Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) announced on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia’s cruise ships will embark on its maiden sail in the Red Sea on Aug. 27, giving the vacationers an exceptional luxurious tourism experience.

The cruise ships will enable the tourists to rediscover the Red Sea beaches and islands during the summer by spending an open sea vacation with the utmost luxury of a five-star category, enjoying luxurious dishes on board one of the most luxurious cruise ships in the world.

The cruise experience, the first of its kind in the Kingdom, will see provision of the best kind of services to vacationers by the world-class service providers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The launch of the cruise ships is part of the summer season initiative titled “Tanaffus” (Breathing), which runs from June 25 to Sept. 30. It will provide exceptional tourism experiences through which it seeks to highlight the tourist treasures in the Red Sea and enable tourists to enjoy the huge tourism potential that lies along the Red Sea coasts in the Kingdom.

Cruise ships are expected to provide a wide array of options and packages, as the authority has called the topmost cruise ship companies in the world to operate luxury ships in the Red Sea coasts with different paths and stations.

The facilities in the cruise ship includes a number of private restaurants according to the available package, and the services of its sections range from luxurious to the highest luxury, and the prices of rooms and suites vary according to their location on the ship’s deck.

There are interior rooms with a window overlooking the Red Sea and others with a balcony, while the private suites enjoy additional features, including a personal assistant, private elevators supported by magnetic cards, and open services of meals and soft drinks 24 hours a day.

The guests of the suites receive a special and express reception when they check in to the ship.

The facilities in the ship include a large theater, which would offer various shows, a small market with souvenir products, video games area, two swimming pools, the first one an open air on board and the other one closed, a gym furnished with the latest equipment and other facilities.

The authority has aligned with the Ministry of Health, tour operators, and other parties to put in place the most stringent protocols and corrective actions to safeguard the health of passengers and provide a pleasant and safe tourism experience.