Tag Archives: Middle East

AIDA Cruises Cancels 2025-26 Season in the Middle East

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AIDA Cruises Cancels 2025-26 Season in the Middle East

AIDA Cruises is cancelling its 2025-26 season in the Middle East due to security concerns in the region.

It impacts sailings set to take place on the AIDAprima between October 3, 2025, and March 25, 2026.

In a statement sent to booked guests, the company noted that the vessel will now sail in Northern Europe and the Atlantic Islands during this timeframe.

“With this decision, the company wants to provide its guests with reliable clarity about their vacation trips in the coming winter season as early as possible. At the same time, the safety of guests and crew is our top priority,” AIDA reportedly said.

In addition, cruise lines are said to be concerned about transit time around Africa if they cannot transit the Suez Canal.

The company also noted that the safety of its guests and crew is a top priority, adding that the “situation in the Middle East cannot currently be reliably assessed for the foreseeable future.”

The new itineraries will sail from Kiel and Hamburg, visiting destinations in the North and Baltic Seas, as well as the Canary Islands.

Bookings for the new AIDAprima sailings will open on July 30, 2025, cruisetricks.de reported.

Affected guests are being offered rebooking alternatives, in addition to a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) valued at ten per cent of the fare paid for the cancelled cruises.

AIDA had been offering itineraries in the Middle East for nearly two decades.

Excluding the pandemic years, the company’s 2025-26 season will be the first without a ship sailing from UAE ports.

AIDA first introduced itineraries in the region during the winter of 2006-07, with the AIDAcara offering weeklong cruises from Dubai.

Other ships that sailed in the region over the years include the AIDAdiva, the AIDAblu, the AIDAstella, the AIDAprima and the AIDAnova.

With the AIDAprima repositioning to Northern Europe and the Canaries, AIDA also cancelled some sailings that were scheduled to take place onboard the AIDAbella in early 2026.

Virgin Voyages Repositioning Update: Ship Heading Around Africa

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Virgin Voyages is making deployment changes for the upcoming repositioning voyage for the Resilient Lady. The vessel will now sail from Australia to Europe, heading around Africa, and not transiting through the Middle East.

“We remain concerned about potential escalations in this part of the world over the next 12 months and the risk that this presents for safe passage through the region. As a result, we have been left with no choice but to make changes to Resilient Lady’s repositioning voyage taking place on March 27,” the company said.

“In place of her former repositioning voyages, the award-winning Resilient Lady will now be departing from Sydney, embarking on an iconic, once-in-a-lifetime sailing around the coast of Africa with a brand new route stopping in Eden and Fremantle (Perth) in Australia, Port Louis (Mauritius Islands), Durban and Cape Town (South Africa), Walvis Bay (Namibia), Praia (Cape Verde), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain), Casablanca (Morocco), Barcelona (Spain), Valletta (Malta), as well as Santorini and Piraeus (Athens) in Greece — all with extended time at sea,” the company said.

“All passengers on these former three legs of the repositioning voyages will have guaranteed spots on these sailings at no additional cost and a price protection commitment in place. If these dates are not convenient, they can receive a Future Voyage Credit based on their paid balance or a full refund. We know that based on our conversations with passengers and travel partners, they understand the complex geopolitical challenges that have arisen making this change necessary. In addition to this, we are committed to remaining a good partner to our First Mates (travel advisors) and will be protecting their commissions.

“With the very likely continuation of this escalated regional conflict top-of-mind, and in an effort to minimize further disruptions to our passengers’ future vacation plans, Virgin Voyages is now conducting a full review of other geographically similar repositioning voyages and linked sailings. We will provide an update in the coming weeks on any further changes we will need to make.”

Virgin’s Resilient Lady Sets Sail to Australia

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Virgin Voyage’s Resilient Lady recently started its three-part repositioning voyage to Australia and New Zealand.

Ahead of the company’s inaugural season in the region, the 2022-built vessel kicked off the first part of its journey on Oct. 22, in Piraeus, Greece.

Sailing to Dubai, UAE, the 14-night cruise marks Virgin’s Middle East debut and also includes visits to ports in Egypt and Greece.

Continuing on its way to Australia, the Resilient Lady then starts a 15-night cruise to Singapore on Nov. 5.

Bringing Virgin Voyages to India and Southeast Asia for the first time, the one-way itinerary features different ports of call in the region, such as Mumbai, Colombo, Phuket and Klang.

The final leg of the repositioning cruise starts in Singapore, on Nov. 20. Sailing to Sydney, the 15-night itinerary features a visit to Bali, in Indonesia, in addition to three ports of call in Australia: Darwin, Yorkeys Knob and Airlie Beach.

Starting on Dec. 5, the Resilient Lady is set to offer a series of two- to 15-night cruises to Australia and New Zealand.

Departing from Melbourne, Auckland and Sydney, the itineraries feature visits to ports in Tasmania, Queensland and New Zealand, such as Hobart, Burnie and Airlie Beach.

On Jan. 12, for instance, the 110,000-ton vessel sets sail from Auckland on an 11-night cruise to Melbourne.

In addition to three full days at sea, the complete itinerary features visits to Sydney, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington and Picton.

Built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the Resilient Lady entered service in May 2022. Following the Scarlet Lady and the Valiant Lady, the 2,770-guest ship became the third vessel in Virgin’s Ladyship series.

Among the ship’s facilities is a selection of various included dining venues and The Manor – a two-story 1970s-style nightclub inspired by Virgin’s heritage in the music business.