Passport to disembark in Israel?

[BuckeyeMark]

Googling but can't get a definitive answer ... we get off the boat at Ashdod and Haifa is that a take your passport with you situation?  I don't like carrying my passport around but of course, ready to do so if Israel requires that.

[dronnygirl]

It's  a while since we went  to Ashdod but we had to give passports into reception the night before and were given a numbered ticket. The next morning the Israel authorities came on board and processed the paperwork while we had to wait in the lounge. When our ticket number was called we had to proceed to the desk where we were given our passport as well as a stamped authorisation, they do not actually stamp the passport as some countries will not allow entry after an Israel visit. At this point we left the ship. Hope this helps, I can recommend Israel Guided Tours if you are looking for an excellent visit.

[MeHeartCruising]

On my cruise, the Israeli authorities actually boarded our ship prior to arrival in Israel.  We were processed by those authorities during a sea day the day before arrival. So arrival day was very easy, as all processing was done in advance.  I'm pretty certain we were told to take our passports with us when we went ashore.  I recall that when my tour bus (a ship excursion) passed back into Israel after a visit to the Palestinian Territory (to visit Bethleham) we had to hold up our passports as an armed Israeli soldier walked up and down the aisle of the tour bus.  He never looked in any of them.  But he made a few comments to several of the people on the bus including me.  He saw I was wearing a Chicago Cubs hat and wanted me to know that the then-mayor, Rahm Emmanuel, was Jewish!

 

Edited September 9, 2019 by MeHeartCruising

[dogs4fun]

On 9/7/2019 at 9:18 PM, BuckeyeMark said:

Googling but can't get a definitive answer ... we get off the boat at Ashdod and Haifa is that a take your passport with you situation?  I don't like carrying my passport around but of course, ready to do so if Israel requires that.

Israel law requires that you carry your passport with you at all times. I wear a passport wallet worn crossbody, inside my shirt  (I also carry my credit cards in this wallet) and have never had an issue anywhere I've travelled. We spent 3 glorious weeks in Israel and always carried our passports - they were seldom checked but we did need them in the Old City of Jerusalem when we wanted to visit Temple Mount and also needed them to pass through through the border between Jerusalem and the West Bank. Your passport will be required anytime that you pass from Israel controlled territory to Palestinian territory (Bethlehem, for example).

[Hlitner]

Not an easy answer.  Israel does require that everyone have ID and a Passport is the best ID.  But other forms of ID will likely satisfy the authorities if you would happen to be stopped.  We also do not like to carry our Passports so when we spent time in Israel we simply carried our drivers license and a photo copy of our main Passport page.  Nobody ever asked.  When visiting Israel on a cruise we carried the same ID along with our cruise card.  When we did take a tour over to Bethlehem we did carry our Passports, but nobody ever asked to see any id.

 

Hank

[Markanddonna]

I was on a cruise to Israel just last week. The Israeli officials boarded a day or two before we docked and the entire process was easy- just showing them a passport and they issue you a card which MUST accompany your passport while you are in Israel.

 

As we got on and off the ship in Ashdod and Haifa, we had to show the Israel official both the passport and the card.  You carry your passport while in Israel. I agree that I prefer to leave it on the ship, but those were the rules!

[cruisemom42]

53 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

 

As we got on and off the ship in Ashdod and Haifa, we had to show the Israel official both the passport and the card.  You carry your passport while in Israel. I agree that I prefer to leave it on the ship, but those were the rules!

 

This was the situation I have encountered as well. I clearly remember having to show passport as we got off the ship, even though we were pre-cleared by Israeli security onboard prior to arrival. I remember because I also don't like to take my passport with me ashore unless required.

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

I was on a cruise to Israel just last week. The Israeli officials boarded a day or two before we docked and the entire process was easy- just showing them a passport and they issue you a card which MUST accompany your passport while you are in Israel.

 

As we got on and off the ship in Ashdod and Haifa, we had to show the Israel official both the passport and the card.  You carry your passport while in Israel. I agree that I prefer to leave it on the ship, but those were the rules!

 

 

Different cruise ship (Marella)  a couple of weeks back, same (almost) situation.

Our passports taken from us at registration. 

In Haifa - into terminal, collect passport there, thro security, line up for immigration with passport, given an immigration slip (as with all ship visits, passport not stamped in order to avoid problems in the Arab world).

No choice but to take passports with us. 

 

Show ship card, passport & immigration slip about 6,000* times to get back onto the ship.

 

JB 

* possibly a slight exaggeration

[Markanddonna]

Our passports were also taken from us at registration and given to the Israelis onboard who issued us the card. Security in Israel shows you the situation they are in with so much of the world as their enemy. 

[cwatts15]

On 9/8/2019 at 8:31 AM, dronnygirl said:

It's  a while since we went  to Ashdod but we had to give passports into reception the night before and were given a numbered ticket. The next morning the Israel authorities came on board and processed the paperwork while we had to wait in the lounge. When our ticket number was called we had to proceed to the desk where we were given our passport as well as a stamped authorisation, they do not actually stamp the passport as some countries will not allow entry after an Israel visit. At this point we left the ship. Hope this helps, I can recommend Israel Guided Tours if you are looking for an excellent visit.

What tour companies did you use?