Carnival Cancels Mainland Mexico Excursions as a Precaution, Still Visits Cozumel
Key Aspects:
Carnival Cruise Line is cancelling shore tours to mainland Mexico for ships visiting Cozumel.
The port stops in Cozumel are not cancelled, only select shore tours, which will be refunded.
All guests are urged to remain vigilant when getting off their ships in any port of call.
With all eyes on the growing violence in Mexico following the death of cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera over the weekend, Carnival Cruise Line is being cautious and keeping cruise guests closer to port in Cozumel.
While there are no ships cancelling visits to Cozumel at this time, cruise lines always monitor safety. Many guests with sailings to Mexico this week have reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, with concerns.
“On the Jubilee right now and headed to Cozumel. Supposed to port this morning,” one guest asked. “But, I am hearing a shelter in place has been issued for Cozumel. Any updates for us?”
Carnival Jubilee is homeported from Galveston, Texas and is indeed enjoying a visit to Cozumel from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, February 23. The ship left the Lone Star State on Saturday and will also be visiting Costa Maya on Tuesday and Roatan on Thursday before heading back to Texas.
In Cozumel, however, guests might not be enjoying all the experiences they had hoped for, as the cruise line has stopped offering tours to the mainland.
“We continue to monitor the U.S. State Department’s travel advisory regarding the current situation in certain parts of Mexico’s mainland,” Heald confirmed. “While there are no specific threats in the state of Quintana Roo, we have made the decision to cancel tours going to the mainland.”
The types of tours that will now be cancelled include visits to the ancient Mayan ruins at Tulum, cenote tours, certain snorkeling excursions, and visits to Xplor Park for ziplining and exploring the underground river.
Tours that are now cancelled will be fully refunded. Guests can also consider alternative tour options that do not leave the island of Cozumel, as those will operate as planned.
Cruise Hive has previously reported on the violence impacting ships sailing to Puerto Vallarta, but this is the first related reaction on the Caribbean side of Mexico. Nevertheless, safety is always the first priority and cruise lines will take all steps necessary to ensure their guests can enjoy an amazing getaway without fear.
Heald has also confirmed that there are no cancellations for Carnival ships visiting Progreso or Cozumel in the next few days, but each situation is surely being evaluated individually.
Precautions Urged for Cruise Guests
Of course, guests should still be alert for any possible mishaps or dangers if they do get off their ships at any port in Mexico, or indeed, at any port of call, no matter where they set sail.
“We’re reminding guests to practice common-sense personal safety measures when they go ashore, as they would when traveling to any destination,” Heald said.
“We urge guests to be aware of their surroundings, follow instructions provided by local officials, stay within well-traveled tourist areas, and pay close attention to updates and announcements while ashore.”
These common-sense precautions are useful for any traveler. While no unexpected cartel-related violence has been reported in Quintana Roo, the Mexican state where Cozumel is located, isolated incidents are possible anywhere.
Cozumel is an island off the eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, approximately 1,000 miles from Tapalpa in Jalisco, where the cartel leader was killed. While related violence could occur anywhere, the greatest unrest is currently in Jalisco state.
The US Embassy & Consulate in Mexico has issued a shelter in place order for Jalisco state, and the US Department of State has a general Level 2 “exercise increased caution” alert for all of Mexico, including Cozumel. In Jalisco, the alert is a Level 3 “reconsider travel” advisory.
Carnival Cancels Mainland Mexico Excursions as a Precaution, Still Visits Cozumel