Multiple Cruise Lines Cancel Arabian Gulf Cruises

Several major cruise lines have pulled the plug on their Arabian Gulf seasons. Security concerns and regional challenges are behind the wave of cancellations affecting the 2025-26 winter deployments.

Arabian Gulf Cruise Cancellations: What You Need to Know

Multiple cruise lines have ended their winter seasons in the Middle East early. This affects thousands of passengers who had planned cruises in the region.

MSC Cruises Cancels Remaining Sailings

MSC Cruises had five more departures planned in the Arabian Gulf through early April. The line cancelled all of them. The MSC Euribia was set to visit the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain on those trips.

In its cancellation statement, MSC said the decision was made “to prioritize the safety and well-being of its guests and crew while following the guidance of the regional military authorities.”

Celestyal Cruises Faces Double Impact

Celestyal Cruises had two ships in the region — the Celestyal Journey and the Celestyal Discovery. Both ships are now stuck in the Arabian Gulf. This has caused a ripple effect, forcing the line to cancel its first Eastern Mediterranean cruises of the season too.

Celestyal said it is “still in the process of finalizing operational arrangements” for moving its ships back to Europe.

TUI Cruises Pulls Two Ships

TUI Cruises also had two ships operating in the area. The Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 are both affected. The German cruise line pointed to travel and safety warnings from the German Foreign Office as the reason for stopping sailings.

All Mein Schiff 4 cruises through March 23, 2026, are cancelled. Mein Schiff 5 cruises are cancelled through March 12, 2026.

Aroya Cruises Ends Its Entire Season

Aroya Cruises went further than the others. The line cancelled its entire 2025-26 Arabian Gulf season. The ship had only arrived in the United Arab Emirates in late February and was supposed to sail through early May.

The company said the decision was related to “ongoing regional operational considerations” and was made in coordination with maritime and national authorities.

Costa and AIDA Had Already Pulled Out

Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises saw this coming earlier. Both lines cancelled their Arabian Gulf seasons back in mid-2025. They had planned to operate the Costa Toscana and AIDAprima in the region from November 2025 through March 2026.

The two Carnival-owned brands said the situation in the region was fluid. They wanted to give their guests certainty as early as possible.

What This Means for Cruise Travelers

If you had a cruise booked with any of these lines in the Arabian Gulf, expect to hear from your cruise line directly. Affected passengers should watch their email for details about refunds or rebooking options. It’s a good idea to check the cruise line’s website for the most current updates on your specific sailing.