Guide to kosher cruises 2024 (Envato)
The demand for kosher cruises continues to grow and the cruise companies have stepped up to meet the demand. The cruise industry has expanded in recent years. Kosher cruises are becoming increasingly popular vacation options for singles, couples and families. There are cruise options available to suit a range of budgets. It's a great all-inclusive vacation, especially if you keep kosher. For a more intimate kosher vacation on the water, we have kosher yacht vacations and kosher catamaran sailing vacations.
Why are kosher cruises so popular?
Cruises, in general, have gained in popularity among vacation travelers. Most cruises are all-inclusive deals so once booked, all you have to do is pack and show up. All the details are organized for you, from food and entertainment to tours and itineraries. The cruise ships offer everything for a fabulous vacation. There are meals in the dining room as well as restaurants and bars. The cruise ship activities vary but most have pools, spa, fitness room, some have basketball courts and casinos. Most cruises have nightly entertainment and kids programming.
Kosher cruises have added benefits for kosher travelers. The kosher cruises have minyan every day, shiurim and kosher food. If someone is strict about davening with a minyan every day and wants to keep up with daf yomi then a kosher cruise is a great option. Kosher food is more readily available in cities around the world than it was in the past but it’s still very convenient not to have to think about what to eat or where to eat. Gourmet kosher food is prepared fresh each day on your kosher cruise vacation.
Kosher cruises to the Caribbean (Shutterstock)
Most of the large cruise companies, such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival cruise lines, offer kosher meals at no extra charge. They must be ordered anywhere from 2 to 12 weeks in advance, depending on the cruise line and your destination. The kosher meal plans are usually prepackaged frozen meals, similar to airline meals. Royal Caribbean cruises out of Haifa offer fresh kosher meals (extra charge per person), synagogue and a rabbi on board but the kosher plan must be reserved at least four weeks in advance and space is limited so there is no guarantee that you will get a spot in the kosher dining room.
When you book a kosher cruise, you don’t have to worry about getting closed out of the kosher dining room. There is a chef on board to cook fresh meals daily. If you join a regular cruise, it is unlikely that you will have a minyan on board. The organized kosher cruises have a dedicated room for a synagogue with a Torah and Chazan as well as other services to make the trip complete and fitting for the kosher Jewish traveler.
Cruise ships come in different sizes and there are different room options depending on your vacation budget. There are larger cruise ships and smaller, more intimate kosher river cruises so it depends what type of kosher cruise experience you want to have. Another consideration is the destination of the kosher cruise. There is a range of options when choosing your kosher cruise itinerary, from Europe and Iceland to the Caribbean. There are options for cruises that focus on Jewish history and Jewish landmarks. Kosher cruises offer so many possibilities. The hard part is choosing where to go.
Nowegian fjord landscape (Photo: Envato)
Kosher Cruises for Fall 2024; Winter 2025
Golden Tours kosher cruises Summer 2025
Kosherica Kosher Cruises 2024
- 8-Day Mediterranean - Adriatic Cruise on the Norwegian Escape: August 14 - 21, 2024
- 12-Day Mediterranean - Adriatic Cruise on the Norwegian Escape: August 21 - September 1, 2024
- Canary Island Cruise on the Norwegian Star: November 22 - December 5, 2024
- Cruise to Australia & New Zealand on Holland America - Westerdam: January 5 - 19, 2025
Kosherica Kosher Cruises 2024
- Greek Isles & Italy on the NCL Epic - June 23 - July 3, 2025
- Eastern Caribbean on the NCL Escape - June 29 - July 6, 2025
- Alaska on the NCL Jade - 2 sailings: August 11 - 18 and August 18 - 25, 2025
- Bermuda, Boston & Maine on the NCL Jewel - August 15 - 22, 2025
- Iceland & Greenland on the NCL Star - August 21 - 31, 2025
- Beautiful Bordeaux – France: October 28 to November 4, 2024
- Luxury Super Yacht - St. Martin to Barbados Caribbean Expedition: January 8-15, 2025
- Vietnam & Cambodia Mekong River Cruise: May 19-29, 2025
- Gems of Northern Italy: October 27 to November 3, 2025
- Custom Group Tours Available
Kosher cruise to Rhodes, Greece (Shutterstock)
Kosher cruises are a great way to travel and see the world. Each kosher cruise is a unique and special experience. The cruise ships offer many on-board activities and entertainment. It’s truly a luxury to be able to visit different cities around the world and not have to worry about kosher food or finding hotels. Once you get on the kosher cruise ship and unpack, there is no need to pack up again to switch hotels when going from city to city. Kosher travelers can get settled in their cabins, eat gourmet meals and hang out at the pool in between ports. A kosher cruise vacation also means not having to worry about finding a shul nearby for minyan. The tour operators of the kosher cruises take care of everything for a truly unforgettable kosher vacation experience.
Bon Voyage!
Originally published: April 18, 2022
Originally published: April 18, 2022