Saudi start-up cruise line AROYA selects Columbia Blue for ship management

AROYA Cruises, the first domestic cruise line for Saudi Arabia and the wider Arab world, has appointed Columbia Blue to handle ship management and a wide range of operations.

The leisure services platform, which specializes in cruise and expedition passenger vessel management forsome of the world’s most distinguished brands, will be responsible for AROYA Cruises’ hotel management operations.

These will include critical areas such as guest relations, housekeeping, crew management and food and beverage, as well as deck and engine management.

“Columbia blue is a leader in the ship management industry and an instrumental organization for AROYA Cruises to work with,” said Lars Clasen, CEO, Cruise Saudi. “This strategic partnership is crucial in ensuring that AROYA Cruises passengers have the best possible experience on-board.”

AROYA Cruises is a premium cruise line being launched by Cruise Saudi, designed to cater to the preferences of Saudi nationals, expatriates, and regional visitors.

Backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the cruise line has purchased the 3000-passenger former World Dream and sent her to Europe for a bow-to-stern refit and refurbishment.

The launch of the cruise line aligns with Cruise Saudi’s broader mission to generate 50,000 employment opportunities within Saudi Arabia and welcome an estimated 1.3 million cruise passengers annually by the year 2035.

Earlier this week, Cruise Saudi and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu signed a memorandum of understanding to unlock the tourism potential of the Kingdom’s unexplored southern region by developing Jazan as a cruise port.

While Jazan will be targeted to international cruise lines homeporting in Jeddah during the annual winter cruise season, it is also likely that the port will form one of the destinations offered by AROYA when it launches operations in the coming years.

Columbia Blue’s CEO, Norman Schmiedl, expressed pride in contributing to crafting an authentically Arabian experience for AROYA Cruises guests.

“We are extremely proud to be helping AROYA Cruises deliver a remarkably Arabian experience to their guests. We are deploying all of our 40 years of experience in cruise ship management to deliver safe, efficient and sustainable standards to AROYA Cruises,” he said.