Thousands of cruise passengers are stranded in Gulf ports as rising tensions in the Middle East turn luxury liners into what some travelers describe as floating prisons.
At least six large cruise ships remain stuck in ports in Dubai and Doha after escalating hostilities forced the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Travelers who expected a relaxing vacation filled with sunshine and cocktails are now unable to disembark, with no safe travel corridors available to get them home.
Major cruise companies, including MSC Cruises and Celestyal Cruises, have suspended multiple sailings as missile and drone strikes continue across the region.
The cruise ship MSC Euribia is still docked in Dubai under tight security measures. Embarkations have been halted indefinitely while the situation remains uncertain.
Two other ships — Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery — have also had their departures cancelled and are currently being held in regional ports. According to travel industry site Hosteltur.com, ship captains have activated emergency procedures due to the growing risk in the Strait of Hormuz and sharply rising maritime insurance costs, making sailing unsafe.
Passengers have few options for leaving the region. Dubai International Airport has reportedly closed following an Iranian strike that injured four people, and several Gulf nations have shut down their airspace.
As a result, cruise ships are effectively functioning as stationary hotels, with passengers unable to travel onward.
A spokesperson for Celestyal Cruises said local authorities have not yet granted permission for passengers to disembark.
“At present, in line with instructions from local authorities, we are unable to disembark guests,” the spokesperson said. “We are working closely with the relevant authorities and will begin disembarkation in Dubai as soon as permission is granted.”
The company said that once approval is received, passengers will be assisted with transfers from the ship to Abu Dhabi Airport. Guests whose cruises were cancelled will be offered either full refunds or credits toward a future sailing.
“We strongly encourage guests to contact their travel provider. We sincerely apologise for the disruption,” the company added.
A spokesperson for MSC Cruises said the company is currently following guidance from regional U.S. military authorities to keep the vessel docked in Dubai while airspace restrictions remain in place.
“At this time, the situation on board is calm, and our guests and crew are comfortable and well cared for. We continue to provide high-quality service to everyone on board,” the spokesperson said.
MSC has also cancelled its scheduled March 7 departure and is offering passengers full refunds.
The crisis comes as Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, warning that ships attempting to pass through the vital waterway could be targeted.
A commander from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the passage would be blocked following reports of several explosions along the key oil export route in recent days.
Iranian forces have launched attacks across the Gulf region, with incidents reported in Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia, along with exchanges of fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
On Monday, Donald Trump warned that a major escalation against Tehran could be imminent and said he would not hesitate to deploy U.S. ground forces if necessary.
President Trump estimated the conflict could last five weeks or longer as the United States works to eliminate what he described as Iran’s nuclear threat.
However, he said U.S. and Israeli forces were already progressing faster than expected.
Earlier, President Trump also declared that negotiations with Iran were over after U.S. and Israeli strikes reportedly disrupted a secret meeting in Tehran to choose the country’s next supreme leader. He also said Iran’s leadership structure had effectively collapsed as Israel launched a ground operation in Lebanon.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said ‘Too Late!’”