Thousands of cruise ship passengers are stranded in Gulf ports due to regional tensions and safety concerns in the Strait of Hormuz, causing panic and a large-scale operational crisis. Emergency protocols forced captains to suspend itineraries due to risks in the strait and increased insurance costs. At least six ships from major companies are immobilized in Gulf ports.
According to the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization via AFP, 15,000 cruise passengers are stuck in the region with ships from MSC, TUI, Celestyal, and AROYA docked in key ports. The affected cruise companies include MSC Cruises, Celestyal Cruises, AROYA Cruises, and TUI Cruises. Passengers are panicking, losing patience, and fear being stranded without basic services like food and water.
MSC Euribia remains docked in Dubai under strict security measures, with embarkations suspended. MSC Cruises has organized repatriation flights for over 1,500 passengers from MSC Euribia, with flights to the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, the US, and Brazil. According to Marie France, Sophie Ferreira described being stuck on MSC Euribia in Dubai since 28 February, with the ship closing on 12 March and no help from French authorities.
Celestyal confirmed its ships are in the Gulf, with Celestyal Discovery in Dubai and Celestyal Journey in Doha, and passengers safely disembarked in Dubai. The company said remaining guests on Celestyal Journey will leave in Qatar over the next 24 hours, both vessels are operational and ready to sail, and departures will follow authorities' guidance. Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery have had departures cancelled and are under supervision in regional ports.
I have been stuck on MSC Euribia in Dubai since 28 February, with the ship closing on 12 March and no help from French authorities.
Celestyal cancelled two 'Iconic Aegean' cruises in March due to the disruption, offering refunds or future cruise credits, according to major media reports from six sources. AROYA Cruises cancelled the remainder of its Arabian Gulf winter season, with all passengers safely disembarked in Dubai on 7 March, according to the company. For TUI Cruises, Mein Schiff 4 is currently docked in Abu Dhabi, UAE, while Mein Schiff 5 is in Doha, Qatar, according to research from three sources.
A statement from TUI Cruises on March 17, 2026, confirms cancellations for Mein Schiff 4 up to March 23 and Mein Schiff 5 up to March 29. These ships accommodate 2,506 and 2,534 guests respectively, based on research from three sources. All guests and many crew members have disembarked Mein Schiff 5 and are en route to their home destinations, according to research from three sources.
TUI Cruises stated that the primary objective remains the safety and well-being of the remaining crew on board Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5. The company's crisis management team is working with authorities to assess the situation and prepare scenarios to resume itineraries, according to research from three sources. The strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz remains off limits as the US-Israeli war against Iran continues, based on research from three sources.
Cruise travel has been affected due to US-Israel attacked Iran, according to research from three sources. The ships would have to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to reach safer waters, according to research from three sources, but the industry is waiting for safe corridors to allow evacuation or repositioning of fleets to less compromised international waters. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a surge in oil prices and potential shortages, according to major media reports from six sources.
We are the only French on the boat, with no accommodation or repatriation solutions, and children aged 4 to 15.
Iranian strikes led to flight cancellations by airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad, based on major media reports from six sources. Families have described terrifying scenes as missile interceptions lit up the skies above Dubai, hotels were evacuated and airports descended into confusion as flights were cancelled without warning. Passengers and crews are unable to leave the ships, which have become floating hotels, after escalating hostilities raised fears over safety in the Strait of Hormuz, according to research from three sources.
Thousands of travellers and crew are stranded in the ports of Dubai and Doha, with no viable exit routes or 'safe corridors' open at the moment, based on research from three sources. Operational challenges persist as ships are unable to reach safer waters through the Strait of Hormuz, awaiting safe corridors. TUI Cruises is based in Hamburg, Germany, and caters to the German market, with TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Group each owning a 50% stake, according to research from three sources.
The company cited regional hostilities and the German Foreign Office's travel warnings, which include 11 Middle East destinations, based on research from three sources. Mein Schiff 4 was due to sail from Dubai on March 22 on a 20-day voyage to Cape Town, with scheduled port calls, according to research from three sources. The timing of the crisis is particularly sensitive for Indian cruise travellers, with March typically being a critical booking window for summer departures, based on research from three sources.
What specific safety assessments led to the strait's closure and how long passengers will remain stranded are key unknowns. The exact numbers of passengers and crew on board each ship and how their basic needs are being met have not been confirmed, nor have the full financial impacts on cruise lines.