Tag Archives: Celestyal Journey

Six Cruise Ships Remain Stuck in the Arabian Gulf

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Six Cruise Ships Remain Stuck in the Arabian Gulf

Six cruise ships remain stuck in the Arabian Gulf after their operations in the region were halted in late February.

With the Strait of Hormuz virtually closed to international maritime traffic, the vessels are unable to leave the area and start repositioning voyages to other parts of the world.

MSC Euribia
Cruise Line: MSC Cruises

Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: May 2, 2026, from Kiel, Germany
Upcoming Itineraries: Northern Europe and Scandinavia

Docked at the port of Dubai since February 27, 2026, the MSC Euribia is scheduled to resume service in Northern Europe on May 2, 2026.

As the largest ship currently in the Arabian Gulf, the 5,400-passenger vessel is set to spend the summer offering seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords departing from Germany and Denmark.

Celestyal Journey
Cruise Line: Celestyal Cruises
Current Location: Doha, Qatar
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 4, 2026, from Piraeus, Greece
Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands

While all passengers were able to safely disembark the ship earlier this month, the Celestyal Journey remains docked in Doha, Qatar.

The 1993-built vessel is so far scheduled to embark on a repositioning voyage to Greece ahead of kicking off a series of itineraries to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands on April 4, 2026.

Celestyal Discovery
Cruise Line: Celestyal Cruises
Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 3, 2026, from Lavrion, Greece
Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands

Set to spend the summer in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Celestyal Discovery is another ship currently docked at the port of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

After having four of its sailings in Europe cancelled due to the situation, the 1,360-passenger ship is currently scheduled to welcome guests back on April 3, 2026, in Lavrion, Greece.

Mein Schiff 4
Cruise Line: TUI Cruises
Current Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 11, 2026, from Cape Town, South Africa
Upcoming Itineraries: Repositioning voyage via Africa, followed by summer in the Eastern Mediterranean

The Mein Schiff 4 from TUI Cruises is currently docked at the port of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

While the first leg of its repositioning cruise was cancelled earlier this month, the vessel is still scheduled to offer the second segment of its voyage.

Sailing from South Africa to Spain, the 20-night cruise is set to depart from Cape Town on April 11, 2026, and will be followed by a summer season in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mein Schiff 5
Cruise Line: TUI Cruises
Current Location: Doha, Qatar
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 17, 2026, from Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean, Greek Islands and Turkey

The Mein Schiff 5 is also stranded in the Arabian Gulf after the remainder of its season in the region was cancelled in late February.

Currently docked in Doha, the 2,500-passenger ship had its repositioning voyages cancelled and is now scheduled to welcome guests back in Spain on April 17, 2026.

Aroya
Cruise Line: Aroya Cruises
Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: May 14, 2026, from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Upcoming Itineraries: Spring Season in the Red Sea followed by summer in the Eastern Mediterranean

Initially set to operate in the region between February and May, the Aroya completes the lineup of cruise ships in the Arabian Gulf.

Docked in Dubai, the Aroya Cruises vessel is slated to resume revenue service on May 14, kicking off a spring season in the Red Sea with itineraries departing from Saudi Arabia.

MSC Cruises working with airlines to ‘speed up repatriation process’ as US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue

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MSC Cruises working with airlines to ‘speed up repatriation process’ as US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue

MSC Cruises’ MSC Euribia ship arrives into Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2023 (Credit: MSC Cruises)

Celestyal has cancelled four Middle East departures due to the geopolitical situation in the region while MSC Cruises has confirmed it is working with airlines to offer charter flights to speed up repatriation of its passengers.

The 1,260-passenger Celestyal Journey ship was due to welcome guests in Doha, Qatar, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates between 7 and 16 March.

However, the line issued a statement on Wednesday (4 March), saying: “We continue to follow developments in the Middle East and remain in regular contact with the relevant authorities.

“Throughout this period, our focus has been and continues to be the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew.

“Considering the current geopolitical situation in the region, we have taken the decision to cancel the following scheduled departures on Celestyal Journey: 7 and 14 March from Doha and 9 and 16 March from Dubai. 

“Guests impacted by the line’s decision will be offered a full refund or a future cruise credit.”

The line confirmed the cancellation of these sailings means the Arabian Gulf programme will now conclude. Subject to operational conditions, Celestyal Journey and sister ship Celestyal Discovery will reposition to Athens to begin their scheduled programme in the Mediterranean.

The line added: “We sincerely thank our guests and partners for their patience and understanding during this evolving situation.” 

Tui Cruises, one of the three other lines with capacity currently in the Middle East, confirmed it was “continuing to monitor development in the Middle East very closely”.

Its guests remain onboard Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 and operations on both vessels continue “running normally”, the German cruise brand said.

Cruises on 5 March and 9 March have been cancelled, in line with advice issued by the German Foreign Office.

A Tui Cruises spokesperson added: “The top priority is and remains the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew.

“The Tui Cruises crisis management team is working continuously and in close coordination with the relevant authorities, the German Foreign Office, the relevant embassies, international security experts and the security teams of our shareholders, Tui AG and the Royal Caribbean Group, to continuously assess the situation and the measures to be taken as a result.”

MSC Cruises working with airlines

MSC Cruises ship MSC Euribia is currently docked in Dubai. The line issued a statement on Wednesday (4 March), saying: “MSC Cruises is working continuously with airline partners in the region, particularly Emirates and Etihad Airways, to identify and secure return flights for our guests.

“We are requesting priority for our guests from our partners. At present, airlines operating flights have indicated that they will follow an order of priority based on the original flight date.

“In order to speed up the repatriation, we are working on other options such as chartering flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Muscat.

“In parallel we are in constant contact with local authorities, embassies and Foreign Offices to also support the safe return of our guests.”

It added: “The situation on board remains calm. We are providing guests with regular updates on the situation. They have full access to all onboard services and facilities, and we continue to provide a high standard of care, comfort and support.”

Meanwhile, a Scenic spokesperson told TTG: “Our priority at this time is supporting our guests and their travel arrangements, and we can confirm we have no ships operating in the Middle East region. Our thoughts are with the impacted communities and travellers across the region.”

Celestyal Acquires AIDAaura; To Sail as Celestyal Discovery

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Celestyal has confirmed the acquisition of a second new vessel this year as the Celestyal Discovery follows the recent arrival of the Celestyal Journey, signaling a fleet refresh and further commitment to significant investment into the customer proposition, the company said.

The Celestyal Discovery will now join the Celestyal Journey in Athens, where they will both undergo multimillion-euro winter refurbishment programs ahead of the new season, which starts in 2024.

The Discovery takes over the Olympia’s program starting next March. Cruises will go on sale in December.

Built in 2003 for the Carnival Corporation, the ship has been sailing for the AIDA Cruise brand throughout her career to date.

The company said that the Celestyal Discovery is a mid-sized vessel, allowing Celestyal to continue offering its signature unique blend of marquee destinations and more secluded gems that characterize the company’s itineraries. She offers 633 staterooms, 62 of which feature balconies, in total accommodating up to 1,266 guests.

“Given strong market and business conditions, we are thrilled to have expedited the renewal of our fleet to welcome the Celestyal Discovery into the Celestyal family,” said Chris Theophilides, CEO. “Celestyal Discovery joins the Celestyal Journey to undergo an extensive refurbishment program over the winter period, signifying further our intent to keep delighting our customers. As a confident challenger brand, our team is excited to continue to make waves across the industry next season, with a refreshed fleet, brand, network, and a renewed sense of direction.”

North America Push

“The new Celestyal Discovery is a significant upgrade from the Olympia, in both guest-facing spaces and below deck,” said Brandon Townsley, vice president and managing director, North America. “It offers a variety of restaurant outlets, entertainment spaces, and we are very excited about the conference and meeting facilities it offers.”

The ship also has a better mix of premium accommodations and 62 balcony cabins, Townsley told Cruise Industry News, noting that per diems should be on the rise with the more modern ship.

The new Discovery joins the Celestyal Journey, which replaced the older Crystal earlier this year, marking a quick complete fleet transformation for the brand.

“It’s a testament to the efforts and initiatives to position the brand as a small, premium ship experience with upgraded hardware and an upgraded range of accommodations,” said Townsley.