Passages of the Bible Cruise | Oct. 7, 2024
Join us for Passages of the Bible Cruise on Norwegian Getaway starting at $4999 for an interior stateroom, departing on October 7, 2024. You will see Galilee, Haifa, Jerusalem, Caiphas House, Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Old City, Pool of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepluchre, Cairo, Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Alexandria, Catacombs, Pompies Pillar, Amphitheater, Citadel, Heraklion, Santorini, Mykonos, and so much more!
What's Included
- Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches
- Fuel Surcharges and Gov't Taxes
- Entrance and Program Fees
- Guided Tours
- Meals on Ship
- Overseas Airport Transfers
- Port Charges
- Select Shore Excursions
- Cruise
- Cruise Taxes
- Free WIFI
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 October 7 (MO) DEPART USA
Your Journey of a Lifetime begins as you depart the USA on your international overnight flight.
Day 2 October 8 (TU) TEL AVIV/GALILEE
TEL AVIV/GALILEE
Day 3 October 9 (WE) GALILEE/EMBARK
Then Venture inland to the Sea of Galilee to stand on the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus preached . At Tabgha, the traditional location of the feeding of 5,000, you will visit the Church of the Loaves and Fish . On the shores of the Sea of Galilee is the Chapel of the Primacy of St. Peter, where three times Peter professed his devotion to the risen Christ. From there, travel to Capernaum where Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John and later Matthew to be disciples. Travel to Haifa and embark the Norwegian Getaway.
Day 4 October 10 (TH) JERUSALEM
Journey to Jerusalem to see Caiphas' House, where Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin. Stand upon the Mt. of Olives and view the city as Jesus did. See the Ancient olive trees of the Garden of Gethsemane. Wander the Old City to view the Pool of Bethesda and walk along the Via Dolorosa. Step inside the Church of the Holy Sepluchre, built over the sites of the crucifixion and the resurrection.
Day 5 October 11 (FR) PORT SAID
We will be making a short technical stop in Port Said to pick up local authorities and the pilot prior to the Suez Canal transit; unfortunately, guests will not be allowed to disembark at this port.
Day 6 October 12 (SA) CAIRO
Explore the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It contains 120,000 artifacts! Then, head to the Pyramids of Giza, one of the only existing Wonders of the Ancient World. Nearby, view the Great Sphinx of Giza, the largest and most well-known Sphinx.
Day 7 October 13 (SU) AT SEA
AT SEA
Day 8 October 14 (MO) HERAKLION
Although it's on the Greek Island of Crete, Heraklion offers a wealth of Venetian architecture from their rule in the 13th century, including magnificent fortified walls. Don't miss the Minoan Palace of Knosos Knossos, immortalized in Greek Mythology by the legend of the Minotaur.
Day 9 October 15 (TU) SANTORINI
Dock in Santorini today, one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands where picturesque, whitewashed villages topped with brilliant blue domes stand in stark contrast to the sheer drop cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The island itself perches on the edges of a volcano whose eruption 3,500 years ago is thought to have led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization. Explore the island on your own or join one of the optional excursions available for purchase onboard. Shore excursions today will be booked directly through the cruise line.
Day 10 October 16 (WE) MYKONOS
Nestled in the heart of Greece’s Cyclades archipelago, Mykonos pulses with irrepressible energy. With its powder white houses and sparkling blue waters. The Island of the Winds is as colorful as the people who call the island home. You can walk narrow marble pathways laced with purple bougainvillea blooms or go cycling on two wheels past off-the-path Ano Mera village. Explore Greece’s maritime history at Armenistis Lighthouse and check out the Folklore Museum’s Mykonian ship models. At the end of the day, watch the sun burn out beyond an Aegean horizon from an open-air seaside taverna. Shore excursions today will be booked directly through the cruise line.
Day 11 October 17 (TH) ATHENS/CORINTH
Discover the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon and the Erectheum. Stand on Mars Hill as the apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, "I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you" . As you stroll the Agora (ancient market place and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached "Jesus and the resurrection" to the skeptical Athenians. Also see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon tour the city of Corinth, where the apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, "I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city". As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue) and many others believed and were baptized , establishing the church at Corinth to whom Paul later wrote his two epistles. Discover the Archaeological Museum, Market Place and Temples. As you walk among the ruins, stand on the Bema, where the apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against him by the Jews
Day 12 October 18 (FR) EPHESUS
Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation and was once a bustling port town with wide, colonnade-bordered streets and a population of 250,000. Spectacular excavations have revealed much of the glory of ancient Ephesus, including the huge Agora and Library, much has been lost. The ancient world once declared the Temple of Artemis to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World but today, only a single column remains to mark its site. View the terrace houses, also known as "the house of the rich," which give a true impression of ancient lifestyle.
Day 13 October 19 (SA) ISTANBUL
Disembark the Norwegian Getaway. The bejeweled capital of Istanbul sits between two continents and is home to 450 mosques. You will visit the famous Blue Mosque with its six minarets and sparkling interior. Walk through St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia), which was the largest church in Christendom for 1,000 years, was built by Justinian (532-537 AD). The church has 107 columns, fossil-embedded, white marble floors, and beautiful glass mosaics. Today, it is the Museum of Byzantine Art. Enjoy the aroma of cinnamon, cloves, thyme, and other exotic spices as you explore the Spice Market. Shops sell everything from herbs to gold. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 14 October 20 (SU) ISTANBUL
Return to USA
Enhance Your Journey
Greece Pre-tour
September 23 - Depart the USA
September 24 - Arrive in Thessaloniki
Discover Thessaloniki, where Paul was accused of turning the world upside down with his preaching of Christ (Acts 17: 3-6). As you explore St. George’s Basilica, believed to be built over the synagogue where Paul preached, reflect on the two epistles the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church here. Stroll through the Archaeological Museum and the beautiful basilicas of St. Sophia and St. Demetrios. The Church of St. Demetrios is dedicated to a distinguished Roman proconsul martyred for his Christian faith. Along the Via Egnatia stands the Galerius Arch, and you can look out over the second-largest city in Greece from the Old City Ramparts, some dating back to Roman times. Overnight in Thessaloniki.
September 25 - Amphipolis, Philippi & Neapoli
Follow in the footsteps of Paul and Silas to Amphipolis and explore the ruins of the many Christian basilicas there. In Philippi is a baptismal site commemorating where God opened the heart of Lydia (a seller of purple from Thyatira) to hear the words of Paul (Acts 16:13-15). Lydia and her household were the first Christian converts baptized on European soil. View the Roman-era crypt thought to have served as a prison for the Apostle Paul, and explore Philippi’s famous Acropolis, marketplace, the Basilica of Paul, and theater. Today’s last stop is Neapolis (Kavala), one of Greece’s most picturesque mainland ports, where Paul landed with his disciples, Timothy and Silas. See the Roman Aqueduct and Acropolis before returning to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight. Overnight in Thessaloniki.
September 26 - Verea & Meteora
Follow the path of Paul when he fled Thessaloniki for the safety of Veria (Berea), where Jews and some honorable Greeks accepted the new faith (Act 17: 10-12). As you visit the rock forest of Meteora (“in the heavens above”) in western Thessaly, imagine the Apostle Paul walking that treacherous terrain on his missionary journey. Gaze up at the breathtaking Byzantine monasteries spectacularly perched on soaring, sheer-sided grey sandstone pillars. In the 13th century, monks sought refuge in cliffside caves before fleeing higher to build the original wooden shelters that later became these monasteries. Overnight in Kalambaka.
September 27 - Delphi
Travel to scenic Delphi, the religious center of the ancient Greek world and marked by the conical stone called the omphalos or “navel”. Walk the Sacra Via to the Athenian treasury, theatre, and the Temple of Apollo, where the oracle performed her prophetic rituals. As you consider the incredible amount of pagan influence just in Delphi alone, you will gain a new appreciation for the tremendous spiritual opposition the Apostle Paul faced in preaching the Gospel of Christ here. In the museum are many ancient treasures, including the fifth-century, bronzed Charioteer, so detailed you can see his eyelashes. Overnight in Athens.
September 28 - Join the Cruise Group in touring Athens
Guests taking an extension may be on a different flight than their group and/or traveling companion.
Wonders of Petra
October 9 - Overnight in Galilee
October 10 – Jerash
This morning you will journey across the Allenby Bridge on your way to Jerash, one of the best preserved Roman cities in the world. Stroll through the oval piazza and wander along colonnaded streets etched by the wheels of ancient chariots. Stand in the grand theatre where an onstage whisper can be heard in the top row. Continue to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
October 11 – Petra
Begin your journey south towards Petra today. Explore the city of Petra. Its entrance passes through a long, narrow gorge known as the Siq and can only be accessed by carriage, horseback or on foot. Once inside the city, marvel at the intricate detail of a city that was cut into the cliff sides of rose-colored rock. Travel to your hotel at the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight.
October 12 – Madaba & Mt. Nebo
Travel to Madaba, the City of Mosaics, to visit the Church of Saint George with its sixth-century, Byzantine, mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites. Continue to Mount Nebo, where Moses caught a glimpse of the Promised Land (Deut. 34). On a clear day, you can see all the way across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, to the rooftops of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
October 13 – Return to USA
Departure Dates
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Monday, October 7, 2024From $4999