AROYA Cruises is concluding its maiden season in the Mediterranean this week, but is already eyeing further expansion, with the Caribbean, Northern Europe, and Asia under consideration.
German cruise line TUI Cruises is strengthening its commitment to the Middle East cruise market despite ongoing security concerns in the Red Sea, deploying two vessels to the Gulf region for the […]
MSC Cruises has cancelled a 25-day Grand Voyage from Dubai to Southampton scheduled for April 4th, 2026, citing ongoing security risks in the Red Sea.
Explora Journeys has significantly expanded its itineraries in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf for the 2027/28 season, with the region forming a central part of the cruise line’s newly announced Journeys […]
Celestyal Cruises has launched a broad sales initiative covering 331 departures through March 2027, including more than 100 sailings in the Arabian Gulf.
The Arabian Gulf’s first dedicated cruise leadership summit will be held onboard the QE2 Dubai on September 18th, 2025, bringing together senior figures from the international and regional cruise trade.
One in four bookings for MSC Cruises in the Gulf region now come from GCC nationals and expatriates, underlining the company’s growing reliance on the Arabian Gulf as both a source market […]
AROYA Cruises, the world’s first Arab cruise line, operated by Cruise Saudi and owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), continues to build its presence in global cruise tourism with a distinctly […]
The sinking of MV Dara became the the Arabian Gulf region’s worst peacetime maritime disaster in 1961 when a mysterious explosion and raging storm consigned more than 230 souls to the sea.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced a series of festive voyages through 2027, including itineraries featuring Cape Town and Dubai.
MSC Cruises has confirmed it will amend the itinerary for its 2026 World Cruise on board the MSC Magnifica, dropping the Middle East segment of the voyage due to ongoing regional instability.
AROYA Cruises has confirmed that its flagship vessel, Aroya, will homeport in Dubai and Dammam during late winter 2026, marking the Saudi Arabian cruise line’s debut Arabian Gulf season.
Oceania Cruises has unveiled a new 129-day voyage, the Kangaroo Route, sailing from Sydney to London via Dubai in the UAE aboard Oceania Vista in 2027.
Celestyal has rolled out a revamped cruise and land packaging tool for travel advisors in North America, rebranding the service as Celestyal Sail & Stay, with plans to extend the offering to its […]
Costa Cruises has confirmed that it will cancel all planned winter 2025/26 itineraries in the Arabian Gulf aboard Costa Toscana, including repositioning voyages via Cape Town, citing continued uncertainty in the Middle East.
Celestyal Cruises has announced a special December sailing that will give guests front-row access to the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, combining the thrill of Formula 1 with a cruise featuring ley […]
AIDA Cruises has announced the cancellation of its 2025/26 winter cruise season in the Middle East, citing ongoing security concerns in the region, meaning there will be no cruises from Dubai aboard […]
Despite the withdrawal of German cruise line AIDA Cruises from the UAE for the upcoming 2025/26 Middle East winter season, other operators with Gulf-only itineraries remain committed to Dubai as a homeport.
Cruising in the GCC is shedding its retiree image, as millennials and Gen Z embrace short, immersive voyages tailored to their lifestyles and travel preferences.
With expanding airlift, strong source market growth, and a robust port network, the Arabian Gulf is well-positioned to become a year-round cruise destination—but not all industry leaders are convinced the region is […]
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