Op-ed: What’s next for the cruise sector?

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Ashok Kumar

The cruise sector has taken yet another blow, caught in the crossfires of regional conflict in the Gulf. But the sector has proved its resilience before, in the face of a global pandemic, and it can rise above the current challenges, says Ashok Kumar, founder and Managing Director of UAE-based sales platform Cruise Master. Here, he shares his perspective on the recent travel disruption and says there’s still hope for the future.

Cruise Master works closely with international cruise lines that deploy ships in the Arabian Gulf during the winter cruise season, typically from November to March. This season, several operators had ships scheduled to sail in the region, including MSC Cruises with MSC Euribia, Costa Cruises with Costa Smeralda, Celestyal Cruises with Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery, as well as ships from AIDA Cruises and TUI Cruises.

Earlier in the season, Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises withdrew their sailings due to rising regional tensions. However, other operators continued with their deployments, demonstrating their commitment to the region. Several cruise lines repositioned ships to the Gulf by sailing around Africa rather than transiting the Suez Canal, a significantly longer and more expensive route chosen to avoid risks in the Red Sea.

Direct Impact on Cruise Operations in the Gulf

Operations in the Gulf continued smoothly until 28 February 2026, when the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the US created immediate uncertainty across the region. On that same day, MSC Euribia had guests embark in Dubai, but the ship remained in port rather than sailing its scheduled itinerary.

Passengers stayed onboard and continued enjoying the ship’s facilities until their originally planned disembarkation date on 7 March. MSC Cruises issued full refunds to those guests and later cancelled the remainder of the Gulf sailings for the season, with the 21 March departure becoming the final scheduled voyage.

At the same time, Celestyal Cruises completed its final sailing in the region on 2 March and was scheduled to reposition back to Greece. Several cruise ships currently remain in the Gulf as transit through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted amid the ongoing conflict.

Celestyal Cruises in the Arabian Gulf

Immediate Actions and Industry Coordination

Our immediate priority was coordination and communication with both our cruise line partners and our network of travel agents across the GCC. We remained in close contact with cruise lines to monitor operational updates regarding itineraries, port calls, and passenger arrangements. At the same time, we ensured that travel agents received verified information quickly so they could accurately inform their clients about itinerary changes, refunds and the status of ships in the region. Providing clear and factual updates helped reduce uncertainty at a time when news developments were moving rapidly.

Celestyal, MSC Cruises cancel remaining winter Gulf sailings

Connections Cruise Arabia returns to Dubai in 2026

Key Takeaways for Agents in Geopolitical Disruption

Geopolitical developments can influence business sentiment very quickly, even when the operational impact may be limited.

Agents should rely on verified information from trusted partners rather than reacting to speculation or social media narratives, and they should communicate proactively with their customers – even when the message is simply that operations remain unchanged, timely updates help maintain confidence.

Agents should also maintain operational flexibility. External events are beyond any business’s control, but having strong partnerships and clear communication channels allows organisations to respond calmly and effectively when circumstances change.

Qatar doha cruise port msc shutterstock 2235044625

MSC Cruise in Doha, Qatar

Booking Trends and the Future Outlook

Looking ahead, long-haul cruise bookings for the upcoming summer season continue to progress normally, and so far, the regional tensions have not significantly affected forward booking trends.

The Arabian Gulf has developed into an important winter cruise destination over the past decade, and the willingness of cruise lines to deploy ships here, even at significantly higher operational cost, reflects the long-term confidence the industry has in the region. Like all businesses in the travel sector, we remain hopeful that stability returns soon so normal trading conditions can resume.

Discover More About Cruise

Supporting the growth of the cruise industry, Connections Cruise Arabia will return to Dubai in the UAE in 2026, following the success of the inaugural edition in 2025. The two-day event, taking place from 28 to 29 September, will welcome more than 500 travel trade professionals from across the global cruise ecosystem. To register your interest in attending, contact Connections.