AIDA Cruises has scrapped its entire 2025/26 winter cruise season in the Middle East due to ongoing regional instability. The move affects all sailings aboard AIDAprima between October 3, 2025, and March 25, 2026, including round-trip cruises from Dubai and a planned repositioning voyage via Cape Town, Cruise Arabia reported.

Instead, AIDAprima will be redeployed to Northern Europe and the Atlantic Islands.

In a statement to booked passengers, AIDA said the decision was made early to give travelers clarity and to prioritize safety. “The situation in the Middle East cannot currently be reliably assessed,” the cruise line stated.

The cancellation comes after rising tensions in the region, including the June conflict between Israel and Iran, and continued Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. These risks have made it difficult for cruise lines to plan safe and cost-effective routes.

Cruise executives at the Arabian Travel Market 2025 in Dubai warned that rerouting ships around the Cape of Good Hope significantly increases fuel costs and extends voyage durations, factors that are weighing heavily on deployment decisions.

AIDA’s exit is a major setback for Gulf cruise tourism, which had seen steady growth in recent years. The line had maintained a seasonal presence in the region for nearly 20 years.