Cruise Saudi, a 100 percent Public Investment Fund owned business, offers international visitors the unique opportunity to visit some of the final shores on earth yet to be explored.
With Saudi having previously been closed to all but religious pilgrims and business travellers until recent years, Cruise Saudi offers cruise lines an exciting and fresh port of call, with a compelling and unique offering of onshore experiences, state-of-the-art port facilities, and exceptional owned cruise ships.
Working collaboratively with stakeholders, Cruise Saudi has built a world-class cruise infrastructure in Saudi with state-of-the-art facilities to ensure passenger comfort. Collaborating with government and regulatory entities to introduce maritime e-visas for cruise passengers, Cruise Saudi has made it simpler for tourists to travel to Saudi, smoothing their experience inside the terminal, facilitating the immigration process, and eliminating biometric screening.
Cruise Saudi has also worked in tandem with public and private sector partners to build and refurbish berths and passenger terminals across Saudi, thus dramatically increasing accessibility to this previously closed-off region. In addition to the cruise ports created by Cruise Saudi in Jeddah, Yanbu, and Dammam, further ports are in development, for example in Jazan, which is nestled on the tip of Saudi’s Red Sea coast.
Cruise Saudi’s pioneering Shorex program is crucial to creating unique experiences that ensure passengers experience the very best of Saudi. From thriving marine life to bustling restaurants and souqs, and with six UNESCO World Heritage Sites to explore, there is an abundance of truly amazing experiences on both land and sea in Saudi. The dynamic offering of excursions available includes snorkelling in the Red Sea coral reef, discovering secluded islands in Yanbu and exploring the thriving city metropolis of Dammam.
Cruise Saudi announced the launch of its owned cruise-line, AROYA Cruises, in Summer 2023, the first of its kind with a commitment to showcase Arabian experiences. The visionary product, the likes of which have never been seen before in the local or regional marketplace, is a significant step in providing new holiday options for Saudi-nationals and their neighbours; a unique opportunity for them to explore their homeland like never before. For this owned cruise line, Cruise Saudi has partnered with cutting-edge tech organisations and world-leaders in cruise ship design to provide the highest standard of service and comfort. These collaborations combine this remarkably Arabian experience with integrated technology, excellent facilities and quality modern interiors, all designed with guest enjoyment at its heart.
With the ambitious goal to welcome 1.3 million cruise passengers to Saudi by 2035, Cruise Saudi continues to develop new cruise ports and terminals, expand on the existing compelling Shorex offering, and empower local Saudi communities to drive economic growth and human capital development, supporting the country’s wider Vision 2030 agenda, which aims to welcome 150 million visitors to Saudi annually by 2030.