Two hurricanes, Polo and Rachel, affected cruise ship itineraries along Mexico’s Pacific coast in late September 2026. Hurricane Polo struck first near Western Mexico, followed by Hurricane Rachel, a Category 1 storm with sustained winds near 85 mph. Rachel tracked northwest approximately 350 miles southeast of Cabo San Lucas, leading to multiple itinerary adjustments for Pacific cruises.
Cruise Lines Adjust Itineraries Including Port Cancellations and Added Sea Days
Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth canceled its scheduled October 1 stop in Cabo San Lucas, opting to remain at sea for several days before arriving at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady altered its previous sailing by dropping Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto
Vallarta and replacing them with San Francisco, San Diego, Catalina Island, and Ensenada. The October 3 sailing from Los Angeles remains under review with potential northern route changes.
Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, on its September 25 sailing from Los Angeles, removed Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada from its itinerary. The Mazatlán stop was moved earlier, Puerto Vallarta later, and a sea day replaced the Ensenada visit. Carnival Cruise Line’s Panorama canceled Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán on its September 26 sailing, substituting these ports with Ensenada and added sea days. Later sailings also omitted Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, La Paz,
and Cabo San Lucas, with the vessel reported to be circling off Baja California. Carnival Miracle reportedly skipped Cabo San Lucas amid storm alerts.
Princess Cruises altered Coral Princess’s itinerary by canceling the Puerto Vallarta call due to Hurricane Rachel. Grand Princess’s September 25 departure shortened or canceled stops near Cabo San Lucas, added an overnight stop in San Diego, and rescheduled the Mazatlán visit. Guests on Grand Princess were offered refunds or a $100 onboard credit for affected port cancellations.
Port Closures and Traveler Impact from Rough Seas and Weather Conditions
Cabo San Lucas, a tender-only port requiring small boat transfers, was closed during Hurricane Polo due to hazardous sea
conditions and has since reopened. However, local authorities have warned that Hurricane Rachel could prompt another temporary closure depending on its trajectory and wave heights. The storms generated rough seas and high winds, forcing cruise operators to prioritize passenger safety by canceling or altering visits to ports including Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and La Paz.
Passengers experienced itinerary disruptions with extended sea days and skipped port calls. Several cruise lines issued options for compensation; for example, Princess Cruises allowed travelers on the Grand Princess to cancel with a full refund or receive onboard credits. Virgin Voyages advised
guests on Brilliant Lady to pack warmer clothing in anticipation of potential route adjustments to cooler northern destinations.
Confirmed Passenger Experiences and Cruise Line Communications
Royal Caribbean informed Navigator of the Seas guests: “Due to inclement weather from Hurricane Polo near Western Mexico, we’ll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day instead of our scheduled visit to Ensenada, Mexico.” Passenger reports on Carnival Panorama indicated the ship was “doing circles off Baja Ca, and going back to Ensenada tomorrow” amid ongoing changes. CruiseMapper tracking data as of September 30, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST showed cruise ship positions reflecting these itinerary modifications.
