Cruise Saudi has been recognised by some of the cruise industry’s leading awarding bodies; the World Cruise Awards, Seatrade Cruise Awards, and Wave Awards for 2023. Categories Cruise Saudi is shortlisted for span ‘Middle East’s Best Cruise Destination’, ‘Destination of the Year’ and ‘Best For Excursions’, some of the most coveted categories at these esteemed awards.

The World Cruise Awards, held in Dubai, is designed to recognise and celebrate excellence in the global cruise sector. Cruise Saudi’s nomination for ‘Middle East’s Best Cruise Destination’ honours the company’s success in launching and developing Saudi’s cruise sector, enhancing ports along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, and creating Shorex experiences that showcase Saudi’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, authentic culture and welcoming hospitality.

The Seatrade Cruise Awards is another principal award programme for the cruise industry and is judged by leaders in the sector with a wealth of knowledge and experience. The ‘Destination of the Year’ award, for which Cruise Saudi is nominated, celebrates a region, tourism body, or association which has made significant strides in promoting cruise tourism. This nomination recognises how Cruise Saudi has successfully positioned itself as a crucial pillar in Saudi’s growing tourism industry, in line with Vision 2030, and has had a significant positive impact on the perception of cruise tourism not only in Saudi, but to a watching global audience.

Similarly, the Wave Awards in London are decided by an expert panel of industry judges who are looking for excellence in the cruise industry. For this award, Cruise Saudi’s excursion titled the ‘The Lives of Saudi Women’ has been nominated in support of Cruise Saudi as a cruise holiday for the ‘Best for Excursions’ category. ‘The Lives of Saudi Women’ tour is exclusive to female cruise passengers and designed to give guests a deeper understanding of the role of women in Saudi Arabia, offering a glimpse into the real past and present lives of authentic Saudi women. This excursion takes guests through Jeddah Historic District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and into one of the 18 historical women’s shelters in the area, which was recently transformed by a Saudi entrepreneur Mrs Haleel Alabassi, into an Arabic language school.

All three nominations are a testament to Cruise Saudi’s ongoing commitment to create a world-leading cruise industry in Saudi, unlocking some of the final shores on earth to be explored, and offering the world a new destination that preserves history, heritage and culture all whilst looking to the future, in line with Saudi’s Vision 2030.

Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and services both offshore and onshore, and a unique and compelling Shorex program, these award nominations showcase Cruise Saudi as a major player on the world cruising stage, with the ability to create unforgettable experiences for passengers to rival even long-established cruise tourism destinations.

Lars Clasen CEO of Cruise Saudi said: “We’re delighted to be nominated for awards at the World Cruise Awards, Seatrade Cruise Awards, and Wave Awards. The categories we have been nominated for are especially important to us, as they recognise the hard work our team and our partners have put in to create exceptional experiences for our passengers and to make a positive contribution to the wider global cruising industry.”

Voting is now open for the World Cruise Awards and closes on 15 September 2023. Votes can be cast via the World Cruise Awards website. The winners will then be unveiled at the 3rd annual World Cruise Awards Gala Ceremony, which will take place at Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 15 October 2023.

Winners of the Seatrade Cruise Awards will be chosen by a panel of industry experts, and the winner will be announced at the ceremony on 6 September 2023 during the Seatrade Europe exhibition in Hamburg, Germany. Similarly, winners of the Wave Awards will be chosen by a panel of judges, and the winner will be announced at the ceremony on 13 November 2023 at the Dorchester Hotel in London, UK.