Marella Cruises cancels Dubai cruise, entire Asia season on Red Sea security concerns

Marella Cruises has cancelled the entirety of its Asia cruise season for 2024/25, as well as its repositioning cruises to and from the region via the Middle East, due to ongoing security concerns in the Red Sea.

Marella Cruises informed guests this week that the entire season of Middle East and Asia itineraries are now cancelled due to the conflict in the Red Sea, just a few days after Marella Discovery began her homeward journey for Europe from Asia.

Marella Discovery 2 is being routed from Asia to Europe via Africa, following other cruise lines such as MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and others who have had to sail around Africa to avoid the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

“For the safety of our customers and crew, we can confirm that due to the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea area, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Asia and Middle East program between November 1st, 2024 and April 30th, 2025,” the company said in a statement.

“We appreciate how disappointing this news will be and therefore all impacted customers will be contacted by their booking agent to discuss the options available to them. Options include being able to rebook with a £200 per person reduction or receive a full refund,” Marella added in the statement.

Marella Cruises made the announcement at the end of Marella Discovery 2’s winter cruise season out of Singapore. The ship is currently sailing around Africa instead of via the Red Sea. 

The announcement therefore means the cancellation of Marella Discovery 2’s current repositioning cruise from Asia to Europe, as well as the planned winter 2024/25 program in Asia, and the cruise from Dubai to Singapore that the ship was meant to sail later this year.

Marella Cruises is yet to announce where the ship will be based during the winter 2024/25 season to replace its Asian itineraries.

Marella Cruises used to sail a full homeporting Dubai cruise season prior to the pandemic, but has not returned to the region for a season since, and the disruption caused by the Red Sea crisis will likely further dent any enthusiasm it might have had for the region.

The crisis emerged last year when Houthi rebeals in Yemen began attacking international shipping in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, prompting all major cruise lines and many shipping companies to began rerouting ships around Africa instead.

While South Africa’s cruise sector has benefitted significantly, the Middle East cruise industry has been hit hard by the disruption, with dozens of cruises to and from Dubai dropped, and even entire seasons for homeporting ships cancelled.