Cartel violence over the weekend has led to an explosive situation in the popular resort city and cruise port of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on the country’s west coast. Flights to the city have been cancelled or turned around mid-air, and Holland America Line has cancelled a planned call for Zuiderdam originally slated for 23 February.
Images online show plumes of black smoke along Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón and near the cruise piers in the city. A shelter-in-place order was issued as fires have broken out in popular tourist areas, and gunfire has spread across the region.
The violence was triggered by the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel kingpin “El Mencho” by military special forces on 22 February. No cruise ships were scheduled to berth in Puerto Vallarta on that day, and none are reported to be in the vicinity.
Effects for Mexican Riviera cruises
The cruise industry has been spooked by cartel violence before. Numerous lines withdrew almost completely from the region around two decades ago because of cartel-related violence in Mazatlán and areas further outside populated tourist centres.
Once-popular ports of call like Acapulco have never really come back onto itineraries since then.
Puerto Vallarta – long seen as a safe destination for cruise passengers and land-based tourists alike – now risks having its stellar reputation sullied by these events.
It is currently unclear what cruise lines will do long-term. For the short term, expect lines to avoid Puerto Vallarta on all Mexican Riviera itineraries.
Norwegian Cruise Line announced Norwegian Bliss would skip its planned call on Puerto Vallarta on 25 February, while on the opposite side of the country, Carnival Cruise Line has temporarily cancelled all mainland shore excursions for guests visiting the port of Cozumel.
Further Effects in Mexico Possible
A U.S. Embassy Department warning cautions for areas even further afar, saying Quintana Roo State (Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum) and Baja California (Ensenada) could be affected.
CruiseTimes will update this story as new information becomes available.
— Aaron Saunders, Digital Editor
