LONDON: Cruise Saudi has teamed up with high-end hotel brand Aman to launch a new, ultra-luxury yacht aimed at very high net worth travelers, it was announced on Monday.
The 183-meter superyacht Aman at Sea will have 47 spacious suites along with amenities including an Aman-style spa with a Japanese relaxation garden, several international Michelin-quality restaurants, and an on-board beach club, giving guests access to the water from the stern of the yacht.
The vessel was unveiled by Cruise Saudi’s Managing Director Fawaz Farooqui at the Seatrade Cruise Global event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
He featured on a panel discussing how leading luxury hotel brands Aman, Four Seasons, Orient Express and Ritz Carlton are changing the cruise ship landscape by launching luxury ships to rival operators such as Regent Seven Seas and Silversea.
Cruise Saudi’s Managing Director Fawaz Farooqui at the Seatrade Cruise Global event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Supplied)
“Aman is a truly unique brand. Its authentic intent is to provide a level of service — which is a home away from home — that is peerless in every way,” Fawaz told attendees.
Fawaz revealed the new Aman at Sea superyacht will have a 2:1 crew ratio to guests, placing a priority on the guest space ratio while creating the biggest suites in the industry.
The panel also discussed the type of ships being built by hoteliers, how the offering contrasts with big-name cruise liners, how hotels are competing to attract customers new to cruising, and the role they play in opening up new destinations for cruises.
Speaking about what makes Saudi Arabia a premium destination, Fawaz said it was Saudi’s “warm hospitality, authenticity, culture, and nature” that made it such a valuable proposition.
He continued: “We are sitting on thousands of years of heritage. Saudi Arabia used to be part of the Incense Route and we have a civilization that goes back 4 or 5,000 years B.C.”
Aman at Sea is expected to be ready for cruising by 2027.
