Princess Cruises replaces Dubai with Cape Town for 2025 World Cruise

Princess Cruises has amended the itineraries for its two 2025 World Cruises amid the ongoing security crisis in the Red Sea, with new port calls in Africa and Europe instead of the Middle East and Asia.

Island Princess and Crown Princess will circumnavigate Africa, with Island Princess confirmed to be calling in Cape Town as a turnaround port instead of Dubai.

Both world cruises aboard Island Princess and Crown Princess are being adjusted as a result of attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi militia in Yemen, which sits on the Bab Al Mandeb Strait, a key waterway linking the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

Although no cruise ships have been struck, the attacks have prompted all major cruise lines to avoid the area, sailing around Africa rather than through the Red Sea and Suez Canal when repositioning between Asia and Europe.

 “A Princess World Cruise is truly the voyage of a lifetime and after careful consideration with guidance from global security experts and government authorities, we know our guests will understand and appreciate the change to our upcoming 2025 itineraries to avoid certain areas,” said Terry Thornton, Chief Commercial Officer, Princess Cruises. 

“These global events beyond our control have necessitated these re-routings but we are pleased to continue to ensure these world cruises retain destination-rich itineraries with incredible stops along the West Africa coast and the Mediterranean,” Thorton added.

Impacted World Cruise Itineraries:

116-day – Island Princess – January 5th from Fort Lauderdale

This world cruise visits 46 destinations in 24 countries and six continents, ending in Los Angeles on May 17th, 2025. The revised itinerary impacts the portion of the cruise from February 16th to April 9th. Island Princess will depart Sydney traveling to Melbourne and Perth and then to South Africa. From there, the voyage resumes the scheduled itinerary starting in Valletta, Malta on April 9th.

This World Cruise was scheduled to visit Dubai, with the port featuring as a key turnaround destination for guests joining the ship for her European leg.

Guests scheduled to join or end the cruise in Dubai on March 14th, 2025, will now embark or disembark four days earlier on March 9th, in Cape Town, South Africa. 

Booked guests disembarking in Cape Town will be refunded the equivalent of four days of the cruise fare while those joining earlier will not face additional costs. All these guests will also receive a $300 onboard credit.

113-day – Crown Princess – May 31st from Auckland

The 113-day World Cruise aboard Crown Princess departing from Auckland on May 31st, 2025, and Sydney on June 4th, 2025, features port calls at 42 destinations in 22 countries, across five continents. 

The ship will travel via Africa instead of the Red Sea and Asia with the fully revised itinerary currently being finalised.