Celestyal cancels April 2026 sailings as Gulf repositioning delays impact schedules

Celestyal Cruises has cancelled all of its remaining April 2026 sailings as its vessels remain in the Arabian Gulf awaiting repositioning to Europe, with the disruption affecting the start of its Mediterranean summer programme.

The cruise line confirmed that both Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey are currently positioned in the region, with Discovery in Dubai and Journey in Doha.

The ships had been scheduled to reposition to Athens ahead of the launch of their European itineraries.

“Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew, and partners. While we know this will be disappointing, making this decision now provides greater clarity and flexibility for those affected,” said Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer, Celestyal Cruises.

“Our teams are working closely with guests and travel partners to support rebooking options and ensure a smooth transition, and we remain focused on returning to service in the Mediterranean as soon as it is safe to do so,” he added.

All guests and non-operational crew have been disembarked, with those affected offered either a full refund or a future cruise credit. The company said it continues to monitor developments, with departures from the region expected to take place once conditions allow.

Both ships remain fully operational, with preparations ongoing for their return to service.

The next scheduled sailings are set for early May, with Celestyal Discovery due to resume operations on May 1st, 2026, with a three-night Iconic Greek Islands itinerary, followed by Celestyal Journey on May 2nd, 2026, with a seven-night Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia cruise.

The cancellation of April sailings reflects the wider impact of delayed repositioning across the cruise sector, as vessels based in the Arabian Gulf have yet to begin their seasonal transition to Europe.

Repositioning cruises are a critical part of the industry’s operating model, allowing ships to shift between winter and summer regions, and are typically timed to ensure vessels arrive in Europe ahead of the Mediterranean season.

While some commercial shipping continues to transit the Strait of Hormuz, cruise lines have taken a more measured approach in recent weeks, given the operational complexity of moving passenger vessels across areas subject to security concerns.

In addition to maritime routing considerations, adjustments to regional air services have added further constraints, affecting crew logistics and passenger travel arrangements.

For Celestyal, the decision to cancel its April programme appears aimed at providing certainty for guests and travel partners, rather than maintaining a schedule that could be subject to further change. By consolidating cancellations into a defined period, the company is effectively resetting its timeline for the start of its Mediterranean season.

The cruise line’s expectation that sailings will resume in early May suggests that the disruption is being treated as a short-term delay rather than a broader change to its European deployment.

As with other operators in the region, the focus now shifts to the timing of repositioning voyages and the ability to bring vessels back into service in line with the start of the summer season.