Norwegian, Carnival Stocks Sink to 52-Week Lows

Norwegian, Carnival Stocks Sink to 52-Week Lows

Norwegian Bliss

Two major cruise operators saw their stocks hit 52-week lows on Thursday, as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings dipped as low as $14.48 and Carnival Corporation sank to $22.28.

Other cruise stocks were also down on Thursday, including Royal Caribbean, Lindblad and Viking, although those three were off their year-long lows.

Driving the dips were said to be concerns over fuel prices due to the ongoing Middle East situation, and a potential capacity and pricing situation in the Caribbean in the first quarter.

U.S. crude oil had topped $100 a barrel on Wednesday as strikes continue in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, multiple Wall Street analysts have pointed to the cruise industry’s 2027 first quarter Caribbean capacity and ticket pricing as a potential concern.

One note sent to investors this week had called out Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings specifically as a contributor to pricing pressure.

The company’s decision to adjust its pricing model and offer the best prices well in advance of a sailing date has been said to have an effect on pricing across the marketplace.

 

TUI Cancels Second Leg of Middle East Repositioning Voyage

TUI Cancels Second Leg of Middle East Repositioning Voyage

TUI Cruises cancelled an additional sailing due to the conflicts in the Middle East, according to a statement shared by the company.

With its vessels still stuck in the Arabian Gulf, the company is now cancelling a repositioning voyage that was set to take place onboard the Mein Schiff 4 starting on April 11, 2026.

The 20-night cruise was scheduled to sail between Cape Town, South Africa, and Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Before arriving in the Mediterranean, the itinerary included visits to Walvis Bay in Namibia, Praia in Cape Verde, Gran Canaria and Arrecife in the Canary Islands, as well as Tangier in Morocco and Barcelona in Spain.

TUI had already cancelled the first leg of Mein Schiff 4’s repositioning voyage, which was set to sail from the United Arab Emirates to South Africa in late March.

With the latest round of cancellations, all the cruises set to take place onboard the vessel from Feb. 28, 2026, to April 11, 2026, will no longer go ahead.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the company also cancelled the repositioning cruise forthe Mein Schiff 5 and all sailings set to take place onboard the ship between Feb. 28, 2026, and March 29, 2026.

“The primary objective now remains the safety and well-being of the remaining crew onboard the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5,” TUI stated.

“In addition, 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 its two parent companies on an ongoing assessment of the situation,” the company added, mentioning the resumption of the vessels’ regular itineraries.

In related news, Celestyal Cruises today announced the cancellation of an additional cruise itinerary in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Currently docked in Dubai, the Celestyal Discovery was initially scheduled to launch its summer season in Greece on March 20, 2026.

Six Cruise Ships Remain Stuck in the Arabian Gulf

Six Cruise Ships Remain Stuck in the Arabian Gulf

Six cruise ships remain stuck in the Arabian Gulf after their operations in the region were halted in late February.

With the Strait of Hormuz virtually closed to international maritime traffic, the vessels are unable to leave the area and start repositioning voyages to other parts of the world.

MSC Euribia
Cruise Line: MSC Cruises

Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: May 2, 2026, from Kiel, Germany
Upcoming Itineraries: Northern Europe and Scandinavia

Docked at the port of Dubai since February 27, 2026, the MSC Euribia is scheduled to resume service in Northern Europe on May 2, 2026.

As the largest ship currently in the Arabian Gulf, the 5,400-passenger vessel is set to spend the summer offering seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords departing from Germany and Denmark.

Celestyal Journey
Cruise Line: Celestyal Cruises
Current Location: Doha, Qatar
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 4, 2026, from Piraeus, Greece
Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands

While all passengers were able to safely disembark the ship earlier this month, the Celestyal Journey remains docked in Doha, Qatar.

The 1993-built vessel is so far scheduled to embark on a repositioning voyage to Greece ahead of kicking off a series of itineraries to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands on April 4, 2026.

Celestyal Discovery
Cruise Line: Celestyal Cruises
Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 3, 2026, from Lavrion, Greece
Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Islands

Set to spend the summer in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Celestyal Discovery is another ship currently docked at the port of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

After having four of its sailings in Europe cancelled due to the situation, the 1,360-passenger ship is currently scheduled to welcome guests back on April 3, 2026, in Lavrion, Greece.

Mein Schiff 4
Cruise Line: TUI Cruises
Current Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 11, 2026, from Cape Town, South Africa
Upcoming Itineraries: Repositioning voyage via Africa, followed by summer in the Eastern Mediterranean

The Mein Schiff 4 from TUI Cruises is currently docked at the port of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

While the first leg of its repositioning cruise was cancelled earlier this month, the vessel is still scheduled to offer the second segment of its voyage.

Sailing from South Africa to Spain, the 20-night cruise is set to depart from Cape Town on April 11, 2026, and will be followed by a summer season in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mein Schiff 5
Cruise Line: TUI Cruises
Current Location: Doha, Qatar
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: April 17, 2026, from Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Upcoming Itineraries: Eastern Mediterranean, Greek Islands and Turkey

The Mein Schiff 5 is also stranded in the Arabian Gulf after the remainder of its season in the region was cancelled in late February.

Currently docked in Doha, the 2,500-passenger ship had its repositioning voyages cancelled and is now scheduled to welcome guests back in Spain on April 17, 2026.

Aroya
Cruise Line: Aroya Cruises
Current Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Next Scheduled Cruise Departure: May 14, 2026, from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Upcoming Itineraries: Spring Season in the Red Sea followed by summer in the Eastern Mediterranean

Initially set to operate in the region between February and May, the Aroya completes the lineup of cruise ships in the Arabian Gulf.

Docked in Dubai, the Aroya Cruises vessel is slated to resume revenue service on May 14, kicking off a spring season in the Red Sea with itineraries departing from Saudi Arabia.

TUI Cancels Additional Sailings for Middle East Ships

TUI Cancels Additional Sailings for Middle East Ships

TUI Cruises cancelled additional departures onboard two of its vessels due to the current conflicts in the Middle East.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday, the cancellations now include all sailings set to take place onboard the Mein Schiff 4 through March 23, 2026.

For the Mein Schiff 5, the cancellations include all the cruises scheduled to take place through March 29, 2026. TUI explained that the cancellations follow a travel and security advisory from Germany’s Foreign Office.

The company said that all affected passengers have been directly informed of the cancellations by its teams.

“Should further adjustments become necessary, we will promptly and proactively contact the booked guests,” TUI added.

“We are continuously assessing the situation and making decisions based on current official recommendations,” the statement added.

TUI noted that all guests and numerous crew members have now disembarked both the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5 safely.

“The primary goal now remains to ensure the safety and well-being of the remaining crew onboard,” the company explained.

“Furthermore, our crisis team is working in close coordination with the relevant authorities, the Foreign Office, the responsible embassies, international security experts and the security teams of both parent companies on an ongoing assessment of the situation and derived scenarios,” TUI added.

The company also said it set up an information hotline for families of crew members that are still onboard the vessels in the Middle East.

The information service can be reached from Monday to Friday by phone at +800 5353 3333. TUI’s team is also available to answer questions and concerns via email at FamilyCrewHelpLine@seachefs.com.

The recent round of cancellations includes Mein Schiff 5’s repositioning voyage to Europe, which was set to depart from South Africa to Spain starting on March 29, 2026.

Sailing between Cape Town and Palma de Mallorca, the 19-night cruise was set to visit destinations in Namibia, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands and the United Kingdom.

The Mein Schiff 5 is now expected to resume service in late April, ahead of a summer season in the Eastern Mediterranean.

With its Dubai – South Africa cruise previously cancelled, the Mein Schiff 4 is scheduled to welcome guests back in Cape Town for a repositioning voyage to Europe on April 11, 2026.

Arabian Gulf Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Remaining Sailings in the Region

Arabian Gulf Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Remaining Sailings in the Region

Amid ongoing security concerns and regional operational challenges, multiple cruise lines have now cancelled the remainder of their 2025-26 winter deployments in the Arabian Gulf.

MSC

With sailings in the region through early April, MSC Cruises cancelled the remainder of its 2025-26 season in the Middle East.

In its cancellation statement, the company said that the decision was made to prioritize the safety and well-being of its guests and crew while following the guidance of the regional military authorities.

The MSC Euribia was scheduled to offer five additional departures in the Arabian Gulf, with itineraries visiting the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

Celestyal

Operating its two ships in the region for the winter, Celestyal Cruises cancelled the remainder of its season in the Arabian Gulf earlier this month.

With the Celestyal Journey and the Celestyal Discovery stuck in the region, the company also had to cancel the first cruises of the season in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In a statement shared earlier this week, Celestyal said that it is “still in the process of finalizing operational arrangements” for the vessel’s repositioning voyages to Europe.

TUI

TUI Cruises is another cruise line with two ships currently in the Arabian Gulf, the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5.

In an update published on its website, the company said that it decided to cancel sailings in the region due to travel and safety advice issued by the German Foreign Office.

As a result, sailings scheduled to take place onboard the Mein Schiff 4 through March 23, 2026, will no longer take place. Similarly, all cruises onboard the Mein Schiff 5 through March 12, 2026, have also been cancelled.

Aroya

Aroya Cruises cancelled all of its upcoming cruises planned for the 2025-26 season in the Arabian Gulf.

In a statement shared with Cruise Industry News, the company said that the decision was related to “ongoing regional operational considerations” and was made in coordination with the relevant maritime and national authorities.

After arriving in the United Arab Emirates in late February, the Aroya was scheduled to sail in the region through early May.

 

Costa and AIDA

Two traditional players in the region, Costa and AIDA Cruises cancelled their seasons in the Arabian Gulf in mid-2025.

The brands planned to operate itineraries in the Arabian Gulf between November 2025 and March 2026 onboard the Costa Toscana and the AIDAprima, respectively.

In similar statements, the Carnival-owned brands said that the decision was related to a fluid situation in the region and aimed to give guests certainty.

 

AIDA Confident Amid Geopolitical Challenges as Demand Grows

AIDA Confident Amid Geopolitical Challenges as Demand Grows

AIDA Cruises is seeing strong demand for cruises and a high share of premium bookings and remains positive despite ongoing geopolitical challenges, the company said in a statement.

Current figures show that just over three million German ocean cruise passengers traveled in 2025, growing by nine percent compared to the previous year.

“Cruising in Germany is driving growth in the tourism market. In 2025, AIDA generated profitable growth with unchanged capacity and record-level occupancy,” said AIDA president Felix Eichhorn.

“With around 1.5 million guests in 2025, AIDA is the clear market leader in the German cruise market. This success is driven by strong demand and long-term bookings.”

For summer 2026, AIDA said it seeing an above-average level of advance bookings, a trend which Eichhorn said continues steadily.

“. The disproportionately high number of high-quality, long-term premium bookings also shows that guests place particular value on quality,” he said.

Trips departing from German ports that can operate year-round, such as Hamburg, Kiel, and Warnemünde, as well as routes to Northern Europe remain especially popular, AIDA noted.

Cruises to the United Kingdom, the Baltic states, and classic Northern Europe routes including Norway, Denmark, and Sweden are also said to be experiencing strong demand.

Multi-generational travel is currently in particularly high demand at AIDA.

A YouGov study commissioned by the company found that 66 percent of Germans have already vacationed with multiple generations of their family.

Around 20 percent of respondents believe cruises are especially suitable for multi-generational travel.

The company is also offering 20 Northern Europe cruises this year where shore power is used during port stays at every port.

The first short cruise starts on March 12 from Kiel and takes AIDAbella via Kristiansand, Oslo, and Copenhagen before returning to Kiel.

“In 2023, we had just over 60 shore power connections; last year, that number already exceeded 400. Thanks to the opening of additional facilities in Europe, we expect a further increase to 600 port calls this year. Nevertheless, further expansion of shore power infrastructure in Europe remains necessary,” said Eichhorn.

MSC Cruises working with airlines to 'speed up repatriation process' as US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue

MSC Cruises' MSC Euribia ship arrives into Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2023 (Credit: MSC Cruises)

Celestyal has cancelled four Middle East departures due to the geopolitical situation in the region while MSC Cruises has confirmed it is working with airlines to offer charter flights to speed up repatriation of its passengers.

The 1,260-passenger Celestyal Journey ship was due to welcome guests in Doha, Qatar, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates between 7 and 16 March.

However, the line issued a statement on Wednesday (4 March), saying: "We continue to follow developments in the Middle East and remain in regular contact with the relevant authorities.

"Throughout this period, our focus has been and continues to be the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew.

"Considering the current geopolitical situation in the region, we have taken the decision to cancel the following scheduled departures on Celestyal Journey: 7 and 14 March from Doha and 9 and 16 March from Dubai. 

"Guests impacted by the line's decision will be offered a full refund or a future cruise credit."

The line confirmed the cancellation of these sailings means the Arabian Gulf programme will now conclude. Subject to operational conditions, Celestyal Journey and sister ship Celestyal Discovery will reposition to Athens to begin their scheduled programme in the Mediterranean.

The line added: "We sincerely thank our guests and partners for their patience and understanding during this evolving situation." 

Tui Cruises, one of the three other lines with capacity currently in the Middle East, confirmed it was "continuing to monitor development in the Middle East very closely".

Its guests remain onboard Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 and operations on both vessels continue "running normally", the German cruise brand said.

Cruises on 5 March and 9 March have been cancelled, in line with advice issued by the German Foreign Office.

A Tui Cruises spokesperson added: "The top priority is and remains the safety and wellbeing 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."

MSC Cruises working with airlines

MSC Cruises ship MSC Euribia is currently docked in Dubai. The line issued a statement on Wednesday (4 March), saying: "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."

It added: "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."

Meanwhile, a Scenic spokesperson told TTG: "Our priority at this time is supporting our guests and their travel arrangements, and we can confirm we have no ships operating in the Middle East region. Our thoughts are with the impacted communities and travellers across the region."

Red Sea Changes: Carnival Corp. Rerouting 12 Cruise Ships

Red Sea Changes: Carnival Corp. Rerouting 12 Cruise Ships

Carnival Corporation said on Tuesday it had made the decision to reroute itineraries for 12 ships across seven brands, which were scheduled to transit the Red Sea through May 2024.

The Red Sea rerouting is expected to have an adjusted earnings per share impact of $0.07 to $0.08 for full year 2024, the company announced, with the vast majority of the impact in the second quarter.

Carnival said it has not seen an impact on booking trends due to the Red Sea situation and has no other Red Sea transits until November 2024.

Targeted Iranian Tanker Plugged as it Heads for Gulf, Iran Says

An undated picture shows the Iranian-owned Sabiti oil tanker sailing in the Red Sea. National Iranian Oil Tanker Company via WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS 

DUBAI, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Leakage of cargo from an Iranian-owned oil tanker apparently hit by missiles in Red Sea waters off Saudi Arabia has been stopped as it heads for the Gulf, the semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr reported on Saturday.

The tanker Sabiti was targeted on Friday, Iranian media reported earlier, an incident that if confirmed will stoke friction in a region rattled by attacks on tankers and oil installations since May.

“The tanker is heading for Persian Gulf waters and we hope it will enter Iranian waters safely,” Mehr quoted an unnamed official as saying. “The cargo leakage has stopped.”