Arab News | Aroya Cruises adds new Mediterranean destinations

Aroya Cruises has announced an expanded Mediterranean sailing program for 2026 and 2027, featuring new destinations and itineraries from its regional homeport at Galataport Istanbul, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Aroya Cruises is a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi, which is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund.

The program will offer voyages ranging from six to 14 nights, calling at destinations in Turkiye, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Malta and Tunisia, as well as ports along the Adriatic coast.

“Aroya brings the warmth, generosity and cultural richness of Arabian hospitality to Mediterranean cruising, welcoming a growing international community of guests drawn to culturally distinctive experiences,” said Ghadah Marghalani, senior director of marketing and public relations at Aroya Cruises.

“Our ambition is to create voyages that resonate across cultures while remaining unmistakably Aroya.”

Selected itineraries will allow passengers to begin or end their journeys in Alexandria. The ship will also stay overnight at the Egyptian city’s port for the first time.

The summer 2027 season, which begins in May, will feature expanded itineraries across Turkiye, Egypt and Greece. Antalya and Nafplio will be added to Aroya’s destinations for the first time.

The company will also launch two 14-night voyages. The first will cross the Mediterranean from east to west, while the second will sail from the Aegean Sea to the Adriatic.

The first voyage will depart Istanbul on June 5, 2027, calling at destinations in Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Malta before returning to Istanbul.

The second will depart on July 17 and visit destinations in Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Italy and Croatia before concluding in Istanbul.

The expansion builds on Aroya’s 2026 Mediterranean summer season, during which the ship welcomed passengers from more than 100 nationalities.

The company said the figure reflected the growing presence of Arabian-inspired cruise experiences in regional and international markets.

In 2025, Aroya Cruises, Saudi Arabia’s first domestic cruise line, launched a new season featuring destinations including Mykonos, Athens and Crete in Greece, as well as Bodrum and Kaş in Turkiye.

Aroya’s inaugural season departed from Jeddah Islamic Port for several destinations, including Jabal Al-Sabaya Island on the Red Sea coast. More than 95,000 passengers experienced personalized Saudi hospitality at sea while exploring a range of destinations.