Six Cruise Giants Stranded in Arabian Gulf Amid Strait of Hormuz Shutdown
Maritime chaos in the Arabian Gulf has left six massive cruise ships stuck, unable to set sail after the Strait of Hormuz was shut down in late February. The blockade has thrown a massive spanner in the works for liners trying to get to their next big voyages across Europe and beyond.
MSC Euribia: Dubai’s Docked Behemoth
- Cruise Line: MSC Cruises
- Location: Dubai, UAE
- Next Departure: May 2, 2026, Kiel, Germany
- Upcoming Routes: Northern Europe, Scandinavian Fjords
The MSC Euribia, the biggest ship trapped here with a whopping 5,400 passenger capacity, has been stuck in Dubai since February 27. This mega-ship is lined up to launch 7-night Norwegian Fjord cruises this summer from Germany and Denmark, but not before a lengthy delay.
Celestyal Cruises Left Twiddling Thumbs in Gulf
- Celestyal Journey: Docked in Doha, Qatar. Next sail April 4, 2026, from Piraeus, Greece, featuring Eastern Mediterranean and Greek Islands.
- Celestyal Discovery: Anchored in Dubai, UAE. Set to depart April 3, 2026, from Lavrion, Greece, hitting top Eastern Mediterranean spots.
All passengers were safely taken off the Celestyal Journey earlier this month after planned European trips were cancelled. Both ships are now waiting to restart their much-anticipated sailings.
TUI Cruises’ Fleet: Grounded and Grumbling
- Mein Schiff 4: Stuck in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Next voyage April 11, 2026, from Cape Town, South Africa. A 20-night repositioning cruise to Spain, then summer in the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Mein Schiff 5: Anchored in Doha, Qatar. Next sail April 17, 2026, from Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Scheduled for Mediterranean, Greek Islands, and Turkey routes.
Mein Schiff 4 had its first journey leg cancelled but still plans to sail the second part from South Africa. Mein Schiff 5’s repositioning trips were scrapped altogether, pushing back its restart until mid-April.
Aroya Cruises’ Ship Pulled Up Short in Dubai
- Location: Dubai, UAE
- Next Departure: May 14, 2026, from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Planned Cruises: Red Sea spring cruises, then summer in the Eastern Mediterranean
The Aroya was set to sail in the Arabian Gulf until May but now remains stuck in Dubai. It’s gearing up to resume voyages with Red Sea trips come mid-May, weathering the storm for now.
With the Strait of Hormuz still closed, these six cruise titans face ongoing delays. Europe and Mediterranean-bound passengers will have to wait longer for their adventures to kick off. The global cruise calendar has taken a hit, and travellers, along with cruise companies, are biting their nails.
