Norwegian Cruise Line cancels Dubai 2025 departure, South Africa season unaffected
Norwegian Cruise Line is cancelling several sailings across its fleet for 2025, including the April 19th, departure from Dubai in the UAE, but Norwegian Dawn’s South African season is unaffected.
According to a statement sent to travel agents, a total of 20 departures across seven different vessels have been affected, but Norwegian did not cite the ongoing Red Sea crisis as a reason for the Middle East cancellation.
“Due to fleet redeployments, charters and one drydock, we have made the decision to cancel selected sailings onboard our ships,” the company said. Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed affected passengers are being offered the option of rebooking their cruises to alternate dates of travel that offer similar itineraries.
The Dubai departure aboard Norwegian Sky was due to sail on April 19th for Piraeus (Athens) via the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The ongoing security crisis in the Red Sea, with Houthi militia in Yemen attacking ships in the Bab Al Mandeb Strait, has seen most cruise lines amend itineraries to avoid the region, although Norwegian Cruise Line did not specifically cite this as a reason for the cancelled cruise.
According to the letter, the following cruises are no longer going ahead: Norwegian Epic: Nov. 1, 2025; and Nov. 11, 2025 Norwegian Jade: Feb. 20, 2025; Mar. 4, 2025; Mar. 13, 2025; and Mar. 24, 2025 Norwegian Pearl: Oct. 15, 2025 Norwegian Sky: Apr. 19, 2025; May 5, 2025; May 16, 2025; May 27, 2025; and Jun. 5, 2025 Norwegian Spirit: Jan. 1, 2025 Norwegian Star: May 17, 2025; May 29, 2025; and Jun. 9, 2025 Norwegian Viva: May 18, 2025; May 27, 2025; Sep. 20, 2025; and Sep. 29, 2025
New cruises to replace the cancelled sailings will be announced in two weeks, Norwegian Cruise Line also said.
Many of the cancelled cruises were set to visit or sail through regions that are currently facing geopolitical challenges, including Israel and the Red Sea. The Norwegian Viva’s September 29th, 2025 departure was scheduled to sail from Haifa, Israel, to Istanbul, Turkey.
Sailing for ten nights, the now-cancelled itinerary featured visits to several destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Holy Land, with ports of call in Egypt, Cyprus, Israel, Greece and Turkey.
However, the cancelled cruises are worldwide, including the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Adriatic Sea, the Middle East, the Red Sea, Asia and Northern Europe.
One region that appears unaffected by the announcement is Norwegian Dawn’s 2025/26 season in Cape Town, during which the ship will sail alternating itineraries between the Mother City in South Africa and Mauritius.
