A complete of six cruise ships stay caught within the Center East, which has become a warfare zone following the joint US and Israeli assault on Iran on February 28, 2026. The state of affairs has solely escalated, with Iran retaliating violently.
Vessels can’t sail to safer waters with out coming into the Strait of Hormuz, which is dangerously near Iran and is at present closed to delivery.
Present company additionally stay caught onboard as assaults on airports and airspace closures make flying dwelling unimaginable, by means of the impacted cruise strains are working to safe protected transport to get them dwelling.
These are the newest updates for the impacted cruise ships as of March 3, 2026, and Cruise Hive will proceed to share extra data because it turns into out there.
MSC Cruises
MSC Euribia stays hunkered down in Dubai, the place it was initially solely scheduled to go to from February 27 to twenty-eight.
Whereas the cruise line initially took a wait-and-see strategy to the battle, it has now cancelled all remaining sailings from Dubai.
This consists of the 7-night sailings scheduled to embark on March 7, March 14, March 21, and March 28, in addition to shorter segments from Doha and Abu Dhabi that may have been operated inside these voyages.
The cancelled itineraries would have visited Kalifa Bin Salman, Bahrain; Sir Bani Yas Island, a personal island vacation spot within the UAE; in addition to Doha and Abu Dhabi.
“Following the sudden safety occasions that started this Saturday within the Center East, we should cancel your upcoming cruise,” the cruise line mentioned in a letter to booked company, which was obtained by Cruise Hive. “Your security and wellbeing are all the time our highest precedence.”
At the moment, it’s unclear when the 6,327-guest ship will be capable to safely go away Dubai or when and the way the passengers that stay onboard shall be helped dwelling.
The 183,500-gross ton ship is predicted to renew regular operations along with her upcoming Europe season, which begins on Could 2 in Kiel, Germany.
TUI Cruises
This cruise line has not one, however two ships which were impacted by the assaults on Iran.
When the battle escalated, Mein Schiff 4 was in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Mein Schiff 5 was in Doha, Qatar, which is the place they continue to be. Each ships ought to have been working a number of Center Japanese itineraries concurrently.
As of March 3, 2026, the cruise line has issued extra cancellations and an replace on how passengers will go dwelling.
Given the escalating state of affairs, TUI has now cancelled the March 3, March 8, and March 9 sailings for Mein Schiff 4, which had preciously scrapped its March 1 and March 2 departures.
Equally, Mein Schiff 5 has now cancelled its March 5 crusing, which is along with the cancellation of its February 28 departure.
It additionally doesn’t assist that present company nonetheless want a technique to be safely disembarked earlier than crew members may even take into consideration welcoming new passengers onboard.
The necessity to disembark present company is being felt with elevated urgency following a scare in Abu Dhabi on March 1, when a missile crashed in Port Zayed close to the two,506-guest ship.
To the aid of all concerned, TUI has begun arranging flights dwelling for the 1000’s of impacted passengers, which shall be a gradual course of given very restricted flight availability.
As a primary step, some passengers from Mein Schiff 4 are being transferred from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, the place the Dubai Worldwide Airport has resumed operations at an especially restricted capability.
A household hotline has additionally been established for family members on land to inquire about their kin and to obtain real-time updates.
Celestyal Cruises
Just like MSC Cruises, Celestyal Cruises is taking a wait-and-see strategy for its ships based mostly within the Persian Gulf.
The cruise line has determined that Celestyal Journey will keep put in Doha and Celestyal Discovery will hunker down in Dubai for a minimum of 24 hours whereas the powers that be work out the most secure subsequent steps.
“We’re intently monitoring the evolving state of affairs within the Center East in coordination with the related authorities…Each ships will stay in port for twenty-four hours whereas the state of affairs is assessed,” Celestyal Cruises acknowledged.
Friends with upcoming embarkations have additionally been advised to look out for communication concerning potential delays and cancellations.
The 1,260-guest Celestyal Journey had embarkations for 7-night sailings scheduled for February 28 and March 2, which aren’t potential.
Celestyal Discovery, which has a capability of 1,360 passengers, was supposed to start a 7-night crusing in Dubai on February 28 and a 4-night crusing from Abu Dhabi on March 2. These sailings have, understandably, been cancelled.
As of March 1, the preliminary 24 hours in port has expanded to a full week, a minimum of for Celestyal Journey. Nevertheless, company might select to disembark sooner in the event that they really feel they will accomplish that safely.
“Celestyal Journey will stay alongside in Doha till March 7. Topic to working circumstances, we then plan to renew our scheduled Desert Days itinerary,” Celestyal Cruises shared on social media.
“Friends at present onboard might select to stay on Journey till March 7 or disembark in Doha within the interim.”
A timeline has not but been decided for Celestyal Discovery, and company are nonetheless not permitted to disembark.
“Celestyal Discovery is at present alongside in Dubai. At current, according to directions from native authorities, we’re unable to disembark company,” the cruise line added.
Help shall be offered to all impacted company, and cruisers on cancelled sailings will obtain full refunds or a future cruise credit score to reschedule.
Aroya Cruises
Aroya Cruises is a smaller, Arabian cruise model that at present operates one vessel, Aroya Manara, out of Abu Dhabi, Doha Qatar, and Dubai.
Whereas the cruise line has not issued any official itinerary adjustments or cancellations simply but, company have been warned that updates could also be coming very quickly.
“The security of our company is our absolute precedence…We are going to preserve you knowledgeable of any additional updates or adjustments,” the cruise line mentioned in a social media publish.
As of the time of publication, cruise monitoring knowledge exhibits the three,362-guest ship hunkered down in Dubai with MSC Euribia and Celestyal Discovery.
Saga Cruises
The small-ship cruise line doesn’t at present have any vessels caught within the Center East, however nonetheless issued its personal pledge to security to reassure company.
The boutique model does sometimes function cruises and excursions that embody Jordan, which continues to be too near the battle for consolation and shall be skipped.
“Additional to the disruption within the Center East, we want to reassure you that the security and wellbeing of our clients if of paramount significance,” Saga Cruises mentioned in a March 3 replace.
“All our holidays are working as regular excluding Jordan, which has been modified to all however important journey as per revised FCDO International Workplace recommendation,” the replace famous.
Friends who had been supposed to go to Jordan shall be contacted to debate their journey preparations, beginning with the soonest departure date and dealing down the listing.
Extra Updates to Come
The state of affairs within the Center East continues to be very tense and unsure, and extra adjustments and cancellations are prone to come for cruise ships deployed to this area.
Friends who’re at present onboard impacted ships or are planning to embark quickly ought to comply with the directions of the related authorities and look out for updates from their cruise line.
Cruise Hive will proceed to maintain our readers knowledgeable as extra data turns into identified, and we’re wishing everybody who has been impacted by security of their travels.
