First Hurricane of the Season Forces Carnival to Reroute Mexican Cruise
Passengers aboard Carnival Panorama are still on track to visit every scheduled destination on their 8-night Mexican Riviera cruise, just not in the original order.
Carnival Cruise Line announced it is altering the itinerary for the 4,008-guest ship that departed from Long Beach, California, on June 7, 2025.
The reason? The brand-new formation of Hurricane Barbara and two developing storm systems in the Pacific Ocean.
“In partnership with our fleet center in Miami, we are actively monitoring [then] Tropical Storm Barbara and another tropical system that have developed in the Pacific,” Captain Carlo Queirolo wrote in a letter to passengers aboard the 133,500-gross-ton ship.
“Given the track of both storms, we must modify our itinerary to remain a safe distance away,” he continued.
Despite the need to adjust course, the ship will maintain its original schedule to visit Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It will now be in reverse order.
Carnival Panorama will sail first to Cabo San Lucas instead of Puerto Vallarta, arriving on Monday, June 9. It will then journey to La Laz on June 10, Mazatlán on June 13, and Puerto Vallarta on June 14 before returning to Los Angeles on June 15, 2025, following two sea days.
“We will continue to monitor weather forecasts and provide updates,” said Captain Queirolo.
This marks the second weather-related adjustment for Carnival Cruise Line since the start of the Pacific hurricane season on May 15, 2025.
The cruise line’s Carnival Firenze, carrying up to 4,126 passengers, faced inclement weather during its late May sailing to Cabo San Lucas brought on by Tropical Storm Alvin.
Thankfully, the storm didn’t build enough strength to become a hurricane.
Pacific Coast Storms
Tropical Storm Barbara formed in the eastern Pacific on June 8, 2025, and became the first hurricane of the season at 8 a.m. MST on Monday, June 9, 2025.
Located about 155 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, at press time, Hurricane Barbara is producing maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and moving northwest at 10 miles per hour.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said it is possible the storm will strengthen today, “but a weakening trend is forecast to begin on Tuesday.”
“Gusty winds are likely along coastal areas of southwestern Mexico during the next day or so,” said NHC. “Swells generated by Barbara will affect portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico during the next few days.”
The swells could cause “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”
A second tropical storm, Cosme, has also developed nearby and is moving at 6 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour.
The NHC says there is a 60 percent likelihood of a third storm developing in the area by the end of the week.
The Baha Peninsula of Mexico is a popular cruise destination for several cruise lines operating out of California homeports.
Read Also: Cruising During Hurricane Season: What You Must Know!
Besides Carnival Panorama, Carnival Firenze will be in the region later in the week, as well as Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Mariner and Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas.
Cruise ships are faster than tropical storms and can position themselves safely out of harms’ way. Despite the strong start to the storm season, forecasters predict the Eastern Pacific will have a relatively quiet season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) anticipates 1 to 4 tropical cyclones this season, which is a near- or below-normal year.
First Hurricane of the Season Forces Carnival to Reroute Mexican Cruise