How Iran-Israel War Left Travellers Stranded On Cruises Too, Not Just At Airports

Escaping to the sea on a cruise is often seen as a carefree way to travel. However, the ongoing tensions stemming from the Iran-Israel war have shown that even ocean voyages are not immune to global conflict. As flights were grounded and airports across the region faced disruptions, cruise passengers too found themselves stranded on various routes. Several upcoming cruises were cancelled, while operators had to repatriate thousands of passengers.

Cruise Passengers Stuck In The Gulf

Soon after the conflict began, the United Nations' International Maritime Organisation revealed that around 15,000 cruise passengers had been stuck in the region with ships from several operators - including MSC, TUI, Celestyal and AROYA - docked in key ports, AFP reported on March 5. In a statement shared on March 9, Greek cruise line Celestyal Cruises also confirmed that its ships, Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey, are currently in Dubai and Doha, respectively.

Large-Scale Repatriation Effort For Cruise Passengers

Affected cruise lines have, in the past week, worked on repatriation measures, accelerating dramatically in recent days.

All passengers from Celestyal Discovery have disembarked in Dubai, followed by guests from Celestyal Journey in Doha. The cruise line has stated that it is ready to resume operations as soon as local authorities give the go-ahead, reported Travel Weekly Asia.

By March 6, MSC Cruises had coordinated with Emirates and Fly Dubai to secure commercial flights for more than 1,500 passengers from MSC Euribia in Dubai. Seven flights departed that same day, helping guests return to destinations including the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, the US and Brazil. "I am immensely proud of how the entire company has come together for this highly complex repatriation effort," said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises. "We still have some guests on board, but we are working hard to ensure they can leave the region safely."

AROYA Cruises safely disembarked all passengers aboard its ship in Dubai on March 7.

TUI Cruises, a cruise line based in Germany, arranged special flights using its own fleet and partnered with Qatar Airways to bring back around 1,800 guests, with repatriation flights beginning on March 7.

Multiple Cruise Lines Cancel Sailings

Celestyal has cancelled two of its "Iconic Aegean" Greek island cruises scheduled for later this month due to the ongoing disruption. The cruises, set to depart on March 20 and March 23, will no longer operate as planned. Affected passengers can choose between a full refund and future cruise credits.

Other cruise operators have also changed or suspended their programmes in the region. AROYA Cruises has cancelled its entire Arabian Gulf voyages for the winter season. Their upcoming cruises on March 14, 21 and 28 have been cancelled. The company is in the process of compensating the customers. 

TUI Cruises has cancelled upcoming sailings on Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 due to the ongoing situation.