TUI Cruises completes evacuations in the Middle East

The military escalation in the Middle East has forced the German company TUI Cruises to orchestrate an emergency repatriation operation for passengers on two of its ships docked in the Persian Gulf.

Following the strikes against Iran launched on February 28, 2026, and Tehran’s immediate retaliation, the Strait of Hormuz was closed to all navigation, effectively trapping the Mein Schiff 5 in Doha, Qatar, and its sister ship, the Mein Schiff 4, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

While the evacuation of passengers from the Mein Schiff 4 was carried out quickly via the hubs in Dubai and Muscat, the repatriation of the 2,500 passengers from the Mein Schiff 5 turned into a major logistical challenge.

Faced with the partial closure of airspace and capacity constraints in Qatar, TUI Cruises had to organize an unprecedented ground transfer: convoys of buses transported travelers across the desert from Doha to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to allow them to board charter flights to Munich, Frankfurt, and Cologne.

Despite the frustration expressed by many German customers regarding these delays, the company has confirmed that it has completed the full disembarkation of both ships and the partial repatriation of the crew.

Currently, the two cruise ships are docked with a reduced crew in Abu Dhabi and Doha, awaiting a possible safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while all Mein Schiff 4 cruises are officially canceled until March 23, 2026 inclusive.