Cruise Saudi launches its own cruise line, Aroya

‘This momentous step marks a historical milestone in Cruise Saudi’s ambitious strategy to create a premium cruise ecosystem in Saudi, in line with Vision 2030,’ remarked Lars Clasen, CEO, Cruise Saudi.

‘Aroya Cruises will be operating as an autonomous brand within the Cruise Saudi portfolio, aiming to provide experiences and services specifically designed to embrace Arabian preferences.’

Cruise Saudi purchased the former Genting Hong Kong ship World Dream in March and it is working with Aman Group on building a superyacht in a project currently known as Project Sama. 

Aroya will be Cruise Saudi's first cruise line in Saudi Arabia. It said the brand will be aimed initially at 'Saudi nationals, expatriates, and regional guests,’ with a ‘commitment to showcasing Arabian experiences.’

Ghassan Ghan to head up the project

The launch of Aroya will be led by Cruise Saudi’s chief strategy officer Ghassan Khan, who said, ‘This is an extremely exciting time. It is a privilege to bring this cruise line to launch as a core element of Saudi’s development as an international cruising destination.’ 

Itineraries still to be announced 

Itineraries and packages are currently under development and are set to be announced at Aroya’s commercial launch being held in the coming months.

What Aroya means

Aroya is a combination of the words ‘Arabian’ and ‘roya,’ meaning vision or dream in Arabic. 

Cruise Saudi’s goal is to welcome 1.3m cruise passengers to the Kingdom by 2035, providing 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.