He said in a statement that the new acquirement comes in-line with the company’s strategy and direction to build and develop the cruise industry in Saudi Arabia.

“The ship has been renamed to reflect its new ownership and will now undergo a refit,” he added. Clasen said the plans for the new ship will be announced in due time.

Cruise Saudi was officially launched in 2021 to develop the infrastructure and services required to scale a full-suite cruise market in Saudi Arabia.

Cruise Saudi is a 100% Public Investment Fund-owned business based in Jeddah and works hand in hand with ministries and regulatory authorities to build the offshore and onshore cruise ecosystem with the aim of positioning Saudi as a premier global cruise destination.

Cruise Saudi has completed two successful seasons thus far; welcoming 50,000+ passengers and five major international cruise lines; and in the future, aims to attract more cruise lines and 1.3 million cruise passengers to experience Saudi via sea by 2035.