Following US and Israeli attacks on Iran and reprisal strikes in the Middle East and Arabian Gulf, cruise lines are cancelling and rerouting itineraries to take the escalating military tensions into account and keep passengers safe.
TUI Cruises kept passengers on board Mein Schiff 4 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Mein Schiff 5 in Doha, Qatar, instead of allowing disembarkation for excursions. TUI said in a statement it is “monitoring the situation very closely” and is “in constant contact with the relevant authorities as well as the security departments of our parent companies, TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Group.” Sailings scheduled for both ships in early March have been suspended for safety reasons.
Similarly, MSC’s Euribia and Celestyal Cruises’ Discovery are being held at Dubai port. In a safety measure agreed “with the national authorities, it has been decided to remain in the port of Dubai until further notice,” MSC wrote in a letter to impacted guests, which was seen by Cruise Hive. Passengers are permitted ashore but are urged to remain in the cruise terminal area for their own safety. At the time of writing, the Celestyal Journey is supposed to be sheltering in Doha, though one cruise tracker shows it off the Iranian coast at Asaluyeh.
According to Vessel Finder, Jeddah-headquartered Aroya Cruises’ one ship, the Aroya Manara, arrived at Dubai / Port Rashid, UAE on 28 Feb at around 21:30 UTC. Updates on its next movements are due, and the cruise line has said, “The safety of our guests is our absolute priority.”
Drone attacks and missile strikes have taken place across the gulf region and commercial aviation in the region has been severely impacted by airspace closures and flight cancellations. This means thousands of holidaymakers, including cruise guests and passengers are for now largely stranded. They are being advised in various government travel advisories to shelter in place where possible, whether on board ship or in other accommodation, to stay away from windows, and to follow the instructions of ship crews or local authorities. They should also keep themselves informed about their options by signing up for consular alerts and cruise company updates as appropriate.
@traveling_mom24 #dubaicruise #msceuribia #war #middleeast #msccruises ♬ original sound – The Globetrotter
A number of high-profile individuals are among those who find themselves affected by the situation. Italian carrier ITA Airways said it had suspended flights to and from Dubai until Sunday. According to Reuters, as a result, Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto was reportedly stuck in Dubai, where he had gone to meet his family on holiday over the weekend. Also in Dubai, former Miss France Elodie Gossuin issued a tearful plea for advice on social media, asking about the safest places to shelter with her husband and children after witnessing “intercepted missiles, drone strikes and you don’t know if it’s going to explode.”
