Middle East cruise nightmare deepens as Iran airstrikes leave passengers stranded

As the Middle East conflict escalates, many cruise passengers in the region have been left stranded, searching for ways to get home.

Celestyal Journey, Celestyal Discovery and MSC Euribia all were grounded in the last few days.

Thousands of passengers were on ships in the affected areas during the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Many of the vessels have been ordered to halt all activity, Fox News Digital has learned.

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"MSC Cruises is working continuously with airline partners in the region, particularly Emirates and Etihad Airways, to identify and secure return flights for our guests," MSC Cruises, headquartered in Geneva, told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

The highly limited number of flights is creating another layer of chaos.

"We are requesting priority for our guests from our partners. At present, airlines [that are] operating flights have indicated that they will follow an order of priority based on the original flight date," MSC Cruises continued.

"In order to speed up the repatriation, we are working on other options such as chartering flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Muscat," the cruise company added.

Across seven major Middle East airports, the total cancellations exceeded 12,000 flights on Tuesday, according to TravelPirates.

"Right now, the biggest danger is direct fire or debris from Iranian missiles and drones. Iran has targeted the airports and prominent hotels," Dale Buckner, a retired U.S. Army colonel and CEO of security firm Global Guardian, based in Virginia, told Fox News Digital.

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"Each evacuation presents a different problem set," Buckner continued. "One of the biggest challenges has been the chaos at the different UAE-Oman land crossings, where officials are overwhelmed by the influx."   

At least six ships from four different companies were affected by the conflict in the region, according to Cruise Hive.

"The situation on board remains calm. We are providing guests with regular updates on the situation," MSC Cruises said.

"We are in constant contact with local authorities, embassies and foreign offices," the group added.

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Celestyal Cruises, based in Athens, Greece, had two voyages scheduled to depart March 2.

"We regret to inform our guests and travel partners that, in view of the current circumstances in the Middle East, the Celestyal Journey cruise scheduled to depart from Dubai on March 2, and the Celestyal Discovery cruise scheduled to depart from Abu Dhabi on March 2, have been [canceled]," Celestyal said in a statement shared with Cruise Critic.

Celestyal Journey will stay in Doha until March 7, according to a statement made by the company on social media. Passengers have been told they can remain onboard or disembark.

Celestyal Discovery passengers are not permitted to disembark in Dubai as of now.

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"Once disembarkation is approved, we will provide support to assist guests with transfers from the ship to Abu Dhabi Airport," the cruise line said.

Cruise passengers who were booked on the canceled voyages will receive a full refund or future credit.

Norwegian Cruise Line has vessels that travel to the Middle East, but there are no current sailings.

"We are closely monitoring the evolving conflict in Iran and the broader region," a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told Fox News Digital.

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"We recognize that broader regional disruptions, including airline cancellations and airspace restrictions, may impact some guests’ ability to travel," the spokesperson continued.

"Guests who are unable to reach their embarkation port due to airline-canceled flights related to these events will be eligible for a future cruise credit," the company added.

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Dubai, which at one time was considered a safe haven in the region, has become a pressure point during a deepening conflict.

"To date, the UAE has been targeted by around 1,000 Iranian munitions, including drones and ballistic missiles," Buckner said.

Kristy Ellmer, a consultant from New Hampshire, had been traveling in Dubai with her husband, Matt Carwell. 

She was promoting her upcoming book, and taking time to relax with her husband. Everything changed Saturday.

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"We were just sitting on the beach," Ellmer told Fox News Digital in an interview. "All of a sudden, we felt explosions."

Ellmer was originally scheduled to leave Dubai Sunday night. She had flights canceled for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

She finally got onto a flight headed for Munich on Wednesday as part of her journey home. 

"It was very calm" at Dubai International Airport, she said. "It was clear where you needed to go."