What Crew Members Say About Celestyal-Journey

**Title: Exciting Cruise Ship Schedules Set to Launch This May** As the summer season approaches, cruise enthusiasts can rejoice as several vessels prepare to set sail in May. **Mein Schiff 5**, operated by TUI Cruises, will kick off its summer itinerary in the breathtaking Eastern Mediterranean, departing from Heraklion on **May 15**. Just two days later, on **May 17**, the **Mein Schiff 4** will commence its voyages based in Trieste, venturing into the enchanting Adriatic Sea. The schedule for both TUI Cruises vessels is tight, particularly for those embarking on a lengthy journey south around Africa, which can span over three weeks and require logistical halts along the way. Meanwhile, the **MSC Euribia**, also preparing for its summer debut, is slated to begin operations in Kiel on **May 16**. Although its start is two weeks delayed, the ship will embark on a picturesque route to Norway's famed fjords, with return journeys to both Kiel and Copenhagen. In another development, **Celestyal Cruises** is currently navigating its fleet from the Middle East back to the Mediterranean. With their AIS turned off, it remains unclear whether the ships are traversing the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal or opting for a route south around Africa. Reports indicate the **Celestyal Discovery** is heading toward the Suez Canal, while the **Celestyal Journey** appears to be en route to Cape Town. All scheduled voyages remain on track, with the **Celestyal Discovery** expected to launch from Lavrion on **May 22** and the **Celestyal Journey** departing from Piraeus on **May 23**. Lastly, the final vessel departing the Persian Gulf is the **Aroya**, managed by Aroya Cruises. Anticipated to arrive in Jeddah on **April 27**, this ship will face the challenges of navigating along the Yemeni coastline before welcoming guests in Jeddah on **May 14**. **Cruise Ship Launch Dates:** - **May 14, 2026**: Aroya (Aroya Cruises) – Jeddah - **May 15, 2026**: Mein Schiff 5 (TUI Cruises) – Heraklion - **May 16, 2026**: MSC Euribia (MSC Cruises) – Kiel - **May 17, 2026**: Mein Schiff 4 (TUI Cruises) – Trieste - **May 22, 2026**: Celestyal Discovery – Lavrion/Athens - **May 23, 2026**: Celestyal Journey – Piraeus/Athens With an exciting lineup of cruises ready to set off, May promises to be a thrilling month for cruise travel!

**Title: Cruise Ships Swiftly Navigate the Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions** On April 17, the 'Celestyal Discovery' successfully charted its course through the increasingly complex waters of the Strait of Hormuz, paving the way for four additional cruise vessels. Setting out from Doha, both the 'Celestyal Journey' and 'Mein Schiff 5' joined the maritime race, while the 'Mein Schiff 4' departed from Abu Dhabi and the 'MSC Euribia' embarked from Dubai. The lone exception is the 'Aroya,' which left Dubai for Dammam at the end of March and remains stationary. As of now, the 'Celestyal Journey', 'MSC Euribia', 'Mein Schiff 4', and 'Mein Schiff 5' are making swift headway towards Khasab, a city perched at the heart of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been intermittently obstructed by Iranian forces. The 'Celestyal Discovery' was uniquely positioned to take advantage of the initial reopening following a recent ceasefire between conflicting parties. However, just hours later, on April 18, Iran once again shut down access to the Strait. The implications for the four cruise ships currently navigating the waters are under close observation. Analysts speculate that the vessels aim to reach Khasab Bay to exit the turbulent region at their earliest convenience. Given the swift developments, positioning the cruise ships in proximity to the Strait of Hormuz appears to be a prudent strategy. For safety, only essential crew members are aboard to navigate these perilous waters. If they manage a successful passage in the coming hours or days, it's anticipated that cruise operations in Europe may see a hiatus of up to four weeks as a result. With this in mind, TUI Cruises and MSC Cruises have proactively halted all sailings for the three affected ships until mid-May 2026. At 1:45 p.m., the quartet of vessels indeed entered the Strait of Hormuz, closely following the path of the 'Celestyal Discovery' the day before, steering near the Omani coastline. Their next port of call is marked as Muscat, with the crucial segment of their journey expected to conclude shortly. Following this passage, the shipping companies will determine their next steps for reaching Europe, weighing their options between a direct route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, or the longer, yet potentially safer, journey around the southern tip of Africa.

**Title: Safe Disembarkation Achieved for Passengers of 'Celestyal Journey' in Dubai** **Content:** All passengers aboard the 'Celestyal Journey' have successfully disembarked in Dubai, following their unforeseen delay due to escalating conflict in the Middle East. The cruise line provided strong support during this challenging situation, ensuring guests received assistance with onward transfers and accommodations as needed. Meanwhile, passengers on the 'Celestyal Discovery', currently docked in Doha, Qatar, are awaiting updates regarding their disembarkation plans. Travelers are encouraged to reach out directly to their airlines and register with their embassies to stay informed about flight arrangements and official communications. All guests are advised to take proactive steps by contacting their airlines for travel arrangements and ensuring they have registered with their respective embassies for vital updates or support regarding repatriation efforts. The cruise line is committed to keeping all customers informed regarding the latest developments.

**Title: TUI and MSC Cruise Passengers Stranded in UAE Ports Amid Escalating Tensions** **Content:** As of March 1, uncertainty looms over thousands of cruise passengers aboard TUI's "Mein Schiff 4," "Mein Schiff 5," and the "MSC Euribia," all of whom remain docked in the bustling ports of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. Fortunately, all travelers are currently safe on board, but the future for these cruise-goers hangs in the balance. Military operations in the Persian Gulf have intensified, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that strikes have also targeted the Iranian navy. Compounding the chaos, Iran has closed the vital Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic, leaving vessels stranded with no clear exit route. Only ships with connections to China or Russia were able to navigate through the strait during the night. The approximately 2,000 passengers scheduled to return to Germany aboard the "Mein Schiff 4" on March 1 are in a holding pattern, as their voyage has been indefinitely postponed. Originally, the plan was for them to disembark in Dubai, making way for another influx of 2,000 new travelers arriving from Germany. The "Mein Schiff 4" was set to embark on a spectacular seven-day "Magic of the Orient" cruise to Oman on March 2 at 10:30 p.m., a plan that has now been scrapped. Meanwhile, the situation is similarly precarious for passengers aboard the "Mein Schiff 5" in Doha, who have been stranded since February 28 after their cruise concluded. Reports indicate that some travelers were in mid-air when their flights turned back, landing them back in Doha rather than whisking them away home. After enduring a lengthy 10-hour wait at the airport, passengers were ultimately transported back to "Mein Schiff 5" in the evening, only to find themselves receiving alerts about incoming missiles from Qatar’s Civil Defense on their smartphones. Captain of the "Mein Schiff 5" has assured the guests that regular communication is ongoing with both the German embassy and TUI on land. Nonetheless, after a long silence of over 12 hours with no updates from the cruise line, frustration is palpable among the passengers. Many echoed that it was easier to wait on the ship than face the chaos at Doha Airport, fraught with confusion and lengthy lines, leaving them with little information and all luggage left behind. Passengers have been directed to the onboard shop for essentials like toiletries and fresh garments, though demand has outweighed supply, leading to the complete sellout of underwear. Scheduled departure for "Mein Schiff 5" with new guests was set for March 1 at 10 p.m., but plans are now up in the air. In Dubai, the "MSC Euribia" remains stationed at Port Rashid, anticipating a cruise that was also slated to embark on March 1, bound for Oman. Following early morning reports of rising tensions on February 28, MSC Cruises promptly announced that their upcoming cruise would be suspended. Other cruise vessels, including the "Aroya" from Saudi Arabia's Aroya Cruises and Greece's "Celestyal Discovery," are also docked in Dubai, with another Celestyal ship, the "Celestyal Journey," joining "Mein Schiff 5" in Doha. As the situation continues to unfold, passengers and cruise lines are left waiting for further developments. Stay tuned for the latest updates as we monitor this evolving maritime crisis.

On the morning of April 5, ,2025, the Heraklion Port Authority was informed that two passengers of the'Celestial Infinity', a 77-y'ear-old Greek national and an 85-year-old British national, required immediate hospital treatment. The 77-year-old patient was medevaced and transferred to the University General Hospital of Heraklion for further medical treatment, while the 85-year-old was transferred to a private clinic in Crete for further medical examination. The ship continued its route to the port of Piraeus.

CMV Cruise & Maritime Voyages is going to acquire PACIFIC ARIA and PACIFIC DAWN from P&O Australia. New names of the ships will be IDA PFEIFFER and AMY JOHNSON. Full article and images : https://www.cruisedeck.de/die-neuen-schiffsnamen-bei-cmv/

P&O Cruises Australia is to sail six itineraries to Papua New Guinea in 2019, taking guests to destinations such as Alotau, Kitava Island, Rabaul, Kiriwina Island and the Conflict Islands. The line will offer five 10-night ‘New Guinea Island Encounter’ cruises from Brisbane, Australia. The sixth cruise will be an 11-night roundtrip from Sydney, Australia onboard Pacific Aria in mind-November, which will include a call at the Conflict Islands, one of the most remote locations in the Coral Sea.