Red Sea and Israel

Hi,

I'm an American who will be in Israel in July. I would like to so some Red
Sea Diving, since I will have already flown halfway round the world. I'm
looking for advice on
1) Liveaboards in the Sharm El Sheikh area that would be friendly to those
who had been in Israel.
2) Methods of getting from Israel to Sharm and back.
3) Travel Agents that would be knowledgeable about both travel to and from
Israel and Egypt and Dive Travel, possibly able to set up the entire trip
for two.
4) Any other advice on this undertaking.

I hope this is possible. In checking through the net, I found liveaboards
which did say, "Do not come with Israeli stamp in passport." I haven't yet
found one that said, "Americans and Israelis welcome."

Thanks in advance.
Bob

In article <wKqcnRaiGYDhbc7fUSdV9g@ptd.net>, dvbob@ptd.net () wrote:

> *From:* dvbob@ptd.net
> *Date:* Wed, 6 Apr 2005 14:22:04 GMT
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm an American who will be in Israel in July. I would like to so some
> Red
> Sea Diving,

Check out DIVEAFRICA.COM

Latest trip photo's
http://www.morg.co.uk/malaysia/seaventures/index4.html
Dave Morgan at work in UK

<dvbob@ptd.net> wrote in message news:wKqcnRaiGYDhbc7fUSdV9g@ptd.net...
> Hi,
>
> I'm an American who will be in Israel in July. I would like to so some
> Red
> Sea Diving, since I will have already flown halfway round the world. I'm
> looking for advice on
> 1) Liveaboards in the Sharm El Sheikh area that would be friendly to those
> who had been in Israel.

First of all I think I would take the cheap flight from Sharm to Hurghada,
or probably Cairo to Hurghada if you cannot get to Sharm direct
and catch a liveaboard there. You'll get further South in the Red Sea out of
Hurghada and the diving just gets better the further south you go. Brothers
alone is worth that extra bit of travel.

> 2) Methods of getting from Israel to Sharm and back.

I have flown Tel Aviv to Cairo on El Al, and of course you can get Cairo to
Sharm via EA and/or their code shares, but I'm not certain if Israel to
Sharm direct is available. El Al doesn't do it and EA still doesn't fly into
or out of Israel. There are a lot of charter carriers over there and you
might find direct via one of them.

> 3) Travel Agents that would be knowledgeable about both travel to and from
> Israel and Egypt and Dive Travel, possibly able to set up the entire trip
> for two.

Misr Travel
630 Fifth Avenue Suite 1460
New York, N.Y. 10111
Telephone: (212) 332-2600
Toll Free Phone: (800) 223-4978
Fax: (212) 332-2609

Ask for Eunice Roy. She has helped me with some very difficult itineraries
in the Middle East over the years and is spectacular. Misr travel has fixers
in almost every city in the Middle East it seems, so you are never left
without local contact and help. I have never, ever had to wait in line at
customs or immigration when flying into Egypt. My fixer meets me, sticks a
visa in my passport, walks me past security and lines, and off I go without
any check or delay. The service at most other M. East major airports is
similar.

Once in Cairo we were checked into the Ramses Hilton, my wife found
something about the hotel disconcerting and wanted to move. Sometime after
midnight I called our local contact and he had us moved across the circle to
the Nile Hilton in a matter of minutes. I'm not sure how they do it, lots of
palm money I'm suspect, but Misr is incredibly effective.

I recommend them without hesitation. They do have some dive trip offerings
but I have always booked my own diving and boats so I cannot speak to their
efficiency with the diving portion of thier trips.

> 4) Any other advice on this undertaking.
>
> I hope this is possible. In checking through the net, I found liveaboards
> which did say, "Do not come with Israeli stamp in passport." I haven't
> yet
> found one that said, "Americans and Israelis welcome."

Tell you what, there are a lot of Israeli nationals who vacation in Sharm.

I remain more careful than ever before and my choice of hotels has changed
some. Bottom line, I haven't found it any more dangerous than it was, but I
have found that some of the traditional hospitality is served with a bit
more effort. We Americans are **always** identified before even speaking.
It's probably the sneakers that give us away :^)



> Thanks in advance.
> Bob

Thanks,

I appreciate the help.

bob

"Adam Helberg" <sendspamhere@yahee.com> wrote in message
news:TYY4e.1895$An2.1133@newsread2.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
>
> <dvbob@ptd.net> wrote in message news:wKqcnRaiGYDhbc7fUSdV9g@ptd.net...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm an American who will be in Israel in July. I would like to so some Red
>> Sea Diving, since I will have already flown halfway round the world. I'm
>> looking for advice on
>> 1) Liveaboards in the Sharm El Sheikh area that would be friendly to those
>> who had been in Israel.
>> 2) Methods of getting from Israel to Sharm and back.
>> 3) Travel Agents that would be knowledgeable about both travel to and from
>> Israel and Egypt and Dive Travel, possibly able to set up the entire trip
>> for two.
>> 4) Any other advice on this undertaking.
>>
>> I hope this is possible. In checking through the net, I found liveaboards
>> which did say, "Do not come with Israeli stamp in passport." I haven't yet
>> found one that said, "Americans and Israelis welcome."
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>> Bob
>
> I was diving in Eilat last May and was very pleased with Meduza Diving Center. It's
> a first class operation with hot showers, rinse tanks, etc. The diving was all
> from shore because of a wall very close to shore. We stayed at Hotel Americana
> which was OK.
>
> In Israel you must show proof of dive insurance as well as logged dives within the
> last 6 months. I dove with a rental 3mm shorty, but 3mm full suit would probably
> be ideal.
>
> It's a good idea to bring at least a dive computer and compass if you plan to rent
> gear there.
>
> Adam

Here's the link to Meduza:

http://www.meduza.co.il/

The Israeli Government is sensitive to those people who visit their
country and may be traveling on to other Islamic countries which they
do not have diplomatic ties. They will upon request not stamp your
passport when you enter the country. Instead they will stamp it on a
separate piece of paper which you had better not lose. The other option
is to get an insert into your passport that can be stamped while
entering and exiting Israel. Once you leave Israel you remove the
insert and hide it in your luggage.

I have done both when visiting countries without diplomatic ties to the
Israel and the USA. Both work just fine.

I have to say that I find it sad that Egyptians are starting to turn
away people who have visited Israel. But on the other hand the current
American adminstration has pretty much screwed the rest of the world no
matter what side your views are on.

Allen

<unita@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:1112847849.899626.183640@l41g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

> I have to say that I find it sad that Egyptians are starting to turn
> away people who have visited Israel.

Egypt isn't doing that. In fact they have become more and more welcoming.
Even El Al has regular flights into Cairo.

It wasn't Egypt the country. It was on the official website of some of the
liveaboards.

Bob

<dvbob@ptd.net> wrote in message news:i7ecnXgpTe0y_8jfUSdV9g@ptd.net...
> It wasn't Egypt the country.

Yes it is. It's both national law and people's prejudice. And in both cases
it is diminishing rather than growing. Compared to other Muslim countries in
the region, Egyptians are an enlightened bunch.

> It was on the official website of some of the
> liveaboards.

In the same way it is becoming central to people's sense of nationalism in
many countries to be anti-American, it has always been central to ME Muslim
country citizens to be anti-Israel. But in the case of Egypt, it isn't as
ardent in some locales as it used to be. Sharm being one.

Egypt is the region's cultural masterpiece and it make sense to me that it
would be one of the first ME Muslim countries to be somewhat open to Israel.

It may be worth considering this (if you can speak French):
http://duneredsea.com/fr/ct.htm
<dvbob@ptd.net> a écrit dans le message de
news:wKqcnRaiGYDhbc7fUSdV9g@ptd.net...
> Hi,
>
> I'm an American who will be in Israel in July. I would like to so some
Red
> Sea Diving, since I will have already flown halfway round the world. I'm
> looking for advice on
> 1) Liveaboards in the Sharm El Sheikh area that would be friendly to those
> who had been in Israel.
> 2) Methods of getting from Israel to Sharm and back.
> 3) Travel Agents that would be knowledgeable about both travel to and from
> Israel and Egypt and Dive Travel, possibly able to set up the entire trip
> for two.
> 4) Any other advice on this undertaking.
>
> I hope this is possible. In checking through the net, I found liveaboards
> which did say, "Do not come with Israeli stamp in passport." I haven't
yet
> found one that said, "Americans and Israelis welcome."
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Bob