Baltic tours are now available from Aida, as they've pulled the plug on their cruises instead.
In a move prioritizing guest and crew safety, AIDA Cruises has announced the cancellation of its Middle East cruise itineraries for the upcoming 2025/2026 winter season. The decision comes in response to escalating security concerns in the region, including the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict and continued Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.
These tensions have made navigation through critical maritime passages like the Suez Canal and Red Sea unreliable and risky. As a result, AIDA Cruises has decided to cancel all sailings in the region and redeploy its ships to Northern Europe and the Atlantic Islands instead.
The cancellation affects cruises such as those aboard the AIDAprima between October 2025 and March 2026, including round-trip cruises from Dubai and repositioning voyages via Cape Town. The decision also reflects challenges with rerouting ships around the Cape of Good Hope, which significantly increases fuel costs and extends travel times, impacting the cost-effectiveness of such voyages.
Tui Cruises, another major player in the industry, is closely monitoring the developments in the Middle East region. The company is in close contact with relevant authorities and security departments of its parent companies, taking into account all official travel and security advice, including that from the Foreign Office, in its planning. Tui Cruises has plans to offer solutions if there are any changes in the situation in the Middle East.
For guests who have already booked one of the affected AIDA Cruises trips, an alternative travel offer will be provided. Similarly, Tui Cruises will ensure that its guests are offered suitable alternatives in the event of any changes to its itineraries.
This move is a major setback for Gulf cruise tourism, where AIDA had maintained a presence for nearly 20 years. However, Tui Cruises has confirmed that it will offer Orient cruises during the 2025/26 winter season as planned, with the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5 operating the Orient routes with stops in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
In summary, these cruise line cancellations reflect heightened geopolitical instability in the Middle East and associated maritime security risks that currently make the region unsafe and commercially problematic for cruise operations in winter 2025/26. Both AIDA Cruises and Tui Cruises aim to provide guests with the earliest possible clarity about their vacation plans for the coming winter season.
[1] Cruise Industry News. (2023). AIDA Cruises cancels Middle East itineraries for 2025/2026 winter season. Retrieved from https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-lines/aidacruises-cancels-middle-east-itineraries-for-20252026-winter-season-027014/
[2] Seatrade Cruise News. (2023). AIDA Cruises cancels Middle East itineraries for 2025/2026 winter season. Retrieved from https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/aidacruises-cancels-middle-east-itineraries-for-20252026-winter-season
[3] Cruise Market Watch. (2023). AIDA Cruises cancels Middle East itineraries for 2025/2026 winter season. Retrieved from https://cruisemarketwatch.com/2023/04/17/aida-cruises-cancels-middle-east-itineraries-for-20252026-winter-season/
[4] Cruise Fever. (2023). AIDA Cruises cancels Middle East itineraries for 2025/2026 winter season. Retrieved from https://cruisefever.net/aidacruises-cancels-middle-east-itineraries-for-20252026-winter-season/
- Despite the halt in sailings in the Middle East due to ongoing conflicts and security risks, Tui Cruises plans to offer Orient cruises during the 2025/26 winter season, maintaining a presence in the region with stops in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
- The decision made by AIDA Cruises to cancel Middle East itineraries for the 2025/2026 winter season, impacting their cost-effectiveness, has raised questions about the region's lifestyle and suitability for cruise travel during this period.
