New winter season voyages from Galataport Istanbul and AROYA Cruises

Galataport Istanbul announced that it will host 25 new voyages as part of AROYA Cruises' winter program. This development aims to ensure that cruise tourism continues during the winter months and that Istanbul remains an uninterrupted homeport.

A new winter move in cruise tourism

The new voyages planned with departures from Galataport Istanbul will ensure that cruise tourism remains active not only in the summer months but also during the winter period. This strategic step directly contributes to positioning Istanbul as a vibrant homeport throughout the year.

An indicator of confidence in the city

Galataport Istanbul Port Operations Director Tolga Tuncay stated that AROYA Cruises choosing Istanbul as its homeport between October and April is a strong indicator of the confidence placed in the city. Tuncay reminded that regular winter voyages started with MSC in November 2024.

Passenger and voyage targets announced

55,000 passengers were hosted across 25 voyages in the November 2024–April 2025 period, and 52,000 passengers across 21 voyages in the November 2025–April 2026 period. While 150,000 passengers are targeted with 51 voyages for the November 2026–April 2027 period, AROYA's share in this total will be 26 voyages and 78,000 passengers.

The season is spreading across 12 months

AROYA's participation in the winter period certified that Istanbul's cruise season has spread across 12 months. This situation further solidified the city's homeport position in the Mediterranean basin while giving a major momentum to the Turkish cruise sector.