Dubai homeporting cruise ships continue to reposition via Cape Town for 2025/26 season

Cruise lines are continuing to bypass the Red Sea in favour of repositioning via South Africa, with a growing number of Dubai– and Abu Dhabi-bound ships confirmed to sail from Cape Town during the 2025/26 season.

The shift, prompted by ongoing security concerns in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, marks a second consecutive year in which many cruise operators have opted for the longer, but safer, routing around the Cape of Good Hope. 

Among the cruise lines making the southbound journey are TUI Cruises, Costa Cruises, and AIDA Cruises, all of which have confirmed multi-segment repositioning itineraries calling in Cape Town before heading northeast to the Arabian Gulf, where they will homeport for the winter.

TUI Cruises: Mein Schiff 4 and 5 return via South Africa

TUI Cruises has confirmed two of its vessels—Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5—will reposition to the UAE for the winter season using the Cape Town route. Both ships will make extended voyages from the Mediterranean to Dubai and Doha, with scheduled port calls in Walvis Bay, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban.

One of the longest itineraries is Mein Schiff 5’s 43-night voyage from Heraklion to Doha, departing November 7th, 2025. The cruise includes port calls across Europe, the Canary Islands, and Africa’s Atlantic coast before rounding the Cape and heading toward the Gulf. 

A 41-night variant of the same sailing concludes in Dubai. Additionally, the line will offer shorter transocean segments for passengers joining or disembarking in Cape Town.

Costa Toscana joins the Cape route

Costa Cruises will also reroute Costa Toscana around Africa, with a 43-night itinerary from Savona to Abu Dhabi. The sailing, departing November 13th, includes calls in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth before heading to Mauritius, Oman, and the UAE. 

The itinerary will allow Costa to begin its Arabian Gulf cruise programme in December 2025, continuing through the winter season.

The line has further confirmed a 17-night sailing from Cape Town to Dubai, as well as a 20-night segment between Savona and Cape Town—providing options for both repositioning and regional cruise travellers.

AIDA Cruises expands Cape Town deployment

AIDA Cruises has likewise confirmed multiple itineraries via South Africa, with AIDAprima offering voyages from Hamburg and the Canary Islands to Cape Town, followed by onward sailings to Mauritius, Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.

One notable option is the 57-night Weltenbummler cruise from Hamburg to the Arabian Gulf via the Canary Islands, Walvis Bay, Cape Town, and the Indian Ocean islands—demonstrating the growing complexity and appeal of these extended Africa-Arabia itineraries.

The ongoing detours around Africa reinforce Cape Town’s emergence as a key transit port for global cruise repositionings between Europe and the Middle East. The city now serves as both a turnaround and transit port, offering logistical advantages and appealing shore excursions for passengers making the long journey.

While the longer itineraries via and from South Africa add several thousand nautical miles to voyages, cruise lines have embraced the routing as a way to maintain regional deployments in the Arabian Gulf without compromising passenger safety.

Unless the security situation in the Red Sea stabilises, this detour is likely to remain standard for winter 2025/26, with only MSC Cruises betting on a Red Sea transit at the end of the coming season. 

For ports like Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and Durban, it presents a unique opportunity to host an influx of international cruise traffic—turning a strategic rerouting into a regional tourism advantage.