Saudi cruise line Aroya has released its first native mobile app on iOS and Android, letting guests handle an entire cruise — from searching and booking to daily onboard planning — from one place. It's free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play and works in both English and Arabic.
The launch follows the recent redesign of Aroya's website, part of a broader push by the line to digitise the guest experience. Executive Commercial Director Ala Tashkandi told Cruise Industry News the app is meant to make every step of the trip simpler and more personal, reflecting how today's cruise guests expect to manage their holidays.
In practice, the app covers the whole lifecycle of a sailing. Before departure, you can book voyages, manage existing reservations, complete digital check-in and work through pre-cruise checklists. It also surfaces selected offers and promotions, which is handy for spotting cabin deals without calling a travel agent.
Once onboard, the app becomes your daily companion: the day's programme, dining and venue reservations, event sign-ups, spa and wellness bookings, shore excursions, onboard offers and access to your guest folio so you can keep an eye on spending. Notably, selected onboard features work without paying for the ship's Wi-Fi package — a small but meaningful saving.
More is on the way. Aroya says future updates will add onboard messaging, wayfinding and a digital cabin key, bringing the app closer to the all-in-one experience offered by the biggest cruise lines. Behind the scenes, the app is wired into the line's booking system, CRM and operational platforms, so the experience should stay consistent across the website, mobile, kiosks and digital signage on the ship.
Who cares about this? Anyone considering Aroya, which sails the Red Sea and Gulf from Saudi Arabia and has been positioning itself as a homegrown alternative to the international cruise giants, with Arabic-first service and family-friendly ships. If you've cruised before, you'll recognise the pattern: the app replaces paper itineraries, front-desk queues for dinner bookings and printed folio checks. If you're new to cruising, it lowers the admin barrier considerably — you can book, check in and plan a week at sea without ever opening a laptop.
For travellers in the Gulf and wider Middle East, the bilingual Arabic-English support is the standout detail, as most international cruise apps remain English-only. And the offline functionality matters more than you might think: Wi-Fi at sea is often the priciest add-on, so anything that works without it — checking the daily schedule, managing dining reservations, tracking your onboard account — puts a few dollars back in your pocket each day.
The feature set will clearly grow, so it's worth downloading the app before your sailing rather than after embarkation, when check-in queues are longest. The original report appeared in Cruise Industry News.
