IslamiCruise International Sdn Bhd (IslamiCruise International), the pioneer of the Islamic cruise experience in the world, has positioned itself to bringing over 6,000 tourists into Malaysia through the IslamiCruise Malaysia-Saudia come January 2026.

This planned two-way voyage between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia is the result of a collaboration between IslamiCruise and Aroya Cruises, a state-owned Saudi Arabian cruise company. The founder of IslamiCruise International, Suhaimi Abd Ghafer, is expecting 70 percent of the 6,000 tourists to be foreign tourists, thus enabling their target of bringing more tourists to Malaysia in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

“As a player in the Malaysian and global Islamic tourism industry, we are confident that our uniqueness and speciality will be able to market Malaysia as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination to tourists from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, not to mention those from Europe and South East Asia,” he elaborated during the launch of IslamiCruise Malaysia-Saudia recently.

Deputy Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was present to launch this momentous milestone between the Saudi Arabian and Malaysian governments. This collaboration, which had actually been signed back in 11 August 2024, is IslamiCruise’s fifth strategic partnership since it blazed the Islamic tourism industry with its Islamic cruise concept 10 years ago. Since then, IslamiCruise has taken over 10,000 travellers over 52 series of cruise voyages.

This Malaysia-Saudia cruise is also a truly momentous one as it would be the single longest chartered cruise voyage that sails for 26 consecutive nights.

Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi shared his pride over IslamiCruise’s milestone and hopes that it would open the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 on a good footing.

“IslamiCruise’s achievements is also representative of the Madani Government’s desire to make Malaysia a prime destination throughout 2026, where we are targeting an influx of over 35.6 million tourists that is hoped to generate over RM147.1 billion for the country,” he elaborated.

The Malaysia-Saudia cruise will see its travellers stop at four attractive locations – Salalah in Oman, Male in Maldives, and Banda Acheh in Indonesia throughout its voyage between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. It has been curated as a unique and special halal and toyyiban experience – a spiritual holiday filled with Muslim-friendly activities and content such as congregated prayer sessions, knowledge events, on top of cruise entertainment offerings such as live shows and recreational activities.

Established back in 2014, IslamiCruise International Sdn Bhd is the world’s first Halal-certified cruise, redefining Muslim-friendly travel with its innovative approach. Designed to cater to global travellers, IslamiCruise delivers a seamless experience tailored to the needs of modern Muslim travellers. The cruise features Halal-certified cuisine and a fully Shariah-compliant environment, including Qibla-facing prayer facilities, religious lectures, and spiritual activities.

With a breathtaking track record of over 50 successful voyages to stunning destinations such as Phuket (Thailand), Banda Aceh (Indonesia), Ha Long Bay (Vietnam), and Singapore, IslamiCruise has catered to travellers from over 15 countries. Being a pioneer in the Halal tourism, the company sets a global benchmark by blending religious adherence with world-class exploration, driving new standards in the cruise and Halal travel industries.