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In response to the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico, some cruise lines have released announcements about their policies regarding swine flu and the impact to cruises scheduled to call at Mexico ports.
Some cruise ships have already cancelled calls at Mexico ports and each cruise line has developed—or is developing—a position with regard to future calls at Mexico ports while the outbreak lasts. If you are scheduled to depart on a cruise that visits Mexico, we recommend that you check these statements on a regular basis until the outbreak subsides. We will update this page when new policies or changes are announced.
Carnival, Celebrity, Disney, Fred. Olsen, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean have announced changes to sailings that call at Mexico ports.
Costa, Cruise West, Crystal, MSC, P&O, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea have sailings that call at Mexico ports in September 2009 or later, but have not yet released information regarding changes to their itineraries.
Azamara has sailings that call at Mexico ports starting in December 2009, and Cunard and Oceania both have sailings that call at Mexico ports starting in January 2010. These lines have released a statement but have not announced changes to their itineraries.
Hurtigruten, SeaDream, Star Clippers, Voyages of Discovery and Windstar have no scheduled sailings that call at Mexico ports.
Following the cruise line announcements are links to swine flu updates from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Department of State. If you have additional questions or concerns, feel free to contact your Vacations To Go cruise counselor.
Carnival
Updated May 1st 5:00 PM
Carnival Cruise Lines has cancelled all port of call visits in Mexico for 16 of its ships that were previously scheduled to stop in that country. Itineraries for vessels departing between Thursday, April 30 and Monday, May 11 that included stops in Mexico have been modified. In many instances, the modification simply involved substituting an alternate port. Click here to see the details on the modified itineraries. Guests who do not wish to sail on a modified itinerary may opt to receive a refund in the form of a future cruise credit equal to the full amount paid for the voyage. The credit may be applied to an alternate sailing departing through the end of 2010. Compensation for missed ports/altered itineraries (where applicable) for guests who sail varies by itinerary. With four and five-day cruises from Galveston and New Orleans that are being converted to seven-day voyages, those guests may opt to receive their refund in the form of a future cruise credit or money back. For cruises departing after May 11, an update will be provided in the near future.
Celebrity Cruises
Updated May 1st
Celebrity Cruises announced that we are temporarily suspending our port calls in Mexico. The decision was made in an abundance of caution, and allows additional time to better understand the full impact of the Swine Flu. The temporary suspension involves one Celebrity Cruises ship scheduled to make upcoming Mexico port calls as it repositions - Celebrity Infinity.
Celebrity Infinity:
On its current sailing, it will replace its port calls in Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with alternative port calls that are currently being finalized.
Like our guests, we take all health matters seriously. Although authorities have not raised specific concerns regarding the ports we visit in Mexico, we want to err on the side of caution. We're taking proactive steps onboard our ships to help ensure the health and well-being of our guests and crew members, and this is just one more step in that process. We apologize for the disruption these changes will cause our guests, and we appreciate their understanding.
We continue to closely monitor Swine Flu developments and utilize our Influenza Prevention and Response Plans. That plan was developed by our office of Medical and Public Health in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health experts. The plan is based on three pillars: Preparedness and Communication; Surveillance and Detection; and Response and Containment.
Our Swine Flu activities include:
Providing guests with Swine Flu information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Screening embarking guests and crew members regarding recent visits to, or travel through Mexico, contact with people ill with the Swine Flu, and for recent flu-like symptoms
Conducting enhanced sanitizing of all high-touch areas onboard
Providing hand sanitizers throughout all ships
Asking guests to follow the advice of medical experts regarding the best ways to help prevent the spread of flu and other illnesses - via proper and frequent hand washing, and covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
And, if necessary, onboard medical staff can isolate and treat guests or crew members who display flu-like symptoms, using the supply of anti-viral medications kept onboard all ships.
Disney
Updated May 1st
We continue to evaluate and monitor reports regarding cases of swine influenza in Mexico and the United States, as well as other regions around the globe.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently recommended that travelers avoid non-essential travel to Mexico.
As a result of this recommendation, Disney Cruise Line has modified the May 2, 2009 Western Caribbean voyage of the Disney Magic to include a stop in Nassau, The Bahamas, instead of Cozumel, Mexico. Our itinerary will be as follows:
Saturday - Depart Port Canaveral
Sunday - Key West, Florida
Monday - Day At Sea
Tuesday - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (tender ashore)
Wednesday - Day at Sea
Thursday - Nassau, The Bahamas
Friday - Disney's Castaway Cay, The Bahamas
Saturday - Arrive Port Canaveral
At this time, no itinerary changes have been made to future Western Caribbean voyages. We will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation in Mexico and make future modifications as needed.
Fred. Olsen
Updated April 28th
Following the heightened travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today, Fred. Olsen has taken the decision to cancel its call into Acapulco next week. The visit was scheduled as part of the world cruise itinerary of Balmoral, and would have seen the ship in port on 6th and 7th May.
As a consequence, Balmoral will have an extended stay in San Diego until mid-day on 3rd May, and will then proceed to Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala on 8th May. An additional port, Puntarenas in Costa Rica, will be visited on 10th May.
Speaking for the company, Matt Grimes, Director of Planning, said: “The health and safety of our passengers and staff on board is of paramount importance, and we take very seriously the advice issued by the UK Government with regard to issues such as this outbreak of Swine Flu.” He continued: “The FCO is now advising against all but essential travel to Mexico, and so it would be irresponsible of us to put in danger any of the persons on board Balmoral.”
Balmoral sailed from Dover on 14th February on a 104 night world cruise, and is due to return on 29th May.
Holland America
Updated April 29th 4:00PM
The Veendam’s May 1, 2009, cruise will be slightly different from the published itinerary. Holland America Line, along with all other major cruise lines, feels obliged to follow the guidance of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that we avoid calls in Mexico for the time being.
Based on geography, we are pleased to be able to add Scenic Cruising of Golfo Dulce; Corinto, Nicaragua; and Puerto Quetzal, Guatamala. Below please find the revised itinerary.
05/01 Fri Fort Lauderdale, FL Depart 17:00
05/02 Sat At Sea (Caribbean Sea)
05/03 Sun At Sea
05/04 Mon Cartagena, Colombia 08:00 to 14:00
05/05 Tue Transit Panama Canal 05:00 to 19:00
05/06 Wed Scenic Cruising Golfo Dulce
05/07 Thu Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica 06:00 to 17:00
05/08 Fri Corinto, Nicaragua 08:00 to 17:00
05/09 Sat Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala 08:00 to 17:00
05/10 Sun At Sea (Pacific Ocean)
05/11 Mon At Sea
05/12 Tue At Sea
05/13 Wed At Sea
05/14 Thu San Diego, CA, USA 06:00 to 14:00
05/15 Fri At Sea
05/16 Sat At Sea
05/17 Sun Vancouver, British Columbia Arrive 12:00
A full selection of shore excursions will be available in new ports and can be booked on board with the Shore Excursion Desk. Port taxes for missed ports and new ports will be adjusted and communicated to guests on board. Any refund of taxes and shore tours booked in advance will be provided as a shipboard credit.
Norwegian
Updated April 28th 7:00PM
The health and well-being of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance to Norwegian Cruise Line. Accordingly, the company is closely monitoring the health advisories regarding the current Swine Influenza (Swine Flu) situation.
As a precautionary measure due to the recent travel advisory relating to Mexico, the company is cancelling Norwegian Pearl's final two calls in Mexico on its current repositioning cruise. The stops were scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, April 29 and Friday, May 1, 2009. Apart from this sailing, Norwegian Cruise Line's scheduled deployment does not include any other ports of call in Mexico until the end of September 2009. Norwegian Cruise Line has stringent protocols for cleaning and sanitation on all of its vessels to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. In addition, the company is taking proactive precautionary measures to protect its valued guests, including, but not limited to, fleet-wide guest screening via a health questionnaire prior to embarkation and on-board education regarding Swine Flu symptoms and preventative actions. As a result, the company does not anticipate that its guests' cruise experience will be impacted.
Furthermore, Norwegian Cruise Line's on-board medical centers are stocking an appropriate amount of the anti-viral medication used to treat the illness, in the unlikely event the need for its use becomes necessary.
Princess
Updated April 30th 12:00PM
For updated itinerary information for the Sea Princess departing 05/09/2009, click here.
In light of the travel warning by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico because of concern over swine flu, Princess Cruises has modified its itineraries to suspend calls to Mexican ports through the few remaining voyages of the spring season, which concludes next month.
We are sorry that circumstances beyond our control have caused these itinerary changes, and we recognize that these modifications may cause some disappointment among our passengers. However we hope our passengers will also agree that adhering to the recommendations of the CDC is the best course of action for the safety of our passengers and crew.
Three of the seven affected cruises were sold as voyages exclusively to Mexico, and we therefore realize that these passengers are not receiving the cruise vacation they had anticipated. Therefore as a goodwill gesture we are offering these passengers a 50% future credit on their cruise fare paid, for any sailing through April 2011.
These sailings are:
Sapphire Princess - departed April 25
Star Princess - departed April 27
Sapphire Princess - departing May 2 (click here for the updated itinerary)
The other four cruises with modifications feature Mexico as a smaller portion of the itinerary, and these passengers will either visit alternative ports or spend an additional day at sea.
Our ships and medical staff are already well equipped to prevent and contain the spread of contagious diseases, including swine flu. Even though the risk of contracting this illness is very low, we will be taking extra precautions, and will be guided by advice from the CDC and other health authorities.
In an abundance of caution, some of the measures we are taking onboard all our ships worldwide include:
We are enhancing our screening practices for passengers and crew embarking our ships.
We are adhering to CDC guidelines for reporting and treatment of persons with suspect swine flu.
We will isolate and treat passengers and crew with suspect swine flu. Anti-viral medications that effectively treat the swine flu are currently available onboard all Princess ships.
We will continue our rigorous cleaning and sanitization of our ships to minimize the spread of any contagious disease. Our ships are routinely cleaned with a disinfectant proven to be highly effective against the flu.
We are communicating to our passengers and crew that they should take extra care to practice healthy habits such as washing their hands often.
We are asking passengers and crew to report to the medical center immediately if they exhibit any symptoms of flu.
As always, we will continue to do everything possible to protect the health of our passengers and crew.
Royal Caribbean
Updated May 1st
Royal Caribbean has temporarily suspended its port calls in Mexico. The decision was made in an abundance of caution, and allows additional time to better understand the full impact of the Swine Flu.
The temporary suspension involves four Royal Caribbean International ships currently making regularly scheduled port call in Mexico – Enchantment of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. It also involves two additional Royal Caribbean International ships scheduled to make upcoming Mexico port calls as they reposition – Serenade of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas.
Enchantment of the Seas:
Its five-night sailings that depart Port Everglades on Mondays will replace their Cozumel port calls with additional time in Key West and an additional day at sea
Its four-night sailings that depart Port Everglades on Thursdays will replace their Cozumel port calls with additional time in Key West and port calls in Nassau, Bahamas
Its five-night sailings that depart Port Everglades on Saturdays will replace their Cozumel port calls with port calls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Freedom of the Seas:
Its seven-night sailings that depart Port Canaveral on Sundays will replace their Cozumel port calls with additional time in George Town, Cayman Islands, and an additional day at sea
Liberty of the Seas:
Its seven-night sailings that depart Miami on Saturdays will replace their Cozumel port calls with port calls in Coco Cay, Bahamas
Mariner of the Seas:
Its seven-night sailings that depart Los Angeles on Sundays will sail a fully revised itinerary, visiting Canada and the U.S. West Coast. It will now visit San Francisco, California, Mondays from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Victoria, British Columbia, Wednesdays from noon to 10 p.m.; and Seattle, Washington, Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The ship’s May 10 sailing will feature a port call in Astoria, Oregon, rather than San Francisco
At the current time, our revised itineraries for Mariner of the Seas are scheduled to take place up to and including the ship’s June 14 sailing
Guest currently booked on the revised sailings have three options:
OPTION 1: Guests who maintain their current bookings on the revised sailings will receive an onboard credit and a future cruise credit based on their stateroom category:
Inside and outside staterooms will receive a $250 onboard credit per stateroom. An additional $100 onboard credit will be provided for each third and fourth guest in the stateroom. Each stateroom also will receive a $250 future cruise credit for a future Mexico sailing through 04/24/11
Balcony staterooms will receive a $350 onboard credit per stateroom. An additional $100 onboard credit will be provided for each third and fourth guest in the stateroom. Each stateroom also will receive a $350 future cruise credit for a future Mexico sailing through 4/24/11
Suites will receive a $600 onboard credit per suite. An additional $100 onboard credit will be provided for each third and fourth guest in the suite. Each suite also will receive a $600 future cruise credit for a future Mexico sailing through 04/24/11
Future Cruise Certificates will be created and sent 3 to 4 weeks after guest sails.
OPTION 2: Guests currently booked on a revised sailing who choose to change their sailing date or move their booking to another ship will receive an onboard credit:
Inside and outside staterooms will receive a $100 onboard credit per stateroom. An additional $50 onboard credit will be provided for each third and fourth guest in the stateroom.
Balcony staterooms will receive a $150 onboard credit per stateroom. An additional $50 onboard credit will be provided for each third and fourth guest in the stateroom.
Suites will receive a $250 onboard credit per suite. An additional $50 onboard credit will be provided for each third and fourth guest in the stateroom.
OPTION 3: Guests currently booked on a revised sailing who choose to cancel their bookings will receive a full refund of monies paid to Royal Caribbean International
Mariner of the Seas guests booked on a revised sailing are encouraged to contact their Vacations To Go travel counselor for compensation and rebooking options
Serenade of the Seas:
On its current sailing, it will replace its port call in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with a port call in San Diego, California.
Radiance of the Seas:
On its current sailing, it will replace its port calls in Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with an extended, overnight port call in San Diego, California, and additional time at sea