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AROYA Cruises has inaugurated its first Greek Islands itinerary of the 2026 Mediterranean season, marking the expansion of the Saudi Arabian cruise line's Eastern Mediterranean deployment following the arrival of its sole vessel in Istanbul earlier this month. The new programme broadens the company's regional offering with voyages that combine ports in Greece and Türkiye while reinforcing its seasonal presence in the Mediterranean.
Departing from Galataport Cruise Terminal in Istanbul, Aroya commenced a 7-night round voyage featuring calls at Bodrum on Türkiye's Aegean coast, followed by the Greek ports of Rhodes, Mykonos and Piraeus, the principal cruise gateway to Athens, before returning to its homeport.
The itinerary represents the first Greek Islands cruise operated by AROYA Cruises during its 2026 summer deployment. Since repositioning from the Red Sea, the vessel had primarily been sailing itineraries centred on Turkish and Egyptian destinations before expanding its programme to include the Greek market.
A notable feature of the itinerary is the extended time allocated alongside in most ports, with departures generally scheduled between 2200 and 2300. The longer port calls provide passengers with additional opportunities to explore destinations during the evening hours after the departure of many visiting cruise ships and day tourists, offering a different perspective of the ports of call.
The Greek Islands voyage forms one component of AROYA Cruises' dual-itinerary Mediterranean programme. Alongside the new schedule, the line is also operating a second 7-night itinerary focused exclusively on Türkiye and Egypt. By excluding ports within the Schengen Area, the alternative route has been designed to provide a visa-free option for travellers from selected source markets, with calls at Kaş, Marmaris and Bodrum in Türkiye together with Alexandria in Egypt.
The Türkiye and Egypt itinerary also incorporates partial turnaround operations in Alexandria on selected departures, supporting ongoing efforts by Egyptian authorities to strengthen the port's role as both a transit destination and an embarkation hub for regional cruise traffic.
AROYA Cruises is scheduled to maintain its Mediterranean deployment until late September, after which Aroya will reposition to Jeddah on an 8-night voyage departing from Istanbul. The return sailing will include calls at Bodrum and Marmaris before continuing to Egyptian ports, including Port Suez and Sharm El Sheikh, en route to Saudi Arabia.
Following its return to the Red Sea, the vessel will commence a winter programme of 2- to 5-night cruises from Jeddah, featuring calls at Aqaba in Jordan, Yanbu and Sharm El Sheikh, together with Cruise Saudi's private island destination of Jabal Al-Sabaya.
The Mediterranean deployment forms part of AROYA Cruises' broader strategy to establish a recurring seasonal presence beyond the Red Sea. The company has already confirmed its return to the Eastern Mediterranean in June 2027, extending its operations in the region for a third consecutive summer season. Launched by Cruise Saudi, the cruise line continues to develop itineraries tailored to Arab travellers while progressively expanding its network across both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
