Cruise Saudi launched AROYA Cruises in 2023 with a clear goal.
“We wanted to build an Arabian cruise brand that is strong in its home waters in the Red Sea, increasingly relevant internationally and able to attract new-to-cruise guests,” says Ala Tashkandi, commercial executive director of AROYA Cruises. “That is a brand building and market development exercise. It requires reliable operations, a clear guest proposition, effective distribution channels, destination partnerships and the patience to build confidence in a cruise product still new to many travellers in the region.”
To attract these travellers, the brand created a distinctive ‘Remarkably Arabian’ cruise experience.
“High quality experiences are built by connecting the details through stronger programming, clearer service standards and a closer connection between the ship, the destination and the guest profile,” explains Tashkandi. “A family sailing in the Red Sea, an individual joining a Mediterranean itinerary and a premium guest staying in Khuzama may all be on the same ship, but their expectations and rhythm of travel are different.”
Since debuting in December 2024, the brand’s first ship AROYA has sailed seasonally in both the Red Sea (from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) and the Eastern Mediterranean (from Istanbul, Turkey).
“Deployment planning has to be both ambitious and disciplined,” says Tashkandi. “Itineraries must be compelling for guests, commercially meaningful for travel partners and flexible enough to adapt when operating conditions change. That requires us to look well beyond the route itself to consider port readiness, maritime guidance, airlift, provisioning, fuel, crew movement, guest communications and the impact on the wider season.
“Flexibility in itinerary planning is not about having a last-minute Plan B, but building resilience into the programme from the beginning through strong port relationships, clear internal decision-making, a realistic view of operational risk and the ability to move quickly without compromising standards.”
That approach was tested earlier this year when AROYA adjusted elements of its programme in response to changing operating conditions. “The priority was to manage those changes responsibly, coordinate closely with the relevant authorities and maintain a high-quality experience for guests,” says Tashkandi. “Flexibility remains an important part of how we plan our deployment and respond to evolving operational requirements. We’ll monitor the operating environment and only pursue future opportunities when conditions are stable and we can confidently deliver an excellent guest experience.”
AROYA Cruises’ disciplined approach is driving growth. The brand hosted 145,000 guests in 2025 and continued widening its international appeal during the 2026 Mediterranean summer season.
“AROYA has welcomed guests from 117 nationalities, illustrating the breadth of demand the brand is beginning to generate,” says Tashkandi. “Our first Mediterranean season [in 2025] built brand visibility, while the second deepened our commercial performance through stronger trade engagement, a broader mix of source markets and clearer insight into how international guests respond to AROYA Cruises in a mature cruise environment. It proved we can perform well in one of the world’s most competitive and well-established cruise regions.”
Galataport Istanbul has been central to AROYA Cruises’ growth in the Mediterranean, serving as a seasonal homeport for two main itineraries. The ‘Turkey and Greek Islands’ voyage took guests to destinations such as Mykonos, Piraeus (for Athens), Rhodes and Souda Bay, while the ‘Turkey and Egypt’ cruise called at ports including Alexandria, Bodrum, Kaş and Mamaris.
“The port provides strong air connectivity, access to an established tourism market and a credible platform for both regional and European distribution,” explains Tashkandi. “The season combined high-demand Mediterranean destinations with an onboard product distinctive to AROYA Cruises. Alexandria was particularly interesting because it opened another gateway into the itinerary and improved access for guests in Egypt and surrounding markets.”
AROYA Cruises aims to extend the socioeconomic benefits of cruising to the local communities in every destination it visits, particularly in Saudi Arabia where it supports the kingdom’s long-term economic diversification and tourism growth strategy.
“Cruise is powerful because it connects several parts of the visitor economy at once,” explains Tashkandi. “A homeport creates activity through embarkation, hotel stays, airport transfers, provisioning, loading and passenger movement. Transit calls generate value through shore experiences, local transport, attractions and destination spend. That’s why cruise can be a particularly effective platform for destination development in regions such as the Red Sea where industry awareness is still being built.”
AROYA sailed a second season of Eastern Mediterranean cruises from Galataport Istanbul in Turkey in summer 2026 (Photo: AROYA Cruises)
In addition, the brand is helping Saudi nationals to prepare for careers in the cruise industry – both for roles on ships and onshore in ports, tourism and hospitality. For example, Saudi cadets trained onboard AROYA in the Mediterranean season to gain experience in an international environment. “That hands-on experience is important for building national capability in the cruise sector and the wider Saudi maritime and tourism ecosystem,” says Tashkandi.
By strengthening national capability, AROYA Cruises is also building the foundation for its next stage of growth.
“We moved quickly from launch into active seasonal deployment, so the focus now is on ensuring consistency, driving commercial momentum and continually refining the guest experience,” says Tashkandi. “We’ll improve seasonal programmes, develop itinerary opportunities where they make sense and build partnerships that add real value. In addition, we’re building awareness across priority source markets and giving travel trade partners the confidence, product knowledge and tools to position AROYA Cruises effectively with their clients.”
While fleet growth is “naturally” part of the long-term conversation, Tashkandi is unequivocal that it can only happen when the brand’s underlying platform is strong enough to support it. “The priority is to build the foundation first and the longer-term vision is scale, built carefully with the product depth and operational confidence to make AROYA Cruises a lasting part of the global cruise landscape.”