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Royal Caribbean Navigates The Kosher Cruise Market

Sea travel has always posed formidable challenges—especially for Jews. Keeping kosher, observing Shabbat and venturing into a sea of people who aren’t Jewish isn’t easy for the strictly observant. The challenges are compounded on cruises, where numerous questions come up.

If most of the passengers are Jewish and the staff is not, is it permissible to cruise on Shabbat? If the ship docks on Shabbat, can you disembark?  How do you light candles when you are forbidden to light a flame? How do you negotiate the electronic locks on your cabin doors? But most importantly, how do you keep kosher and still feel like you’re on a luxury vacation? Let’s face it—food is a big part of the cruise experience, but for the kosher, it can pose challenges.

In 2017 Royal Caribbean International first contacted Rabbi Dovid Weberman and his wife Esther, to explore the options for observant travelers who want to enjoy the all-inclusive cruise experience from the Haifa port. Then came Covid and cruises stopped, and missiles from Gaza in 2021 stymied the program again. When cruises resumed in 2022, Rabbi Weberman was there, and somehow the word got out.  According to Dalia Stelzer, a travel consultant from the United States, the popular Fresh Kosher program has been selling out as soon as a new date is introduced, mostly by simple word of mouth.

Before Fresh Kosher, and on other cruise lines, kosher consumers were not getting the full cruise experience. Rabbi Weberman explained that while many traditional cruises offer frozen kosher meals, kosher cruisers would take it upon themselves to visit the kitchens to see if they could have salads, which needed to be prepared on a separate kitchen area. They watched other diners enjoying sumptuous arrays of food and wine selections while they picked at their limited frozen offerings.

Last year, according to Esther Weberman, the Fresh Kosher program provided buffet-style dining in the main dining room. One cruiser described the kosher spread as lavish, with ice sculptures, intricately carved watermelons and amazing food. However, it became confusing and difficult to monitor who was participating in the kosher program in the massive mixed dining room.

Now, for a price, kosher diners can have the full experience.

For $20 per person per day on Haifa cruises and $70 per day on cruises originating in the United States, sumptuous fresh meals are served. For the Haifa cruise this year, Fresh Kosher took over two specialty restaurants, making them exclusively kosher. Breakfast and lunch are hot and cold buffets and dinner is plated with choices of appetizers and entrees. In the United States, a small dining room offers buffets for all three meals.

“With gratuities, the $70 per person cost comes to $83 per person per day,” said Stelzer. “On an 11-night cruise that’s a total of over $900 dollars, a lot extra to pay considering that frozen kosher is free and available. Yet I have sold over $1 million on Royal Caribbean International cruises,” she added.

There are only 350 to 400 Fresh Kosher appointments allotted to each cruise, so the kosher program sells out quickly, many months before the actual cruise is sold out, according to Stelzer.

There are also options for cooking kosher frozen fish—salmon, perch or tilapia in foil in the kosher Park Café (pizza bar) ovens, which is what one Jerusalem-based couple did when they found out they had ordered kosher meals, but not Fresh Kosher. They said the food was tasty. Although they were initially disappointed, the cruise exceeded their expectations. But next time, they want in on the Fresh Kosher program.

Cornering the kosher cruise market with a fleetwide project to reach out to kosher passengers is another smart move for the already successful organization. Royal Caribbean International has a tendency to jump on trends, like switching its ship-based internet service to SpaceX’s Starlink service, and announcing its mammoth new 1,200-foot vessel Icon of the Seas , which will be launched shortly. According to June 2023 market share data, Royal Caribbean International, parent company to Celebrity, Silversea and Azamara, is number two in terms of market share, behind Carnival’s number 1.

Royal Caribbean International is expected to serve over 8 million passengers by the end of 2023, according to its CEO Jason Liberty. As of February 2022, the Miami-based company operated 64 ships. By comparison, Norwegian Cruise Lines had only about half the passenger load.

Sharon Gratt Leeds, U.S.-based travel agent who specializes in cruises, agrees that Royal Caribbean really has the market for the kosher traveler. “The three U.S. dates for August 2023 sold out. Of the three more in January, two Caribbean cruises from Orlando, on the Wonder of the Seas and another on Anthem of the Seas departing Bayonne, one has already sold out for Fresh Kosher. The price is great compared to going to a resort. You get three meals per day, entertainment—and it’s all included.”

When asked about Norwegian Cruise lines, Leeds said that while the ships are comparable, the food is not. Her customers aren’t interested in frozen meals.

Another option from Haifa is Mano, a privately-owned, completely kosher cruise line that serves the Israeli market. Mano also operates a 2,000-passenger ship that visits Greece and the Mediterranean.  Onshore tour excursions are given in Hebrew.

Fresh Kosher is offered on Rhapsody of the Seas ’ cruises to Greece, and in 2024 Jewel of the Seas will sail from Haifa. Six Fresh Kosher Haifa dates have been announced for 2024, from August 16 through October 13. Travel agents expect more Fresh Kosher dates to open soon in the United States as well. One Fresh Kosher Trip to Alaska cruised this year from Seattle. Stelzer suggests to be sure to use a travel agent who really knows the kosher market. Only after you book the cruise can you add on the Fresh Kosher option if available.

When Rabbi Weberman contracted to be the official Royal Caribbean rabbi and kosher certifier for the cruise line, he hired and trained a 14-member crew of his own “translators” to help guests feel more comfortable.

“The role of the rabbi is to take care of everyone,” Weberman explained.  “It’s a chaplaincy program. For the program to work the common denominator is family. Every person involved is part of one big family.”

The rabbi boards the ship a month before the first cruise is set to sail.  He interviews translators, first by Zoom and later in person, and hires the most service-oriented ones.

“Training is a large part of the compliance,” he explained. “Waiters, guest services, inventory staff, all must be trained to identify Hebrew certification on labels. Labels and specification sheets are examined to create farm-to-fork traceability of all products being used. Chefs are trained on how to facilitate kosher and non-kosher in mixed environments. Menus are modified to accommodate kosher substitutions, and chefs are taught to cook traditional Shabbat foods.”

Of course, the chefs add their own culinary flair to the traditional cuisine, under the kosher guidelines. The kitchens themselves aren’t made kosher until one day before the cruise.

Esther, his wife is on call to supervise Izumi, famed chef Travis Kamiyama’s Japanese specialty restaurant, which currently operates on 26 Royal Caribbean International ships worldwide. With separate cooking stations and various counters, Izumi on the Rhapsody of the Seas out of Haifa has a small kosher menu to offer guests an interesting specialty option and a taste of Japan. As a specialty restaurant there is an additional charge at Izumi for all diners, kosher and non-kosher. Kosher guests are seated separately on the second level of the restaurant.

Rabbi Weberman’s interest in the food business is genetic, he joked. His great grandfather had a kosher deli and was a shochet (ritual slaughterer) on Rivington Street in New York.  Raised in the Chabad neighborhood of Crown Heights, Weberman recalls asking the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson) whether, as a teen, he should go to learn at camp or opt to work in the camp kitchen. The Rebbe answered him, “Feeding Jewish students is a very important job.”

That was when he began learning to be a mashigiach (kosher certifier).

He later went on to develop a company producing specialty pastas and kugels. He also catered for Kosherica, a cruise program introduced by tour operators who rent out a portion of ships to offer a complete package of kosher food and entertainment. They eventually assumed their own catering. So when Royal Caribbean approached him, he knew he was up for the job.

He designates one of his post-army translators to oversee religious services and help recruit Torah readers and cantors. Services are included on the Royal Caribbean app schedule, although the venue is not fixed and doesn’t offer a traditional synagogue with a women’s section, rather an unused lounge space or conference room. While it isn’t a formal program, the passengers and staff make it work, and the quorum is met each day for all three services. Others are trained to work in the kitchen and at the restaurants, and to answer questions.

Because candles cannot be lit aboard ship, electric candles are set out on a table outside one of the restaurants in conjunction with an opinion that in such cases, this is the permissible manner of lighting candles on Friday night. (There is no such option for Havdala, though.) Non-Jewish staff is trained enough to be very helpful over Shabbat, for instance to open electronic cabin doors without being asked. Guests are guided to permissible coffee and hot water urns and advised of the doors and self-flushing toilets that must be avoided on Shabbat.

Esther has even accompanied women in need of a mikvah to secluded places during shore excursions so they can take a dip. She helps clear up misconceptions about kashrut, both on the ship and for shore excursions. 

“We treat everyone—officers, staff, crew members and of course our customers, with courtesy and understanding,” said Rabbi Weberman.  “Questions come up, and we’re here. If Jewish cruisers just want to relax, that’s great. We don’t pressure. We just want to make it easy for people on and off the ship.  Our translators reach out to every passenger—Jewish and non-Jewish.”

Esther, a former teacher, is an expert in working with youngsters on the trip, ensuring the Jewish ones get kosher snacks in the Adventure Ocean kids facility. She is the resident expert in bar kashrut. She trains the bartenders so they can advise guests of which cocktails are permissible, and if they get stumped, she is a quick phone call away.

For the kosher cruisers, this means maximum participation. Dinner is a served meal with choices of appetizers and entrees. The popcorn given away outside the theatre? Kosher, with non-dairy butter for all to enjoy. The all-you-can-eat soft serve ice cream by the pool? Deliciously kosher. Starbucks drinks? Certified kosher. Even bar drinks, except for the ones with fruit punch, are kosher and available to guests. If you aren’t sure, just ask.  A nice kosher wine list is available as well.

Mitch Mandel, a resident of Karnei Shomron, has experience cruising on different lines, and recently returned from a Rhapsody of the Seas Fresh Kosher cruise with his wife and two children.

“Why should we be second-class citizens? It was a blast! Everything was to our expectations, and even more so. It was a very enjoyable experience and great value for the money,” he said.

When you’re on a cruise ship with 2,500 other customers, competing for resources like a spot in the pool or a plate at the buffet, the atmosphere can get unpleasant. Mandel pointed out that Royal Caribbean International attracts a refined and diverse crowd of customers as compared to some of his other experiences.

“The crowd on Royal Caribbean is much more global,” he added. “The rush for food and the lines on other cruise lines were out of control.  Bottom line, Royal Caribbean is an American cruise line, and it is run like one.”

According to Rabbi Weberman, the service the staff extends to customers makes the entire experience feel first-class. Cruiser Shelley Kohr, who was never a fan of frozen meals, said that Fresh Kosher made her recent seven-day cruise to Greece one of the best vacations she ever had. “It surpassed our expectations,” she said. “It’s surprising other cruise lines don’t offer this as the kosher market is so large. We hope to book another Royal Caribbean cruise with the Fresh Kosher program next summer to Alaska for our 40th anniversary.”

Produced in association with Jewish News Syndicate

Edited by Jason Reed and Newsdesk Manager

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2024 Kosher Dining Sailings

We are excited to announce our Fresh Kosher Dining. sailings for January and August 2024. Get ready for an extraordinary adventure of great food and celebration, while also exploring the thrilling excursions around the world. Your clients can reserve the Fresh Kosher package via online Pre-Cruise Planner or calling the Pre-Cruise Planner Desk at 1-800-398-9819.

Wonder of the Seas 7-NIGHT WESTERN CARIBBEAN & PERFECT DAY Departing January 14, 2024 7-NIGHT EASTERN CARIBBEAN & PERFECT DAY Departing January 21, 2024 Sailing from Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida

Anthem of the Seas 11-NIGHT SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN Departing January 18, 2024 Sailing from Cape Liberty (New York), New Jersey

Oasis of the Seas 7-NIGHT WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN VOYAGE Departing August 18, 2024 Sailing from Barcelona, Spain

Wonder of the Seas 7-NIGHT EASTERN CARIBBEAN & PERFECT DAY Departing August 18, 2024 Sailing from Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida

Symphony of the Seas 7-NIGHT BAHAMAS & PERFECT DAY Departing August 18, 2024 Sailing from Cape Liberty, New Jersey

Ovation of the Seas 7-NIGHT ALASKA GLACIER Departing August 16, 2024 Sailing from Seattle, Washington

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*Features vary by ship. Itineraries subject to change without notice. ©2023 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ships’ registry: The Bahamas.

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Guide to Kosher Cruises 2024 - 2025

Exciting kosher cruises for summer & fall 2024; winter 2025, by: rachel kops | updated: march 18, 2024.

• Mediterranean Cruise  on the Norwegian Escape: July 14 -23, 2024
• 8-Day Mediterranean - Adriatic Cruise  on the Norwegian Escape: August 14 - 21, 2024
• 12-Day Mediterranean - Adriatic Cruise  on the Norwegian Escape: August 21 - September 1, 2024
• Cruise from Southampton to Lisbon  on the Norwegian Star: November 12 - 22, 2024
• Canary Island Cruise  on the Norwegian Star: November 22 - December 5, 2024
• Cruise to Australia & New Zealand  on Holland America - Westerdam: January 5 - 19, 2025
• Alaska  on the NCL Jewel - July 1-8, 2024  
• Magical French Heritage Riverboat Sailing  - July 3-10, 2024 
• Mediterranean and Greece  on the NCL Epic - July 8-18, 2024 
• Scotland/Ireland/England/Belgium/France  on the NCL Dawn - August 15-26, 2024 
• Danube Jewish Heritage Riverboat Sailing  - August 15-22, 2024 
• Iceland & Greenland  on the NCL Star - August 22 - Sept 1, 2024 
• Delightful Douro – Portugal: May 30 to June 6, 2024
• Beautiful Bordeaux – France: October 28 to November 4, 2024
• Luxury Super Yacht - St. Martin to Barbados Caribbean Expedition: January 8-15, 2025
• Vietnam & Cambodia Mekong River Cruise: May 19-29, 2025
• Gems of Northern Italy: October 27 to November 3, 2025
• Custom Group Tours Available

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• Kosherica in Alaska – Kosher Cruises

Kosherica in Alaska – Kosher Cruises Claimed

The Best Jewish Cruise in Holland, Alaska

Checkout Kosherica in Alaska – Kosher Cruises Watch Video

Kosherica kosher cruise in alaska, united states.

Officially christened in 2003 by Her Dutch Royal Highness, Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, the ms Oosterdam is the second in our series of Vista-class ships. As such she embraces the latest industry and environmental technologies such as her use of a diesel-electric power plant for optimal energy efficiency and an Azipod propulsion system that maximizes maneuverability.

Symbolic of Holland America Line’s more than 135-year history of circumnavigating the globe, the centerpiece of the ms Oosterdam is a magnificent Waterford crystal globe, prominently displayed in a three-story atrium. First-time cruisers aboard this ship will quickly recognize the traditional touches that make Holland America cruisers regulars: a warm palette of colors accentuating an extensive use of crystal, marble, inlaid woods and brass, lovely flower arrangements, priceless artwork and antiques and a full wraparound teak promenade deck with padded deck chairs.

Join us aboard the ms Oosterdam for a Mexican Riviera cruise, an exploration of the West Coast and Pacific Northwest region, an Alaskan cruise to the Inside Passage and Glacier Bay or in 2010 a European cruise vacation.

Gross Tonnage: 82,000 grt.(One registered ton equals 100 cubic feet) Length: 936 feet Beam: 105.8 feet Maximum speed: 24 knots (service at 22 knots) Ship’s Registry: The Netherlands Passenger capacity: 1,848 Crew: 800 Dedicated: July 2003 by HRH Princess Margriet of the Netherlands

For over 25 years Kosherica has pleased more Jewish Travelers  than all other cruise and tour  companies combined. We pledge a commitment to the Jewish community to always provide exquisite fresh Glatt Kosher, Cholov Yisroel, Pas Yisroel Gourmet cuisine (is the under the  MGK ). We will never compromise quality. This is the reason why our customers are deeply committed to Kosherica and return year after year. We give our guests an experience that is far superior to any other Kosher travel company.

This affordable cruise has the  same  incredible quality that a typical Kosherica cruise provides.We will also give you the same amount of adoring attention that we are known for. Kosherica created this cruise so we can serve the Jewish community a 5 star Alaska cruise at affordable rates.  So what makes this Affordable Alaska cruise different from Kosherica’s July’s Royal Caribbean cruise?

• The biggest difference between the two sailings are the ships. The July cruise is on Royal Caribbean’s new,  Ovation of the Seas .
• The July Alaska cruise has a designated private dining room, which limits our number of guests and creates a more boutique culinary experience.
• Victoria, B.C. is on Shabbat in August. Victoria is on Thursday in July. The July Ovation cruise affords you an extra port day in a location.
• Holland America requires that all restaurant meals be served a la carte. We actually love this option as it gives us a formal setting for all meals. Nobody creates a menu like Kosherica.

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By Judith Segaloff  

Royal Caribbean navigates the kosher cruise market

August 11, 2023

Judith Segaloff

One of the two kosher restaurants available to Fresh Kosher cruises.

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Is kosher food available at Perfect Day at CocoCay?

Kosher foods are not prepared on CocoCay, however, kosher requests can be accommodated onboard Royal Caribbean ships.

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Royal Caribbean Forced to Cancel Alaska Sailing With Guests Already Onboard

Here’s something that isn’t a surprise and still is, all rolled into one.

Royal Caribbean International had to cancel a cruise. Not a shock.

What is surprising is that passengers were already on board the Radiance of the Seas. That’s right, instead of going on an Alaskan cruise passengers had to disembark and go home.

The ship was supposed to depart Vancouver on Friday, April 26. There was a maintenance issue on the ship and a revised itinerary was set and it was supposed to depart on Sunday, April 28. But officials couldn’t get it fixed, and now the entire cruise has been canceled.

“Despite our best efforts, circumstances beyond our control have delayed our sailing further,” a letter delivered to guests’ staterooms said. “Your patience throughout this time [has] not gone unnoticed, and we are immensely grateful for your understanding.”

All passengers will not only receive a full refund but will receive a full future cruise credit to sail on Royal Caribbean. The cruise line also made its Wi-Fi free of charge to help passengers better navigate the disembarkation. Other complementary features include an open bar until the ship officially disembarked as well as reimbursement for airline change fees.

The maintenance problem was apparently a propulsion issue.

“While repairs for the technical issue that we encountered on our previous sailing are still underway, we discovered that we’re going to need some extra time to get the ship in tip-top shape for you,” Royal Caribbean wrote in its letter to passengers.

This is the second time the propulsion problem has plagued the Radiance of the Seas.

A cruise to nowhere: Royal Caribbean sailing canceled after guests boarded

A Royal Caribbean International Alaska voyage became a cruise to nowhere over the weekend, with the line canceling the sailing after guests had already boarded.

The cruise line’s Radiance of the Seas ship experienced propulsion issues, forcing it to shorten and eventually scrap the weeklong itinerary, according to notices shared with guests. The sailing was originally set to depart from Vancouver on Friday.

Charlene Chong, who was on board with her husband, their 3-year and 11-month-old children, and her parents, said passengers were notified Saturday afternoon that the cruise was canceled. The 34-year-old teacher and her husband previously took a cruise for their honeymoon, but this marked their first trip with Royal Caribbean.

“My parents had wanted to go to Alaska for a really long time,” said Chong, who lives in Vancouver.

The cruise line warned guests several days before boarding that the ship had a “technical issue with its propulsion system,” according to an email sent to passengers that Chong shared with USA TODAY. The line later pushed the departure back by two days to allow more time for repairs.

Royal Caribbean said boarding would proceed as planned but that the terminal would close Friday evening due to U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules. Passengers would not be able to leave until the ship arrived at Icy Strait Point.

“We were going stir crazy a little bit,” said Chong.

Royal Caribbean gave guests onboard credit worth two days of their fare, a future cruise credit of the same amount, complimentary drinks and other compensation, another email said.

According to Chong, the ship sailed toward a nearby cargo port, but the captain announced Saturday afternoon that the sailing could not proceed and that guests would need to disembark by Sunday at 4 p.m. Chong said she and her family were “lucky” they were local, but she saw other guests scrambling to change their flights and find accommodations.

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

“We understand the disappointment due to this unfortunate turn of events,” the cruise line said in a letter shared with guests. “We truly extend our sincerest apologies for the continued unforeseen disruptions to your vacation.”

Royal Caribbean gave them their money back as onboard credit with any remaining amount refunded, increased their future cruise credit to 100% of their fare and kept its open-bar policy for the remaining time on board. The line also offered to reimburse trip change fees up to $250 for guests traveling domestically and $400 for international travel and additional reimbursements for hotel and transportation costs, among other compensation.

The cruise did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s requests for comment.

After they got home, Chong and her family booked a trip to Mexico instead – though her parents decided not to join as they were “a bit exhausted by the whole ordeal.” For now, she’s not inclined to use the future cruise credit. “I would like to go to Alaska,” she said. “I'm not sure if I want to go with them.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Royal Caribbean Navigates the Kosher Cruise Market

By Joseph Feldman

MIAMI (JNS) – Sea travel has always posed formidable challenges—especially for Jews. Keeping kosher, observing Shabbat and venturing into a sea of people who aren’t Jewish isn’t easy for the strictly observant. The challenges are compounded on cruises, where numerous questions come up.

If most of the passengers are Jewish and the staff is not, is it permissible to cruise on Shabbat? If the ship docks on Shabbat, can you disembark?  How do you light candles when you are forbidden to light a flame? How do you negotiate the electronic locks on your cabin doors? But most importantly, how do you keep kosher and still feel like you’re on a luxury vacation? Let’s face it—food is a big part of the cruise experience, but for the kosher, it can pose challenges.

In 2017 Royal Caribbean International first contacted Rabbi Dovid Weberman and his wife Esther, to explore the options for observant travelers who want to enjoy the all-inclusive cruise experience from the Haifa port. Then came Covid and cruises stopped, and missiles from Gaza in 2021 stymied the program again. When cruises resumed in 2022, Rabbi Weberman was there, and somehow the word got out.  According to Dalia Stelzer, a travel consultant from the United States, the popular Fresh Kosher program has been selling out as soon as a new date is introduced, mostly by simple word of mouth.

Before Fresh Kosher, and on other cruise lines, kosher consumers were not getting the full cruise experience. Rabbi Weberman explained that while many traditional cruises offer frozen kosher meals, kosher cruisers would take it upon themselves to visit the kitchens to see if they could have salads, which needed to be prepared on a separate kitchen area. They watched other diners enjoying sumptuous arrays of food and wine selections while they picked at their limited frozen offerings.

Last year, according to Esther Weberman, the Fresh Kosher program provided buffet-style dining in the main dining room. One cruiser described the kosher spread as lavish, with ice sculptures, intricately carved watermelons and amazing food. However, it became confusing and difficult to monitor who was participating in the kosher program in the massive mixed dining room.

Now, for a price, kosher diners can have the full experience.

For $20 per person per day on Haifa cruises and $70 per day on cruises originating in the United States, sumptuous fresh meals are served. For the Haifa cruise this year, Fresh Kosher took over two specialty restaurants, making them exclusively kosher. Breakfast and lunch are hot and cold buffets and dinner is plated with choices of appetizers and entrees. In the United States, a small dining room offers buffets for all three meals.

“With gratuities, the $70 per person cost comes to $83 per person per day,” said Stelzer. “On an 11-night cruise that’s a total of over $900 dollars, a lot extra to pay considering that frozen kosher is free and available. Yet I have sold over $1 million on Royal Caribbean International cruises,” she added.

There are only 350 to 400 Fresh Kosher appointments allotted to each cruise, so the kosher program sells out quickly, many months before the actual cruise is sold out, according to Stelzer.

There are also options for cooking kosher frozen fish—salmon, perch or tilapia in foil in the kosher Park Café (pizza bar) ovens, which is what one Jerusalem-based couple did when they found out they had ordered kosher meals, but not Fresh Kosher. They said the food was tasty. Although they were initially disappointed, the cruise exceeded their expectations. But next time, they want in on the Fresh Kosher program.

Royal Caribbean International is expected to serve over 8 million passengers by the end of 2023, according to its CEO Jason Liberty. As of February 2022, the Miami-based company operated 64 ships. By comparison, Norwegian Cruise Lines had only about half the passenger load.

Sharon Gratt Leeds, U.S.-based travel agent who specializes in cruises, agrees that Royal Caribbean really has the market for the kosher traveler. “The three U.S. dates for August 2023 sold out. Of the three more in January, two Caribbean cruises from Orlando, on the  Wonder of the Seas  and another on  Anthem of the Seas  departing Bayonne, one has already sold out for Fresh Kosher. The price is great compared to going to a resort. You get three meals per day, entertainment—and it’s all included.”

When asked about Norwegian Cruise lines, Leeds said that while the ships are comparable, the food is not. Her customers aren’t interested in frozen meals.

Another option from Haifa is Mano, a privately-owned, completely kosher cruise line that serves the Israeli market. Mano also operates a 2,000-passenger ship that visits Greece and the Mediterranean.  Onshore tour excursions are given in Hebrew.

Fresh Kosher is offered on  Rhapsody of the Seas ’ cruises to Greece, and in 2024  Jewel of the Seas  will sail from Haifa. Six Fresh Kosher Haifa dates have been announced for 2024, from August 16 through October 13. Travel agents expect more Fresh Kosher dates to open soon in the United States as well. One Fresh Kosher Trip to Alaska cruised this year from Seattle. Stelzer suggests to be sure to use a travel agent who really knows the kosher market. Only after you book the cruise can you add on the Fresh Kosher option if available.

When Rabbi Weberman contracted to be the official Royal Caribbean rabbi and kosher certifier for the cruise line, he hired and trained a 14-member crew of his own “translators” to help guests feel more comfortable.

The rabbi boards the ship a month before the first cruise is set to sail.  He interviews translators, first by Zoom and later in person, and hires the most service-oriented ones.

“Training is a large part of the compliance,” he explained. “Waiters, guest services, inventory staff, all must be trained to identify Hebrew certification on labels. Labels and specification sheets are examined to create farm-to-fork traceability of all products being used. Chefs are trained on how to facilitate kosher and non-kosher in mixed environments. Menus are modified to accommodate kosher substitutions, and chefs are taught to cook traditional Shabbat foods.”

Of course, the chefs add their own culinary flair to the traditional cuisine, under the kosher guidelines. The kitchens themselves aren’t made kosher until one day before the cruise.

Esther, his wife is on call to supervise Izumi, famed chef Travis Kamiyama’s Japanese specialty restaurant, which currently operates on 26 Royal Caribbean International ships worldwide. With separate cooking stations and various counters, Izumi on the  Rhapsody of the Seas  out of Haifa has a small kosher menu to offer guests an interesting specialty option and a taste of Japan. As a specialty restaurant there is an additional charge at Izumi for all diners, kosher and non-kosher. Kosher guests are seated separately on the second level of the restaurant.

Rabbi Weberman’s interest in the food business is genetic, he joked. His great grandfather had a kosher deli and was a  shochet  (ritual slaughterer) on Rivington Street in New York.  Raised in the Chabad neighborhood of Crown Heights, Weberman recalls asking the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson) whether, as a teen, he should go to learn at camp or opt to work in the camp kitchen. The Rebbe answered him, “Feeding Jewish students is a very important job.”

That was when he began learning to be a  mashigiach  (kosher certifier).

He designates one of his post-army translators to oversee religious services and help recruit Torah readers and cantors. Services are included on the Royal Caribbean app schedule, although the venue is not fixed and doesn’t offer a traditional synagogue with a women’s section, rather an unused lounge space or conference room. While it isn’t a formal program, the passengers and staff make it work, and the quorum is met each day for all three services. Others are trained to work in the kitchen and at the restaurants, and to answer questions.

Because candles cannot be lit aboard ship, electric candles are set out on a table outside one of the restaurants in conjunction with an opinion that in such cases, this is the permissible manner of lighting candles on Friday night. (There is no such option for Havdala, though.) Non-Jewish staff is trained enough to be very helpful over Shabbat, for instance to open electronic cabin doors without being asked. Guests are guided to permissible coffee and hot water urns and advised of the doors and self-flushing toilets that must be avoided on Shabbat.

Esther has even accompanied women in need of a mikvah to secluded places during shore excursions so they can take a dip. She helps clear up misconceptions about kashrut, both on the ship and for shore excursions.

“We treat everyone—officers, staff, crew members and of course our customers, with courtesy and understanding,” said Rabbi Weberman.  “Questions come up, and we’re here. If Jewish cruisers just want to relax, that’s great. We don’t pressure. We just want to make it easy for people on and off the ship.  Our translators reach out to every passenger—Jewish and non-Jewish.”

Esther, a former teacher, is an expert in working with youngsters on the trip, ensuring the Jewish ones get kosher snacks in the Adventure Ocean kids facility. She is the resident expert in bar kashrut. She trains the bartenders so they can advise guests of which cocktails are permissible, and if they get stumped, she is a quick phone call away.

For the kosher cruisers, this means maximum participation. Dinner is a served meal with choices of appetizers and entrees. The popcorn given away outside the theatre? Kosher, with non-dairy butter for all to enjoy. The all-you-can-eat soft serve ice cream by the pool? Deliciously kosher. Starbucks drinks? Certified kosher. Even bar drinks, except for the ones with fruit punch, are kosher and available to guests. If you aren’t sure, just ask.  A nice kosher wine list is available as well.

“Why should we be second-class citizens? It was a blast! Everything was to our expectations, and even more so. It was a very enjoyable experience and great value for the money,” he said.

When you’re on a cruise ship with 2,500 other customers, competing for resources like a spot in the pool or a plate at the buffet, the atmosphere can get unpleasant. Mandel pointed out that Royal Caribbean International attracts a refined and diverse crowd of customers as compared to some of his other experiences.

“The crowd on Royal Caribbean is much more global,” he added. “The rush for food and the lines on other cruise lines were out of control.  Bottom line, Royal Caribbean is an American cruise line, and it is run like one.”

According to Rabbi Weberman, the service the staff extends to customers makes the entire experience feel first-class. Cruiser Shelley Kohr, who was never a fan of frozen meals, said that Fresh Kosher made her recent seven-day cruise to Greece one of the best vacations she ever had. “It surpassed our expectations,” she said. “It’s surprising other cruise lines don’t offer this as the kosher market is so large. We hope to book another Royal Caribbean cruise with the Fresh Kosher program next summer to Alaska for our 40th anniversary.”

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Wow, a nice advertisement.

We need to stop the endless pursuit of gashmius. Being wealthy and giving lots of tzedaka .is not an excuse or an entitlement. You ask why? whats the sin? Here is why 1) Others get jealous. But shouldn’t we work on ourselves? yes but we are imperfect humans and just like noone is immune from zenus when its in your face, the same is true for jealousy when its constantly flaunted in my face. 2) there is a certain level of normalcy that creeps in. We all need to raise children and somewhat conform to society. Stop raising that level. 3) What about our children? Even if I work on myself and try to instill that in my children, its impossible not to run off on them with it flaunted in their face. Do you ever stop and think what it does to children all this lavish lifestyle? Teaching them to chase after money and that’s the goal in life? 4) You really think you are doing the ratzon hashem? Is this what te heilga chafetz chaim z”l taught us about simplicity?

P.S. Vin editors even if you chose not to post all my messgaes under your new system, this is a serious and vital one.

“For $20 per person per day on Haifa cruises and $70 per day on cruises originating in the United States, sumptuous fresh meals are served.” Why are American Jews being ripped off???

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With commitment from Royal Caribbean, Alaska Railroad advances $137M plan to revamp Seward dock

Children play by the Resurrection Bay coastline in Seward as as the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Radiance of the Seas departs on June 22, 2018. The ship traveled Southeast Alaska toward its destination, Vancouver. (Marc Lester / ADN)

The Alaska Railroad is making a new push to replace its aging cruise ship dock in Seward with a larger one that can handle much bigger ships.

The $137 million plan also calls for construction of a 60,000-square-foot terminal that is much larger than the current one, railroad officials said. The effort will require the Legislature to approve the railroad’s plans for issuing bonds. If the funding process is approved, the project should be completed before the 2026 cruise season, railroad officials said.

The plan is backed by an unusual 30-year commitment from Royal Caribbean Group, which will essentially act as an anchor tenant while other cruise lines will also use the dock, the railroad said in a statement this month.

The effort comes as Alaska prepares for another big summer of cruise ships.

A record 1.7 million cruise passengers visited Alaska last year, said Jillian Simpson, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association.

About 190,000 cruise guests last year used Seward as their port of call, she said. The picturesque town of 3,000 sits at the head of Resurrection Bay.

This summer, the number of cruise passengers coming to Seward is expected to fall, the railroad said. Norwegian Cruise Line is transitioning its ships from Seward to Whittier, where a new cruise port is being completed.

[Previously: Tiny Whittier debates an Alaska Native corporation’s proposal for a second cruise ship dock ]

The railroad hopes the new dock will attract more cruise lines to Seward, president Bill O’Leary said in a statement from the railroad. He said maintenance is an increasing challenge for the current dock, which was built in the mid-1960s and is nearing the end of its useful life.

Seward Mayor Sue McClure said many people in town seem to support the railroad’s plans and the idea of more tourism in the future. “I don’t hear a lot of outcry that we’ll be overrun with tourists,” she said in an interview.

The Viking cruise ship Orion is docked in Seward on May 12, 2022. Seventy-six cruise ship dockings are planned for 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Many cruise guests already hop on buses or the train to depart Seward for other destinations in Alaska, she said. But if larger ships and new cruise lines arrive, that would mean additional tourists sticking around Seward to visit attractions like the Alaska SeaLife Center and Kenai Fjords National Park.

That would help many businesses, she said.

Also, the larger terminal will better support community events that take place there in winter, she said. And the city hopes to provide electricity to the ships so they no longer run their engines while waiting in port. That will cut emissions and provide revenue to Seward through the local electric utility, she said.

“I can’t speak for the city council, but I feel this is all so far positive,” she said.

Changes to plans

The plans to replace the dock date back to at least 2019.

The railroad secured legislative bonding authority for $60 million in 2022 in an initial effort to pay for a new dock with minor improvements to the existing terminal, railroad officials said.

Sharply rising inflation and labor shortages led to higher construction costs and made project timelines uncertain, said Meghan Clemens, a spokeswoman for the railroad. That caused the railroad to rethink its plans, she said.

Other important changes also came about.

A new business, The Seward Company, provided an unsolicited proposal to the railroad in the fall, offering to build the project and fund construction, the railroad said. The company presented a new design for the large terminal and a new dock. It also secured the commitment from Royal Caribbean Group for the proposal.

Under the plan, the Alaska Railroad will buy the new dock from The Seward Company once it’s complete, issuing bonds to help pay for it. Also, $30 million from “internal funds generated through port improvement fees assessed to current Seward dock customers,” will help pay for it, the railroad statement said.

A computer rendering of the proposed dock. The Alaska Railroad is pursuing a $137 million plan to revamp its old cruise dock in Seward, after Royal Caribbean Group committed to a 30-year use of the new dock. (Rendering courtesy of The Seward Company)

The railroad is now seeking an additional $75 million in bonding authority from the Legislature for the project, atop the $60 million in authorization it already holds. The project faces extra costs now compared to two years ago because of higher prices and the additional expense of building a much larger, new terminal, Clemens said.

The debt will be “solely an obligation of the railroad and not that of the state,” the railroad said in its statement. Authorizing legislation in both chambers has moved to the Finance committees after clearing the Transportation committees, Clemens said.

Royal Caribbean Group has committed to providing revenue for 30 years based on passenger fees associated with the equivalent of 140,000 guests a year, said Mickey Richardson, chief executive of Port of Tomorrow, which owns The Seward Company.

Royal Caribbean last year brought about 70,000 guests to Seward.

The increase in guests will happen over time after the new dock is built, Richardson said.

Richardson formerly worked on other cruise dock projects in Alaska for Huna Totem Corp., a Southeast Alaska Native corporation, including the new cruise dock and terminal in Whittier that’s being completed.

“Tourism is a bright spot in the Alaska economy, so it makes sense to add infrastructure for tourism,” Richardson said.

Jason Davis, president of Turnagain Marine, an Anchorage-based firm that will build the Seward dock project, said plans calls for construction of a 750-foot floating dock.

It will be the largest floating dock in the state, he said. The old dock would be demolished late next year, with no disruption to service before the new dock is built, he said.

The dock will be able to support Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships, which carry more than 4,000 guests, about double the number of guests many cruise ships bring to Seward.

A floating dock will be safer than a fixed dock for passengers getting on and off ships, Davis said. It will rise and fall in tandem with the ship, eliminating concerns like the need to use steep ramps.

An Alaska Railroad train car idles in Seward on Monday, July 4, 2022 with a Norwegian Cruise Line ship behind. (Emily Mesner / ADN)

‘The more the merrier’

Preston Carnahan, regional vice president for Royal Caribbean Group, said the 30-year commitment to the cruise port is unprecedented in Alaska.

Royal Caribbean Group “remains strongly committed” to the future of Seward and the state, Carnahan said in the statement from the railroad.

Business owners in Seward said more cruise visitors in the future would be a positive step for the economy, though the level of support for the plans was mixed.

Scott Reierson, who owns Seward Adventure Lodge and a surfing charter business in Seward, said more tourists will generally be good for businesses in town.

But he said there needs to be a responsible plan to ensure Seward receives adequate revenues for the extra strain more visitors will put on city services, such as roads, water and sewer.

“I don’t know if it’s an absolute win-win for the town, but it’s hard to find a win-win in anything,” he said.

Dorothy Urbach, with Urbach’s Clothiers, said the idea of more cruise guests is “wonderful.”

“The more the merrier,” she said.

More summer visitors in Seward can help extend the tourism season, since travelers sometimes decide to return to Seward in winter.

“It means more businesses will be open,” she said of the plan.

Alex DeMarban

Alex DeMarban is a longtime Alaska journalist who covers business, the oil and gas industries and general assignments. Reach him at 907-257-4317 or [email protected].