Six Cruise Ships Clear Strait of Hormuz After Persian Gulf Passage Reopens

Six commercial cruise ships stranded in the Persian Gulf cleared the Strait of Hormuz after the passage reopened for commercial traffic, according to multiple reports.

“TUI Cruises says its May itineraries ‘can go ahead as planned’ after the Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 ships safely departed the Arabian Gulf”

Euronews

PEOPLE said the ships were forced to dock in ports throughout the Persian Gulf since the conflict broke out on Feb. 28, and that they “have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the companies have confirmed.”

Euronews

The same report said cruise vessels were forced to remain in Gulf ports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Qatar, and that the ships docked in ports “one day after the attack, around March 1.”

gCaptain reported that several cruise ships trapped in the Persian Gulf “raced to exit through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend,” taking advantage of a “brief reopening of the passageway.”

Euronews said TUI Cruises’ May itineraries “can go ahead as planned” after Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 safely departed the Arabian Gulf.

In PEOPLE’s account, the first commercial cruise vessel to successfully pass since the conflict began was Celestyal Cruises’ Discovery, which VesselFinder and CruiseMapper tracked departing Dubai and passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Euronews added that Malta-flagged Celestyal Discovery departed Dubai on Friday, and that Celestyal Journey departed Doha, confirming “successful and safe transit of both its vessels” through the waterway.

Across the reports, MSC Euribia also transited, with PEOPLE saying an MSC Cruises spokesperson confirmed it “safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, and is now en route to Northern Europe,” while Euronews said the passage was completed “in close coordination with relevant authorities.”

The reports tie the brief reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to a sequence of announcements and reversals involving Iran and the United States, with cruise operators then coordinating departures.

PEOPLE said cruise vessels had to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to reach safer waters, and that they were forced to remain in port since Feb. 28, when “President Donald Trumpannounced the U.S. participated in a joint attack with Israel against Iran.”

gCaptain

It added that the ships docked “one day after the attack, around March 1,” and later described a U.S. naval posture: on Friday, April 17, Trump posted on Truth Social that the strait is “COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS,” but that “a U.S. naval blockage there remains in effect for Iranian ships.”

PEOPLE said the announcement followed a post on X from Iran's foreign minister confirming the opening, and that VesselFinder and CruiseMapper tracked Celestyal Cruises’ Discovery departing Dubai and passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

gCaptain described the same core dynamic more directly, saying transits were undertaken after Iran declared the strait open for commercial traffic on Friday, “only to reverse its decision less than 24 hours later following a refusal by the US to lift its naval blockade of Iran’s vessels.”

Euronews framed the result in operational terms, saying the stranded ships had departed key ports in the Arabian Gulf region and that the passage had enabled departures from Dubai and Doha.

In gCaptain’s account, the transits were undertaken with security constraints: TUI Cruises said Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 “successfully passed” by early afternoon, and the company said “The passage took place based on the relevant coordination and approvals from the authorities, in a controlled manner and with careful consideration of the security situation.”

gCaptain also reported that the ships traversed with a reduced crew after passengers had disembarked in early March.

As the ships cleared the strait, the reports emphasized operator statements and the specific routes and schedules that followed.

“The vessels were forced to dock in ports throughout the Persian Gulf since the conflict broke out on Feb”

People

PEOPLE said MSC Cruises’ spokesperson confirmed the MSC Euribia “safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, and is now en route to Northern Europe,” and added that the ship “will now be able to return sooner than previously anticipated.”

It also said MSC had canceled two sailings out of Kiel, Germany, on May 9 and 15, but that the company could resume a subsequent May 16 sailing out of Kiel.

PEOPLE reported that on April 19, German company TUI Cruises issued a statement confirming both its Mein Schiff 4 and 5 “successfully left the Orient region and are currently heading towards the Mediterranean,” and that both ships are heading to Cape Town, South Africa, before they resume their previously scheduled sailings.

Euronews similarly said the TUI crew in Cape Town and Malta will rejoin the ships, which are being prepared for regular operations so that the first guests can be welcomed back on board in Trieste and Heraklion as planned.

Euronews also stated that the originally cancelled voyages of Mein Schiff 4 from Trieste, Italy, from 17 May and of Mein Schiff 5 from Heraklion, Greece, from 15 May will now go ahead as planned.

For Celestyal Cruises, PEOPLE said on April 20 the company confirmed its Journey cruise ship also passed the Strait of Hormuz, and that “Following their successful transit, both Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey are now repositioning to the Mediterranean.”

gCaptain added that MSC Euribia is set to depart from the German port of Kiel on May 16 and Copenhagen on May 17, as originally planned, and that TUI Cruises’ two vessels traversed with a reduced crew.

Even as the ships transited, the sources describe the security environment and the operational controls used during the window.

gCaptain said the transits were undertaken after Iran declared the strait open for commercial traffic, but that the decision was reversed less than 24 hours later after a refusal by the US to lift its naval blockade of Iran’s vessels.

gCaptain

It added that “Observed transits of commercial ships through the strait have ground to a halt again, following a brief surge on Saturday,” and that “vessels came under gunfire in the waterway.”

PEOPLE described a U.S. naval blockage remaining in effect for Iranian ships even while Trump posted that the strait was “COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS.”

PEOPLE also said the ships were forced to remain in Gulf ports since Feb. 28, and that the cruise lines quickly worked to transport customers back home through charter flights or other arranged transportation, while the ships and crews stayed in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Qatar.

gCaptain reported that the two TUI ships traversed with a reduced crew after passengers had disembarked in early March, and that the ships rounded the tip of the Musandam Peninsula hugging the Omani coastline.

Euronews said the passage was completed “in close coordination with relevant authorities,” and that the MSC Euribia transited after departing Dubai.

The combined picture is that the reopening did not eliminate risk, and that coordination with authorities and controlled movement were central to the departures.

The sources portray the next phase as a return to scheduled operations in Europe and the Mediterranean, alongside ongoing sensitivity to the strait’s status.

“Carnival Slashes Profit Outlook as Iran War Sends Fuel Costs Soaring Carnival Corp cut its annual profit forecast on Friday, as higher fuel costs pressure the cruise operator's margins amid rising geopolitical tensions”

gCaptain

Euronews said TUI Cruises confirmed that Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 were “heading towards the Mediterranean” after leaving Dubai and Doha respectively, and that “Both ships are setting course for Cape Town and will subsequently return to their regular schedules.”

Euronews

It also said the TUI crew in Cape Town and Malta will rejoin the ships so that first guests can be welcomed back on board in Trieste and Heraklion as planned.

Euronews further stated that the originally cancelled voyages of Mein Schiff 4 from Trieste, Italy, from 17 May and of Mein Schiff 5 from Heraklion, Greece, from 15 May will now go ahead as planned.

PEOPLE similarly emphasized that MSC could resume a May 16 sailing out of Kiel after canceling May 9 and 15, and that TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4 and 5 were heading toward the Mediterranean before resuming previously scheduled sailings.

For Celestyal Cruises, PEOPLE said both Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey were repositioning to the Mediterranean to commence the upcoming summer season as planned.

gCaptain reported that MSC Euribia is set to depart from Kiel on May 16 and Copenhagen on May 17, as originally planned, and that the ship is en route toward Northern Europe.

At the same time, gCaptain’s account of gunfire and the halt in observed transits underscores that the corridor may not remain stable, even after a brief reopening.