Cruise Saudi has emerged as the purchaser of the enormous cruise ship World Dream (built-in 2017) owned by Genting Hong Kong, which TradeWinds said had been sold at auction in Singapore on Monday.

The 150,700-gt cruise ship, which was delivered to Cruise Saudi on February 28th, reportedly underwent a name change to Manara during the previous week, according to sources in the Singaporean cruise business.

By collaborating with the nation's ministries and regulatory bodies to develop the offshore and onshore cruise ecosystem, Cruise Saudi, which is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, is attempting to establish Saudi Arabia as a major cruise destination.

The purchase was revealed in a media release on Thursday by the organization's chief executive, Lars Clasen, a seasoned businessman who has held management positions with organizations like The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and AIDA Cruises.

According to Clasen, the purchase of the World Dream was consistent with the firm's strategy and direction to establish and grow the cruise business in Saudi Arabia.

"The ship has undergone a renovation and has been renamed to reflect its new ownership," he stated.

Clasen said that additional information regarding Cruise Saudi's plans for its maiden cruise ship would be released at a later time.

The ship's technical management has been transferred to Columbia Cruise Services from V.Ships Leisure, according to the vessel database of DNV, which certifies the vessel. V.Ships Leisure had been in charge of the ship during her lay-up following its arrest by KfW IPEX-Bank in March 2022.