Cruise Saudi Appoints First President of AROYA Cruises

Cruise Saudi, a wholly owned company of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) specializing in the development of the cruise tourism sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced the appointment of Joerg Rudolph as the President of AROYA Cruises for maritime tourism. Rudolph has 31 years of experience, including 19 years in the global cruise sector. Joining from his role as managing director of Costa Cruises in Germany and having previously worked at a senior level for TUI, AIDA Cruises, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean International, Rudolph’s experience makes him the ideal choice to lead as president of Cruise Saudi’s line.
As president, Rudolph will be responsible for delivering AROYA Cruises to market and launching the first cruise line dedicated to the Arabian audience. Overseeing the cruise line’s operations and finance, encompassing sales, marketing, guest experience, itinerary planning, revenue management, customer-oriented services, and developing and implementing strategies to grow the business, Rudolph joins the business at an exciting time with the official launch of AROYA Cruises due in 2024.
Cruise Saudi CEO Lars Clasen said, “Cruise Saudi has grown rapidly as a business over the last few years, and Joerg Rudolph’s appointment as President of AROYA Cruises is a milestone in the company’s journey to providing a unique offering delivered to an exceptional standard. I look forward to working with Joerg as we work towards the milestone launch of AROYA Cruises.”
The announcement comes as PIF-owned Cruise Saudi continues to expand and grow its pioneering offering in the region. Having announced the launch of its AROYA Cruises in June 2023, with a unique commitment to showcasing Arabian experiences, Cruise Saudi continues its ambition to welcome over 1.3 million cruise passenger visits to Saudi per year by 2035.