Aroya Cruises welcomed passengers from more than 100 nationalities during its second Mediterranean summer season.
The cruise line saw demand from Turkey, Egypt, the GCC, and other Middle Eastern markets, alongside European countries including Germany and the United Kingdom.
The figures cover Aroya‘s second consecutive summer deployment in the Mediterranean, which began in early June 2026 and concluded in September.
During the season, the ship operated seven-night itineraries visiting destinations in Turkey, Greece, and Egypt.
Ports of call included Bodrum, Marmaris, and Kaş in Turkey; Piraeus, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Souda Bay in Greece; and Alexandria in Egypt.
The passenger mix reflects Aroya Cruises’ efforts to attract international customers beyond its home market in Saudi Arabia, where the company operates Red Sea cruises from Jeddah.
The cruise line did not disclose the total number of passengers carried during the Mediterranean season or provide a breakdown of bookings by nationality.
In addition to its scheduled cruise programme, Aroya was deployed as a floating hotel in Taranto, Italy, during the 20th Mediterranean Games, held from 21 August to 3 September 2026.
The 150,000-gross-tonne ship was berthed at Taranto Naval Base alongside the cruise-ferry Romantika, providing accommodation for approximately 3,500 athletes representing 26 nations.
The vessels formed part of the Athletes’ Village during the event, providing accommodation for participants from across the Mediterranean region.
Aroya Cruises said the arrangement demonstrated the ship’s ability to accommodate large international groups and provided an example of its potential use for charter operations and major events.
Following the conclusion of its Mediterranean summer programme, Aroya repositioned to the Red Sea in September.
The voyage included calls at Bodrum, Marmaris, and Sharm El Sheikh before the ship returned to Saudi Arabia for a series of shorter cruises from Jeddah.
The vessel’s subsequent deployment includes Aroya Cruises’ first winter season in the Mediterranean, with itineraries between Istanbul and Alexandria.
The winter programme marks a change from the cruise line’s previous seasonal pattern, extending its Mediterranean operations beyond the summer months.
Aroya Cruises is also planning additional itineraries from Istanbul beginning in May 2027.
These will include 14-night cruises to the Western Mediterranean and Adriatic, expanding the geographical coverage of the company’s Mediterranean programme.
The new itineraries will follow the company’s second summer season in the region and its first winter deployment, as Aroya Cruises continues developing its programme outside the Red Sea.
The 2017-built Aroya is the company’s principal cruise vessel and has a gross tonnage of approximately 150,000.
Categories: Cruise News, Middle East Cruise News
