MSC Euribia clears Strait of Hormuz amid reported nearby incident as Iran fires on shipping

MSC Cruises has confirmed that MSC Euribia has transited the Strait of Hormuz, amid reports of an incident near a cruise ship after Iran closed the Strait and fired on international shipping.

MSC Euribia departed Dubai and successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz April 18th, and is now en route to Northern Europe following weeks of disruption in the Arabian Gulf. She was among five of the six cruise ships in the Gulf to depart after Iran declared the Strait open last week.

However, during the transit of Celestyal Journey, Mein Schiff 4 and 5, and MSC Euribia, Iran backtracked and closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to a US blockade on Iranian shipping in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran is reported to have fired on at least two Indian-flagged vessels, and according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO) the captain of a cruise ship reported an incident near the vessel (UKMTO Warning 039-26).

It is not clear which cruise ship reported the incident. MSC Euribia, Mein Schiff 5, and Mein Schiff 5 were all sailing in line astern around the Musandum Peninsula of the Strait at the time. Celestyal Journey was several miles ahead, and Celestyal Discovery had transited the Strait several hours earlier.

MSC Cruises said in a statement that MSC Euribia’s passage through the Strait was completed in close coordination with relevant authorities. With the transit now complete, MSC Euribia is expected to return to service sooner than previously anticipated, allowing its Northern Europe programme to proceed without further adjustment.

MSC Cruises confirmed that the ship’s May 16th, 2026 departure from Kiel, Germany, and its May 17th, 2026 sailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, will operate as originally scheduled, with all subsequent itineraries also proceeding as planned.

Guests affected by earlier cancellations will be offered the option to transfer their bookings to the May 16th sailing, with communications set to begin from April 19th, 2026.

MSC Euribia, Mein Schiff 4, and Mein Schiff 5 are expected to reposition to Europe via South Africa mirroring a years-long repositioning strategy put in place following a rise in security uncertainty in the Red Sea since 2021.