AROYA Cruises has resumed operations from Jeddah after the cruise vessel Aroya returned to the Red Sea following an extended stay in the Arabian Gulf amid regional maritime disruption earlier this year.
The 150,000-ton vessel transited the Strait of Hormuz in late April after remaining in the Gulf for nearly two months during a period when commercial maritime traffic across the region was significantly affected by security concerns and operational restrictions. Following the transit, the ship repositioned to Jeddah, where it resumed scheduled passenger operations on May 7th.
The vessel has returned to its regular Red Sea programme, operating 3- and 4-night itineraries from Jeddah with calls in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. Current schedules include calls at Yanbu and Aqaba together with overnight stays in Sharm El Sheikh.
The resumption of operations follows a period of suspended cruise activity across sections of the Middle East after regional tensions disrupted maritime traffic in late February. At the time, AROYA Cruises had only recently commenced its inaugural Arabian Gulf season. During the disruption, Aroya remained laid up in Dammam while cruise operators evaluated redeployment options and awaited improved navigational conditions within the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessel was among several cruise ships affected by the disruption, alongside ships operated by Celestyal Cruises, MSC Cruises, and TUI Cruises. Earlier in the week, Celestyal Cruises also resumed Eastern Mediterranean operations after both of its vessels departed Gulf waters.
Following completion of the spring Red Sea season, Aroya is scheduled to reposition to Europe later in May for its second consecutive summer deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean. Operating from Galataport Istanbul, the vessel will offer 7-night itineraries through mid-September with calls planned at Bodrum, Marmaris, Kaş, Alexandria, Piraeus, Rhodes, and Mykonos.
Aroya entered service in 2025 as the inaugural vessel for AROYA Cruises and forms part of Saudi Arabia’s wider strategy to expand domestic cruise tourism and develop the kingdom’s position as a regional cruise hub. After completing its Mediterranean deployment, the ship is expected to return to Jeddah for additional Red Sea operations before repositioning once more to the Arabian Gulf for the 2026–2027 winter season, during which itineraries are expected to include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Bahrain.