Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, stated that, as of now, the government has no official plans regarding the organization of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages via sea routes. However, he did not rule out the possibility of exploring the idea in the future, provided that supporting infrastructure and regulations are in place.
“I believe there is currently no agenda to use sea routes for Hajj because time and cost considerations have never been formally discussed. We’ll see if the Hajj Organizing Agency initiates a specific discussion on this matter,” said Minister Nasaruddin Umar in an official statement, as reported by Infopublik.id on Friday .
His remarks were in response to the idea of performing Umrah aboard a cruise ship, presented during the launch of The State of Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) Report 2024/2025 at the Bappenas Building on July 8, 2025. On that occasion, Chairman of the Indonesia Halal Lifestyle Center, Sapta Nirwandar, introduced the concept of Umrah travel on a luxury cruise ship.
The Minister acknowledged that the idea has promising potential, especially in terms of expanding access and introducing innovation in pilgrimage services. He also noted that the Indonesian government had previously discussed with Saudi officials the possibility of developing port access in Jeddah for Southeast Asian pilgrims.
Also Read: Taiwan Promotes Muslim-Friendly Tourism, Highlights Services at Jakarta’s International Islamic Expo
“We recently discussed with several officials in Saudi Arabia about this possibility, and the opportunity is open—not only for countries near Jeddah such as Egypt, but also for Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and other parts of Asia,” he explained.
On the other hand, Sapta Nirwandar revealed that Malaysian cruise company IslamiCruise has scheduled a Umrah voyage aboard the Costa Serena, departing on January 5, 2026. The journey will pass through Port Klang – Banda Aceh – Maldives – Oman – and conclude in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with an estimated cost of IDR 60 million (approximately USD 3.700) per person.
“My grandfather once spent four months traveling by sea from Lampung to Mecca. Now, it’s only 12 nights on a cruise depart by ship, return by plane,” Sapta said.
While the concept is technically feasible, the Religious Affairs Minister emphasized that sea-based routes for Hajj and Umrah are not yet part of the government’s official policy. He stressed the need for further studies and regulatory preparedness from both Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Transjakarta Uses AI to Boost Ridership
“This scheme has not yet been a subject of detailed government discussion. Further talks are still needed among relevant stakeholders,” the Minister concluded. [Nia]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
Also Read: Last Batch of Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Depart from Madinah
Mina Indonesia
Mina Arabic
Mina Sport