Aroya Cruises has announced the early conclusion of its inaugural winter season in the Arabian Gulf, confirming that the remaining sailings scheduled through May 8th will no longer take place. The program, which had commenced on February 21st, has therefore been brought to a premature close.
The cruise line indicated that the decision was taken following operational considerations and in coordination with the relevant maritime and national authorities in the region.
According to the company, all passengers who had been sailing aboard the vessel were safely disembarked in Dubai on March 7th. Guests had remained on board while the company coordinated onward travel arrangements with airline partners and local authorities.
A spokesperson for Aroya Cruises stated that the disembarkation process had been completed with passenger safety, security and wellbeing guiding the arrangements. The company also indicated that its operational teams continue to assist guests with their travel plans and are providing support as passengers arrange onward transportation.
During the season the vessel had been operating 7-night itineraries across the Arabian Gulf, calling at ports in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar. Ports of call included Khasab, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Sir Bani Yas Island.
The adjustment to Aroya’s schedule follows similar operational decisions by several other cruise operators that had deployed vessels to the Gulf during the winter season. These include Celestyal, MSC Cruises and TUI Cruises.
Celestyal had positioned Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery in the region for sailings departing from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The company has since cancelled the remainder of its winter voyages. Celestyal Discovery is expected to reposition to Athens in preparation for its scheduled Mediterranean program, while guests booked on the affected departures have been offered the choice of a full refund or a future cruise credit.
MSC Cruises has also suspended operations of MSC Euribia, which is currently docked in Dubai. After cancelling its March 7th sailing, the company subsequently withdrew three additional 7-night departures planned for March 14th, 21st and 28th.
Meanwhile, TUI Cruises confirmed the cancellation of its remaining Gulf departures scheduled to sail from Dubai and Doha at the end of February and in early March.
The series of schedule adjustments reflects the operational challenges faced by cruise operators in the region as they continue to assess conditions and coordinate with authorities regarding vessel movements and passenger logistics.