AROYA Cruises renames first ship Aroya in reference to Saudi heritage and culture

Saudi Arabian start-up cruise line AROYA Cruises has announced the official renaming of its first cruise ship from Manara to Aroya, in deference to the brand’s trail-blazing ambition in the regional cruise industry.

Aroya is of course the name of the brand itself, but is also a combination of ‘Arabia’ and the Arabic girl’s name Rouyya, meaning “vision” and “dream”.

AROYA Cruises’ first ship, a 3,362-guest vessel slated to debut in December 2024, was previously named Manara, the Arabic word for light, while undergoing a multi-million-dollar bow-to-stern refit and refurbishment in Germany.

The mammoth cruise ship was launched in 2017 for Dream Cruises but was purchased at auction for a reported US $330 million by Cruise Saudi after Dream Cruises’ parent company, Genting Hong Kong, went bankrupt in 2022. 

Cruise Saudi announced its subsidiary, AROYA Cruises, in June 2023. While AROYA is owned by Cruise Saudi, the brand will operate independently, but with the backing of the Public Investment Fund.

Cruise Saudi has been charged with developing a homegrown cruise industry in Saudi Arabia, while also increasing the country’s appeal as a global cruise destination. 

AROYA Cruises will be the world’s first cruise line specifically tailored to the preferences of Arab passengers, and is the first domestic cruise line in the Arab world.

“We are delighted to have officially renamed our first Aroya Cruises ship to Aroya,” said Dr. Joerg Rudolph, President of Aroya Cruises. “The name evokes a sense of wanderlust and excitement, which passengers feel from the moment they step aboard. We are looking forward to the launch in December 2024. A new very modern form of vacation is being introduced by Aroya in the Arab world.”

The 3,362-passenger ship will initially sail cruises in the Red Sea, with roundtrip itineraries from Jeddah ranging from three to seven nights. Destinations include a Saudi private island, Aqaba in Jordan, and Sharm El Sheikh and Ain Sokhna in Egypt.

Aroya will feature 15 restaurants serving local and international cuisines, including the world’s first Saudi Arabian-themed restaurant at sea, as well as 20 entertainment venues, a theatre and a spa.

The ship will also boast a number of bells and whistles, from a waterpark with multiple slides on the top deck, to an escape room, retail mall and games arcade, to dedicated spaces for babies, toddlers, children and teens.

In a nod to the regional preferences AROYA Cruises reflects, the ship will have far more public spaces for entertainment and dining than most cruise ships, as there will be no bars and no alcohol served onboard. She will also offer dedicated ‘ladies and families only’ spaces, as well as onboard prayer rooms.