Cruise operators to skip Mexican ports over cartel violence
Major cruise operators are rerouting ships away from key Mexican tourist destinations after a surge in cartel-related violence following the reported death of a leading drug trafficker.
Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed that its 4,000-passenger vessel, the Norwegian Bliss, would bypass Puerto Vallarta on Wednesday. The decision came shortly after Carnival Corp redirected its Royal Princess away from the same port, where many U.S. visitors are reportedly sheltering amid the unrest.
Instead, the Royal Princess was instructed to prolong its stay Monday in Cabo San Lucas, located across the Gulf of California. The itinerary was then revised to include a Wednesday stop in Mazatlán, roughly 280 miles north of Puerto Vallarta.
Carnival also issued similar guidance for ships operated by its subsidiary Holland America. The Zuiderdam canceled its Puerto Vallarta call and spent an additional day at sea.
Beyond cruise disruptions, major U.S. and Canadian carriers suspended flights Sunday to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara after reports that Nemesio Oseguera—better known as “El Mencho” and head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel—had died.
Authorities say the development sparked coordinated violence across Jalisco and at least 19 other states, with cartel members erecting more than 2,500 roadblocks by burning or detonating vehicles. In response, tourists in Puerto Vallarta were urged to remain indoors, and the U.S. State Department advised American citizens to shelter in place until conditions stabilize.
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