Thousands Of Passengers Stranded On Six Cruise Ships In Middle East As Military Action Escalates

Thousands of cruise passengers remain stranded aboard six ships docked in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha after Middle East military tensions shut down airspace and halted sailings.

Cruise operators have suspended departures as vessels are unable to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz, the only maritime exit from the Persian Gulf.

The crisis has forced ships from TUI Cruises, MSC Cruises, Celestyal Cruises and Aroya Cruises to remain docked at major Gulf ports. The disruption has raised concerns over passenger return plans and possible delays to upcoming European cruise schedules.

A total of six cruise ships are currently unable to depart Gulf ports:

Mein Schiff 4 (99,500 gross tons, built 2015) – docked in Abu Dhabi

Mein Schiff 5 (98,800 gross tons, built 2016) – docked in Doha

MSC Euribia (184,000 gross tons, built 2023) – docked in Dubai

Aroya (151,000 gross tons, built 2017) – docked in Dubai

Celestyal Journey (55,900 gross tons, built 1994) – docked in Dubai

Celestyal Discovery (43,000 gross tons, built 2003) – docked in Dubai

Airspace across several Middle Eastern countries has been suspended indefinitely. Fully laden cruise ships are also considered at risk navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, particularly after Iran warned that no vessel would be allowed to pass.

Passengers who were due to disembark are still onboard, as cruise lines wait for airlines to confirm return flights.

The disruption began after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on February 28 that the United States had joined Israel in military action against Iran.

Iran later launched drone and missile strikes across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.

Passengers aboard one of TUI’s vessels in Abu Dhabi reportedly observed a missile strike hitting waters not far from the ship. As a precaution, some ships have confined guests to interior areas.

Regional authorities have not cleared vessels for Gulf transit. The Strait of Hormuz remains the only sea passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and open ocean routes.

TUI Cruises stated it is closely monitoring developments and coordinating with authorities and airline partners to arrange safe repatriation. The company said guests would remain onboard until reliable return flights are confirmed.

MSC Cruises confirmed that MSC Euribia remains docked in Dubai under guidance from regional U.S. military authorities. The company said conditions onboard remain calm and services continue as normal.

Celestyal Cruises indicated that Dubai authorities have restricted passenger disembarkation due to airport congestion. However, in Doha, guests aboard Celestyal Journey have been permitted to either stay onboard or disembark locally.

No formal repatriation plan has been announced for passengers aboard any of the six vessels.

March marks the end of the Middle East cruise season. Several of the stranded ships are scheduled to reposition to European waters within weeks to begin heavily booked summer itineraries.

A prolonged delay could disrupt European cruise schedules, particularly for smaller operators such as Celestyal Cruises and Aroya Cruises, whose entire fleets are currently positioned in the Gulf.

Cruise lines are likely to incur significant costs arranging repatriation flights and refunding cancelled sailings.

The closure of Middle East airspace has also affected cruise operations in Southeast Asia and Australia, where many international passengers rely on Gulf-based airlines for connections.

Reference: People

Source: Maritime Shipping News