Two major cruise operators saw their stocks hit 52-week lows on Thursday, as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings dipped as low as $14.48 and Carnival Corporation sank to $22.28.
Other cruise stocks were also down on Thursday, including Royal Caribbean, Lindblad and Viking, although those three were off their year-long lows.
Driving the dips were said to be concerns over fuel prices due to the ongoing Middle East situation, and a potential capacity and pricing situation in the Caribbean in the first quarter.
U.S. crude oil had topped $100 a barrel on Wednesday as strikes continue in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, multiple Wall Street analysts have pointed to the cruise industry’s 2027 first quarter Caribbean capacity and ticket pricing as a potential concern.
One note sent to investors this week had called out Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings specifically as a contributor to pricing pressure.
Cunard marked a landmark moment today as the Queen Mary 2, took center stage in New York Harbor for Sail4th 250, which is said to be the center piece of the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations.
Anchored in a prime position, the Queen Mary 2 gave guests front-row views of one of the most significant Fourth of July celebrations ever staged, featuring the largest gathering of tall ships and naval vessels ever seen in New York City.
The celebration drew national attention as NBC’s TODAY broadcast live from Queen Mary 2, with Jenna Bush Hager reporting from the ship during the historic festivities.
The day featured the International Parade of Sail, with more than 100 vessels parading through the harbor, including 47 tall ships from 20 nations, sailing from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge past the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge.
Guests also witnessed an International Naval Review, during which a Navy vessel formally acknowledged the anchored fleet of 37 U.S. and allied naval ships. The celebrations continued with a military flypast led by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels featuring more than 150 aircraft, including the Red Arrows, and a spectacular fireworks display lighting up the iconic Manhattan skyline.
Arabian Gulf Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Remaining Sailings in the Region
Amid ongoing security concerns and regional operational challenges, multiple cruise lines have now cancelled the remainder of their 2025-26 winter deployments in the Arabian Gulf.
MSC
With sailings in the region through early April, MSC Cruises cancelled the remainder of its 2025-26 season in the Middle East.
In its cancellation statement, the company said that the decision was made to prioritize the safety and well-being of its guests and crew while following the guidance of the regional military authorities.
Operating its two ships in the region for the winter, Celestyal Cruises cancelled the remainder of its season in the Arabian Gulf earlier this month.
With the Celestyal Journey and the Celestyal Discovery stuck in the region, the company also had to cancel the first cruises of the season in the Eastern Mediterranean.
TUI Cruises is another cruise line with two ships currently in the Arabian Gulf, the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5.
In an update published on its website, the company said that it decided to cancel sailings in the region due to travel and safety advice issued by the German Foreign Office.
As a result, sailings scheduled to take place onboard the Mein Schiff 4 through March 23, 2026, will no longer take place. Similarly, all cruises onboard the Mein Schiff 5 through March 12, 2026, have also been cancelled.
Aroya
Aroya Cruises cancelled all of its upcoming cruises planned for the 2025-26 season in the Arabian Gulf.
In a statement shared with Cruise Industry News, the company said that the decision was related to “ongoing regional operational considerations” and was made in coordination with the relevant maritime and national authorities.
After arriving in the United Arab Emirates in late February, the Aroya was scheduled to sail in the region through early May.
The brands planned to operate itineraries in the Arabian Gulf between November 2025 and March 2026 onboard the Costa Toscana and the AIDAprima, respectively.
In similar statements, the Carnival-owned brands said that the decision was related to a fluid situation in the region and aimed to give guests certainty.
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