Celestyal Cruises has announced the cancellation of several upcoming itineraries due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea region. The affected cruises include two 14-night repositioning voyages aboard the Celestyal Journey, initially scheduled for departure on October 26, 2024, and March 8, 2025. These itineraries, titled "Ancient Athens to Dazzling Doha" and "Dazzling Doha to Ancient Athens," were set to visit destinations such as Ephesus in Turkey, multiple ports in Egypt, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Instead of proceeding with these voyages, Celestyal Cruises will undertake a 34-night non-commercial repositioning journey to and from Doha, Qatar. This decision has also led to the cancellation of the first three "Desert Days" itineraries, which were set to depart from Doha in November 2024. These cruises would have included stops in Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
Additionally, the first three "Heavenly Adriatic" itineraries planned for early 2025 have been canceled. These cruises, departing from Athens, Greece, were to visit several Mediterranean destinations, including Corfu, Greece; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Bari, Italy.
In a statement, Celestyal Cruises emphasized that the decision was made to ensure the safety of their passengers and to adapt to the current geopolitical climate. Despite these changes, the cruise line reaffirmed its commitment to homeporting in Doha from November 2024 for the next three winter seasons.
The Celestyal Journey's maiden voyage in the Arabian Gulf, a 7-night "Desert Days & Qatar Grand Prix" cruise, will now depart from Doha on November 30, 2024. The season will feature nine similar itineraries, with embarkation options in Doha, Abu Dhabi, or Dubai.
Affected passengers are being offered several options, including transferring their bookings to another Celestyal cruise or receiving a full refund. The cruise line is also providing future credits that can be used on any Celestyal voyage through March 2027.
The cancellations highlight the broader trend among cruise lines to avoid the Red Sea region due to increased geopolitical instability. Other cruise lines, including MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, have similarly rerouted their ships to avoid potential risks in the area.
