Summer Season 2026 Starts Late: Middle East Crisis Shifts Cruise Schedules

The European cruise summer season 2026 has started with a delay. The reason is the tensions in the Middle East, which forced several cruise lines to reposition their ships out of the Persian Gulf and the wider Orient region.

What happened

Ships that had been deployed in the Orient or the Persian Gulf over the winter had to adjust their return journey to Europe. As a result, the first regular Mediterranean and Northern European departures were pushed back by a few days.

Affected ships

• MSC Euribia arrived in Kiel with a delay and is setting course from there towards Norway.
• Mein Schiff 5 departed from Heraklion on 15 May 2026 on a seven-day Mediterranean island cruise.
• Mein Schiff 4 set off from Trieste on 17 May 2026 on its first regular voyage after leaving the Persian Gulf – an eight-day Adriatic cruise.

What it means for guests

Travellers with bookings for the early-season departures were informed by the cruise lines about changed schedules. Anyone setting off in the coming weeks should check the current itinerary before departure. The bulk of the 2026 summer season is unaffected by the shifts.