Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Suez Canal welcomes giant AROYA cruise ship with 2,300 passengers on board
The Suez Canal continues to strengthen its role as a pivotal hub for maritime tourism and logistics. On Wednesday, the canal welcomed the passage of the massive "AROYA" cruise ship, carrying nearly 2,300 tourists of various nationalities along with more than 1,500 crew members. The ship, traveling from Istanbul, Turkey, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is making its third voyage through the canal in less than a year.
The "AROYA" is registered under the Marshall Islands' flag and measures 335 meters in length and 38 meters in width, with a passenger capacity of 3,362, in addition to 1,620 crew members. The vessel has made scheduled stopovers at key ports, including Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.
Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, highlighted that the third passage of "AROYA" in under 12 months demonstrates growing confidence from international cruise operators in the canal’s capacity and readiness to accommodate large passenger ships. The vessel previously transited the canal in December 2024 and June 2025.
Flexible marketing policies and incentives offered by the Authority have proved successful in attracting global cruise liners. Cruises stopping at Egyptian ports on the Mediterranean and Red Sea benefit from special incentives and reduced transit fees. These efforts have yielded significant results: between 2021 and 2024, the canal attracted 69 cruise ships, carrying a total of about 38,000 tourists and generating approximately $15.8 million in revenue.
With the global cruise tourism industry projected to reach 38 million tourists by the end of 2025 and 40 million by the following year, the Suez Canal’s strategic focus on the sector is expected to further boost Egypt’s position as a leading maritime destination.