AROYA Cruises, a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi and wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced it will operate a special five-night cruise from Jeddah on September 22, 2026, to celebrate Saudi National Day. The sailing forms part of the line’s Red Sea cruise program and will include calls at Sharm El-Sheikh in the Arab Republic of Egypt and Aqaba in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, according to information released through official Saudi channels.
The voyage will feature a celebratory program highlighting Saudi identity and culture, including artistic and musical performances designed to reflect national pride. The National Day departure is one of three voyages AROYA Cruises will operate from Jeddah during September 2026, underlining the growing depth of the Kingdom’s Red Sea cruise offering and its appeal to regional and international travelers.
Context and Background
AROYA Cruises was created to give the Kingdom a national cruise line capable of serving both domestic guests and visitors from abroad. It operates as a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi, the company established to build the wider cruise ecosystem, from terminals and shore excursions to crew training and supply chains. Cruise Saudi is in turn wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, which invests across sectors that support economic diversification.
Jeddah Islamic Port, the departure point for all three September voyages, sits on the Red Sea coast and has long served as a gateway for pilgrims, traders and travelers. Its modern cruise facilities allow vessels to embark and disembark passengers close to the historic Al-Balad district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, giving guests immediate access to Saudi heritage and hospitality.
The September Voyage Schedule
According to the announcement, the National Day cruise departs on September 22 and lasts five nights, calling at Sharm El-Sheikh and Aqaba before returning to Jeddah. It is the second of three September departures from the Kingdom’s western coast.
The first voyage leaves Jeddah Islamic Port on September 20 for two nights at sea. The third departs on September 27 for four nights to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. After that program concludes, the ship departs Jeddah on October 1 for the Mediterranean, extending the line’s range beyond the Red Sea.
International Impact
The itinerary places Saudi Arabia within a connected Red Sea tourism map that includes Egypt and Jordan, two neighboring states with which the Kingdom maintains close economic and cultural ties. By linking Jeddah with Sharm El-Sheikh and Aqaba, the cruise offers travelers a multi-country experience from a single embarkation point, strengthening people-to-people exchange and cross-border travel.
For international visitors, the schedule also signals that Saudi Arabia’s cruise sector is operational and expanding. Cruise calls bring spending to ports, generate demand for guides, transport, hospitality and retail services, and give first-time visitors a low-friction introduction to the Kingdom’s coastline, cuisine and culture.
Vision 2030 Alignment
The National Day voyage reflects the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, the national transformation strategy that seeks to diversify the economy away from oil, expand the tourism sector and improve quality of life for citizens and residents. Cruise tourism supports several of those goals at once: it grows non-oil revenue, showcases Saudi culture to a global audience and creates jobs along the Red Sea coast.
As AROYA Cruises continues to develop its Red Sea program, the September sailings demonstrate how the Kingdom’s maritime, cultural and entertainment assets can be combined into a distinctive visitor offering. The National Day departure adds a symbolic dimension, inviting guests to experience Saudi hospitality at sea as the country marks its national occasion, while pointing toward a future in which Saudi Arabia plays a leading role in regional and international cruise tourism.
20 Questions
Q1. What is AROYA Cruises?
A1. AROYA Cruises is the national cruise line of Saudi Arabia, established as a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi, which is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). It operates Red Sea itineraries designed to showcase Saudi hospitality, culture and coastal destinations to guests from the Kingdom and around the world.
Q2. What did AROYA Cruises announce regarding Saudi National Day?
A2. The company announced a special five-night cruise departing from Jeddah on September 22, 2026. The voyage will celebrate Saudi National Day with cultural programming and calls at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan, forming part of its Red Sea cruise program.
Q3. Which ports will the National Day cruise visit?
A3. The five-night sailing will call at Sharm El-Sheikh in the Arab Republic of Egypt and Aqaba in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It departs from Jeddah and returns there after the itinerary, giving guests a multi-country Red Sea experience from one embarkation point.
Q4. How many voyages will AROYA Cruises operate from Jeddah in September 2026?
A4. AROYA Cruises will operate three voyages from Jeddah in September 2026. The National Day sailing on September 22 is the second, following a two-night departure on September 20 and preceding a four-night sailing on September 27.
Q5. When does the first September voyage depart and how long is it?
A5. The first voyage leaves Jeddah Islamic Port on September 20, 2026, for two nights at sea. It opens the September program and offers guests a short Red Sea getaway before the National Day cruise departs two days later.
Q6. Where does the third September voyage travel?
A6. The third voyage departs Jeddah on September 27, 2026, for four nights to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. It completes the September schedule from Jeddah before the ship departs the Kingdom for Mediterranean waters.
Q7. What happens after the September sailings?
A7. After the three September voyages, the ship leaves Jeddah on October 1, 2026, for the Mediterranean. This repositioning follows the Red Sea program and reflects AROYA Cruises’ expanding range of regional and international itineraries.
Q8. What is Cruise Saudi?
A8. Cruise Saudi is the company responsible for developing the Kingdom’s cruise sector, including ports, terminals, shore excursions, crew training and supply chains. It is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund and supports Saudi Arabia’s tourism and economic diversification goals.
Q9. Who owns the Public Investment Fund?
A9. The Public Investment Fund is the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is owned by the Government of Saudi Arabia. It invests domestically and internationally across sectors including tourism, entertainment, technology, industry, sports and real estate in support of Vision 2030.
Q10. Where is Jeddah Islamic Port?
A10. Jeddah Islamic Port is located on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia and is one of the Kingdom’s principal maritime gateways. It also serves as a major entry point for pilgrims traveling to Makkah and now hosts cruise operations serving the Red Sea tourism market.
Q11. What kind of program will the National Day cruise feature?
A11. The cruise will feature a celebratory program highlighting Saudi identity and culture. It includes artistic and musical performances intended to reflect national pride, offering guests an onboard experience that connects the holiday’s significance with Saudi traditions, hospitality and contemporary entertainment.
Q12. When is Saudi National Day observed?
A12. Saudi National Day is observed on September 23 each year, commemorating the unification of the Kingdom in 1932. The occasion is marked with cultural events, performances, decorations and public celebrations across Saudi Arabia and at Saudi diplomatic missions internationally.
Q13. Why is the Red Sea important to Saudi tourism?
A13. The Red Sea offers coral reefs, islands, warm waters and a long coastline suitable for cruising, diving, resorts and coastal development. Saudi Arabia is developing these assets through major projects and infrastructure that broaden the Kingdom’s tourism offering beyond religious and heritage travel.
Q14. How does cruise tourism support Vision 2030?
A14. Cruise tourism supports Vision 2030 by generating non-oil revenue, creating jobs in ports, hospitality, transport and retail, and introducing international visitors to Saudi culture. It complements the Kingdom’s wider tourism strategy, which aims to attract far larger numbers of domestic and international visits.
Q15. What role does the Public Investment Fund play in tourism?
A15. The Public Investment Fund finances and develops major tourism assets, including cruise, entertainment, hospitality and giga-project investments. Its backing gives new sectors the capital, scale and long-term planning needed to reach international standards and contribute to economic diversification.
Q16. How does the cruise strengthen Saudi ties with Egypt and Jordan?
A16. By calling at Sharm El-Sheikh and Aqaba, the cruise links Saudi Arabia with two neighboring Arab states through tourism. Such itineraries encourage cross-border travel, support local economies at each port and reinforce the close cultural and economic relationships the Kingdom shares with Egypt and Jordan.
Q17. What can guests expect onboard AROYA Cruises ships?
A17. Guests can expect dining, entertainment, leisure facilities and cultural programming designed for regional and international travelers. The National Day sailing adds artistic and musical performances that celebrate Saudi identity, along with the amenities typical of a modern cruise experience on the Red Sea.
Q18. How does the cruise reflect Saudi identity and culture?
A18. The National Day program highlights Saudi identity through performances, music and celebratory activities that reflect national pride. It presents the Kingdom’s traditions and contemporary creative talent to a mixed audience of Saudi and international guests, supporting cultural exchange while honoring the national occasion.
Q19. Why is departing from Jeddah significant?
A19. Jeddah is a historic Red Sea port and a gateway for pilgrims and traders, and it sits near the UNESCO-listed Al-Balad district. Departing from Jeddah Islamic Port allows cruise guests to combine maritime travel with direct access to Saudi heritage and culture.
Q20. What does the National Day cruise suggest about the future of Saudi cruising?
A20. The sailing shows that Saudi Arabia’s cruise sector is active and expanding, with regular Red Sea departures and onward Mediterranean itineraries. It points to continued growth in cruise tourism supported by Cruise Saudi, the Public Investment Fund and Vision 2030 priorities.
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