How do prayer times and the qibla work at sea? Is there a prayer room?
Asked by Anonymous pilgrim · 2 Nov 2026
Written and checked by our team, with dated sources.
In short
Yes. On AROYA there are separate prayer rooms for men and women, prayer mats in the cabins and prayer times announced on board. Because the ship's direction changes as it sails, a qibla app is the easiest way to find the direction. Questions about shortening or combining prayers while travelling are for your own scholar.
As of 2 Nov 2026
Marhaba Editorial Desk
On AROYA
Finding the qibla
Next step: read how a halal cruise works, then plan your dates.
Answered 2 Nov 2026 · Facts as of 2 Nov 2026
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Ask our team about your own dates and family — no obligation.
From October 2026 to about September 2027 the ship sails the Mediterranean, with 6- to 8-night cruises from Istanbul and Alexandria along the Turkish coast, and some longer summer voyages. Reports say it returns to the Red Sea, sailing from Jeddah, after that. Dates are set by the cruise line and can change.
Yes. AROYA keeps running its 7-night Mediterranean cruises through Ramadan 2027, which is expected to begin around 8 February. Booking sites list departures from Istanbul on 27 February and 6 March, and from Alexandria on 2 March. No special Ramadan programme has been announced for 2027, so we check suhoor and iftar times for your sailing.
Yes. Eid al-Fitr 2027 is expected on about 9 or 10 March. Booking sites list a 7-night AROYA sailing from Istanbul on 6 March, at sea over Eid, and another on 13 March for families who pray Eid at home first. Dates are set by the cruise line, so we confirm them for you.
Not from a UK port. The closest fully alcohol-free option is AROYA, which sails from Istanbul, about four hours' direct flight from London, Manchester or Birmingham, until about September 2027. British families usually fly to Istanbul, spend a night or two in the city, then board.
Yes. Until about September 2027, AROYA sails from Istanbul and Alexandria, so the cruise is its own leg: Umrah in Makkah and Madinah, then a flight to Istanbul for a week at sea, or the other way round. When AROYA is back in the Red Sea from Jeddah, the cruise fits between Makkah and Madinah without extra flights.