INTERVIEW Shaping an Arabian cruise brand for global growth Ala Tashkandi of AROYA Cruises tells Rebecca Gibson how Saudi Arabia’s first homegrown cruise brand is expanding to new markets “ AROYA has welcomed guests from 117 nationalities, illustrating the breadth of demand the brand is beginning to generate” 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 decisionmaking, 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.” 42
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