Any info Haifa would be great , I know nothing about
If we don't make it their , we just go to another island probably Cypress and Crete, and I would be OK
For some reason, they drop the price $499 on our invoice :-), today the price is back to $1200
My parents got to Haifa, then were floating along the coast towards Ashdod when a rocket landed 100m from their hull. The Gem quickly turned around and went back to Ashdod, where it stayed the night before heading for the rest of the planned itinerary (Egypt, etc).
It's unlikely they would add a port, other than to go back to Haifa or to spend the day at sea.
Haifa has a lot to offer, and if you're reasonably fit, can be traversed well by foot. It's not small, however, so taxis are a great idea.
The Shekel (NIS) is cheap. ~3.5 NIS for every $1 CAD. My favourite memory there was going to markets on the street and getting a watermelon for 1 NIS and Mangoes for 1.30 NIS.
Kosher food is actually cheaper than non-kosher. I HIGHLY recommend that you get a shawarma there. It's unreal good. The spicy stuff, pronounced "s-c-hoo-gue" or "hareeeef" is delicious and not terribly hot. I recommend shawarma over falafel, big time! Israelis also make very good pizza - corn pizza is actually their 'speciality'. Very, very good. Israeli beer is also decent, though you'll find Heineken everywhere you go.
Haifa is a naval town, which is where you'll be docking (though you aren't likely to see any of the naval ships). There are plenty of beaches on the south-west side that are lovely. Folks on the beach are very active with paddle ball and it's typical European (i.e. expect the occasional boob and a multitude of speedos).
One of the amazing bits about Haifa is the Baha'i Gardens - it's massive and religious, but definitely worth checking out. There's also Mount Carmel, which is lovely to stroll around, but you'd definitely need to take a cab up there. OH, in Israel, cabs have the meter rate, or you can barter. "You want to go to beach? Ok, I take you for 30 NIS." "I'll give you 20 NIS". "Ok." The big thing is, though, you don't know how far it is, and as such, they could take you for a 'ride' in either event.
Honestly, your best bet for Haifa is to do a day trip starting at the Baha'i gardens, followed by the rest of the day at Haifa (Ha-Carmel) Beach.
In Ashdod, I actually spent my 19th birthday on the beach there. Ashdod is SMALL - walk everywhere if you want to stay there.
...however, Ashdod is only an hour from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem - that's what Ashdod is really good for. Take an excursion to be safe, here. It's worth the extra money as Jerusalem is expansive and cannot be seen on your own (unless you can find your own tour company). If you've never been, I recommend Jerusalem. Tel Aviv is a big city and feels like it. There are some good monuments and markets, but Jerusalem is truly like no other place in this world.
Here's the cruise critic roll call for your sailing:
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1891609You can find other cruisers and meet with tour groups.
Pretty much everyone in Israel speaks English. I remember trying to speak (albeit limited) Hebrew or Arabic to the locals, and they all answered me in English.
On the Silhouette, we had an inside cabin (8173) and loved it. The over-the-bed storage is great and the bathroom very comfortable.
