Escalating Middle East Conflict Leaves Six Cruise Ships Stranded
At least six cruise vessels from four major cruise lines—TUI Cruises, MSC Cruises, Celestyal Cruises, and Aroya Cruises—are stranded at ports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. Thousands of passengers find themselves with no clear path home as military conflict continues to disrupt travel across the Gulf region.
The disruption traces back to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began Saturday, triggering retaliatory attacks on American military bases across Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain. Emirates and Etihad Airways have temporarily suspended operations, with Etihad maintaining flight suspensions until 2 p.m. UAE time on March 4, 2026.
Major U.S. airlines including American, Delta, and United have taken measures in response to the conflict. The steps taken include:
- Cancellation of Middle East flights
- Issuance of travel waivers for affected passengers
United has canceled service to Dubai through March 4 and Tel Aviv through March 6. Hotels in Dubai have also been affected, with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi requesting hotels extend guests’ stays at government expense due to travel restrictions.