THOUSANDS of cruise passengers are trapped in Gulf ports as war fears turn luxury liners into floating prisons.
At least six giant ships are stuck in Dubai and Doha after escalating hostilities in the Middle East shut down the vital Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
Holidaymakers who expected sunshine and cocktails are now stranded at sea, unable to disembark and with no “safe corridors” open to get them home.
Cruise giants including MSC Cruises and Celestyal Cruises have been forced to suspend sailings as missiles and drones rain down across the region.
The MSC Euribia remains docked in Dubai under strict security, with embarkations halted “until further notice”.
Meanwhile Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery have had departures axed and are being held in regional ports.
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According to travel portal Hosteltur.com, captains have activated emergency protocols as the “latent risk in the Strait of Hormuz” and soaring insurance costs make sailing impossible.
With Dubai International Airport closed after a reported Iranian strike injured four people, and airspace across several Gulf states shut, passengers have nowhere to go.
Ships have effectively become floating hotels, but with no ability to move.
There are growing fears over how long food, water and supplies can last if the standstill drags on.
Port services are said to be saturated, complicating basic provisioning.
It comes as…
A spokesperson for Celestyal Cruises said: “At present, in line with instructions from local authorities, we are unable to disembark guests.
“We are working closely with the relevant authorities and will begin disembarkation in Dubai as soon as permission is granted.
“Once approved, we will provide support to assist guests with transfers from the shop to Abu Dhabi Airport.
“All guests who were due to travel on cancelled sailings will be offered the option of a full refund or a future cruise credit. We strongly encourage guests to speak directly with their travel provider. We sincerely apologise to guests for the disruption.”
An MSC Cruises spokesperson said the firm is “following the guidance of the regional U.S. military authorities to keep the ship in the port of Dubai,” as airspace remains closed.
They added: “At this time, the situation on board is calm, and our guests and crew are comfortable and well looked after. We continue to provide a high-quality service to all guests.”
MSC has cancelled its March 7 sailing, with full refunds promised.
It comes as Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is closed as the reeling regime warned any ships passing through will be set on fire.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) commander declared the crucial passage would be blocked off after several major blasts had been reported along the key oil export route in recent days.
Iran has been lashing out across the Gulf, with attacks reported in Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia, as well as exchanges of fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
On Monday, Donald Trump warned Tehran the “big one” was coming and said he was not afraid to put boots on the ground if needed.
He estimated the conflict would last five weeks or longer so he can ensure the “colossal threat” of Iran’s nuclear capabilities is wiped out for good.
But he added that US and Israeli forces were already “way ahead of schedule”.
Earlier today, the US president declared that time for talks with Iran is over after US and Israeli strikes blew apart a secret Tehran meeting to pick the next supreme leader.
Don also declared Iran’s reeling leadership was “gone” as Israel also launched a ground invasion of Lebanon.
Trump penned on Truth Social: “Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said ‘Too Late!’”
