Aroya Cruises is seeing a positive market response for its itineraries in the Mediterranean, Executive Director of Marketing Turky Kari told Cruise Industry News.

After debuting in late 2024, the company’s first ship, the Aroya, repositioned to the region in late June.

The vessel is now offering a series of seven-night cruises that feature visits to destinations in Turkey, Greece, and Egypt.

“Sales are on the rise. We announced the season a bit late, but bookings are going very well,” he continued, noting that upcoming trips have between 50 and 65 percent of their berths already booked.

“We also have travel agents visiting the ship, and the numbers are now increasing much more than expectations,” Kari added.

Aroya’s itineraries in the Mediterranean were planned using Istanbul as a homeport due to its airlfit.

“There are around 12 flights per day from different airlines connecting Saudi Arabia to Istanbul, so it gives very easy access,” Kari explained.

“Plus, the Saudis are very familiar with Istanbul and Turkish culture.”

Aroya then came up with two main itineraries, including one that does not require visas for most of its core markets.

“That’s why we have the butterfly itineraries. We have one week for only Turkey plus Egypt, because they don’t require a visa. And the other one, which sails to Greece, is mainly focused on Europeans, as well as Saudis who have a Schengen visa,” Turki explained.

While the Mediterranean is a popular destination for Saudi guests, the move to the region was also related to weather concerns in the Middle East, he added.

“Because of the weather, we cannot sail in the Red Sea or the Arabian Gulf during this time of the year; the weather is a struggle. It’s very hot,” he said.

Current plans call for a return to the Mediterranean in 2026, with the Aroya offering similar itineraries departing from Istanbul.

“It will depend on the success of this first season. But we’ll soon start planning next year, and the plan so far is to offer the same itineraries between Turkey and Greece, and Turkey and Egypt,” Turki explained.