The Aroya sailed from the Turkish port of Istanbul on Saturday for Aroya Cruises’ first voyage in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Having repositioned from the Red Sea earlier this month, the 3,400-guest ship started its inaugural cruise in the region on June 28, 2025.

The sailing also marked the ship’s debut in Istanbul’s Galataport Cruise Terminal, which will serve as the vessel’s homeport throughout the season.

A plaque exchange ceremony was held onboard to mark the milestone, with attendees from Aroya Cruises and Galataport, as well as local authorities and media attending.

Sailing from its homeport in Istanbul, the Aroya is now scheduled to operate a series of seven-night cruises to Turkey, Egypt and Greece.

For its first sailing, the ship is offering a weeklong cruise that focuses on Athens and the Greek Isles, sailing to Piraeus, Mykonos and Souda.

The 2017-built ship is scheduled to visit the Turkish resort town of Bodrum before returning to its homeport.

A second itinerary, focused on Turkey, will be offered regularly. After departing from Istanbul, the seven-night cruise visits Bodrum, Marmaris, and Kas, along with a stop in Alexandria, Egypt.

The Aroya is slated to call at Rhodes during select sailings in July and August.

The season runs through mid-September, when the ship offers a repositioning cruise back to Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea.

The eight-night cruise sails from Galataport on September 12 and features visits to ports in Turkey and Egypt, including Kusadasi and Sharm El-Sheikh.

According to Aroya, the inaugural season in the Mediterranean was designed to blend iconic destinations with its Arabian-inspired onboard experience.

Originally built as Dream Cruises’ World Dream, the ship was completely rebuilt before debuting for the brand in 2024. Over 90 percent of the ship’s public areas and cabins were redone during the refurbishment.