After weeks of uncertainty in the Middle East, the cruise ship has finally begun its long awaited journey back to Europe. What makes this voyage particularly fascinating is not just the distance involved, but the geopolitical context and the unusual tracking challenges that come with it.
Msc Euribia remained in caught in a period of regional instability that disrupted normal cruise operations. Like several other vessels, it was forced to delay its departure while waiting for a safe window to sail.
That moment came around April 18, when the ship finally left the Persian Gulf, heading toward the narrow and strategically critical . This passage marked the true beginning of its repositioning voyage back to Europe.
Sailing “Off the Radar”
One of the most intriguing aspects of this journey is that MSC Euribia has not been fully visible on public tracking platforms. Ships normally broadcast their position through AIS (Automatic Identification System), but in sensitive areas, this signal can be reduced or even temporarily switched off.
That’s exactly what happened during the transit through Hormuz. As a result, traditional tracking tools have shown gaps or outdated positions, making it necessary to reconstruct the ship’s route using speed, timing, and standard maritime corridors.
Based on its departure time and a typical cruising speed of around 20 knots, it’s possible to estimate the ship’s position day by day.
As of April 22, the ship is most likely sailing southwest along the Oman–Yemen offshore corridor, well outside the high-risk zone it recently left behind.
From Dubai to Kiel, the journey covers roughly 6,000 to 7,000 nautical miles. At a steady cruising speed, this translates to about three to four weeks at sea, depending on routing decisions and security considerations.
If current estimates hold, MSC Euribia could arrive in Northern Europe possibly in by mid-May, ready to resume its scheduled itineraries.
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