Aroya Cruises made its inaugural call to Galataport Istanbul this week ahead of its Eastern Mediterranean season.

According to Crew Center, the arrival is the company’s stop in European waters, following a debut in the Red Sea.

Aroya is using Galataport Istanbul as its official homeport for the summer season, with weekly sailings scheduled every Saturday through mid-September.

“This is a historic moment,” said Turky Kari, executive director of marketing for Cruise Saudi.

“We couldn’t have found a better place to start our Mediterranean journey than Istanbul. We’re working hard to grow tourism links between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, with a goal of bringing 90,000 passengers to the city this year,” added Kari.

The ship arrived in Istanbul on June 20 after sailing Turkey’s southwestern coast. The ship will undergo routine maintenance before beginning its first commercial voyage on June 28.

Image credit: Aroya Cruises