AIDA Cruises announced in late June that it is cancelling its entire planned 2027-28 Arabian Gulf season aboard AIDAperla, citing an inability to reliably assess the regional security situation. The move follows a string of similar withdrawals: for the 2026-27 season, Costa Cruises, AIDA, MSC World Europa, and Explora Journeys all pulled their Gulf deployments, with capacity shifted to the Canary Islands, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. AIDA's latest cancellation means the line will now be absent from the Middle East for two consecutive winter seasons.
The broader picture for 2027-28 remains unresolved. Cruise Industry News reported that at least two brands have now formally cancelled that season in the Arabian Gulf, with Costa and TUI yet to announce final 2027-28 Gulf plans as of press time. Passengers booked on cancelled AIDA sailings are receiving vouchers worth 10 percent of their cabin fare toward a new booking made before December 31, 2026. Several premium lines including Oceania, Silversea, and Crystal say they continue to plan transit calls through the Gulf and have made no schedule changes.
For cruisers who had been considering a Gulf itinerary in the next two winters, this pattern of withdrawals means options are narrowing and the remaining operators, such as Aroya Cruises, may see demand surge. Guests with existing bookings on any affected line should confirm their sailing status directly with the cruise line.