Aroya Cruises recently made its inaugural visit to the town of Bodrum on Turkey’s Aegean Sea coast.
After repositioning from the Red Sea, the Aroya arrived at the port as part of its first cruise in the Mediterranean.
Following visits to Piraeus, Mykonos and Souda Bay, the 3,400-guest vessel arrived in Bodrum on July 3, 2025.
Docking alongside TUI’s Mein Schiff 5, the Aroya spent nearly 12 hours at the port, allowing guests ample time to visit Bodrum’s attractions and beaches.
Continuing its maiden season in the region, the ship is now set to return to the Turkish town for ten additional calls through mid-September.
After completing its maiden season in the Red Sea, the Aroya arrived in the Mediterranean for a summer deployment in late June.
The ship is now set to offer seven-night cruises in the region before repositioning back to the Middle East in late September.
During its first European season, the 2017-built vessel offers a series of six- and seven-night cruises to destinations in Turkey, Greece and Egypt.
Sailing from Istanbul’s new Galataport Cruise Terminal, the itineraries feature visits to a wide range of ports, including Marmaris, Kaş, Mykonos, Piraeus and Alexandria.
Acquired by Cruise Saudi in 2023, the Aroya launched service for Aroya Cruises in late 2024 following a refurbishment that saw 95 percent of its interiors rebuilt.
According to President Dr. Joerg Rudolph, the ship is now bringing the company’s “Remarkably Arabian” experience to the Mediterranean.
The sailings in the region are aimed not only at Aroya’s core markets but also at international guests, he continued.
Over 70 percent of guests are expected to come from international markets, Rudolph added, mentioning Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe, the Far East and Singapore.
Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the Aroya originally entered service in 2017 as Dream Cruises’ World Dream.