Cruise Ship Drops Mexican Riviera Port Due to Propulsion Issue
Guests sailing aboard Norwegian Bliss aren’t getting the full Mexican Riviera experience they had hoped for, due to the ship developing technical difficulties during her current sailing.
The Norwegian Cruise Line ship is sailing a 7-night voyage but was forced to ditch a port call and head directly back to her Los Angeles homeport after a propulsion issue reduced the vessel’s speed.
The cruise left Los Angeles on March 23, 2025 and called successfully at both Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan following a relaxing first day at sea.
The next port – Puerto Vallarta – was not so successful. After a propulsion problem emerged and in order to return to Los Angeles on time, at 7 a.m. on March 30, 2025, the popular port was pulled from the itinerary.
A disappointed cruiser described the incident on Reddit, indicating that a loud noise preceded the itinerary change.
“I am currently on the NCL Bliss, we left Los Angeles Sunday,” the guest wrote. “In between Cabo and Mazatlan there was a really loud noise, and then a few hours later the captain came on the speaker and said that the ship is having technical difficulties with the propulsion system.”
According to a notice sent to guests from ship’s Captain Vicente Amicone, the altered itinerary now features three days at sea to finish the cruise rather than the originally planned two days.
“Unfortunately, due to a technical issue which has impacted the speed of our beautiful ship (but will not impact your safety or that of our crew) combined with ocean currents and headwinds, further impacting our speed to Los Angeles, California, our visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has been canceled,” Captain Amicone wrote.
As a gesture of appreciation – and to acknowledge the inconvenience caused by the change – a $100 per stateroom onboard credit was added to onboard accounts.
Guests can use that credit to enjoy specialty dining, spa treatments, and other services and amenities onboard the ship. The credit can also be used to purchase drinks, onboard souvenirs, or photos.
All guests will also receive a 10% discount as a future cruise credit (FCC) that can be applied to any of Norwegian Cruise Line’s published sailings through December 31, 2026. The FCC will become available on April 7, 2025.
Meanwhile, all pre-purchased shore excursions in Puerto Vallarta booked through the cruise line are being automatically cancelled and refunded to each guest’s onboard account.
The 4,000-guest Norwegian Bliss entered service in 2018 following construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The Breakaway-Plus class ship is known for the two-story Bliss Speedway go-kart race track, her outstanding Wyland hull art, and other extraordinary features.
The ship has 16 dining venues and offers guests accommodations in The Haven, the exclusive luxury ship-within-a-ship space, as well as an expansive thermal suite and a stunning forward observation deck.
Will Speed Issue Impact Ship’s Next Sailing?
It is unclear whether the propulsion issue will impact Norwegian Bliss’s next scheduled voyage, a 5-night Mexican Riviera cruise departing on March 30, 2025. There are just two more scheduled cruises from Los Angeles before the ship repositions to Seattle for the summer season in Alaska.
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The cruise line will undoubtedly reach out to booked guests as soon as any changes – if needed – are confirmed.
Speed issues arising from technical problems are not uncommon on cruise ships, and coupled with currents and wind can force ships to alter itineraries in order to stay on schedule.
Another Norwegian Cruise Line ship experienced a similar problem in January 2025, when Norwegian Breakaway cancelled a call at Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas, due to a speed issue.
The ship had departed PortMiami on January 2, 2025 on a 9-night Caribbean cruise. As with Norwegian Bliss, winds in the region added to the technical problem. Rather than call at the private island, the ship’s itinerary was altered, providing a sea day as the ship sailed back to Florida.
Other cruise lines have experienced similar itinerary changes due to propulsion issues in recent years, including Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Vista and Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas.
Cruise Ship Drops Mexican Riviera Port Due to Propulsion Issue