The resort cruise industry suffered the hardest blow from the corona eruption sometime in early 2020. The Diamond Princess ship in Japan was kind of a symbol of the epidemic outbreak and many experts estimated that the cruise industry would be one of the last to return to activity, and indeed it was.
In recent months, the sailing industry has come back to life and in a big way, with quite a few tools for dealing with the corona.
Roof pools with music and activities, Photo: Shimon Yaish
About a week ago, Royal Caribbean, the largest holiday cruise company in the world, announced that it would arrive in Israel this summer and start operating regular cruises from Haifa for the first time.
The announcement of Royal Caribbean comes after a significant increase in the level of interest of the Israeli market in the cruise industry in the last decade, and after companies such as Royal Caribbean, MSC and Norway have previously brought ships moored in Israeli ports for a few days as part of their European departures. A requested step.
Cruise companies that were accustomed to specializing in entertainment performances and customer experience, began to develop new expertise in the subject of the corona while changing safety procedures and world orders that were customary in the industry.
"The Corona has brought about dramatic changes in the whole issue of safety and has increased the demand for luxury brands," says Udi Schnabel, CEO of Snorama, sales representative of Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean in Israel. "We understand that this is a trend that will only continue to intensify."
To understand the difference, and before Royal Caribbean arrived in Israel, we joined a cruise of "Celebrity Cruises", one of the company's subsidiaries.
We sailed aboard the ship "Celebrity," edge and the route passed between Miami and the Caribbean.
We set sail to try and understand how the shipping world is dealing with the epidemic, what steps are being taken, and to better understand what awaits Israelis who are expected to receive a product that looks like no other in Israel.
The landscape you wake up to every morning, Photo: Shimon Yaish
The ship has several hundred crew members, and there are ships that also have thousands.
The staff clean the rooms several times a day, they respond very quickly to any request and there are even those responsible for spraying hand sanitizer before entering the dining room.
The concept of cruises is usually on an all-inclusive basis, and the main dining room is open 22 hours a day with food changing several times a day.
Each ship has quite a few more testimonials in different styles, some of the restaurants are paid, and some as mentioned are included in the package.
The experience on the ship includes, among other things, quite a few sports field activities, unique performances, pool sessions, parties and more.
Celebrity's brand is characterized by being more for couples and less for families, and great attention is given to the customer experience, entertainment and catering.
The cruise we visited went through Mexico, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
The ship docked in the morning at each of the destinations, the passengers could get off the ship and take a walk in each of them and return towards the continuation to the next destination.
In Mexico you could enjoy the beaches, restaurants and special atmosphere that Cozumel and Playa del Carmen have to offer, in the Bahamas the mesmerizing beaches attracted all the vacationers who lay around them all day and in Jamaica it was mandatory to take a tour with close guides due to corona restrictions in the country.
Visitors to several destinations in one vacation - The Bahamas, Photo: Shimon Yaish
The experience of sailing with a celebrity illustrated the second line to the Israeli tourism industry that comes with Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean has a huge fleet of 16-12-story ships, with a length that can reach up to 360 meters) Four football pitches!
(And a few tens of meters wide. The ships that will arrive in Israel will be smaller, but still very large and will contain, among other things, a culture hall, sports fields, gym, pools, cinema, restaurants, casino, bars and other attractions. The rooms are reminiscent of standard hotel rooms, some They have a sun terrace and some do not.The rooms that have a balcony are more expensive, and of course there are also larger and more luxurious suites.
How much will it cost?
At the recent launch event in Israel, Royal Caribbean unveiled attractive two-water prices to those it offers in the US. A six-day cruise will cost from $ 499 per passenger, including at the height of summer. Kosher for the benefit of kosher keepers and will turn one of the elevators on the ship into a Shabbat elevator.
Additional charge
It is important to remember that while the prices are very attractive, they do not include extras that may make the vacation more expensive.
Internet package, drink package, restaurants, tips and services some of which may be necessary for some vacationers.
Pampering meals around the clock,
One of the great fears of quite a few vacationers is the fear of suffering from seasickness on the ship, and that as a result the vacation they have been waiting for will be ruined, but on the big ships the waves are almost imperceptible.
Of course when the sea is particularly stormy there is a chance that you will feel the fluctuations, but every ship has a doctor and if necessary there are pills that help in such cases, and can also be brought with you in advance.
A little tip - ask that your room be in the central part of the ship, where the fluctuations are less noticeable.
In conclusion, this is an extraordinary experience that offers meals around the clock, and allows you to visit several destinations in one vacation, although not to experience them for a while, but just to enjoy a fun day in each of them.
This is a vacation that removes most of the worries of mobility, finding hotels, babysitting, flights and other bars that need to be taken care of when flying for vacation.
This is a new and special product that may very well capture the hearts of Israeli tourists this summer.
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