Msc-Euribia

The 'MSC Euribia' was being gradually emptied of its passengers. MSC Cruises has already arranged the return of more than 1,500 passengers who were on board, and all passengers wer asked to disembark on March 12 by 11:00 a.m. as MSC Cruises was accelerating its repatriation efforts. Passengers who have not arranged their return by then and who did not book a return flight through MSC, will have to leave the ship and find accommodation ashore at their own expense. In total, seven flights have departed the Middle East, combining charters operated by the company, seats booked on commercial flights with Emirates and Flydubai, as well as some flights organised by national governments. Passengers aboard the 'MSC Euribia' have been repatriated to several destinations, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Brasil. The situation on board remained calm, and passengers had access to all of the ship’s services and facilities. The cruise ship must then be maintained in conditions that allows it to sail at any time.

MSC Cruises has chartered flights for more than 1,500 passengers who were aboard the 'MSC Euribia' in Dubai, as the cruise line was working to repatriate travelers amid the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East. The ship has been docked in Dubai since March 1 due to the closure of regional airspace. MSC began launching repatriation flights from the region on March 5. A total of seven flights carrying passengers had departed the region by the morning of March 6. The flights included specially arranged charter services paid for by the cruise line, as well as seats secured through partnerships with Emirates and Fly Dubai on regular commercial flights. Some passengers were also able to leave the region on flights arranged by governments. The passengers were repatriated to several destinations worldwide, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Brazil.

There was renewed unrest on board the "Mein Schiff 5" on March 7. Passengers reportedly were not informed about the flight capacity provided by Qatar Airways. Guests who were staying in a hotel in Doha were informed by Qatar Airways during the night and taken to the airport in time. Passengers waiting on board only found out when it was too late. TUI Cruises pointed to the very specific situation and corresponding regulations. "Due to the ongoing dynamic situation in the region and limited flight connections, we are in close contact with the airlines to enable reliable planning of return journeys. As soon as we have confirmed information, we will inform the affected guests immediately," TUI Cruises stated. The "Mein Schiff 4" in Abu Dhabi is now almost empty of passengers. Only a small group remained on board, whose home destinations are not in Germany. The situation on the "Mein Schiff 5" in Doha was described as "somewhat more complex" due to coordination between the ship, authorities, and airlines. As a result, most of the approximately 3,000 passengers were still stuck in the port. The cruise line MSC Cruises was much further along in the process. The Swiss company has the "MSC Euribia" docked in Dubai. By March 6, most of the 6,000 passengers had already begun their journey home. MSC Cruises reported that seven flights carrying passengers from the region had departed by that day. These flights included special charter flights operated by MSC Cruises, as well as flights provided by Emirates and FlyDubai, and several government-organised flights.

The cruise line MSC has decided to launch a repatriation operation for approximatel1000 passengers on board the ''MSC Euribia', who have been stuck in Dubai. Five charter flights were scheduled from the Emirati city, the first of which is due to depart on March 5. Passengers were regularly updated on the situation and continue to have full access, at no extra cost, to all onboard services and facilities, where the situation remained calm and peaceful, according to MSC. The company initially sought a solution with its airline partners in the region, including Emirates and Etihad Airways, to identify and secure return flights for its passengers. At the same time, it also explored the possibility of chartering dedicated flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Muscat to expedite the repatriation process. This latter option was ultimately chosen, as MSC launched, at its own expense, a dedicated air operation. These flights will allow nearly 1,000 passengers to leave the region by March 7. Seats on these aircraft were allocated on a "first in, first out" basis: those who boarded the ship first will be the first to disembark and board the plane. The first flights were to depart for Spain and Italy. Meanwhile, the cruise line is exploring all possible options for the remaining passengers, including commercial flights, other charter options, and coordinated solutions with government assistance.

The 'MSC Euribia' remained stuck in the port of Dubai as the conflict in the Middle East continued. The ship had arrived for an overnight call on Feb27. This has prompted MSC Cruises to cancel several upcoming embarkations, and the list grew longer as of March 1, 2026. The cruise line already cancelled the embarkations on Feb 28 and March 1, which would have been overlapping 7-night Middle Eastern itineraries. The March 4 departures, which consisted of a 3-night getaway cruise and a 7-night sailing, were also cancelled. Now, guests booked on the March 7 embarkation, which was another 7-night sailing from Dubai, have been told that their sailing has also officially been cancelled, like the other sailings that were scheduled to be operated simultaneously, guests would have visited Doha, Qatar, Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and Khalifa Bin Salman and Bahrain. “Due to the current situation and the closure of airspace across the Middle East region, your cruise aboard MSC Euribia departing from Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 3/7/2026 has been cancelled,” MSC sent in an email to current guests, who will automatically receive refunds of their full cruise fare within 30 days. No further action was required on the part of the guests. After March 7, the 'MSC Euribia' has more embarkations scheduled for March 8, March 11, March 14, March 15, and March 18, which might also end up on the chopping block in the coming days. The vessel was one of six cruise ships that were stuck in the Middle East, along with the 'Celestyal Discovery' and 'Aroya Manara' in Dubai, the 'Mein Schiff 4' in Abu Dhabi and the 'Mein Schiff 5' and 'Celestyal Journey' in Doha. The ships cannot sail to safer waters because they would have to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is dangerously close to Iran at only 21 to 33 miles wide between Iran to the north and Oman/UAE to the south. The waterway has been closed to all shipping and civilian vessels until further notice. At the same time, the ships in Dubai have not been given permission to disembark current passengers due to safety concerns in the port and mass flight cancellations. Guests have been given permission to go ashore to briefly stretch their legs during this waiting period, but have been asked to go no further than the cruise terminal area. Wi-Fi has also been made available to all onboard at no charge. It was already planned that the 'MSC Euribia' would be transferred to Kiel without passengers after the conclusion of its Orient cruises, where it is expected to arrive on May 2, for the start of this year's Northern Europe cruise season. Whether the ship will be able to resume operations at that time remains to be seen. First, measures must be taken to ensure the Strait of Hormuz is safe for shipping.

The situation of the passengers on the TUI ships "Mein Schiff 4" and "Mein Schiff 5," as well as the "MSC Euribia," remained uncertain on March1. At least all passengers were safely back on board. The three ships, along with three other cruise ships, remained docked in the ports of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. What would happen next for the passengers and the ships was still completely unclear. The night in the Persian Gulf was once again marked by military operations. According to unconfirmed reports, the military strikes were now also targeting the Iranian navy. Iran has closed the crucial Strait of Hormuz to shipping. This means there is currently no escape for ships from the Gulf. Only ships with ties to China or Russia passed through the strait during the night. The approximately 2,000 passengers of the 'Mein Schiff 4' were originally scheduled to depart from Dubai on March 1 for their return journey to Germany, making room for about 2,000 new passengers who were to arrive by plane from Germany. Continue With these new passengers, the "Mein Schiff 4" was supposed to set sail on March 2 at 10:30 p.m. for the seven-day "Magic of the Orient" cruise to Oman. That will no longer happen. The "Mein Schiff 4" itinerary has been suspended for the time being. The situation was similar for the "Mein Schiff 5" in Qatar, whose passengers have been stranded in Doha since Feb 28, after the end of their cruise. Some were already on planes when the aircraft turned back. They landed again and were stuck at the airport. After waiting at the airport for ten hours, according to their own statements, the passengers were brought back to the "Mein Schiff 5" in the evening. Warnings about incoming missiles on smartphones From time to time, warnings about incoming missiles from Qatar's Civil Defense appear on the passengers' smartphones. According to the captain, the ship was in constant contact with the German embassy and TUI on land. More information was expected during the afternoon. The passengers hadn't received any messages from the cruise line for 12 hours. However, it was better to wait on board. There was such terrible chaos at Doha airport; there were endless lines and nobody knew anything. Passenger of the "Mein Schiff 5" had to leave all their luggage behind at Doha airport. Since they were not allowed to leave the ship, they were directed to the onboard shop for toiletries and a change of underwear. Underwear was meanwhile completely sold out. The “Mein Schiff 5” was scheduled to leave Doha with new passengers on March 1 at 10 p.m. Several more cruise ships were stuck in Dubai The “MSC Euribia" was docked in Port Rashid, the port of Dubai. It was also supposed to depart on March 1 for a cruise through the Gulf and to Oman. MSC Cruises announced on thr morning of Feb 28, immediately after the first reports of the conflict, that the cruise would not take place. Also docked in Dubai wee the "Aroya" of the Saudi cruise line Aroya Cruises and the "Celestyal Discovery" of the Greek shipping company Celestyal. A second ship from the same company, the "Celestyal Journey", was docked in Doha, Qatar, along with the "Mein Schiff 5." A Repatriation by air can only take place after the airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar reopen. The cruise line TUI Cruises cited coordination with the German Federal Foreign Office. "During the ongoing en route to Doha for the 'Mein Schiff 5,' the Federal Foreign Office updated its travel and security advice for the entire region and issued travel warnings. Against this backdrop, the scheduled execution of the aforementioned cruises is currently not responsible." Passengers were also advised against seeking information about the situation themselves. "Please refrain from inquiring about upcoming departures of the 'Mein Schiff 4' and 'Mein Schiff 5,' as we are unable to answer these questions at this time," the cruise line stated. The ships will remain in port until further notice. So far, no damage has been reported on board as a result of the Iranian attacks. Because port facilities near the ships are also being targeted by drones and missiles, passengers on all ships have been instructed to avoid open outdoor areas and stay away from windows. The cruise ships are scheduled to leave the Persian Gulf at the end of March and beginning of April and sail around Africa to Europe. The "MSC Euribia" has its last voyage from Dubai on April 4. She is expected in Kiel on May 2nd. Instead of sailing from Doha, the vessel remained docked at the Cruise Terminal 3 at Port Rashid in Dubai until further notice. Guests currently onboard were permitted to go ashore, though they were encouraged to remain within the cruise terminal area for safety. The "Mein Schiff 4" and "Mein Schiff 5" have been scheduled to set course for their summer cruises in the Mediterranean at the end of March.

On Aug 10, 2024, the federal police arrested a Ukrainian, who was aboard the "MSC Euribia", in the port of Kiel. The 53-year-old man was arrested during entry control. The officers' routine comparison of the passenger list before entering the port resulted in the manhunt. The Hamburg public prosecutor's office had issued an arrest warrant against the man for tax evasion from a previous case. The arrest warrant had been suspended at the time in favour of deportation to Ukraine. However, it remains valid in the event of re-entry or a return to Germany. After the police measures had been completed, he must now serve the remainder of his prison sentence of 1,152 days for tax evasion. It is unclear why the man booked a cruise with a German port of call despite the entry ban. He may have assumed that there would be no border controls when traveling in the Schengen area. The arrest warrant would no longer have been valid next year, according to the federal police. He may have boarded in Copenhagen and had not taken into account that the federal police check all lists of passengers and crew members before entering a German port as part of border police measures.

A passenger went overboard while the 'MS Euribia', en route from Aalesund to Flåm, was sailing through the Sognefjorden on June 6, 2024, at around 3:30 a.m. LT. The incident happened near Flåm. The ship had planned to dock all day in the port. The ship stopped a little more than 50 miles west-northwest of the port, and turned around. A helicopter rescued the passenger, who was transferred to a hospital. No other details about how the man fell off the ship have been revealed. The ship has mainly stayed on schedule despite the incident, and arrived back in Kiel on Juen 8.

After the trips had no longer been bookable for a few weeks, MSC Cruises has now finally canceled the positioning trips from Kiel to Dubai with the 'MSC Euribia'. Due to the security situation on the Red Sea, where ships are being attacked by the Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen, MSC Cruises has now reacted early to ensure security for booked guests. The 2024 summer season ends on October 19, 2024 in Kiel. The last guests of a one-week fjord cruise from/to Kiel and the guests of a six-day cruise from Copenhagen to Kiel will disembark there. MSC Cruises currently seems to be planning a trip around Africa for the 'MSC Euribia' without guests in order to safely move the ship from the summer sailing area in Northern Europe to the winter sailing area on the Persian Gulf. The first cruise in the Orient is scheduled to begin in Dubai on Nov 16, 2024. All sailings with the 'MSC Euribia' from Oct 19 to Nov 15 have therefore been cancelled. This applies to the Grand Voyage from Northern Europe to the Orient, which could also be booked in shorter sections. The period from Oct 19 to Nov 16 should be enough to take the 'MSC Euribia' from Kiel to Dubai without guests. New cruises to destinations in Africa are unlikely to be possible given the relatively short cancellation period. In addition to the 'MSC Euribia', according to the original schedule, the 'MSC Musica' is also scheduled to sail through the Red Sea in autumn 2024 to get to South Africa from the Mediterranean. Trips in the period from Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 22 cannot currently be booked. An alternative for the journey from Genoa to Durban is still unknown. Here, too, there could be travel cancellations or a new itinerary along the coast of West Africa.