Celestyal Cancels All April 2026 Cruises as Hormuz Remains Shut
The disruption underscores how quickly geopolitical chokepoints can upend cruise deployment, forcing lines to rethink Arabian Gulf seasons and Mediterranean capacity planning.
Updated May 26, 2026
Celestyal Cruises has fully resumed its Mediterranean program after Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey returned to Europe in late April and welcomed guests back on May 1 and May 2, 2026, respectively. The restart closes the operational disruption that left both ships in the Arabian Gulf for nearly two months and led Celestyal to cancel all April sailings.
The company said both ships safely transited the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal before making their way to Athens. "This marks another major milestone as we fully resume our Mediterranean program - something we know so many of our guests and partners have been looking forward to," Celestyal said in an update. "Seeing both ships back in our homeport of Athens, ready to deliver the immersive, destination-rich sailings we're known for, is incredibly rewarding," the company added.
How the disruption unfolded
Celestyal had cancelled every April 2026 departure for both ships, a total of 11 cruises across the two-vessel fleet. The cancellations followed earlier itinerary changes tied to the same disruption, including postponed starts to Celestyal Discovery's spring program in Greece.
Among the sailings previously called off were departures planned for March 20, March 23, March 27, and March 30, 2026, along with additional early-April departures originally scheduled to operate from the Athens area. Celestyal's winter 2025-26 Arabian Gulf season, which began in late 2025 with voyages departing from hubs such as Dubai and Doha, was significantly disrupted beginning in February 2026. The company ensured the safe disembarkation of all passengers by early March.
Celestyal Chief Commercial Officer Lee Haslett said the April cancellations were driven by safety considerations for guests and crew. "Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew, and partners," Haslett said, adding that acting then "provides greater clarity and flexibility" for those impacted.
How the ships returned to Europe
Celestyal Discovery departed Dubai on April 17 and became the first cruise ship to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the disruption began. Celestyal Journey departed Doha and followed the same route out of the Arabian Gulf.
The return plan called for a roughly 4,400-mile repositioning toward Athens through the Strait of Hormuz, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Suez Canal, followed by crew restaffing and provisioning ahead of Mediterranean service. Both ships made the voyage without guests onboard.
Celestyal said the operation involved close coordination with regional authorities, security teams, onboard crews, and shoreside teams. "The restart of our operations is the result of an extraordinary collective effort across our business and our partners around the world," the company said.
Mediterranean sailings now operating
Celestyal said future sailings currently on sale will operate as scheduled as the company moves forward with its Mediterranean deployment.
Celestyal Discovery resumed service on May 1, 2026, on a three-night Greek Islands and Turkey cruise from Lavrion. The 1,360-passenger ship's itinerary includes Kusadasi, Mykonos, Patmos, Santorini, and Heraklion, with additional short cruises in the region during the season.
Celestyal Journey welcomed guests back on May 2, 2026, on a seven-night Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia cruise from Piraeus. The itinerary includes calls such as Dubrovnik, Kotor, Bari, Corfu, Argostoli, and Katakolon as the ship resumes longer Adriatic and Aegean sailings.
What Celestyal offered April guests
For travelers affected by the cancelled April sailings, Celestyal said guests could choose either a full refund or a future cruise credit. Passengers were directed to contact their original travel provider to review rebooking or refund options and complete next steps.
Haslett said the cruise line was working "closely with guests and travel partners to support rebooking options and ensure a smooth transition," as Celestyal prepared for its return to service.
Other Gulf-stranded cruise ships are back in service
Celestyal was not the only operator affected by the Gulf disruption. Other cruise lines, including MSC Cruises, TUI Cruises, and Saudi Arabia-based Aroya Cruises, also cancelled or altered itineraries after ships were unable to reposition from the Arabian Gulf.
By May 22, all six cruise ships stranded in the region had returned to service. Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey were among the first to resume, followed by Aroya from Jeddah, TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 4 in the Mediterranean, and MSC Euribia in Northern Europe. MSC Euribia resumed its Northern Europe program in mid-May, and Aroya began a spring Red Sea season from Jeddah before its planned move toward Eastern Mediterranean itineraries.
