Saudi cruise brand Aroya is changing how passengers board its ship — and it could make a Mediterranean or Red Sea sailing noticeably easier to book. The line's commercial executive director, Ala Tashkandi, has confirmed that interporting, where a cruise departs from and calls at multiple homeports rather than running a simple there-and-back loop, is now a core part of the company's deployment plans.
The approach debuted during Aroya's summer 2026 Mediterranean season, which wrapped up in September. Its 3,500-guest ship ran a series of sailings out of Istanbul, and on selected dates travellers could instead join in Alexandria, Egypt. The logic is straightforward: guests get more flexibility in how and where they board, while the line can tap demand in new markets. Tashkandi called Alexandria a natural fit for the season, saying it helped the brand serve Egyptian and nearby travellers more effectively — and gave travel agents more ways to package and sell the itineraries.
The model isn't stopping in the Med. Aroya plans to roll it out wherever it makes operational and commercial sense, starting with its upcoming Red Sea season, where Sharm El Sheikh will become a new boarding point.
For anyone eyeing a winter-sun cruise, the practical news is this: Aroya's first Mediterranean winter season will repeat the interporting formula. Between October 2026 and April 2027, guests can join the ship in either Alexandria or Istanbul for seven-night itineraries covering Egypt and Turkey. That means you can pair a few days exploring Cairo or the pyramids before boarding in Alexandria, or fly into Istanbul and tack a city break onto either end of the sailing. Winter is also a smart time for this route — mild temperatures in Egypt and fewer crowds at major sights.
Who is this for? Essentially anyone in Europe, the Middle East or North Africa who found fly-cruise logistics a barrier. Multiple boarding ports mean shorter, cheaper flights for many travellers, more departure-date options, and itineraries that visit two countries in one week without extra planning. It also signals Aroya's broader ambition to court international guests beyond its Saudi home base, so expect English-friendly service and a product designed for a wider audience.
Watch this space: if the Red Sea interporting works as well as the Mediterranean version did, Aroya's map of accessible boarding points is likely to keep growing.