Confused about itinerary changes on Mexico cruises? Here, a detailed guide

mercedes · April 29, 2009

Over the past 24 hours major cruise lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean have altered itineraries for dozens of ships that call in Mexico, and the changes keep coming.

Are you scheduled to cruise to Mexico in the coming weeks? Here is a ship-by-ship breakdown of the changes to date that will be continually updated as more information becomes available:

CARNIVAL

Carnival has canceled Mexican port calls for all voyages currently underway or departing through May 4. Details of specific ships:

-- Carnival Ecstasy. The ship will remain at sea today and tomorrow instead of calling in Progreso and Cozumel. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

-- Carnival Fantasy. The ship will visit Key West today and remain at sea tomorrow instead of calling Progreso and Cozumel. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

-- Carnival Legend. The ship will remain at sea today instead of visiting Cozumel. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

-- Carnival Conquest. The ship will remain at sea Friday instead of visiting Cozumel. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

-- Carnival Valor. The ship will visit Key West Saturday instead of visiting Cozumel Friday. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

-- Carnival Paradise. The ship will remain at sea today instead of visiting Ensenada. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

-- Carnival Imagination. The ship will visit Nassau Thursday instead of visiting Cozumel today. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

-- Carnival Splendor. The ship will visit San Francisco Friday in lieu of Tuesday's visit to Cabo San Lucas. Carnival is expected to announce a new itinerary for future cruises later today.

Carnival says changes to itineraries of seven more ships scheduled to visit Mexico in coming weeks will be unveiled as soon as they have figured out the details.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

-- Enchantment of the Seas. On five-night sailings that depart on Mondays, the ship will spend additional time in Key West and an additional day at sea instead of Cozumel. On the four-night sailings that depart on Thursdays, the ship will spend additional time in Key West and call on Nassau in the Bahamas instead of Cozumel. On five-night sailings that depart on Saturdays, the ship will visit Ocho Rios, Jamaica instead of Cozumel.

The line says the changes are effective "for the immediate future."

-- Freedom of the Seas. The ship will spend additional time in George Town, Cayman Islands and an additional day at sea instead of Cozumel. The line says the changes are effective "for the immediate future."

-- Liberty of the Seas. The ship will visit Coco Cay, the line's private island in the Bahamas, instead of Cozumel. The line says the changes are effective "for the immediate future."

-- Mariner of the Seas. In general, the ship will visit San Francisco, Seattle and Victoria, B.C. instead of three ports in Mexico. One exception is the ship's May 10 departure, which will visit Astoria, Ore., rather than San Francisco. The line says the revised itineraries for Mariner of the Seas are scheduled to take place up to and including the ship's June 14 sailing.

Due to the major overhaul of the itinerary, the line says passengers booked on the revised sailings can contact their travel agent or Royal Caribbean for compensation and rebooking options. The line has set up a special help desk to assist such passengers at 800-327-6700.

-- Serenade of the Seas. The ship, in the midst of repositioning cruise as it heads to Alaska, will visit San Diego on its current sailing instead of Cabo San Lucas.

-- Radiance of the Seas. The ship, in the midst of repositioning cruise as it heads to Alaska, will have an extended, overnight port call in San Diego and an extra day at sea instead of calls in Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

HOLLAND AMERICA

-- Ryndam. The ship will skip all Mexican ports on its current sailing. Holland America has not yet announced alternative ports but says it will do so soon.

-- Statendam. The ship will skip all Mexican ports on its current sailing. Holland America has not yet announced alternative ports but says it will do so soon.

-- Westerdam. The ship will skip all Mexican ports on its current sailing. Holland America has not yet announced alternative ports but says it will do so soon.

-- Zuiderdam. The ship will skip all Mexican ports on its current sailing. Holland America has not yet announced alternative ports but says it will do so soon.

-- Veendam. The ship will skip Mexican port calls scheduled for its May 1 sailing. Holland America has not yet announced alternative ports but says it will do so soon.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE

-- Disney Magic. The ship will visit Nassau on May 6 instead of calling in Cozumel. Disney has not announced changes yet to any other departures.

PRINCESS CRUISES

-- Sapphire Princess. The ship will call in San Diego and Catalina this week instead of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. The line has not announced changes yet to any other departures.

Five other Princess ships that are scheduled to call in Mexico in coming weeks as they reposition to Alaska will skip the calls and instead remain at sea or visit alternative ports (Princess says it will offer addition details on the changes today).

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE-- Norwegian Pearl. The ship, currently on repositioning cruise past Mexico, will remain at sea this week instead of calling in Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas today and Friday.

JoeyandDavid · April 29, 2009

Great post Carmen... as always .. Thank you.

btate · April 29, 2009

Well, I booked 10 of us to sail the Mariener of the Seas out of LA on May 31. That is like booking a trip to see the museums in Washington DC and then settling on somewhere in Kansas for a tour of the farmlands. . .

Not sure what we will do at this point, but now I have to look at a totally different vacation. It is hard to get 10 people together for anything, let alone a vacation!?

Oh well, Maybe Alaska?

JoeyandDavid · April 29, 2009

Oh well, Maybe Alaska?

hey Byron

you better hurry chances for alaska are melting away

coloradocruisers · April 29, 2009

Good summary. Thanks.

Seems like a good time to visit Cozumel. Not many other tourists. A thousand miles away from Mexico City. 12 miles from the mainland. No reported cases of swine flu...

Peddler · April 29, 2009

Good summary. Thanks.
Seems like a good time to visit Cozumel. Not many other tourists. A thousand miles away from Mexico City. 12 miles from the mainland. No reported cases of swine flu...

Kinda my thoughts...Coz would not be any worse than Roatan, Jamica or Cayman Is. expect is says Mexico

btate · April 29, 2009

Oh well, Maybe Alaska?

hey Byron

you better hurry chances for alaska are melting away

Just checked out Alaska and the deals are still really good. Especially if you are looking for an inside cabin to put kids in. If I can work out the flights, I think I will do it. I am sure I will be on the phone for a while trying to get them changed if the airlines will work with us.

JoeyandDavid · April 29, 2009

Oh well, Maybe Alaska?

hey Byron

you better hurry chances for alaska are melting away

Just checked out Alaska and the deals are still really good. Especially if you are looking for an inside cabin to put kids in. If I can work out the flights, I think I will do it. I am sure I will be on the phone for a while trying to get them changed if the airlines will work with us.

Good Luck .. it is an awesome trip

DebbieandJerry · April 29, 2009

One has to applaud the cruising industry for always stepping up to the plate and making the best of every situation. What a nightmare for the travel industry as a whole. Thanks, Carmen, for the posting.