Saudi Arabia reveals new Arabian Gulf cruise destination The Rig

Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans for a new cruise destination in the Arabian Gulf called The Rig, an adventure and thrill-seeker theme park built around a series of oil rigs 40 kilometres off the coast.

Featuring three hotels, 11 restaurants, a helipad, and a wide range of adventurous activities including extreme sports, bungee jumping, and base jumping, The Rig is intended to inject new energy into the Saudi tourism and entertainment sector.

The Rig will also offer a variety of water-based activities including a diving centre, amusement park, splash park, E-sports centre, immersive theatre, and multi-purpose arena.

It will be the world’s first adventure tourism destination project inspired by offshore oil platforms and will include a marina for access by private yachts and day ferries, as well as a cruise pier for visiting ships.

The project is to be led by the Oil Park Development Company (OPDC), a closed joint stock company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also owns Cruise Saudi, the parent company of the Arab world’s first domestic cruise line Aroya Cruises.

Located near Al Juraid Island and Berri Oil Field in the Arabian Gulf, The Rig will span over 300,000 square meters with 800 hotels rooms available across three hotel brands.

Raed Bakhrji, CEO of OPDC, said The Rig is expected to attract over 900,000 domestic, regional, and international visitors annually by 2032, which aligns with Cruise Saudi’s plans to attract more than 1 million cruise tourists to Saudi Arabia by 2030.

Although itineraries for Aroya Cruises have not yet been announced, it is expected that the cruise line will include sailings that visit The Rig, providing cruise passengers with a unique port call option in the Arabian Gulf.

International cruise lines homeporting in the Arabian Gulf are also expected to show interest in the new destination once it is launched. MSC Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, and TUI Cruises all sail regular roundtrip itineraries from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha during the annual winter cruise season.

The Rig will be a popular adventure destination for cruise tourists looking for diversity among the Arabian Gulf’s selection of ports that emphasise luxury shopping, historic sites, and world class beach resorts. 

An opening date has not been announced.