After the Gulf cancellations: where cruise ships will sail in winter 2026/27

Published schedules for the end of October 2026 show the six ships that were based in the Persian Gulf in spring on new routes in the Mediterranean region. Replacement itineraries for the following winter range from Mallorca and Barcelona to the Greek islands and the Caribbean. After the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in spring, the cruise lines moved their ships to other cruising regions. The overview below shows the planned voyages as of October 22 and the policies for Gulf cruises that had already been booked.

Where the six ships will be at the end of October

The Mein Schiff 4 is scheduled to sail the western Mediterranean from Palma at the end of October; a seven-night round trip starts on October 25 and ends on November 1. The Mein Schiff 5 sails from Heraklion to Palma from October 16 to 26; its published daily itinerary shows it in Salerno on October 22. The MSC Euribia is listed in the Mediterranean schedule on October 22, departing from Genoa; weekly sailings from Barcelona begin on October 24.

The Celestyal Journey is sailing a Mediterranean route that includes Greece, Italy and Croatia; its published itinerary for October 10 to 24 includes a call in Corfu on October 22. The Celestyal Discovery is sailing a Greek island route between Lavrion and destinations in the Aegean; on October 22, the schedule takes it via Heraklion and Santorini. After its Gulf season, AROYA is sailing in the eastern Mediterranean. For October 21 to 27, the cruise line offers an itinerary calling at Alexandria, Marmaris and Istanbul.

Winter 2026/27: Mallorca, Barcelona and the Caribbean

From November 1, 2026, to April 11, 2027, the Mein Schiff 4 is scheduled to make weekly round trips from Palma in the western Mediterranean. From October 26, the Mein Schiff 5 is scheduled to cross the Atlantic from Palma to La Romana; Caribbean cruises begin there in November. MSC plans weekly seven-night round trips from Barcelona on the Euribia. Sailings run from October 24, 2026, to April 3, 2027.

Celestyal has canceled its entire 2026/27 Gulf season and is extending its Mediterranean program. In March, the Journey will have additional voyages to Greece, Italy and Croatia. The Discovery will operate additional Greek cruises as well as new western Mediterranean routes in winter, linking Spain, Portugal and Morocco. From October 2026 to September 2027, AROYA will offer seven-night cruises from Istanbul, with destinations in Greece and Turkey. For guests, this means embarkation and disembarkation regions are changing: published winter routes start, among other places, in Mallorca, Barcelona, La Romana, Athens and Istanbul.

What happened to already-booked Gulf cruises

In March, the cruise lines responded at short notice to the situation and the canceled flight connections. TUI Cruises initially canceled Mein Schiff 4 departures on March 1, 2, 8 and 9, as well as Mein Schiff 5 departures on February 28 and March 5. Contemporary reports on TUI’s announcements cite free rebooking or a full refund as options. During the repatriation effort, TUI worked with airlines to arrange reliable ways for guests to return home. When the ships were able to head back toward the Mediterranean in April, the cruise line automatically reinstated the Mein Schiff 4 voyages from Trieste on May 17 and the Mein Schiff 5 voyage from Heraklion on May 15, which had initially been canceled. Affected guests and travel agencies were notified directly. TUI Cruises published a travel update about this.

After the first departures were canceled on March 3, MSC Cruises also canceled Euribia voyages departing on March 14, 21 and 28; the associated embarkation points in Doha and Abu Dhabi were affected as well. MSC promised booked guests a full refund through their respective booking channels. At the same time, the cruise line arranged charter flights for passengers already on board, secured seats on scheduled flights and coordinated government assistance. Bringing guests home from the Gulf and refunding cruises canceled later were therefore two separate processes.

Celestyal offered guests on the canceled Gulf departures—including Journey voyages on March 7, 9, 14 and 16—a full refund or cruise credit for a future sailing. Delays to the repatriation effort also led to Mediterranean cruises being canceled: Discovery departures on March 20, 23, 27 and 30, as well as all April voyages. Celestyal also offered full refunds or future cruise credits for these bookings. When the cruise line canceled the entire 2026/27 Gulf season in May, affected guests were again given the choice between a refund and future cruise credit. By expanding its Mediterranean program, Celestyal is focusing its offering more closely on its core destinations in Greece and southern Europe.

AIDA and Costa also changed their Orient plans

In March, AIDA canceled the AIDAprima’s Orient season for winter 2026/27 and the repositioning voyages around Africa. For guests who rebooked onto another AIDA cruise by May 10, 2026, the cruise line offered €200 in onboard credit per cabin (€100 for single occupancy); it said that refunds for excursions and add-on services already paid for through myAIDA would be issued to the original form of payment. The program announced afterward focuses on Kiel, the Canary Islands and Madeira. Costa moved the Costa Smeralda from its planned Orient program to a new seven-day program in the Canary Islands and Madeira. Guests booked on Orient or repositioning cruises were offered another cruise with €200 in onboard credit per cabin. The Costa Pacifica was initially scheduled to sail in the Canary Islands in winter; Costa moved it to the western Mediterranean and longer routes to southern Europe and North Africa. Guests with an earlier booking on the Pacifica in the Canary Islands could switch to Canary Islands cruises on the Costa Smeralda under the same terms.

Autor: Markus Lenk