Best Kosher Cruises Announcements!

Kosherica Presents The First Leading Pesach Hotel of the World Program

Value-Added Luxury at Affordable Prices

Kosherica is proud to announce its first-ever Leading Pesach Hotel of the World Program.

Kosherica’s inaugural 2010 Leading Pesach Hotel of the World Program gets underway this spring at the Miami Biltmore Resort and Spa. The program combines a five-star vacation experience with signature Glatt Kosher, Cholov Yisrael and Pas Yisrael gourmet meals at affordable prices.

While some Passover programs easily exceed costs of $4,000 or $5,000 per person, Kosherica’s seven-day luxury Passover packages – complete with full board and sedarim -- start at $3,480 in the United States or Israel. And Kosherica value-added cruises begin at $1,600.*

Since its founding in 1996, Kosherica has brought more passengers to international ports of call at affordable prices than all other kosher cruise companies combined.

“As the company that started it all, we’ve set the bar high. And we keep setting it higher and higher,” says Kosherica Owner and CEO Yehuda Shifman. “No other company knows better how to combine honest value with five-star luxury. Our new Leading Pesach Hotel of the World Program is the perfect example of Kosherica’s long-established tradition: combining the best in luxurious kosher travel with affordable pricing.”

A proven industry leader, Kosherica has set new standards at sea--with an extensive menu of luxury cruises to exotic ports of call--and on land, with luxurious Passover programs. And it’s no secret Kosherica’s full-service packages nourish both body and soul. This family-owned business offers everything from meaningful Shabbat services, inspiring lectures with scholars in residence, Daf Yomi classes and Minyanim to top-notch live concerts with Jewish headliners, all-women’s dance classes, movie screenings, mixers and more.

Passover 2010

This spring, Kosherica serves up its first annual Leading Pesach Hotel of the World Program. For a Passover vacation different from all others, escape kosher l’Pesach style to three fantastic venues: Miami’s legendary Biltmore Golf Resort and Spa, Israel’s wonderful Moriah Plaza Tiberias and Ramat Rachel resort in Jerusalem. Packages begin Passover eve, Tuesday, March 30, with optional pre- and post-holiday hotel night add-ons at each location. Shorter packages are also available at adjusted rates.

The elegant, alluring and tranquil Miami Biltmore Golf Resort and Spa is a European-style national historic landmark listed among the luxurious “Leading Hotels of the World.” Grand hotel rooms and suites are paired with a world-class spa offering a plethora of treatments, as well as a 10,000-sq. ft. state-of-the-art fitness center, an 18-hole Donald Ross-designed golf course, 10 tennis courts and the renowned, oversized Biltmore pool. Its private cabana suites, with personalized butler service, rest among palms, bougainvillea and hibiscus. Keeping with its well established tradition, Kosherica invites a brilliant thinker and teacher for insightful classes, holiday drashot and on-site rabbinic leadership. Last year’s Scholar in Residence, for example, was Rabbi Marc Schneier, named by Newsweek magazine as one of America’s top 50 rabbis. Seven-night packages starting at $3,480 include all meals, a sumptuous tea room, Jewish programming and two complete glatt kosher Passover seders. Optional spa services are available ala carte. Note: Please register early for medical conferences for all interested physicians.

On the shores of Lake Kinneret, the Moriah Plaza Tiberias indulges the senses. Enjoy wet and dry saunas, hot and cold Jacuzzis, an outdoor pool and a wealth of spa treatments ranging from Swedish, sports and tai, to shiatsu, reiki meditation, Aior-veda and more. Nearby attractions include the legendary Hamat Tiveria Hot Springs, boating, water skiing, parasailing and easy access to the best of Israel's excursions, including horseback riding, wine tasting and day trips to the historic holy city of Tsfat, the birthplace of Kaballah, “L’cha Dodi” and legions of mystics, rabbis and teachers. This year’s Scholar in Residence is Rabbi Daniel Beller. Seven-night packages include all meals, tea room, Jewish programming and sedarim. Optional spa services are available ala carte.

In the pine covered hills of the Jerusalem forest, the Ramat Rachel Hotel, Congress and Spa complex merges with the city’s green belt of natural woods and picturesque landscape. Here, in the heart of the Jewish world, the Old City calls, archaeological remains testify to the history of the Jewish people, and an exclusive country club, spa, swimming pool and fitness center cater to modern needs for rest and relaxation. Seven-night packages include all meals, tea room, Jewish programming and sedarim. Optional spa services are available ala carte.

2010 Passover at the Miami Biltmore Hotel

* Beautiful grounds including LARGEST HOTEL POOL in the US.
* Incredible 18 Hole Donald Ross designed golf course and 10 tennis courts. Leading Hotels of the World
* Delightful in-room amenities in a contemporary setting including luxurious comfort bedding and a flat screen TV.
* Complimentary entrance to the lavish and luxurious Biltmore Spa and Fitness Center
* Sumptuous and Superb famous Kosherica Tea Room.
* Teen and adult activities programs and entertainment.
* Excellent, fun, and educational Children's day camp and infant care programs.
* Quickly becoming one of the most desirable Passover Hotels worldwide.

ALASKA SUMMER CRUISES!

Join us in Alaska next summer for the Kosher cruise of a lifetime! Imagine standing on your private verandah and watching whales breach and eagles soar. Imagine being among the lucky few to spend a whole day in Glacier Bay National Park. Imagine traveling through Alaska’s sublime beauty and frontier ports in unsurpassed luxury and comfort. The Glatt Kosher Cruise cruise to Alaska.

Jewish Music Festival!

Kosherica, in association with the American Society For The Advancement of Cantorial Arts, is proud to present the greatest Chazzanim of our generation on a stunning 7-day Festival of Jewish Music Cruise featuring Cantorial Opera, Yiddish and Israeli Music!

Mediterranean Kosher Cruises!

Take a Kosher cruise to the Mediterranean! Join Best Kosher Cruises on an amazing journey of the Old World in summer 2010. Departing out of Rome, the Eastern Mediterranean cruise will be departing July 26...book now while there's still room!

Kosherica Cruises: Fabulous Destinations and Elegant Dining

Spending Shabbat on the
Aegean Sea with Kosherica
wasn’t any different on this huge
ocean liner than at any other
luxury hotel. For my wife and
me and nearly 100 others who
were aboard the Costa Fortuna
with its passenger load of nearly
3500, the kosher cuisine was
remarkable.
Offy Schiffman, part of
the family that owns Kosherica,
made sure that the visits
to ports in Italy, Greece and
Croatia amounted to more than
just a cruise aboard an elegant
ship. He and a team of mashgichim
oversaw a glatt-kosher
presentation that was sumptuous,
fresh, and creative.
Offy guards the kitchens
like a hawk to assure quality
as well as kashrus. It is standard
for Kosherica to have as
many as 6 mashgichim aboard
its cruises.
READ MORE at Kosherica.com....

PRE-DEPARTURE CHECKLIST!

Thanks to Kosherica.com for their helpful to-do list:

* Identification requirements vary with every trip. Be sure to know exactly what type of I.D. you will be required to present before you go.
* Leave copies of your passport, airline tickets, traveler's cheques and credit cards with a family member or a friend back on the mainland.
* Some countries require certain immunizations to enter. Discuss you travel plans with a doctor. It may be necessary to bring proof of immunizations with you.
* Setting up a web-based e-mail account before you depart (such as Hotmail, Yahoo or AOL) makes it easy to e-mail friends and family while you're abroad.
* Always call to confirm your flight 24 hours prior to departure.
* If you have any ongoing medical conditions, ask your doctor to write up a brief medical history for you to travel with.
* Double-check your flight information and airline documents for accuracy.
* Remember, if you book "cruise only", you are responsible for arriving at the port in time for check-in, security and departure.
* If you plan to bring a hair dryer or an electric razor, inquire with your cruise line as to what the cabin voltage will be. You may need an adaptor.
* Leave the ship's contact information with a friend or family member back home. This information can usually be found on the cruise line's web site or by contacting them directly by phone.
* Check-in and security procedures can be involved. Be sure to arrive at the embarkation area at least two hours prior to sailing. If you board early, there are plenty of activities that begin before the ship leaves port.
* Most lines send an onboard credit card application form with the tickets. To save time, complete the form beforehand and bring it with you when you check-in.
* Some lines help you save time by allowing you to complete your immigration and embarkation forms online. Check with your cruise line.
* You'll be given a receipt when you hand over your passport upon boarding. If not, ask for one.
* Reading up on your ports of call (in guidebooks and on the Internet) can greatly enrich your journey. In addition, most ships have a library with information on your destinations.
* Want to learn to scuba dive? Consider doing the class work at a local dive center before you leave and save the open water portion for your trip. This will minimize your time sitting at a desk while on vacation.