Jerusalem resident Jessica Seldman and her family were looking to take a vacation and meet up with relatives from the UK last summer, as most foreign airlines suspended routes to and from Israel amid the ongoing war with the Hamas terror group.

Nearby Greece sounded like a practical option. But the few, mainly Israeli, airlines — including the country’s flagship carrier El Al — serving the route were charging around $5,000 for a family of four to fly to Greece in the peak month of August, more than three times the price of typical August fares.

Unable to find a less expensive option and looking for a reliable getaway from the war, Seldman instead decided to book a five-day cruise to Rhodes and Crete that left from the Haifa port in Israel’s north.

“We decided it was a good idea because you don’t know what’s going to happen with flights during the war and booking El AL tickets is so expensive,” Seldman, a mother of three, told The Times of Israel.

“On the ship, there were lots of activities for kids all around, a pool with a water slide, entertainment, and great kosher food — it was a much easier and cheaper option to travel into Europe, and as a religious family we didn’t have to feel awkward about what to eat,” she said. “Everything is provided, the kids could do what they wanted so there was freedom to be yourself, to relax, or sit on the balcony and just watch the water.”

Sky-high airfares and limited flight availability had many Israelis stranded at home or abroad over the past 17 months of war sparked by the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, which saw some 1,200 people brutally murdered in southern Israel and 251 kidnapped to the Gaza Strip. Adding to this, the war in Gaza has ignited a new wave of anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism worldwide, causing more Israelis to worry about traveling overseas and outwardly displaying signs of being Jewish or Israeli on foreign streets.

This search for a safe escape has led to a change in the way Israelis think about vacationing — and an increase in cruise bookings, according to travel agencies queried by The Times of Israel. That’s even though almost all of the international cruise line operators, including Miami-based Royal Caribbean, one of the world’s largest cruise operators, stopped docking at Israeli ports as rockets rained down on the country.

“Israelis will never let go of their vacations, and we have been seeing tremendous growth in bookings since October for cruises leaving from ports in Barcelona and Rome in Europe for a seven-night cruise in the Mediterranean during the spring and the summer,” said Udi Schnabel, general manager of Sanorama, Royal Caribbean’s international representative in Israel. “Because of the flight issues and high prices, Israelis understood that they need to plan and book their vacation at least six months ahead of time.”

To lock in better deals on cruise lines, bookings are made early — often even a year before the voyage. When it comes to flying, the famously last-moment Israeli traveler has adopted similar habits over the course of the war.

As virtually all foreign airlines stopped service to Israel, leaving El Al as the only reliable carrier flying to the European cities from which many cruises would depart, Israelis began booking tickets well in advance due to reduced seat availability and inflated airfares. Many customers choose to book flights as part of a full cruise package offered by travel agents, as this can sometimes offer a better rate since the seats are purchased in bulk.

“Considering what is happening in Europe, the violence against Israelis in Amsterdam and other places, Israelis seek safer options when traveling abroad, and our ships are like a safe island where they feel secure and comfortable because all of our security personnel are Israelis,” Schnabel added.

In November, organized, widespread attacks by masked Arabic-speaking assailants on the streets of Amsterdam targeted Israelis and Jews after a soccer match between the local Ajax team and Maccabi Tel Aviv, leaving 10 Israelis injured and hundreds huddling in fear in their hotel rooms for hours.

Pazit Bar Oz, CEO of ACruise, part of the Israel-based Amsalem Tours group, said that luxury cruise bookings by families for this upcoming August have increased 48 percent compared to August 2024.

Royal Caribbean’s 7,600-passenger Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, has 20 decks and is jam-packed with family-friendly activities, amenities and entertainment, including a huge waterpark, seven swimming pools with water slides, an ice skating rink, and multiple restaurants and bars. Prices for a seven-night cruise departing from Miami and sailing to Honduras, Mexico and the Bahamas start from around $1,500 to $2,000 on average per person when booking for April and around $1,700 in August, according to the cruise operator’s website.

In April, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas will debut cruises from Barcelona around the Mediterranean and will offer glatt kosher meals onboard from August.

“When it comes to booking vacations, the war shifted the mind of Israelis in the sense that there is a sentiment that you don’t know what will be tomorrow, life is short and you only live once, and they are willing to pay in advance or pay more for a vacation,” said Bar Oz. “After almost one-and-a-half years of suffering, they are seeking the best quality vacation they can get, as they feel they deserve it.”

Bar Oz, a single parent, said that cruises offer the ease of visiting multiple countries without the need to go from airports to hotels, stress over restaurants and other entertainment reservations, and debate over activities to keep everyone entertained as on land-based trips.

“If in the past there was a sentiment in Israel that cruise vacations are only for retirees and old people going from Miami to the Bahamas, it is now becoming the ultimate family vacation,” said Bar Oz.

Bar Oz said families often book cruises in Europe as they are cheaper and closer. One example is a hybrid package in Italy in July that combines one week on a cruise ship that sets sail from the port of Genoa with four days in Verona and includes entry to amusement parks, which Bar Oz said “sold like hotcakes.”

The 11-night trip includes flights, the cruise, short tours, guides, and amusement park entry, and starts at $3,500 per adult and $1,000 per child.

Bar Oz added that there is also increased demand as younger people in their 30s booked this year’s cruises in advance last August to get lower rates.

“As many foreign carriers, including no-frills airlines, are resuming their routes to the country in the spring and summer, Israelis can also book or rebook to get cheaper flights to cruise departure cities, ” Bar Oz added.

Seldman said she was impressed with her cruise’s inclusive package and the value it brought for her money compared to land-based vacations in Israel and abroad. But what put it above and beyond was the peace of mind she enjoyed, especially during the challenging wartime conditions.

“I’m hoping to go again as it’s much easier and cheaper to go on a ship — and I also plan to run a cruise getaway for singles,” she said.