Passages of the Bible Cruise with Guest Speaker Mark Ziese | August 17, 2024
Join Guest Speaker Mark Ziese for Passages of the Bible aboard the RCI Voyager of the Seas for a 7 Night Israel & Egypt Cruise, starting at $4349 from Athens on August 17, 2024. You will see Corinth, where the apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord. Walk among the ruins, and stand on the Bema, where the apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against him by the Jews. In Jerusalem, see Caiphas’ House, where Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Old City, the Pool of Bethesda, the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Mount of Beatitudes, Church of the Loaves & Fish, the Church of the Primacy of Peter, Capernaum, Cairo, Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, and much more.
What’s Included
- All Inclusive Pricing
- Breakfast and Dinner Daily
- Cruise
- Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches
- Entrance and Program Fees
- First Class Hotels
- Fuel Surcharges and Gov't Taxes
- Guided Tours
- Hotel Gratuities
- International Airfare from NY
- Meals on Ship
- Overseas Airport Transfers
- Administrative Fee
- Cruise Taxes $103
- Port charges $200
^ Additional Baggage & Optional fees may apply.
† If air purchased through EO.
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 AUGUST 17 - DEPART THE USA
Depart the USA
Day 2 AUGUST 18 - ARRIVE IN ATHENS
Arrive in Athens and enjoy a driving tour, view the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Check in to your hotel this afternoon.
Day 3 AUGUST 19 - CORINTH & EMBARK VOYAGER OF THE SEAS
After checking out of your hotel then travel to 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. Next you will journey to Pireaus to embark on the Voyager of the Seas.
Day 4 AUGUST 20 - AT SEA
At Sea
Day 5 AUGUST 21 - 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 6 AUGUST 22 - LIMASSOL
Go deep into Cyprus' history as you explore the island today. This beautiful port town is known for its seafood, pottery, leather goods and traditional lace works. Wander the streets and enjoy the shops on your way to the Kolossi Castle built by the Order of St. John in 1210 in the city center of Limassol. Take a trip to Paphos from Limassol to explore ancient ruins, archaeological sites and the goddess of love's mythical birthplace. Travel past the Temple of Apollo on the way to this UNESCO-recognized city and discover elaborate tombs in a 3rd-century necropolis.
Day 7 AUGUST 23 - 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 8 AUGUST 24 - ALEXANDRIA
See the sights in Egypt’s second-largest city, Alexandria. The large Jewish community that once called this area home wrote the Septuagint - a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. It was also home to the Great Library of Alexandria, which once held one of the most extensive collections of ancient texts. Make your way through Alexandria’s side streets to the catacombs consisting of three burial chamber levels. Visit Pompey’s Pillar, the largest triumphal column and the only known free-standing column of Roman Egypt. The amphitheater of Alexandria is one of the city’s most distinguished highlights and is set within view of many modern structures. Glimpse the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century fortress situated on the northern tip of Pharos Island
Day 9 AUGUST 25 - AT SEA
At Sea
Day 10 AUGUST 26 - DISEMBARK IN PIRAEUS & RETURN TO THE USA
Disembark the Voyager of the Sea and transfer to Athens airport to return home.
Enhance Your Journey
Greece Pre Starting from $1098
August 14 -19, 2024
August 14 - Depart USA
August 15 - 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, dedicated to a distinguished Roman proconsul martyred for his Christian faith. Along the Via Egnatia stands the Galerus 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
August 16 - 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, Market Place, 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.
August 17 - 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 cliff-side caves before fleeing higher to build the original wooden shelters that later became these monasteries. Overnight in Kalambaka.
August 18 - Delphi
Travel to scenic Delphi, religious center of the ancient Greek world and marked by the conical stone called the omphalosor (“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 5th century bronzed Charioteer, so detailed you can see his eyelashes. Overnight in Athens.
August 19 - Join the Cruise Group in touring Athens
Departure Dates
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Saturday, August 17, 2024From $4349* Register Now!