AIDA Cruises Drops Middle East Sailings for Winter 2026/27

Update: April 26, 2026 — AIDA has unveiled AIDAprima’s replacement winter 2026/27 program in the Canaries and Northern Europe.

AIDA Cruises has pulled the Middle East from its winter 2026/27 schedule and reassigned AIDAprima to Canary Islands and Northern Europe cruises, citing continued uncertainty in the region that the company said cannot be predicted reliably for long-term itinerary planning.

What AIDA is canceling for winter 2026/27

In a press release, AIDA said it will not operate cruises in the Middle East during the winter 2026/27 season due to “regional uncertainties.” The move also eliminates repositioning cruises for AIDAprima around Africa that were tied to the deployment.

AIDA did not include a named executive or spokesperson statement in the information released about the schedule change.

What it means for booked guests and when the revised program goes on sale

AIDA said it would begin contacting guests who already booked affected itineraries and would also inform its travel agency partners. The line is offering impacted guests a chance to switch to another AIDA cruise by a set deadline, with onboard credit provided as an incentive.

• Rebooking deadline: Guests can rebook on another AIDA cruise by May 10, 2026 to qualify for the offer.
• Onboard credit offer: AIDA is offering €200 onboard credit per cabin for double occupancy, or €100 for single occupancy, for guests who rebook.
• Updated AIDAprima winter plans: The new program became bookable in mid-April 2026 and includes sailings from Kiel, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife.

After a positioning voyage from Hamburg, AIDAprima is scheduled to operate seven-day Canary Islands cruises in October and November 2026 from Gran Canaria and Tenerife, pairing the islands with Madeira or Agadir, before repositioning to Kiel on November 28.

From there, the ship will sail a December 19 pre-Christmas Scandinavia cruise, a Baltic Christmas voyage calling at Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki, and a New Year itinerary with Oslo, Gothenburg and Copenhagen. A 24-day Canary Islands cruise from Kiel follows in January 2027, with later winter departures to the Norwegian fjords and Baltic Sea, including a March 7 sailing that visits Oslo during the Holmenkollen Ski Festival; the ship is scheduled to remain based in Kiel through the end of April before moving to Hamburg for a final seasonal departure on May 9.

Other cruise lines are still planning Arabian Gulf seasons in 2026/27

AIDA’s withdrawal now sits within a broader pullback from the Arabian Gulf for winter 2026/27. Costa Cruises, another Carnival-owned brand, also canceled its Middle East and Arabian Gulf program for the season; Costa had been expected to deploy Costa Smeralda before reassigning the ship to the Canary Islands, while AIDA’s plans were centered on AIDAprima.

The status of other operators now looks like this:

MSC Cruises had said MSC World Europa was set to offer seven-night itineraries visiting the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar (including Doha), with sailings planned from late November through early April. MSC later canceled that program as part of a wider winter deployment revision, reassigning MSC World Europa to the Southern Caribbean and MSC Seaview to South America.

TUI Cruises had been preparing to introduce its 4,000-passenger Mein Schiff Flow in the region, with sailings from Dubai beginning in mid-November and itineraries that include calls such as Sir Bani Yas, Doha and Muscat. The line has since canceled that Middle East deployment and will instead base the new ship in Northern Europe from German homeports.

Celestyal Cruises is planning to deploy Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery, with seven-night Desert Days itineraries visiting Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain, and shorter Iconic Arabia cruises that also include Oman. After both ships recently transited the Strait of Hormuz, the company had not announced changes to its published season, which is scheduled from late November through mid-March.

Aroya Cruises has published a three-month deployment from January through March 2027, built around seven-night cruises calling in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. The brand previously suspended and canceled operations after its first Arabian Gulf sailings, but has indicated it intends to return.

Explora Journeys had been slated to enter the market with Explora II, offering seven-night itineraries from December through March with destinations including the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman. Explora has since canceled its 2026/27 Middle East winter season and plans to move Explora II to Europe.

Disruptions in 2025/26 continue to shape planning

The shifting 2026/27 plans follow major disruption during the winter 2025/26 season, when multiple lines canceled sailings amid security concerns and operational challenges.

MSC Cruises canceled the remainder of its 2025/26 Middle East season for MSC Euribia, which had been scheduled to operate additional departures visiting the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. MSC cited guidance from regional military authorities and said the decision prioritized the safety and well-being of guests and crew.

Celestyal Cruises also canceled the remainder of its 2025/26 Arabian Gulf season, and said operational arrangements to reposition ships back to Europe led it to cancel the first cruises of its Eastern Mediterranean season.

TUI Cruises canceled Middle East deployments for Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 in 2025/26, citing travel and safety advice from the German Foreign Office. The cancellations covered Mein Schiff 4 cruises through March 23, 2026, and Mein Schiff 5 cruises through March 12, 2026.

Aroya Cruises canceled all upcoming cruises planned for its 2025/26 Arabian Gulf season, tying the decision to regional operational considerations and coordination with maritime and national authorities. Aroya had been scheduled to remain in the region through early May after arriving in the UAE in late February.

Costa and AIDA also previously canceled their winter 2025/26 Arabian Gulf seasons, which had been planned for November 2025 through March 2026 on Costa Toscana and AIDAprima, respectively.

AIDA’s next steps and longer-term plan for the region

While AIDA is stepping away from the Middle East for winter 2026/27, the company has said it intends to return in winter 2027/28 with itineraries operated by AIDAperla. In the nearer term, AIDAprima is now set for a replacement season that starts in the Canary Islands and later shifts to Kiel for cruises to Scandinavia, the Baltic and the Norwegian fjords. AIDA is also working through guest notifications, agency communications, and rebookings by the May 10, 2026 deadline for guests who want to use the onboard credit offer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why did AIDA Cruises cancel its Middle East itineraries for winter 2026/27?

AIDA said it made the decision due to “regional uncertainties,” adding that the outlook in the region cannot be predicted reliably enough for long-term itinerary planning.

What is the rebooking offer for impacted AIDAprima guests?

AIDA said impacted guests can rebook to another AIDA cruise by May 10, 2026 and receive onboard credit of €200 per cabin for double occupancy, or €100 for single occupancy.

When will AIDAprima’s revised winter 2026/27 schedule be available to book?

AIDA said the revised winter 2026/27 program became bookable in mid-April 2026. It includes Canary Islands cruises from Gran Canaria and Tenerife, followed by Kiel departures to Scandinavia, the Baltic, the Canary Islands and the Norwegian fjords.

Is AIDA planning to return to the Middle East after winter 2026/27?

Yes. AIDA has announced plans to resume Middle East itineraries in winter 2027/28, with cruises scheduled to be operated by AIDAperla.