Key Points
- Airlines and some cruise lines have been canceling plans to land or stop in Puerto Vallarta.
- Norwegian, Carnival, and Princess cruise lines have all called off Puerto Vallarta stops throughout February.
- A major cruise association says 95% of cruise tourism in Mexico is still operating normally.
After the Mexican army’s capture and killing of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel led to outbreaks of retaliatory cartel violence in several regions of the country, a number of cruise lines and airlines called off routes to the resort town of Puerto Vallarta in the Jalisco state.
Airlines such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Air Canada, and Southwest Airlines are starting to resume flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara after widespread cancellations on Feb. 22 and 23. Cruise lines including Norwegian, Carnival, Princess Cruises, and Holland America have also rerouted any scheduled stops to the popular resort town throughout February.
Holland America Line rerouted the Zuiderdam, which departed from San Diego on Feb. 15 for its 12-day “Historical Baja Peninsula” cruise, away from a stop in Puerto Vallarta with an additional day at sea.
Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess ship also canceled a Feb. 25 stop in Puerto Vallarta and has yet to announce whether the ship will spend additional time at sea or be rerouted for an extra day in Cabo San Lucas.
Cruise lines respond: “Scheduled call to Puerto Vallarta has been canceled”
“The safety and well-being of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are always a top priority,” Norwegian said in a statement to CruiseFever on the itinerary of its Norwegian Bliss ship departed on Feb. 22.
“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.”
Royal Caribbean, whose itineraries run primarily in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, did not have any scheduled stops in Puerto Vallarta at this time of year; port calls in Cozumel and Costa Maya on the east coast of Mexico are taking place as scheduled while its next stop in Puerto Vallarta aboard the Navigator of the Seas departing from Los Angeles is scheduled for March 13.
No other major cruise lines are canceling trips to Cozumel or Costa Maya on the east coast of Mexico at this time, although some have called off shore excursions.
But as airlines begin to restart flights into the areas where the unrest was greatest, a very limited number of cruise companies have made itinerary changes, while even fewer are expected to do so as the situation stabilizes.
“More than 95% of cruise tourism in the country is currently operating normally”: cruise association
According to numbers from the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, Puerto Vallarta accounts for approximately 5% of all cruise passenger stops in Mexico.
The next scheduled stop in Puerto Vallarta on any major cruise line is aboard the Carnival Panorama on March 3.
More Travel News:
- Airline to launch unusual new flight to Cayman Islands from the U.S.
- Frontier Airlines CEO gives stark warning on economy
- Another cruise ship destination adds ban impacting Americans
- Unexpected country is most luxurious travel destination for 2026
“While there have been some modifications of cruise itineraries in Mexico, more than 95% of cruise tourism in the country is currently operating normally,” the FCCA said in a statement first reported by SeaTrade Cruise News.
“Cruise lines work closely with global security experts and government authorities, actively monitoring planned routes and itineraries to make adjustments if needed, always prioritizing safety and security.”
About the authors
Veronika Bondarenko
Senior Writer
