A number of upcoming cruises in Europe were canceled after several ships failed to leave ports in the Arabian Gulf due to tensions in the region.
Iran - Israel
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has forced operators to suspend their voyages and organize the repatriation of thousands of stranded passengers.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) to the UN told Agence France-Presse that 15,000 cruise ship passengers remained in the region, with vessels from several operators, including MSC, TUI, Celestyal and AROYA, having docked at key ports.
On Monday, the Greek cruise company Celestyal confirmed that its ships were still in the Gulf, with the Celestyal Discovery currently in Dubai and the Celestyal Journey in Doha.
The company said that passengers had disembarked safely in Dubai and that the remaining guests on board the Celestyal Journey were expected to leave the ship in Qatar "within the next 24 hours."
"Both ships are fully operational and ready to sail," Celestyal said in an official statement, adding that their departure from the region would take place "in accordance with the guidelines of the competent authorities."
However, the disrupted schedule forced Celestyal to cancel two of its "Iconic Aegean" cruises to the Greek islands, scheduled for later this month.
The three-day voyage on March 20 and the four-day trip on March 23, which were to be performed by Celestyal Discovery, will not take place, as the company finalizes preparations for moving the ship to the Mediterranean for the summer season.