MSC Cruises has reported its strongest ever start to a January booking period, with overall bookings for 2026 up 10% year-on-year, and the Middle East a key growth area, with bookings for roundtrip Dubai itineraries up 55% year-on-year.

The growth has been driven by strong performance across both summer and winter programmes, with particularly notable increases in bookings from the UK market. Bookings for Summer 2026 are up 21% compared with the same period last year, with departures from the UK rising by 24% against 2025 levels.

Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries have also seen year-on-year growth for the summer season, with bookings up 11% and 10% respectively. The cruise line said demand was spread across multiple embarkation ports, reflecting a broad-based uplift rather than concentration on a single region.

Looking ahead to Winter 2026/27, MSC Cruises is reporting especially strong demand for its domestic UK programme, with ex-UK bookings up 60% compared with January 2025.

The Middle East remains as a key growth area, with bookings for roundtrip Dubai itineraries up 55% year-on-year, underlining the continued appeal of the emirate as a winter cruise hub.

Antonio Paradiso, Vice President of International Sales at MSC Cruises, said the early-year performance reflected a combination of consistent trade support and sustained consumer demand.

“We have had a great performance so far in January thanks to the support of the trade. This is the most consistent Wave season we’ve ever had,” he said. “Our TV campaign, PR & Marketing activities are also helping to drive sales. We have superb itineraries with a nice spread of bookings to the Mediterranean across multiple embarkation ports, and our ex-UK, Caribbean and Dubai sailings are performing very strongly too.”

MSC Cruises’ winter programme includes a range of warm-weather itineraries across the Caribbean and the Middle East.

During the current season, MSC Euribia is homeporting in the Arabian Gulf. For the 2026/25 cruise season, the cruise line will deploy its largest vessel, MSC World Europa out of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.

The strong performance for Dubai aligns with broader industry trends positioning the city as a major winter cruise gateway, supported by its homeport infrastructure and growing range of regional itineraries.

MSC Cruises’ latest figures suggest that demand for roundtrip sailings from Dubai is continuing to accelerate as passengers seek warm-weather options during the European winter season.