The first commercial travel link between Israel and Egypt will be inaugurated Dec. 19 with the beginning of a series of eight-day " peace cruises " between the two countries, it was announced in a press conference here today.
Amram Zur, president of the New York branch of Kopel Tours, the Israeli travel agency which is organizing the " peace cruises, " said the ship will sail each Wednesday alternately from Eilat, the Israeli city on the Red Sea, and from Ashdod, the city on the Mediterranean. There will be intermediate stops in Alexandria, Port Said, the Port of Suez and Safaga, Zur said.
The eight-day cruise is priced from $580 and up per person. The cruise ship will also functioning’s a shuttle between Israel and Egyptian ports. One way transportation between Ashdod and Alexandria and Alexandria-Ashdod; and one way transportation between Eilat and Safaga and Safage-Eilat will cost $135 per person provided it is booked 60 days prior to sailing.
In-addition to being the only-regularly scheduled commercial link between the two countries, the "Melody" will be the first commercial cruise ship to travel through the Suez Canal. Zur said that the cruises make it "clear we are on the brink of a great new era in regional tourism."
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