AIDA Halts Middle East Cruises for Winter 2025/26 Season

AIDA Cruises has cancelled all of its Middle East sailings for the upcoming 2025/26 winter season, citing ongoing regional unrest. The affected itineraries aboard AIDAprima were originally scheduled between October 3, 2025, and March 25, 2026. This includes round-trip voyages departing from Dubai and a scheduled repositioning cruise that would have passed through Cape Town, according to industry reports.
Instead, the AIDAprima will be reassigned to operate in Northern Europe and the Atlantic Islands.
In a message to guests with bookings, AIDA explained the early cancellation was made to provide certainty and put guest safety first. “The situation in the Middle East cannot currently be reliably assessed,” the company noted.
The move follows heightened instability in the region, including the conflict between Israel and Iran in June and continued Houthi assaults on ships in the Red Sea. Such threats have made it increasingly difficult for cruise operators to chart secure and economically viable routes.
Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market 2025 in Dubai, cruise industry leaders highlighted the challenges of rerouting ships around the Cape of Good Hope—an option that significantly raises fuel consumption and prolongs voyages. These logistical hurdles are now playing a crucial role in cruise deployment strategies.
AIDA’s departure marks a notable blow to cruise tourism in the Gulf, a market that has seen consistent growth. The cruise line had maintained a seasonal presence in the Middle East for nearly two decades.