TUI Group’s cruise division recorded solid growth during the first half of 2026 despite operational disruption linked to the conflict in the Arabian Gulf, reflecting continued stability in demand across its cruise brands.
The group reported a year-on-year increase of 25.9% in underlying EBIT, reaching EUR 163.5 million (US$177 million) for the first 6 months of the year. Second-quarter EBIT totalled EUR 80.3 million (US$87 million), despite approximately EUR 20 million (US$22 million) in costs associated with itinerary changes, cancelled sailings and vessel displacement caused by regional instability.
The disruption primarily affected Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5, both of which remained delayed in Gulf ports before departing the region on April 18th during a temporary easing of hostilities. Sailings scheduled from April through mid-May were cancelled, with both vessels subsequently repositioned for Mediterranean service.
Occupancy across the cruise division reached 93% during the first half of the year, compared with 97% during the same period in 2025. TUI indicated that, excluding the cancelled voyages, occupancy would have reached 98%, representing an increase over the previous year.
Pricing remained firm throughout the period. Average daily rates rose by 2% to EUR 223 (US$241), while available passenger cruise days increased by 10% to 2.9 million, supported by fleet expansion across TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Marella Cruises.
The results suggested that while the Gulf disruption affected deployment schedules and short-term occupancy levels, it did not materially weaken pricing strength or forward bookings. TUI attributed current booking gaps for the second half of 2026 entirely to the cancelled Gulf sailings, noting that booked occupancy remains two percentage points below the prior year, while average daily rates are tracking three percent higher.
Further growth is expected during the second half of the year with the planned entry into service of Mein Schiff Flow in mid-June, continuing the company’s recent fleet expansion following the introduction of Mein Schiff Relax in 2025.