Following an outbreak of violence in western Mexico, at least two cruise lines have opted to cancel upcoming stops in the popular port of Puerto Vallarta.
But with calls from the U.S. government for Americans in Mexico to “shelter in place,” could more port cancellations be on tap?
A Rash of Violence as Cartels and Government Clash
On Sunday, Mexican armed forces clashed with a major drug cartel in the state of Jalisco on Mexico’s western coast. The operation led to the death of Nemesio Oseguera “El Mencho” Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the most wanted people in the nation.
In response, it’s reported the cartel set up road blockades and set vehicles on fire in the area, including in the popular tourist town of Puerto Vallarta. Banks, gas stations, and other property has been burned or destroyed in the violence:
Another angle of the Costco in PV, MX
by
u/ja_boi420 in
Costco
In response to the mayhem, the New York Times reports that concerts and soccer matches were canceled and flights have been diverted.
In addition, the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico has issued a warning for U.S. citizens in the area. This warning says that “due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in a number of locations in Mexico are urged to shelter in place.”
The alert covers spots across the country, from Jalisco (home to Puerto Vallarta) to Baja California (home to Ensenada, another busy cruise port), Mazatlan, Cancun, Cozumel, and more.
While there have been no reports of violence aimed directly at tourists, the situation is still not yet over.
So what’s the impact on cruise calls to Mexico?
Multiple Calls on Puerto Vallarta Cancelled
This rash of violence is having an effect on cruises already. Specifically, cruise lines are cancelling calls on Puerto Vallarta.
Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess all have stops scheduled for the port in the coming days. We contacted the lines for updates to their itineraries.
Holland America’s MS Zuiderdam was scheduled to visit the port today. A spokesperson for the line told us that “to prioritize the safety of our guests and team members, we have cancelled our planned visit to Puerto Vallarta February 23.”
Princess Cruise Line has also said that they are cancelling the Royal Princess call on Puerto Vallarta for this week. According to the cruise line, they are “reviewing our onward itinerary and will update guests on a potential replacement port.”
We have not yet heard back from Norwegian Cruise Line on any updates with a call on the port by Norwegian Bliss later this week. The ship is scheduled to visit on Wednesday. We will update if we hear more.
Update: Norwegian Cruise Line responded to Cruzely’s request, stating, “Due to ongoing security operations and the recent U.S. travel warning issued for select areas in Mexico, Norwegian Bliss‘ scheduled call to Puerto Vallarta on Feb. 25, 2026 has been canceled.”
Other Mexican Ports Seem Unimpacted for Now
It’s not just calls on Puerto Vallarta that may be impacted, however. Warnings about violence have spread throughout Mexico. Should the situation continue or worsen, other ports might be impacted.
For now, however, other ports seem to be operating as normal.
A check of CruiseMapper.com shows that Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas is docking in Ensenada this morning. The Baja California port is one mentioned in the warnings. Carnival Radiance has also arrive in Cabo San Lucas.
Multiple ships in Cozumel, which is on the other side of the country from Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta, show as being docked as scheduled. Port stops in Costa Maya — where four ships were set to dock today — look to be canceled as no ships are in port. However, this seems due to weather issues.
For now, the cancellations from Holland America and Princess on Puerto Vallarta are the only ones we know for sure are cancelled.
If you have an upcoming cruise with stops in Mexico — especially in the area of Puerto Vallarta or nearby ports — your cruise line will be in touch with any itinerary changes.
