Historic Suez Canal Cruise from Dubai – Venice

This cruise is the opportunity of a lifetime. 

Experience the history and sites of Dubai – United Arab Emirates, Shalala – Oman, Ashdod and Haifa – Israel, and Athens – Greece and complete the cruise in Venice, Italy.

A stopover at both ends of the cruise is a must. There is so much to see and do. Consider adding a motor coach tour of Italy to explore Rome, Pisa, Naples and the beautiful Tuscany Valley. A tour gives you the freedom of worry-free travelling of attempting to negotiate crazy traffic roundabouts, finding hotels and missing out on having all the historic sites explained fully in English. Cruising is completely stress-free as you unpack once, with meals and nightly entertainment is included. Enjoy cruise life and choose what day tours you wish to take in each port, before you leave home.

Fly into Dubai, the capital of United Arab Emirates and spend a few days exploring this magical city.

In the late fifties, this city expanded greatly with the discovery of oil. Dubai is now the business hub of the Middle East. Its main drive in the economy is now tourism, aviation, real estate and financial services. The city has become iconic for its sports events and fabulous skyscrapers. It has the world’s tallest hotel called the Burj Al Arab and the world’s tallest man made structure.

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This vibrant, modern city is now rated one of the best places to live in the Middle East. The famous Palm Islands, a construction of three artificial islands in the shape of a date palm, is where residential and commercial property will be built. Tours are many and interesting. Try camel riding, theme parks, seaplane flight over the city or a hot air balloon flight are some ideas to enjoy your stay in Dubai. Ride a camel to a romantic, candle-lit dinner under the stars and be returned directly to your hotel. What a totally unique experience for your memory book.

The cruise begins in Dubai where you will sail to the next port called Salalah in Oman. Salalah is known as the ‘perfume capital of Arabia” offering an abundance of incense crystals and wonderfully decorated incense boxes. Take a tour to view the natural attractions of caves, waterfalls in the nearby Dhofar Mountains. Drive through green country side, viewing herds of cattle grazing in the fields or plantations of banana and coconut trees. That is the only green part of Salalah. The fabulous beaches and coastline are also major attractions for scuba diving and bird watching enthusiasts. A city tour is essential, in order for you to appreciate the archaeological and maritime history of Oman.  What an experience, having the opportunity to see this part of the world.

Enter the incredibly engineered Suez Canal in Egypt.

It is an artificial sea-level waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The canal is 101 miles long or 163 kms and opened in 1869, in a very lavish ceremony in Egypt’s Port Said. This canal allows ships to avoid sailing in very treacherous seas, around the southern tip of Africa. Approximately 50 ships pass through then Suez Canal every day.

In 2014 it was announced that Egypt would create an ambitious plan to deepen and widen the canal with hopes to double the canal’s annual revenue by 2023. The canal looks like a wide river with no locks. One ship enters the canal at a time.  The duration is all day to complete your sailing of the canal. In July 2015, 35kms of the canal was widened to allow more traffic. On one side is Egypt with towns and villages close to the canal and on the other is the Sinai Desert.

Ferries run across on a regular basis. The desert side is just massive power lines and highways with no towns to be seen. Suez Canal passes by three major cities in Egypt.  They are Ismailia, Port Said and Suez. The canal is an experience like no other with its location and incredible scenery. Sailing times can vary from your itinerary so be ready for changes!

Next port is Ashdod, Israel.

One of the most travelled shore excursions is the 70km drive to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, were you will visit some of the incredibly important religious sites in the world.  Remember to cover head, shoulders and knees when visiting these religious sites. There are also a lot of steps and walking involved, so take it into consideration if you have any mobility concerns. Bethlehem is in Palestine so a change of guide is included in the cost.

Another wonderful excursion is to visit Masada and the Dead Sea which is a 3,600ft drop to the world’s lowest point on earth. Masada is home to the most spectacular archeological site in Israel and is still an incredible engineering feat even in this day and age! Time is given for the experience of floating on the Dead Sea, which boosts more minerals and salt than any other body of water in the world.

Haifa, Israel is in the north and built in tiers extending from the Mediterranean up the north slope of Mount Carmel. One of the cities famous sites is the landscaped terraces with the gold- domed Shrine of the Bab. At the foot is the German Colony, with galleries, restaurants and shops. The extraordinary Gardens are Haifa’s number one attraction. Admission is free with a free tour in English every day, except Wednesdays. A great way to do a guided city tour is by Segway. Learn about the rich history of the city in comfort, speed and with an English speaking guide.

Sail to Athens, the capital of Greece. The city is still dominated by 5th-century landmarks, including the Acropolis and a hilltop citadel. Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities. A comfortable day trip is to the town of Nafpilo and Bourtzi- the small fortress in the middle of the sea.

Last port is Venice, Italy. It was built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon. It has no roads, just canals lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. It is one of the most alluring cities in the world where you welcome getting lost. Take a moonlit gondola ride and finish up at Harry’s bar enjoying a Bellini. This drink is a sparkling wine mixed with peach puree and a memorable way to finish your day. An interesting short tour is to Saint Mark’s Basilica and the pink marble façade of Doge’s Palace. You will experience all of Venice’s historic wealth and power!  Another fascinating tour is to the glass factory of Murano or walk across the Bridge of Sighs to see the old prisons, where the once famous prisoner Casanova was an inmate then an escapee. Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is commonly called the “City of Water” or “City of Bridges”. People commute by water so Venice is the only city in Europe with no cars or motorcycles.

This cruise is like sailing from one world to another. Put this vacation on your bucket list and experience travel throughout history, in an amazing part of the world. This is a part of the world of intrigue and mystery. Walk in the footsteps of the ancients and marvel at the incredible architecture where Kings and Sultans reside. Sailing on the Suez Canal is a ‘once in a lifetime experience’ and certainly a cruise to put into your book of memories.

Lynda Spriggs

Lobstick Travel / Prince Albert