Aroya Cruises Unveils Refurbished First Vessel

AROYA Cruises has officially renamed its first cruise ship from Manara to Aroya.

The development marks the Saudi start-up cruise line’s move to further define its landmark vessel with Saudi heritage and culture.

The term “Aroya” is a mix of the words “Arabia” and the Arabic female name “Rouyya,” which means “dream” and “vision.” Meanwhile, its previous name, “Manara,” means “light.”

Refitting and refurbishment

Aroya, which can carry up to 3,362 passengers, underwent a multi-million-dollar face refit and refurbishment in Germany. It marks the largest cruise renovation project to date. De Wave Group, MJM Marine, SMC Design, and Partnership Ship Design carried out the renovation.

De Wave Group is a global contractor for cruise ship interiors, while MJM Marine is a marine outfitting company. Meanwhile, SMC Design and Partnership Ship Design both offer interior design solutions for international clients such as cruise ships.

The design will feature elements such as Arabic craftsmanship, Saudi landscapes, as well as Islamic architecture. The design companies reduced the vessel’s 1,686 cabins to 1,678 in order to create space for new premium villas and suites.

AROYA Cruises has scheduled the launch of the Aroya cruise ship for December 2024. The vision for the ship is to make it the world’s very first cruise line that particularly caters to Arabian passengers. Moreover, it will become the first Arabian domestic cruise line.

Aroya Cruises President Dr. Joerg Rudolph remarked, “We are delighted to have officially renamed our first Aroya Cruises ship to Aroya.”

“The name evokes a sense of wanderlust and excitement, which passengers feel from the moment they step aboard,” he added. “We are looking forward to the launch in December 2024. A new [and] very modern form of vacation is being introduced by Aroya in the Arab world.”

What passengers can expect

Once Cruise Saudi re-launches Aroya, it will first sail in the Red Sea. Passengers can enjoy three to seven-night round-trip cruises from the city of Jeddah. Via the cruise ship, they can travel to destinations such as a Saudi private island, Aqaba in Jordan, to Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh and Ain Sokhna.

On board Aroya, guests can sample various cuisines from different restaurants. Moreover, Aroya will feature the world’s very first Saudi Arabian-themed restaurant at sea.

On top of this, passengers get access to 20 entertainment facilities, a spa, and a 1,018-seat theater.  In addition, there will also be a waterpark on the ship’s top deck, with multiple slides. Families will also love playing in the ship’s escape room, shopping at a retail mall, and playing games at the ship’s dedicated arcade. Spaces will also be specifically designed to cater to infants, toddlers, children, and teenagers.

With respect to its regional preferences, there will be no bars in Aroya and it will also not serve alcohol. There will also be areas dedicated to women and families, as well as onboard prayer rooms.

About Aroya

It was in 2017 when Dream Cruises, the original cruise line behind Aroya, launched the vessel. When Genting Hong Kong, the parent company of Dream Cruises, went bankrupt, Cruise Saudi purchased Dream Cruises at an auction. This was in 2022.

Saudi Arabia fully owns Cruise Saudi through the Public Investment Fund (PIF). The kingdom utilizes the Public Investment Fund to finance companies that are of strategic significance to the Saudi economy. The PIF also funds the Qiddiya Project, the building of the Aramco stadium, and Red Sea Global.

In June 2023, Cruise Saudi announced its new subsidiary, AROYA Cruises. Although Cruise Saudi technically owns AROYA Cruises, it can operate independently. Given this, the Public Investment Fund also supports it financially.

Photo: Facebook/Aroya Cruises