The cruise ship Silver Cloud made its inaugural visit to Saudi Arabia this month, calling at Jeddah Islamic Port for five days as part of a grand voyage from the Arabian Gulf to Athens in Greece.

The luxury expedition vessel from Silversea first arrived in Jeddah on May 2nd, where it stayed for five days, before sailing north along the Red Sea, arriving at Yanbu Commercial Port on May 7th.

Traditional plaque and key exchange ceremonies were held at both ports, involving Cruise Saudi, the ship’s captain and senior officers. The turnaround was combined with pre- and post-cruise packages, according to Silversea.

Silversea crew and Saudi officials exchange plaques

“This is another milestone in our development as we open our ports and Saudi to increasing numbers of ships and passengers,” said Cruise Saudi CEO Lars Clasen.

“We are proud of the role Cruise Saudi is playing in contributing to Vision 2030’s strategy to grow Saudi as a tourism destination supporting social and economic growth within the nation, and to welcome 1.3m cruise passenger visits by 2035 as part of its strategic objective to position Saudi as a premier global cruising destination.”

The length of the itinerary allowed the ship’s captain and crew the chance to participate in experiences ashore, as well as the 210 passengers on board. 

“I thank Cruise Saudi, the local authorities, and the people of Jeddah and Yanbu for such a warm welcome to this fascination region – on behalf of everyone at Silversea Cruises,” said Capt. Kosta Doroshenko, the master of Silver Cloud.

Silver Cloud

“Guests of Silversea’s ultra-luxury Silver Cloud enjoyed the opportunity to travel deep into these rich destinations, with bespoke experiences ashore showcasing the local culture at its most authentic. I look forward to my next call in Saudi,” the captain added.

With the opening of Dammam on the Arabian Gulf earlier this year, the number of cruise visitors to Saudi Arabia has increased substantially.

During the most recent cruise season, which began in November and ended in April, more than 192,714 passengers visited Saudi Arabia via its Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts.

That compares to just 30,000 during the 2021/22 season, which was somewhat undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic.