Costa Cruises has cancelled its entire Gulf cruise programme involving the United Arab Emirates for the 2027–2028 winter season, citing continued geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. The company stated that the prevailing security situation in the region no longer allows reliable medium- and long-term planning of cruise itineraries, making it necessary to withdraw the deployment.
According to Costa Cruises, passenger safety and the ability to provide dependable travel programmes remain the company's principal priorities. The cruise line also indicated that it continues to regard the United Arab Emirates as an important cruise destination and intends to resume operations once regional conditions permit. Alternative itineraries for the 2027–2028 winter season are expected to be announced in the near future.
The decision follows a similar move by AIDA Cruises, another Carnival Corporation brand, which also cancelled its planned Arabian Gulf deployment for the same season. In contrast, MSC Cruises has so far maintained its published programme, with MSC World Europa remaining scheduled to operate cruises from Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi between December 2027 and April 2028.
Costa Cruises' withdrawal underscores the continuing impact of geopolitical developments on cruise deployment planning in the Middle East. The company has confirmed that the cancellation applies to all Gulf itineraries involving the United Arab Emirates during the winter 2027–2028 season and that it will continue to monitor regional developments before considering a return to the market.
The latest schedule revisions are expected to affect passengers considering winter Gulf cruises and reinforce the industry's increasing focus on operational resilience and route reliability. As cruise lines continue to evaluate regional security conditions, itinerary planning has become increasingly dependent not only on market demand but also on the ability to offer stable, predictable programmes well in advance of departure.