Cruise passengers are being hit by further disruption following the Israeli-US attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes in the Middle East, as boutique operator Celestyal has announced two cancelled sailings, with some guests still stranded in the Gulf region.
The cruise line’s only two vessels, Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey, were both sailing itineraries in the Arabian Gulf when the current military crisis began on 28 February 2026. The ships are now moored in Dubai and Doha, respectively. In a 9 March travel update, Celestyal confirmed that all passengers who were aboard the Discovery at the time of the first attacks had already safely disembarked in the city state, and that disembarkation would be completed for the last remaining guests on Celestyal Journey “over the next 24 hours.”
The firm also confirmed that “both vessels remain fully operational and ready to sail. Their departure from the region will take place in line with guidance from the relevant authorities.” However, it added: “Given the current situation, we have taken the decision to cancel the 20 March (3-night Iconic Aegean) and 23 March (4-night Iconic Aegean) sailings operated by Celestyal Discovery, while we finalise operational arrangements for the ship’s repositioning to the Mediterranean ahead of the summer season.”
Customers booked on the affected sailings can choose how they are recompensed for the inconvenience of the cancellation. They “will be offered the option of a full refund or a future cruise credit,” Celestyal said, urging guests to “contact their original travel provider to discuss the available options and next steps.” The cruise line also sought to reassure its customers, saying: “We continue to follow developments closely and remain focused on resuming our planned programme as soon as possible. We sincerely thank our guests and valued partners for their patience and understanding.”
Celestyal is not the only cruise line whose sailings have been disrupted by the security situation. MSC’s Euribia is also anchored in Dubai, and the final three departures of its winter programme, scheduled for 14, 21 and 28 March 2026, have been written off. It is not due to sail its next itinerary until May in the Norwegian fjords, so MSC has more time in which to decide on its next move.
A key problem is the Strait of Hormuz, closed to shipping since the crisis began. Facing Iran and rounding the Musandam Peninsula, the strait lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, providing the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the ocean. In a statement on 12 March 2026, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the previous leader killed by US-Israeli air strikes, vowed that the Islamic Republic would continue to use the “lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz” despite claiming a policy of “friendship” with its Gulf neighbours.
