AROYA
As World Dream at a Meyer Werft facility before being handed over to Dream Cruises
| |
History | |
---|---|
Name |
|
Owner |
|
Operator |
|
Port of registry | Majuro, Marshall Islands |
Ordered | 10 February 2014[1] |
Builder | Meyer Werft |
Yard number | S.712 |
Laid down | 29 July 2015[2] |
Launched | 26 August 2017 |
Sponsored by | Cecilia Lim |
Christened | 17 November 2017 |
Completed | 26 October 2017 |
Maiden voyage | 19 November 2017 |
In service | 2017 |
Out of service | 2 March 2022 |
Identification |
|
Status | Out of service; Purchased by Cruise Saudi. Currently undergoing refurbishment while laid up at Bremerhaven's Eurogate Container Terminal awaiting transfer to dry dock. |
Notes | Launching as AROYA for Cruise Saudi's AROYA Cruises on 16 December 2024. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Genting-class cruise ship |
Tonnage | 150,695 GT[3] |
Length | 335.2 m (1,099 ft 9 in)[3] |
Beam | |
Height | 61 m (200 ft) |
Draft | 8.622 m (28 ft 3.4 in)[3] |
Depth | 11.417 m (37 ft 5.5 in)[3] |
Decks | 18 |
Installed power | |
Propulsion | |
Speed | 22.55 knots (41.76 km/h; 25.95 mph)[4] |
Capacity | 5,000 passengers[5] |
Crew | 1,925[5] |
AROYA is a cruise ship of AROYA Cruises (Saudi Arabia).
She was initially ordered under the name World Dream for Star Cruises and transferred to Dream Cruises during construction.[6] The ship was designed for the Asian cruise market and has a large number of restaurants together with a casino and specially designed cabins. She was formally named on 17 November 2017 by Cecilia Lim, wife of Genting CEO Lim Kok Thay, who became godmother of the ship.[7]
World Dream was auctioned to Cruise Saudi in 2023, and immediately renamed Manara. In July 2024, Aroya Cruises confirmed the name of their first vessel as the Aroya.[8]
AROYA Cruises
[edit]On 16 May 2024, Cruise Saudi launches AROYA Cruises, which is a 335-metre floating resort with 1,678 cabins including balconies overlooking the sea. Moreover, the cruise ship features luxury suites and villas. It features 20 venues spread across 18 decks. It incorporates 1,018-seat theater. It is designed to accommodate more than 3,362 passengers.[9][10][11]
History
[edit]Construction and service
[edit]World Dream was ordered in February 2014 for Star Cruises and was laid down on 29 July 2015. Construction started in February 2016.[12][13][14] In November 2015, she was transferred to sister brand Dream Cruises. She was launched on 26 August 2017 and completed on 26 October 2017. World Dream measures at 150,695 gross tons and is 335.2 metres (1,099 ft 9 in) long with a beam of 39.7 metres (130 ft 3 in).[3] World Dream entered service for Dream Cruises in November 2017.[citation needed]
Coronavirus quarantine
[edit]Three passengers aboard World Dream during 19–24 January 2020 were confirmed to have been infected by COVID-19.[15] On 5 February 2020, all 3,800 World Dream passengers and crew were put under quarantine on board the ship at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Cruise Terminal after Taiwan blocked its port of call in Kaohsiung. As of 7 February 2020[update], checks of those on board were ongoing.[15]
The quarantine was lifted on 9 February 2020 after all 1,800 crew members were tested negative of the virus. The majority of the passengers were not tested as they had had no contact with the infected Chinese passengers who had been on the ship during 19–24 January.[16] On 26 February the Indonesian Government evacuated their 188 citizens from World Dream using the hospital ship KRI dr. Soeharso.[17] All Indonesians that were aboard the cruise ship were taken to Sebaru Kecil Island which is part of the Thousand Islands Regency in Jakarta. After that, they underwent 14 days of quarantine and observation.[18]
Auction and refit
[edit]Following the insolvency of parent company Genting Hong Kong, Dream Cruises collapsed. On 1 March 2022, it was announced that World Dream would cease operations the next day after its last sailing return to shores.[19][20] World Dream was then laid up in Singapore and sold at auction with sealed bids due by 21 December 2022.[21]
In March 2023, the ship was finally sold to Cruise Saudi and renamed Manara.[22][23] In June of that year, Manara arrived in Bremerhaven for an extensive refit[24] at the shipyard Bredo.[25] The ship will be part of the line's new Aroya brand.[26] The new color scheme will be applied at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam.[citation needed]
The ship was sold at an auction for about 355 million USD with Meyer Werft being involved in the modification.[27]
The ship is to be renamed Aroya, which is a combination of the words Arabian and roya, translating to vision or dream.[28]
The inaugural cruises will set sail on the Red Sea in December 2024. Passengers can look forward to exploring AROYA's private island paradise alongside captivating destinations in Egypt and Jordan. [29] The ship left Bremerhaven in November [30] and sailed to Jeddah via the Suez Canal.[31][32][33][34]
On December 16, 2024, AROYA sailed on its first voyage from Jeddah on a cruise to nowhere.[35]
Trivia
[edit]On 16 November 2017, Dream Cruises created an 8.44-metre (27 ft 8 in) Lego model of the ship, the largest such model of a cruise ship, which was put on display at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong.[36]
References
[edit]- ^ "World Dream". cruisemapper.com. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ "Press > Press Detail > Keel laying ceremony: World Dream". MEYER WERFT GmbH & Co. KG. 10 January 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "World Dream (34080)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- ^ "Home > Services > Sheriff's sales and services> Sheriff's sales > World Dream (HC/ADM 16/2022, HC/WA 5/2022)". SINGAPORE COURTS - The Judiciary. 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022.
- ^ a b "SHERIFF'S SALE VESSEL "WORLD DREAM"" (PDF). judiciary.gov.sg. Singapore. 2022.
- ^ "Genting Dream, the first Asian luxury cruise ship". Cruisetotravel. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
- ^ Staff, CIN (18 November 2017). "World Dream Christened in Hong Kong Ceremony". Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ "Mega-Schiff "Manara" ist auf dem Weg nach Bremerhaven". nord24 (in German). Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ ""Cruise Saudi launches 335-metre floating resort AROYA Cruises"". Economy Middle East. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ Singh, Marisha (17 May 2024). "Cruise Saudi launches Aroya: A glimpse at the kingdom's first cruise line". Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia launches 'AROYA Cruises' Arabian cruise line". gulfnews.com. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "Brennstart des zweiten Schiffes für Dream Cruises". MEYER WERFT (in German). Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Star Cruises places Contract for further Cruise Vessel". MEYER WERFT. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "URL signature expired". scontent-fra5-2.xx.fbcdn.net. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ a b Denyer, Simon (7 February 2020). "Honeymooner among 61 people on cruise ship confirmed as having coronavirus". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ^ "Passengers leave Hong Kong cruise ship after coronavirus quarantine lifted". CBC News. 9 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ Afifa, Laila (25 February 2020). "KRI Soeharso to Pick Up Indonesian Crew at World Dream Tomorrow". tempo.co. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Indonesia to evacuate its 188 citizens working on World Dream cruise ship". The Straits Times. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Dream Cruises' World Dream vessel to cease operations on Mar 2". CNA. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ Auto, Hermes (28 February 2022). "Dream Cruises' World Dream to stop sailing after liquidation; request for refunds must be submitted | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "World Dream Cruise Ship Heading to Auction".
- ^ "Genting HK's World Dream Sold to Cruise Saudi and Renamed Manara". 2 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "DNV: Manara". Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Cruise Saudi Ship Arrives in Germany for Drydock - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". cruiseindustrynews.com/. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ "Aroya Cruises Reportedly Pushing Back Launch - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News".
- ^ "Saudi Arabia launches its own cruise line brand AROYA Cruises | Cruise News". CruiseMapper. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ "Papenburg: Meyer Werft hilft beim Umbau der "World Dream" | NOZ". 24 March 2024.
- ^ "Aroya Cruises' first ship is renamed after the brand".
- ^ https://adgully.me/post/7240/first-arabian-cruise-line-aroya-sets-sail-for-luxury-red-sea-adventures
- ^ https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/11/aroya-departs-bremerhaven-ahead-of-maiden-voyage/
- ^ https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/croisieres/le-paquebot-aroya-manara-est-arrive-en-arabie-saoudite
- ^ https://assets.meretmarine.com/s3fs-public/styles/large_xl/public/images/2024-12/gemxwhsw8aaxbo0.jpg?h=60c61545&itok=nKInoIHg
- ^ https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/croisieres/aroya-manara-le-premier-paquebot-saoudien-en-route-pour-djeddah
- ^ https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/croisieres/aroya-manara-le-premier-paquebot-saoudien-en-route-pour-djeddah
- ^ https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/12/aroya-celebrates-maiden-voyage/
- ^ "Dream Cruises sets world record with scale replica of World Dream". CruiseToTravel. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
External links
[edit]- World Dream cruise ship's page at Dream Cruises
- Aroya website