Major cruise lines have cancelled trips to the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict, and some ships remain as floating hotels with passengers on board unable to leave the dock.

There have been major travel disruptions since the US-Israeli attacks on Iran took place over the weekend. The conflict has escalated, and tensions remain high, with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issuing various travel warnings and advice for a list of countries in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates.

Flights have been cancelled and delayed, while various cruise lines face severe disruptions to their planned itineraries. TUI Cruises is just one of the lines that suspended departures and cancelled Arabian Gulf cruises on board their ships, Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5.

Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 were docked in Abu Dhabi and Qatar when the conflict took a turn for the worse on March 1. Missile-armed drones caused explosions near Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi, with passengers on board Mein Schiff 4 reportedly observing the explosions and the ensuing fires.

Amid the conflict, a reported 5,000 passengers on Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 have remained stranded, unable to leave the dock or continue their voyages. However, TUI said they are in ‘close contact with airlines’ to provide a safe journey home to their passengers on board, but the time frame of this has not yet been confirmed.

As tensions remain, TUI Cruises has also cancelled multiple trips, including those scheduled to depart from March 3 to March 9. In a statement shared on their website on the morning of Wednesday, 4 March, TUI Cruises said: “We are continuing to monitor developments in the Middle East very closely and are in close contact with the relevant authorities and international security experts. The situation remains unchanged at present.

“Our guests are still on board Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5. They are being well looked after and cared for. Operations on board are running normally under the circumstances.

“The travel and safety advice issued by the German Foreign Office for the region remains unchanged.” Following this, they confirmed that the following cruises originally planned cannot be carried out as scheduled:

• Mein Schiff 4: up to and including the start of the trip 9 March 2026
• Mein Schiff 5: up to and including the start of the trip 5 March 2026

They noted that all affected guests have been informed, and if any further changes occur, they will be contacted directly. The cruise line, based in Germany, added: “Due to the continuing dynamic situation in the region and limited flight connections, we are in close contact with the airlines to enable reliable planning of return journeys. As soon as we have reliable information, we will inform the guests affected immediately.

“The top priority is and remains the safety and well-being of our guests and crew. The TUI Cruises crisis management team is working continuously and in close coordination with the relevant authorities, the German Foreign Office, the relevant embassies, international security experts and the security teams of our shareholders, TUI AG and the Royal Caribbean Group, to continuously assess the situation and the measures to be taken as a result.”

Meanwhile, MSC Cruises has also been unable to disembark its passengers or continue its onward journey due to safety concerns and has remained docked in the Middle East. They are working alongside airlines to arrange flights home for their passengers.

A statement from MSC Cruises, shared on the morning of March 4, said: “MSC Cruises is working continuously with airline partners in the region, particularly Emirates and Etihad Airways, to identify and secure return flights for our guests.

“We are requesting priority for our guests from our partners. At present, airlines operating flights have indicated that they will follow an order of priority based on the original flight date.

“In order to speed up the repatriation, we are working on other options such as chartering flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Muscat.

“In parallel, we are in constant contact with local authorities, Embassies and Foreign Offices to also support the safe return of our guests.

“The situation on board remains calm. We are providing guests with regular updates on the situation. They have full access to all onboard services and facilities, and we continue to provide a high standard of care, comfort and support.”

Additionally, German cruise operator Dertour also cancelled trips to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Israel, and Kuwait until Thursday, March 5. It comes following urgent travel warnings from the German Foreign Office.

The Mirror has contacted Dertour for a comment.

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