Key Aspects:
- MSC Cruises has made great progress in sending home thousands of guests from the Middle East.
- As of March 6, more than 1,500 guests have been placed on flights and seven have already departed.
- Crew members continue to provide top-notch care for the passengers who remain onboard.
The end is in sight for cruise passengers who have been sheltering onboard the MSC Euribia in Dubai. The 6,327-guest ship has been in the port since February 27, 2026, arriving just one day before the conflict exploded in the Middle East.
MSC Cruises had previously announced that it had been working to secure flights home for stranded passengers, which is no easy task thanks to airspace closures and very limited flight availability.
At this time, the Dubai International Airport (DBX), which is only five miles from Port Rashid, has resumed operations on a limited capacity and flight cancellations are still common.
But as of March 6, 2026, the cruise line has officially arranged flights for more than 1,500 guests and a total of seven flights have already departed from the war-torn region.
This was accomplished by partnering with Emirates and Fly Dubai, organizing charter services operated at MSC Cruises’ expense, and grabbing seats on government-organized flights.
The passengers have been flown to a large range of destinations throughout the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and the US.
“Our Ship Command and crew have worked tirelessly to ensure our guests are well cared for and our teams across the globe have worked round the clock to get our guests home safely and in a timely manner,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises.
“We have received unparalleled support from our airline partner, Emirates as well as the regional and national governments who are supporting us to facilitate the necessary operational logistics and authorisation for the flights,” Vago continued.
Read Also: The Latest on All Cruise Lines Impacted by the Middle East Conflict
Some guests still remain onboard the Meraviglia-Plus class vessel and the cruise line is working tirelessly to secure return flights for them as well.
The cruise line requested priority service from its airline partners and has been prioritizing which guests to send home first using their original departure dates.
What is it Like Onboard MSC Euribia?
While guests wait for their turn to leave the war-torn Middle East, they are doing so in comfort. Cruise Hive understands that the conditions onboard are calm and that guests have access to the cruise ship’s normal services and amenities.
“The situation on board remains calm. Guests are regularly updated on the situation and have full access to all onboard services and facilities. We continue to provide a high standard of care, comfort and support,” MSC Cruises confirmed.
The only thing that may be a bit different is that access to outdoor areas may be limited or restricted entirely, and guests have to listen out for two new emergency codes designed for the unprecedented situation.
If guests hear “Delta Tango Blue” broadcast over the PA system, it means that there is a moderate emergency or a potential threat near the ship.
This would be something along the lines of how a missile crashed near TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4 in Abu Dhabi, but did not affect the cruise ship directly.
If guests hear this code, it means that crew members will clear any outer decks that are open and guests should follow instructions immediately to gather at designated safe zones.
If “Delta Tango Red” is announced, this indicates an immediate emergency is directly affecting the cruise ship.
All that said, these codes were only created out of an abundance of caution should the situation change directly. As of the time of this writing, Dubai’s port area is considered secure.
Leaving the Middle East
Along with MSC Cruises, brands like TUI Cruises are also working hard to secure flights home from the Middle East for guests of Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5. Of course, it’s nice to see some progress being made for stranded passengers.
As far as the cruise ships go, the already complex situation is even more complicated. In order to leave the ports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, the ships would need to sail through the Strait of Hormuz, which is dangerously close to Iran.
And due to retaliation from Iran, the waterway remains effectively closed to most commercial shipping and passenger vessels. It’s unclear when it will reopen at this time.
In MSC’s case, MSC Euribia has cancelled the rest of her Middle Eastern itineraries and has until May 2, 2026, to make it to Kiel, Germany, to begin her planned European season.
