The Aroya, a cruise ship operated in partnership with Cruise Saudi, recently became the last vessel to navigate the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. It followed five other ships from MSC Cruises, TUI Group, and Celestyal Cruises that took advantage of a brief calm in the region. The Aroya, a 151,000 gross ton ship owned by Saudi interests but registered in Malta, raised eyebrows for not departing with the others due to ongoing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, it set sail on Sunday, despite reports of Iran closing the Strait, and is now returning to Jeddah.
Acquired by Saudi Arabia in 2023 after the collapse of Genting Hong Kong, the Aroya is notable for being the first large cruise ship owned by a Middle Eastern nation. Initially operating cruises from Dammam, the ship will resume service on May 14 from Jeddah, needing to navigate past Houthi-controlled waters again. Following a successful February trip, it will offer a shortened season of cruises in the Red Sea before heading to Turkey for Mediterranean voyages.
Celestyal Cruises reported successful transits through the Strait, with its ships, Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey, leading the convoy. Both vessels are now repositioning to the Mediterranean, with Discovery heading to Suez and Journey to Cape Town. TUI’s Mein Schiff 5 is also en route to Cape Town, as the company has opted to avoid the Red Sea due to safety concerns.
MSC Cruises confirmed that its ship, MSC Euribia, safely passed through the Strait and is on its way to Northern Europe, with its first cruise scheduled for May 16 from Germany. The company has also announced changes to future deployments, replacing planned Persian Gulf sailings for 2026-2027 with additional Caribbean routes. Celestyal has yet to disclose its plans for the upcoming seasons in the Persian Gulf market.
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