest and only mosque in the old city of Bethlehem. See where Jesus was placed in a manger after his birth. Shop for souvenirs at some of the Palestinian markets, then board the coach for a return trip to the Port of Ashdod.
Worry-free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your timely return to the Ashdod Port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
1
Mount of Olives
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Garden of Gethsemane
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Room of the Last Supper
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Mount Zion
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Jaffa Gate
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Jewish Quarter
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
The Way of the Cross - Via Dolorosa
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Western Wall
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
Christian Quarter
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
10
Arabic Market
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
11
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
12
The Way of the Cross - Via Dolorosa
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
13
Church of the Nativity
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
14
Bethlehem New Store
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Duration of the tour may vary
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Some sites may not be visited and others included subject to accessibility, security, holiday festivities, opening times, queues, traffic, time constraints, and other unforeseen circumstances
- Stroller accessible
- Good walking shoes, sunglasses, hat, and clothing that covers the shoulders and knees are recommended
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel for Bethlehem only
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 149 reviews
Jeff_C, Oct 2023
We loved the western wall and other historical sites. Lunch was delayed until numerous people asked guide if she would stop for lunch. Tour guides English was not easy to understand
Maria_K, Sep 2023
Most of Jerusalem in one day in a 16 seater minibus. Overall a wonderful day! LOTS of walking, up and down the hills on cobble stone/marble on very very crowded streets and allys (which is expected) in a "desert type hot heat". We had a very nice and knowledgeable tour guide "Yosef" in Jerusalem. He got us delicious kebabs for lunch, which I was worried to eat first, as I have got sick before on trips due to bad food, but we were all ok. $20 for four people. Our Palestinian guide kept rushing us. The gift shop in Palestine felt like a tourist trap, but no one ever tried to force us to buy anything and everyone we encountered were friendly. The bonus was a moment in an airconditioning and the use of bathrooms. I would have liked to look around the little stores in Jerusalem a bit more. So many little stores with spices and goods; a bit of "people watching with a cup of coffee would have been awesome! Only negatives on our was the Palestinian forced store stop and the fact that our tour had several older couples who had hard time keeping up with the walking as our tour guide was going real fast. In fact, we had to make sure that all of our "oldies" were still with us and not falling behind in the seas of tourists. The tour description should mention how much walking there is. We were up to 13000 steps at the end of the day, which is at least triple than most people walk on a normal day. Overall, I prefered our group of 16 to huge tour buses the cruise line filled!
Kim_M, Aug 2023
Our tour guide Ryan was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable, looked out after everyone, and made sure we had food, water, plenty of bathroom breaks and even sunscreen. Standing in scripture, retracing Jesus’ final days on earth, is something that will never be forgotten. Highly recommend this excursion.
Reinaldo_S, Jul 2023
I hate writing this review but it is warranted for the amount of money you are gonna pay. The trip to Jerusalem and the sights were memorable. The trip to Bethlehem was so quick you can’t capture the full picture. But what really did it in for me was our guide, Haggi. Nice guy but his communication skills were dreadful. I had a really hard time understanding what he was saying and when I did understand he would start going into this explanations of what we were seeing that just didn’t make sense. At times I thought he assumed we knew what we were looking at and it’s history so no explanation was needed. Really not the sort of communication skills you would expect from a professional guide.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Sorry that you were not happy with Haggai's communication skills. We will pass this criticism to him and find ways to make him do better. Thank you.
staceylynn2boys, May 2023
It was an incredible experience seeing the Church in Bethlehem and parts of Jerusalem. I never felt unsafe as there seemed to be a police presence in most areas. The Old Town was beautiful in parts but was a bit crazy in the alleyways with all the gift shops. Our guide was a little difficult to understand at times and we didn’t feel like we had much narrative on the bus but overall was a good experience.
Xuemin_Y, Apr 2023
We are very lucky to have Ryan as our guide in Jerusalem (April 19, 2023). His rich knowledge of history, religion, culture, and even archaeology made our tour a truly enjoyable experience. On our way from port to the site he gave us a wonderful warm up lesson, during the tour he led us to every spot with detailed description, finally on the way back he patiently answered all the questions of the tour group members.
Strongly recommended!
EuropeanTrip2014, Apr 2023
Our first stop was Bethlehen where our guide turned us over to Palestinian guide. First stop in Bethlehen was a store before seeing anything. We were left to shop and explore the huge store for a very ling time, much too long. By the time we got to tbe Church of the Nativity, we didn't even have enough time to line up to see the tiny nativity area. That was a huge and unforgivable mistake on tbe part of the guide. Such a disappointment to miss the highlight if the trip. I am so unhappy with that.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Please kindly read your confirmation and details provided to you BEFORE you arrive. It is clearly stated that the visit to the Palestinian territory is handled by a 3rd party and we can NOT take responsibility for how it is managed on the day of your visit. This is for ALL tours going to Bethlehem by ALL tour operators in Israel. There is no difference between any company in Israel for that part of the visit. Please read the information we send in advance to avoid unnecessary disappointment. Thank you! GuidedToursIsrael
Randall_W, Mar 2023
We had a great overview of the sites in Jerusalem. Avi was very knowledgeable about the importance of sites across all the major religions. Excellent historical context accompanied the descriptions of the landmarks.
Of course we didn't have time for deep dives since we had less than a day, but the pace was good for the time allotted.
I didn't think Bethlehem was worth the time we spent going there. I like our guide, but the lines were too long at the church of the nativity to get in to that part of the church, so it wasn't worth it. I would recommend a tour that skips Bethlehem.
Miro_P, Dec 2022
I think our experience needs to be shared here. As expected, our Israeli guide almost completely omitted any mention of the Muslim sites and her knowledge of the Christian sites was somewhat perfunctory.
Here comes the weird part: the guide discouraged us on multiple occasions from buying souvenirs or a lunch in Jerusalem, promising us a fantastic meal and a great market in Bethlehem. We had our son with us and she even gave him a bag of pretzels to "hold him over" for the famed lunch. So, before we head over to Bethlehem, our Israeli guide gets off the van (but first exclaiming that we are in for a real treat) and our Palestinian driver, Tarek, takes over our little group of 11 tourists.
Bethlehem is in the West Bank and the tourism there is run by the PLO. Our PLO driver heads straight for the Camel Leather Shoe store, where we are whisked out of the van and led around the store to the makeshift "restaurant" in the basement level of the store. Needless to say, we are the only "guests". We are served some moldy cabbage as an appetizer and then comes some disgusting chicken and rice platter that will make your stomach turn just from looking at it. As soon as everyone stops pretending to be eating, the shopkeeper announces that the lunch was 20 euros each and proceeds to collect our cash. I felt like I was just mugged. Because I was. We wait for Tarek, our PLO driver, to finish his falafels, shopkeeper to shake Tarek's hand profusely, and off we go to a small sourvenir store across from the Bethlehem Bus Terminal, where a coffee mug costs $60. We sit around for 15 minutes and when it's clear no one wants to be mugged for a second time in 15 minutes, we finally head over to the Church of the Nativity.
So please do yourself a favor - if you do have to go Bethlehem for some reason, eat before your tour and bring a twenty for the blatant "mugging". I would normally say stay away from this tour company, because they lied and misrepresented what was awaiting us in Bethlehem, but they must all get the same deal from their corrupt counterparts in the West Bank, as we heard an almost identical story from another American couple the next evening.
James_H, Nov 2022
Amazing experience. Highly recommend!! The entire tour was outstanding!!We were able to visit every Holy site !!
Caroline_S, Nov 2022
Amazing experience and great tour guide. Nicola was very nice and knowledgeable. She did such a great job ! We definitely recommend this tour.
Gary_O, Nov 2022
We we all set and expecting a great experience but instead we received a note of cancellation. Very Disappointing! We had to spend a great deal of time to find another tour. We stayed with a cruise ship tour where it was guaranteed.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Ooops... You are slightly wrong :-)
You booked this tour 3 times (same exact booking). We cancelled 2 of the bookings so you dont pay us three times for nothing...
You are welcome!
Shelieta_L, Oct 2022
Our tour was nothing short of amazing. Our tour guide was Anet and our driver was Allah. We had a very informative tour.
Linda_L, Oct 2022
Poor initial contact. After 3 phone calls and 30 minutes waiting, guide arrived with no signage. Pushing too hard to make too many stops on the 12 hour tour caused everyone to be exhausted. 3 bathroom breaks for the day. Pretty spot for lunch but the "personal" pizza everyone ordered could each feed 3 people. Tour speed was fast to cover 5+ miles in the day. Tour did not include actual grotto in Bethlehem & Church of the Holy Sepulcher to avoid lines. Perfunctory narrative by dispassionate Jewish guide. Enjoyed guide in Nazareth. Easy entry into Bethlehem with Arab driver.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Most people prefer to see as much as possible for their one day excursion from ship in Israel. We take note that not you would prefer to have a slower pace tour. Thank you!
Steve52mellon, Oct 2022
Excellent tour we would highly recommend.
We only have one small issue . We just wish Viator would tell all its tour operators to have a board held high for people to see where they are. Once again on this trip we found ourselves wandering around outside the cruise terminal looking at peoples clip boards and asking are “ are you Viator “. Just put a board up please . Otherwise the trip it’s self was great
mark_K, Sep 2022
This was a major bucket-list trip for my family. We looked forward to this for four years. As Catholics - this day was epic! Unfortunately, the tour guide was abysmal. After a few hours we decided to make the best of it since we would probably never come back. She was rude. Didn’t answer questions and had the audacity to say that Americans didn’t ever experience terrorism. I shared that we lost loved ones on 9/11 - she again said - you have no idea. Ok. That hurt. We felt so rushed. Spent very little time at every stop on the tour. When I asked for more time, she said, ‘I have to get home’. Wow. Ok. The tour guide in Bethlehem was great - very engaging, wonderful descriptions of everything we saw. I wish we could have been with him all day. And this isn’t just my opinion, everyone on my tour (16 of us - all cruise passengers) agreed. In a nutshell, maybe the tour company is ok, just avoid Levy Meytal as a guide.
Response from Host, Sep 2022
We are sorry you didn't like Meytal Levy. Unfortunately, after Covid many of the guides we had could not return to work and we had to rely on new guides, some of which we will have to never use again. Thank you for letting us know, and of course if you had contacted us directly we would have extended our money-back guarantee to you. GuidedToursIsrael
David_W, Sep 2022
All was good, driver and coach good and the guide Nicola was really exceptional she could not have been more informative her local knowledge and personality was amazing
Malachy_D, May 2022
Very good trip. Unfortunately due to traffic we didn't get to a couple of sites but we were very pleased otherwise. We were delayed disembarking due to covit restrictions so the driver or guide waited for us and missing a part of the tour was down to this
Warren P, Sep 2019
Small group, comfortable air-conditioned transportation, informative tour guide, wonderfully full day. Same guide for two days of touring, Haifa and Ashdod. Very pleased with both tours. Highly recommend our very considerate, excellent tour guide, Doron.
RJCrowley, Nov 2017
The start was shaky. IDing the bus/group took to long and the initial bus used couldnt go faster than 20mph even on their highways. Passengers demanded bus pull off road and be replaced which was done but this whole process took close to 1-1/2 hours. Tour wasnt shorted, we just got back to the ship very late. Tour itself was very well done. Saw most of the key sites and the experience was very nice. The guide was very well informed. Would repeat.
Deborah R, Nov 2017
We loved the excursion through Viator. We had a small group - 16, which in such a crowded place, was a total Blessing! We set eyes on Jerusalem for the 1st time, and we were overwhelmed with wonder at a place we had only imagined for so long. We had a lovely, energetic, knowledgeable guide in Abbey who made these places shine. We reminisce about our trip there almost everyday since returning home. We can't say enough nice things about a gracious, capable guide and a small group tour that Viator provides.
Philip D, Nov 2017
We were very pleased with our guide. He was our guide for three days.
sparky, Nov 2017
Let me say first that we really had a great tour guide Micky, this is a long day but well worth the experience, if you book this tour make sure you try to get Micky. We had 16 on our tour where as people who booked boat cruise tours had 50, we went to more places maybe due to our smaller numbers. A greaat tour made even better with Micky
VALERIE F, Nov 2017
Abbey was our guide
She was extremely knowledgable about Israel
we were able to see Nazareth, Month Olives, the Whaling wall
visit the churches
yet have time for shopping and lunch
just be prepared for a walking tour on cobbled stones
would not recommend this tour for anyone unable to walk long distance
I will recommend Viator tours
The bus was small rather than the big buses with a good driver
This way we did not waste time with a huge no. of tourists
nobody got lost, a way to meet new friends
price was reasonable
Robert F, Nov 2017
Sandy the tour guide provided a wonderful, educational experience. The transfer to Bethlehem was interesting but we never felt unsafe. One day is not enough to take everything the area has to offer but it was a good overview if your time is limited! They picked us up on time, the van was comfortable, and they answered our questions.
Gary_G, Oct 2017
Our Jerusalem excursion was a rocky one. First , through no fault of their own, there were protests outside the cruise terminal so we could not leave the ship for over two hours. What was so troubling is that two people did not follow the instructions to meet outside the ship and left the terminal on their own and got lost. Now if I was the one that messed up I would want the tour company to find me. But we waited another hour and a half til the tour company finally located the lost couple. The other fourteen people lost all that time and we were already way behind. Very frustrating and caused us to be so rushed, even missing some places we hoped to see. To be fair, even if everything worked together properly this would have probably been a lot to do. No time for souvenirs except the place we had to go so overall not pleased.
Steven_R, Oct 2017
If you were raised in the Christian faith, you've heard of these places since your infancy. A very interesting tour, that will take you through both Israel and the Palestinian Authority aka West Bank areas. You will hear plenty about the influence of the Arab and Christian minorities. The tour is fast-paced, and won't leave you much time to see the local culture. On the other hand, you will see the parts of Jerusalem where Jesus spent his last days and Bethlehem where he was born -- and if Mickey is your guide you will hear both the Biblical accounts and a rational Jewish account of the life and times of Jesus.
Greg P, Oct 2017
This is a fast paced tour. Seeing all the traditional sites in a very.crowded city. We had a great tour guide, Mickey, she kept us moving along.
I did hear some other folks did not have a good guide, with the same company. I am not sure how to make sure you get a good guide,
They make a difference in your day. Be prepared to walk quickly and keep up with the group, Our tour was very good. You wish you could slow down and enjoy everything more, but when you are on a short time frame visit, this is what you get, wear good shoes for uneven cobblestones,
ShirleyV_A, May 2017
This was a fantastic excursion. We were in Jerusalem during Holy Week so there were many people there but we were able to see most of the main attractions. I wish we could have spent another day in Jerusalem as there is so much to see.
Garth F, May 2017
Excellent trip, tour guide, and amazing excursion. Do not book during Passover/Easter too many people and site closures.
From $115.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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