Cruise passengers aboard a ship in the Gulf had a lucky escape after a missile landed in the water just meters away. It caused chaos and panic among guests aboard the Mein Schiff 4, which was moored at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi.
‘Panic’ Aboard Mein Schiff 4
Guests were ordered off the decks and to stay away from the windows. German media reported panic among guests. The situation remains very tense in the region after US and Israel-led airstrikes in Iran and the following response, which has expanded the conflict to multiple other countries.
Mein Schiff 4 was carrying around 2,500 guests, mostly German. The ship is operated by TUI Cruises. The vessel’s scheduled sailing, along with that of sister ship Mein Schiff 5, which is also docked in Abu Dhabi, is on hold.
Several other cruise ships have been impacted in the region. At least six ships are currently docked at the ports of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. These include the MSC Euribia, the Saudi-based Aroya Manara, and two Celestyal Cruises ships.
The scheduled March 2 departures of the Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery from Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been canceled. The line will offer full refunds or future cruise credit for guests booked on these sailings.
“We sincerely apologize to guests for the disruption to their travel plans and greatly appreciate their patience and understanding as we work through this evolving situation,” Celestyal Cruises said in a statement.
Celestyal Journey will remain docked in Doha until at least March 7. Its next sailing is a Desert Days seven-night itinerary to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, Bahrain and Doha.
The conflict has also heavily impacted air travel, leaving cruise guests with few options to fly home. Major hub airports, including Dubai and Doha, were closed to all flights while several countries closed their airspace.
