Cruise Ships Successfully Navigate Strait of Hormuz After Gulf Stranding
All six cruise ships that were trapped in Dubai since the outbreak of the Iran war have now safely cleared the Strait of Hormuz, with plans to resume passenger sailings across Europe in the coming weeks. The vessels had been immobilized following missile and drone attacks by Tehran on Gulf state infrastructure in late February, which prompted the evacuation of passengers and most crew members.
Evacuation and Strategic Departures
When hostilities erupted, MSC Euribia, Celestyal Discovery, and Tui's Mein Schiff 4 were docked in UAE ports, while Celestyal Journey and Mein Schiff 5 were in Doha, and the Saudi-owned Aroya Menara was in Damman. Passengers and non-essential crew were swiftly evacuated and flown home, though some remained onboard for several days as navigation crews stayed to manage the ships.
A spokesperson for Celestyal highlighted the coordinated efforts, stating, "On Friday 17 April, Celestyal Discovery, under Captain Nikolaos Vasileiou, became the first cruise vessel to depart the Arabian Gulf, executing a carefully coordinated voyage plan developed in close collaboration with regional authorities and maritime security teams. This pioneering movement established a safe and proven route through the Strait, enabling other cruise operators to follow."
Route Details and Future Plans
According to data from CruiseMapper.com, Celestyal Journey departed Doha on the afternoon of Friday 17 April, heading east towards the Strait of Hormuz, with Mein Schiff 5 leaving the Qatari port late that night. Aroya Menara was the final vessel to exit, sailing from Damman early Saturday morning and clearing the strait by late Sunday night. All ships navigated close to the Omani shore to minimize proximity to Iranian territory.
The first five ships are now en route around the Cape of Good Hope, bypassing the shorter Suez Canal route, and are scheduled to resume operations in Europe by May. Meanwhile, Aroya Menara is sailing around the Arabian peninsula to Jeddah. Wybcke Meier, chief executive of Tui Cruises, expressed gratitude, saying, "The past weeks have presented all of us with extraordinary challenges. My special thanks go to our captains, the crews, and all teams who contributed to managing this situation with professionalism and dedication."
Operational Resumptions and Financial Impact
An MSC spokesperson confirmed, "MSC Euribia is on course to resume her Northern Europe season, and as the ship will now be able to return sooner than previously anticipated, MSC Cruises confirms that the cruise departing on 16 May from Kiel and 17 May from Copenhagen will now operate as originally scheduled." The stranding led to dozens of cancelled cruises, costing companies tens of millions of pounds, compounding existing disruptions from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which had already closed areas like the Black Sea and St Petersburg.
