Aroya Cruises Adds Alexandria Embarkation in 2026-27
Galataport projects Aroya's added cruises will increase passenger volume by 188 percent compared with last year, with a target of 150,000 passengers.
Aroya Cruises will add Alexandria as a second Mediterranean embarkation gateway and operate its first 14-night cruises under an expanded 2026-27 program based at Galataport Istanbul. The schedule ranges from six to 14 nights, with voyages through Turkiye, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Malta and Tunisia and along the Adriatic coast.
The deployment shifts Aroya’s winter operations from the Arabian Gulf to the Mediterranean. Its 25 winter departures will also extend Galataport’s cruise operations across the full year.
Alexandria becomes a second embarkation gateway
The winter phase will run through April 24, 2027, with six-, seven- and eight-night cruises between Istanbul and Alexandria. Calls along the Turkish coast will include Bodrum, Marmaris and Kusadasi.
Passengers will be able to embark or disembark in Alexandria on selected sailings, while the ship will make its first overnight calls in the Egyptian city. Travel partners will be able to combine the cruises with stays in Istanbul, Alexandria or Cairo, and the overnight visits allow time for excursions to Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza.
“The breadth and flexibility of this programme will help us respond to the needs of different markets,” said Ala Tashkandi, commercial executive director at Aroya Cruises. He said the line would work with travel partners to expand international sales and create tourism opportunities in the destinations on the schedule.
Two extended voyages reach Italy and the Adriatic
From May 2027, Aroya will operate additional six-, seven- and eight-night itineraries linking Turkiye with Egypt or Greece. Antalya in Turkiye and Nafplio in Greece will receive their first Aroya calls.
The first 14-night cruise will leave Istanbul on June 5, 2027, and cross the Mediterranean from east to west. Its scheduled calls include Catania, Salerno, Civitavecchia, Cagliari, La Goulette and Valletta, with passengers also able to embark or disembark at Civitavecchia.
A second 14-night itinerary will depart on July 17 and sail from the Aegean into the Adriatic before returning to Istanbul. Calls are planned at Katakolon, Sarande, Bar, Trieste, Zadar, Korcula and Bari, with interporting available at Trieste.
“Our ambition is to create voyages that resonate across cultures while remaining unmistakably Aroya,” said Ghadah Marghalani, senior director of marketing and public relations at Aroya Cruises.
Galataport expects a 188% passenger increase
Galataport projects that the additional Aroya cruises will increase its sailing count by 143% and passenger volume by 188% compared with last year, with a target of 150,000 passengers. Istanbul began receiving winter cruise traffic in 2024, when 25 voyages brought 55,000 passengers. The terminal can accommodate three ships simultaneously and approximately 15,000 passengers per day.
The line behind the expansion
Aroya is the only ship in the line’s fleet. Cruise Saudi founded Aroya Cruises in 2023, and the line began sailing in December 2024. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund owns Cruise Saudi.
Aroya has reported passengers from more than 100 nationalities during its 2026 Mediterranean season, with an average guest age of 36.7. The line also operates from Jeddah Islamic Port in the Red Sea, and more than 95,000 passengers sailed during its inaugural season.
Aroya’s current Istanbul summer deployment includes 15 cruises and is scheduled to conclude on Sept. 12, 2026. The expanded winter program is due to begin on Oct. 10.
