Thousands of cruise ship passengers remain stranded in Gulf ports as the escalating conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States has shut down regional airspace and blocked key shipping lanes, leaving travelers with no clear path home.

At least six large cruise ships are currently docked in the ports of Dubai and Doha, Qatar, unable to move. The vessels include the MSC Euribia and Celestyal Discovery in Dubai, the Celestyal Journey and Mein Schiff 5 in Doha, and the Mein Schiff 4 in Abu Dhabi.

The ships cannot sail because Iran has blocked passage through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Iran has attacked several ships and threatened to strike any vessel attempting to pass through the strait. The Joint Maritime Information Centre has raised its regional risk assessment to "critical" — its highest level — indicating that an attack is "almost certain."

At the same time, regional airspace has been closed or severely restricted, making it impossible for passengers to simply fly home. Aviation analytics company Cirium reported that nearly 1,900 of more than 5,450 flights scheduled to the Middle East were canceled on Tuesday (March 3).

Lesley Ballantyne, a Scottish passenger aboard the MSC Euribia, told CNN that she woke in the early hours of Sunday (March 1) to an emergency alert on her phone reading, "Potential missile threats, seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building." When she looked outside her cabin window and saw only the lights of Dubai port, she went back to sleep.

"We've heard some loud bangs, seen some missiles being intercepted from the ship but it all seems in the distance," Ballantyne said. She described the mood onboard as "positive," with "absolutely no sign of any panic."

The operator of the Mein Schiff 5, TUI Cruises, told CNN that safety is its top priority and that the ship will continue normal operations until the situation is resolved. On Wednesday (March 4), the company confirmed that a special Emirates flight departed Dubai for Munich carrying 218 guests from the Mein Schiff 4.

A spokesperson for MSC Cruises said the company is "following the guidance of the regional U.S. military authorities to keep the ship in the port of Dubai" while airspace remains closed. "At this time, the situation on board is calm, and our guests and crew are comfortable and well looked after," the spokesperson said.

With the geopolitical situation still fluid, no firm timeline has been set for when ships will be cleared to move or when normal flight operations will resume. Passengers with return flights booked for Saturday (March 7) remain hopeful, but cruise lines have cautioned that departure dates are uncertain until conditions improve.