• Departures for Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery on March 2 have been officially cancelled due to regional conflict.
• Celestyal Journey will remain in Doha until March 7 with the option for current guests to stay on board.
• Local authorities in Dubai have temporarily restricted passengers from disembarking Celestyal Discovery.
• Impacted travelers are eligible for either a full refund or credit toward a future cruise booking.

Celestyal Cruises has officially cancelled the scheduled departures of two vessels, Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery, both of which were set to begin new itineraries on March 2, 2026. This decision comes in response to the rapidly evolving security situation in the Middle East. The cruise line has emphasized that the safety and wellbeing of its passengers and crew are its primary concerns during this period of regional volatility.

The two ships are currently situated in different ports under varying operational constraints. Celestyal Journey is docked in Doha, where it is scheduled to remain until March 7. Passengers already on board this vessel have been given the choice to either stay on the ship for the duration of the delay or disembark in Doha. The company currently intends to resume its “Desert Days” itinerary following this pause, provided that local operating conditions are deemed safe.

In contrast, Celestyal Discovery is currently held alongside in Dubai. Due to specific instructions from local maritime and governmental authorities, guests on this vessel are not yet permitted to disembark. The cruise line is maintaining close communication with these authorities to secure the necessary permissions for passenger departure. Once disembarkation is authorized, Celestyal has committed to providing transportation support for guests traveling from the port to Abu Dhabi Airport for their return flights.

For those passengers whose upcoming vacations were cancelled, the cruise line is offering a choice between a full monetary refund or a future cruise credit. Management has advised all affected travelers and travel partners to coordinate directly with their providers to manage alternative travel arrangements. The company has expressed regret for the disruption and continues to monitor the regional situation in coordination with security experts and local officials.