Cruise Saudi CEO Lars Clasen revealed that the kingdom’s first Arabian-focused luxury cruise ship, AROYA, will commence operations on December 16 this year.
Speaking exclusively to Arabian Business on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh on Tuesday, Clasen detailed how the vessel has undergone extensive modifications to cater specifically to Arabian preferences.
“AROYA is a remarkably Arabian cruise line offering, trying to redefine what holiday means for the Arabian market,” Clasen explained.
“It’s the first ship which is truly tailored to the Arabian market, to the Arabian taste and preferences of the Arabian guest.”
The vessel, which is only five years old, was originally built for the Chinese market but has undergone a comprehensive refurbishment under Cruise Saudi’s direction.
“We acquired a fairly young cruise ship, only five years old and only two years in operation due to a pandemic and other circumstances,” Clasen said.
“We have completely refurbished the ship in order to cater to the Arabian taste. We’ve done a massive refurbishment, and the ship will be like brand new.”
AROYA, capable of hosting more than 3,000 guests, represents a significant step in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious tourism strategy. The ship will primarily operate in the Red Sea, which Clasen emphasised remains a safe destination despite current regional challenges.
“AROYA will hopefully set the example that sailing in the Red Sea is safe and can deliver a wonderful cruise experience,” he stated.
The launch comes as Saudi Arabia continues to establish itself as an emerging cruise destination, having already welcomed approximately 400,000 international guests from 120 nations to the kingdom through its existing ports.
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