Six cruise ships that had been stranded in the Gulf have successfully exited the region, taking advantage of a temporary ceasefire to pass through the highly sensitive Strait of Hormuz.
The vessels, operated by companies including TUI, MSC, Celestyal, and Saudi-based Aroya Cruises, had been docked in ports such as Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, and Dammam during the height of regional tensions. Although passengers and extra staff had already been evacuated weeks earlier, essential crew members remained onboard to manage the ships.
The coordinated departure began late Friday night, with each vessel carefully navigating close to Oman’s Musandam Peninsula to avoid entering Iranian-controlled waters. By late Sunday, all six ships had safely crossed into the Arabian Sea and left the conflict-prone zone.
The journey was considered highly risky due to the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow and often tense waterway. Experts note that large vessels passing through the area are typically exposed to surveillance or encounters with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has increasingly relied on drone technology capable of causing severe damage.
To reduce risk, the ships maintained open communication channels, sailed during daylight for visibility, and stayed as close as possible to safe maritime boundaries. There was also reported coordination with the US Navy, which was prepared to assist if necessary. Crew members on board were given the option to disembark before departure, but many chose to remain and complete the journey.
Despite these precautions, analysts warn that the threat level remains unpredictable, even during a ceasefire, due to the decentralized nature of some military operations in the region.
The decision to move the ships was driven by both financial and humanitarian concerns. Cruise liners docked in high-risk zones face mounting operational costs and insurance pressures, while thousands of seafarers across the region were effectively stranded due to the crisis.
With ongoing tensions and recent reports of ship seizures in the area, the future of cruise operations in the Gulf remains uncertain.
