When will cruise ships that managed to get out of Strait of Hormuz start arriving here too?

Following the brief reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in mid-April, the situation for the cruise industry remains highly fluid, with direct repercussions for itineraries across the Eastern Mediterranean, the Adriatic, and the Ionian.

As of today, April 21, transit has effectively frozen: no cruise ships are attempting to pass through, as security conditions have deteriorated significantly. Between April 19 and 21, traffic dropped dramatically (only a handful of vessels of all types during peak hours), while reports mention military inspections, seizures, and heightened tensions in the area. Many commercial ships are turning back, effectively preventing cruise vessels from using the passage at this time.

However, a critical “window” had opened earlier, on April 17–18, when the Strait temporarily reopened and six cruise ships managed to escape from the Persian Gulf, where they had been stranded since late February. Most departed without passengers, repositioning toward Europe or via routes around Africa.

Of particular interest to our region are the ships heading to the Mediterranean and the Adriatic:

Ships from TUI Cruises are at the forefront of the return. Mein Schiff 5 is expected to begin sailings from Heraklion on May 15, after departing Qatar and following a route around Africa. Two days later, Mein Schiff 4 will resume operations from Trieste on May 17, with itineraries including the Adriatic, Croatia, and Greece—areas directly connected to the Ionian maritime system.

From the Greek side, vessels of Celestyal Cruises were also among those that escaped in time. Celestyal Discovery will begin on May 1, from Lavrio, while Celestyal Journey follows on May 2, from Piraeus, having departed Doha on April 17. Both will operate in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek islands, strengthening regional traffic.

MSC Euribia of MSC Cruises, which also passed through during the same window, is heading toward Northern Europe and will resume on May 16, from Kiel, with no direct connection to the Mediterranean.

Finally, Aroya of Aroya Cruises remains outside the European framework for now, with a restart scheduled for May 14, from Jeddah for the Red Sea, before later repositioning toward the Eastern Mediterranean.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS