MSC Cruises is cancelling a repositioning cruise to Europe that was set to take place onboard the MSC Euribia in early 2026.
According to a statement, the sailing is no longer going ahead due to security concerns in the Red Sea region.
Set to offer itineraries in the Middle East during the 2025-26 winter season, the Euribia was scheduled to offer a repositioning voyage to Germany on April 4, 2026.
The 29-night cruise was set to sail from Dubai to Kiel and featured visits to destinations in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and the United Kingdom.
“Considering that the ongoing geopolitical situation still does not allow us to guarantee a safe transit across the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, we had to cancel MSC Euribia’s Grand Voyage,” MSC said in a letter sent to booked guests.
“Your safety and wellbeing are our number one priority, and we want to give you the certainty and peace of mind that you need before embarking on your cruise,” the company added.
MSC is offering three options for affected guests, including cancelling their bookings for a full refund to the original form of payment.
Passengers will also be able to transfer their bookings to any other MSC Grand Voyage of similar duration. The company will grant the most convenient cruise fare between the original booking and the new choice.
Alternatively, guests can move their bookings to any other cruise available on MSC’s website without paying a change fee.
MSC will apply the pricing of the new cruise, meaning that guests will need to pay for any fare differences. If guests select a cheaper cruise, the difference will be refunded.
The company also instructed guests to contact their travel insurance company or service providers for any other expenses incurred due to the cancellation, including flights, transport and hotels.
“We know that you spent time planning your cruise and sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may cause,” MSC added.