Celestyal announced it was cancelling all of its April sailings (Image: Getty)
A major cruise company has cancelled all its April sailings amid worsening impacts of the Iran war on travel.
Celestyal has confirmed the cancellation of all April 2026 departures as its ships await repositioning to Athens, Greece.
The line’s fleet is currently positioned in the Arabian Gulf, with Celestyal Discovery in Dubai, UAE, and Celestyal Journey in Doha, Qatar. All guests and non-operational crew have been disembarked, while both vessels remain fully operational. The cruise line announced that staff and crew’s departure from the region will take place in accordance with safety guidance from the relevant authorities.
“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, all sailings scheduled for April 2026 have been cancelled,” a statement from Celestyal read.
The next planned departures are:
• Celestyal Discovery – May 1, 2026 (3-night Iconic Greek Islands)
• Celestyal Journey – May 2, 2026 (7-night Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia)
Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: “Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew and partners. While we know this will be disappointing, taking this decision now provides greater clarity and flexibility for those affected. Our teams are working closely with guests and travel partners to support rebooking options and ensure a smooth transition, and we remain focused on returning to service in the Mediterranean as soon as it is safe to do so.”
All impacted guests have been offered a full refund or a future cruise credit, and will be supported by Celestyal’s teams, who will provide rebooking options and assistance.
Sir Keir Starmer is holding a conference in Downing Street on Tuesday (Image: Christopher Furlong, Getty Images)
The news comes as figures from energy, shipping and banking companies prepare to meet Sir Keir Starmer as Donald Trump signalled the Iran conflict could intensify. Oil prices surged after the US president revealed he was weighing up a military operation to seize Iran’s Kharg Island, a pivotal component of the country’s export infrastructure.
The Downing Street talks are anticipated to centre on Iran’s continuing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has severely disrupted a critical shipping route for the oil and gas industry alongside supplies of other commodities such as fertiliser.
The gathering will include representatives from energy giants Shell and BP, shipping behemoth Maersk, maritime insurance specialist Lloyd’s of London and banking institutions HSBC and Goldman Sachs.
The meeting will also receive a briefing on the situation in the region from Major General Richard Cantrill, the UK’s maritime operations commander. This follows the Royal Navy’s announcement that it was equipping the transport vessel RFA Lyme Bay with minehunting drones, widely understood to be a move designed to furnish ministers with options for securing the strait once conditions stabilise.
Downing Street confirmed the purpose of the meeting was to hear directly from businesses and explore how the Government and private sector can collaborate in responding to the conflict.
The summit at No 10 is expected to be followed by a Cobra meeting on Tuesday, where senior ministers will examine the continuing economic damage inflicted by the war, Sir Keir has indicated. The gathering follows Mr Trump’s suggestion that he could “take the oil in Iran” or contemplate seizing control of Kharg Island, the nation’s principal oil export terminal.
“To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran but some stupid people back in the US say: ‘Why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people,” he told the Financial Times.
He added: “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options.” Nevertheless, Mr Trump conceded that doing so would necessitate the US remaining in Iran “for a while”.
Prior to his meeting with business leaders, Sir Keir launched Labour’s campaign ahead of May’s local elections.
Addressing the event in Wolverhampton he said: “People look at their screens and they’re worried when they see explosions, infrastructure blown up, the rhetoric that goes with it, worried about whether this is going to escalate even further.”
Signalling that Britain will not accompany the US into an Iranian intervention, he added: “This is not our war and we are not going to get dragged into it.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
