Aroya Cruises Launches Eastern Mediterranean Winter Season
The Mediterranean programme begins October 10 with six-, seven- and eight-night cruises, including Marmaris and Kusadasi, plus selected overnight calls in Alexandria.
Aroya called at Egypt’s Sokhna Port on October 4, 2026, carrying 1,327 passengers on a repositioning voyage to Turkey, according to the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). The Aroya Cruises vessel arrived from Sharm El-Sheikh and docked at the DP World terminal, with guests visiting Cairo before the ship departed for Alexandria.
The nine-night voyage from Jeddah includes a Suez Canal transit ahead of Aroya Cruises’ first winter season in the Eastern Mediterranean. The line has shifted its winter deployment from the Arabian Gulf and is adding Alexandria as an embarkation gateway alongside Istanbul.
The Sokhna Port Authority said the port is ready to accommodate different vessel types and handle them safely and efficiently.
Istanbul sailings and Alexandria embarkation
The Mediterranean programme begins October 10 with six-, seven- and eight-night cruises between Galataport Istanbul and Alexandria, including calls along the Turkish coast. Winter calls include Marmaris and Kusadasi.
Passengers will be able to begin or end selected voyages in Alexandria through an interporting arrangement. The additional gateway allows travel partners to build fly-cruise packages with pre- or post-cruise stays in Egypt or Turkey.
Selected itineraries will also include Aroya’s first overnight calls in Alexandria, allowing more time ashore in the city and for excursions to 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.
The line’s 2026 Mediterranean season attracted passengers representing more than 100 nationalities. Its guests included travelers from Turkey, Egypt, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the United Kingdom and Germany.
From May 2027, Aroya’s summer programme will add itineraries linking Turkey with Egypt or Greece, including maiden calls at Antalya and Nafplion. The line’s first two 14-night voyages will depart Istanbul on June 5 and July 17, with additional embarkation and disembarkation options at Civitavecchia on the June sailing and Trieste on the July voyage.
The ship and other Egyptian calls
The 150,695-gross-ton Aroya was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, in 2017. Formerly World Dream, the vessel was acquired in 2023 and refurbished for the Saudi market; its 1,678 staterooms accommodate 3,362 guests at double occupancy.
Aroya Cruises was established by Cruise Saudi in 2023 and began operating cruises in December 2024. Alongside its Mediterranean schedule, the company operates Red Sea voyages from Jeddah Islamic Port.
Egypt also received TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 5 in Alexandria in late September, with 2,506 passengers and 942 crew aboard. The German-market vessel visited during an Eastern Mediterranean cruise that included Greek destinations. Alexandria Port Spokesman Ahmed Bereqaa said the port “provides passengers with services to the highest standards of efficiency.”
