According to reports in the German media, Aroya Cruises is set to launch service later than initially planned.

Introduced by Cruise Saudi in mid-2023, the new cruise line will operate the former World Dream, which is currently undergoing a major refurbishment at the Bredo Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany.

According to Nordsee-Zeitung, the project was initially set to be completed in May 2024 but the date was later postponed to August 2024.

Citing Cruise Saudi’s CEO Lars Clasen, the local newspaper added that the ship is now only expected to enter service by the end of the year.

“We don’t want to make any compromises and will take the time necessary. We want to do everything right, especially since there is no comparable reference product,” Clasen told Nordsee-Zeitung.

Docked at a container terminal in Bremerhaven since June 2023, the ship is currently being overhauled, the newspaper added.

According to the report, not only the majority of the public areas but also the staterooms are set to undergo significant changes.

The large casino areas of the ship, which was purpose-built to sail in Asia, will be replaced with shopping arcades, Nordsee-Zeitung added.

While preliminary work is being carried out in Bremerhaven, the former World Dream is expected to undergo a drydock in the Netherlands.

“The ship will go to the Damen shipyard in Rotterdam in June or July,” Clasen said, adding that a return to Bremerhaven for the completion of interior work is being explored.

“We expect around 1,100 containers of material from international suppliers for the interior work. For this we need the appropriate logistics space. Whether this will still be available in Bremerhaven is also being examined.”

Originally built for Genting Hong Kong’s Dream Cruises brand, the World Dream was acquired by Cruise Saudi in late 2022.

With Aroya Cruises, the company aims to launch the first cruise line dedicated to the Arabian audience, offering a customized product to reflect Saudi’s culture and values.