TUI Cruises made significant reductions to the number of crew members onboard its two ships in the Middle East, according to a report by Crew Center.

Unable to return to Europe for their planned summer seasons in the Mediterranean, the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5 are presently stranded in Abu Dhabi and Doha, respectively.

Citing information from Schiff und Kreuzfahrten, the website said that only 59 out of the usual 900 team members are currently onboard the Mein Schiff 4.

The skeleton crew is said to be focusing solely on the essential functions of the vessel, which has been out of regular service since late February.

Crew Center reported that nautical and technical teams remain onboard under the command of Captain Jan Fortun.

Despite the reduced staffing, the 97,000-ton ship is said to be ready to depart from Abu Dhabi as soon as conditions allow.

The Mein Schiff 4 is currently scheduled to resume service on May 1, 2026, kicking off a themed cruise from Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Similar conditions are believed to be taking place onboard the Mein Schiff 5, which is currently docked in Doha.

The vessel has also been out of service since late February, with a planned restart date set for May 1, 2026, from Greece.

In addition to the two TUI Cruises ships, four other vessels are currently laid up in ports across the Arabian Gulf.

Celestyal Cruises’ Discovery and Journey have been docked at the ports of Doha and Dubai, respectively, since late February.

Two additional vessels, the Aroya and the MSC Euribia, have also been docked in Dubai since the beginning of the conflicts in the region.

All ships are currently scheduled to resume service in May, offering itineraries in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe or the Red Sea.