Cruise Lines Divert Ships, Cancel Calls to Mexican Ports

Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Contact: John Gilmore (619) 341-5684, Barbara Moreno (619) 829-9122, Marguerite Elicone (619) 787-6391

Cruise lines are suspending calls on Mexican ports and diverting ships to the Port of San Diego as a result of the swine flu outbreak.  So far, 10 cruise ships have confirmed plans to berth in San Diego instead of Mexico.

Princess Cruise Lines announced plans on Tuesday, April 28, to divert the 2,670-passenger ship Sapphire Princess from Puerto Vallarta to San Diego.  The ship will dock at the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal at 7 a.m. on Thursday, April 30 for an 11-hour stopover.  Princess and other cruise officials said they are working on alternatives to passenger itineraries, but at this time, the exact details are still pending.

Princess Cruise Lines issued a statement which read in part, "The health and well being of our passengers and crew is our foremost priority... our ships and medical staff are already well equipped to prevent and contain the spread of contagious diseases, including swine flu."

Carnival Cruise Lines, which is home ported in San Diego, announced they would cancel all calls to Mexican ports for current sailings and for all cruises between April 30 and May 4.

"In many cases, we will be able to substitute the cancelled call with an alternative port," the cruise line said in a statement. "Additionally, we are working on alternatives for those itineraries impacted by this decision. Full details will be available by 5 p.m. (Wednesday). In the unlikely event that our new itinerary options are not to your liking, we will also give you the opportunity to reschedule your cruise at a later date. Those details will also be made available (Wednesday)."

The cruise lines said they have plans in place to screen passengers and report any ill passengers to the proper officials. Carnival said their line "enforces the highest of standards for cleaning and sanitation on all of our ships to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We have well trained medical staff and expansive reporting capabilities onboard. We do not anticipate that our guests' cruise experience will be impacted by this type of illness."

On Tuesday, posters provided by the Centers for Disease Control, were put in place at the Port of San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal. The posters offer tips on proper hygiene in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that U.S. travelers avoid all non-essential travel to Mexico, as a result of the swine flu outbreak. San Diego County's Health and Human Services Department continues to closely manage and oversee the region's response to the influenza cases.

The status of outbreak locally and nationally is changing frequently throughout the day. Monitor the following sites for the latest information.

• Centers for Disease Control
• San Diego County Office of Emergency Services
• California Emergency Management Agency

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