Escalation in the Persian Gulf!

As of today, the situation in the Persian Gulf region has sharply escalated after the US and Israeli military strikes on Iranian territory and subsequent missile and drone attacks in response to facilities in the Persian Gulf countries.

The strikes damaged civilian infrastructure, including transportation hubs in the UAE and Kuwait.



A number of countries in the region, including:
- UAE
- Qatar
- Kuwait
- Iraq
- Iran
- Israel
- have temporarily closed or restricted their airspace, which has already caused a large-scale collapse of air travel worldwide.

What about flights?



As of now:
- Over 1800-2000 flights in the region have been canceled;
- Key transit hubs have been suspended: Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi, Doha;

Major airlines are already canceling or rerouting flights, avoiding Middle Eastern airspace:
- Emirates;
- Qatar Airways;
- Etihad Airways;
- Lufthansa;
- Turkish Airlines;
- British Airways.

This means:
- extension of flight times between Europe and Asia;
- change of transit flight routes;
- possible increase in ticket prices due to overflight of the conflict zone.

   
Consultation on any issues

What about cruises in the region?



A total of six cruise ships remain stranded in the Middle East, which has quickly become a war zone. The situation remains volatile, with Iran now taking violent action. The ships cannot proceed to safer waters without entering the Strait of Hormuz, which is dangerously close to Iran and is currently closed to shipping.

Cruise companies have already begun to respond quickly:

Information from Celestyal Cruises
Cruises canceled:
- 02.03.2026 - Celestyal Journey
- 02.03.2026 - Celestyal Discovery

Celestyal Journey remains in Doha.
Passengers can remain on board or leave the ship at their own discretion.
Celestyal Discovery is based in Dubai.

Information from MSC Cruises
Due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, MSC Cruises has decided to cancel cruises completely, with arrivals up to and including March 11:
MSC Euribia
- 01.03.2026 - departure from Doha
- 04.03.2026 - departure from Abu Dhabi
- 07.03.2026 - departure from Dubai
- 08.03.2026 - departure from Doha
- 11.03.2026 - departure from Abu Dhabi

IMPORTANTLY! Decisions on refunds/transfers/deposits will be made within the next week.

Information from TUI
The cruise line initially said it was monitoring the situation before deciding on further route changes and their impact on new sailings. As of February 28, the Mein Schiff 4 sailings scheduled for March 1 and 2, each lasting 7 nights, had been officially cancelled due to safety concerns.
The Mein Schiff 5 sailing from February 28, which was due to last 10 nights, has also been cancelled.

No additional sailings have been cancelled or changed so far, but TUI Cruises has warned of possible further changes, especially for passengers booked on flights from Singapore on March 3 with stops in Doha, Abu Dhabi or Dubai. The cruise line has also set up a hotline for relatives to check on their loved ones on land and receive real-time updates.

What does this mean for tourists Four Gates Group?
- possible delays or changes to flights even on routes outside the Middle East;
- change of embarkation/disembarkation ports on Persian Gulf cruises;
- postponement or adjustment of winter cruise itineraries in the region.

The situation in the Middle East remains very tense and uncertain, and further changes and cancellations to cruises operating in the region are likely. Passengers currently on board affected ships or planning to board in the near future should follow the instructions of the relevant authorities and monitor updates from their cruise line.

Our team is closely monitoring the situation and contacting cruise lines and airlines regarding all current bookings.

   
Consultation on any issues