Hurricane Polo Cruise Ships: Every Sailing Changed So Far (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Virgin)
Four ships out of Los Angeles and Long Beach have rewritten their Mexican Riviera itineraries. Here's what's changed and what you're owed.
Hurricane Polo has knocked Mexican ports off four West Coast cruises this week, and if you're booked on a Mexican Riviera or Baja sailing in the next few days, the short version is this: the ships are fine, but your port list probably isn't. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Virgin Voyages have all pulled calls at places like Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, and swapped in California stops or extra sea days instead.
So here's every ship affected, exactly what changed, and what each line is giving back.
Key Facts
Storm: Hurricane Polo, a major Eastern Pacific hurricane that peaked at Category 5 and is forecast to reach Baja California Sur on Monday 28 September.
Ships confirmed changed: Carnival Panorama, Navigator of the Seas, Grand Princess and Brilliant Lady.
Homeports: Long Beach (Carnival) and Los Angeles (Royal Caribbean, Princess, Virgin).
Ports dropped: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Guaymas and Ensenada, depending on the ship.
Compensation: Princess is offering a full refund to cancel or $100 onboard credit to sail. Carnival and Royal Caribbean are refunding pre-booked shore excursions for cancelled ports.
Still being watched: Carnival Miracle, Queen Elizabeth and Coral Princess, all on sailings that pass through the region.
How strong is Hurricane Polo right now?
Very strong, and it got there fast. Polo went from a 50 mph tropical storm to a 160 mph Category 5 hurricane in about 24 hours earlier in the week, according to AccuWeather. That kind of rapid intensification is exactly why cruise lines moved early instead of waiting to see what it did.
By Saturday, CBS News had Polo as a Category 4 about 335 miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, moving northwest at around 10 mph. The forecast has it turning north on Sunday, then northeast, with landfall in Baja California Sur on Monday before it crosses into northwestern mainland Mexico on Tuesday.
It should weaken before it hits land. But the National Hurricane Center has still issued hurricane warnings for parts of Baja California Sur, and it expects Polo to arrive as a strong hurricane rather than a spent one. The swells matter too: seas near the centre have been running 30 to 45 feet, and those swells spread up the coast well ahead of the storm itself. That's often what closes a port, even when the wind isn't the problem.
Every cruise ship affected by Hurricane Polo
The detail below comes from guest notices reported by Cruise Hive, which is tracking the changes ship by ship.
Carnival Panorama (26 September, Long Beach)
Carnival Panorama has dropped Puerto Vallarta (29 September) and Mazatlan (30 September). In their place, the ship now calls at Ensenada on 28 September from 8am to 5pm, after a sea day on the 27th.
La Paz (1 October) and Cabo San Lucas (2 October) are still on the itinerary for now, and the ship is still due back into Long Beach on 4 October. Carnival is refunding any shore excursions booked through the line for the two lost ports back to guests' onboard accounts, and Ensenada tours are open to book.
One thing worth flagging. La Paz and Cabo are both in Baja California Sur, which is exactly where Polo is forecast to come ashore on Monday. Carnival has already told guests it may make more changes if the forecast shifts, so I wouldn't treat those last two ports as locked in.
Navigator of the Seas (25 September, Los Angeles)
Royal Caribbean moved first, sending its notice to guests on 23 September. Navigator of the Seas has lost Ensenada (26 September), which becomes a sea day, and Cabo San Lucas (28 September).
Mazatlan moves to 28 September, and Royal Caribbean has added a new call at Puerto Vallarta on 29 September. So this sailing actually ends up heading further south into mainland Mexico, away from Polo's track up the Baja peninsula. Royal Caribbean is refunding Ensenada and Cabo shore excursions booked through the line as onboard credit to guests' SeaPass accounts.
Grand Princess (25 September, Los Angeles)
This is the biggest rewrite of the four. The 2,610 guest Grand Princess has cancelled La Paz (29 September), Guaymas (30 September) and Puerto Vallarta (2 October).
In their place: an overnight in San Diego (arriving 26 September, leaving 27 September) instead of a sea day, plus a new call at Mazatlan on 1 October.
Princess is also the most generous on compensation. Guests can cancel for a full 100% refund of their fare, or sail anyway and get $100 onboard credit.
Brilliant Lady (26 September, Los Angeles)
Virgin Voyages hasn't put out a public statement, but guests booked on Brilliant Lady have confirmed the change. The ship has dropped Cabo San Lucas (28 September), Mazatlan (29 September) and Puerto Vallarta (30 September).
Instead, it's staying close to home: San Francisco on 28 September, San Diego on 30 September, then Ensenada on 2 October before returning to Los Angeles on 3 October. That leaves Ensenada as the only Mexican port on what was sold as a Mexico cruise.
Which cruise ships could be next?
Three more are being watched: Carnival Miracle's 26 September repositioning sailing from Seattle, Cunard's Queen Elizabeth on its 24 September sailing from Seattle, and Coral Princess on its 23 September Panama Canal sailing from Vancouver. None of those three had confirmed changes at the time of writing.
If you're on any of them, keep an eye on your email and the cruise line app. Lines usually send these notices only a day or two before the affected port, so a quiet inbox today doesn't mean much.
What this means for you if you're sailing
Your ship isn't in danger. I know a Category 4 or 5 hurricane sounds terrifying, but this is the system working as it should. A cruise ship can move 20 knots in any direction, and a hurricane moving at 10 mph can't catch it. The lines give up ports precisely so the ship never gets close.
Expect sea days, and expect rougher water. Even with the ship well clear of Polo, the swell travels a long way. If you get seasick, pack the tablets or bands now, and pick a cabin low and midship if you still have the choice.
Check what you booked privately. Every line here is refunding shore excursions booked through them. Tours you booked with an independent operator are a different story. You'll need to cancel those yourself and check that operator's weather policy.
Don't expect cash for a missed port. Unless you're on Grand Princess, the standard deal is a refund of port-specific taxes and fees, plus excursions booked through the line. Missing a port for weather is covered in every cruise contract, and it's rare to get more than that.
Travel insurance is your friend on flights. If a changed itinerary, or a later return, messes with your flights home, that's where your insurance comes in. The cruise line won't cover it.
FAQ
Which cruise ships have changed itineraries because of Hurricane Polo?
As of 27 September 2026, four ships have confirmed changes: Carnival Panorama from Long Beach, and Navigator of the Seas, Grand Princess and Brilliant Lady from Los Angeles. Carnival Miracle, Queen Elizabeth and Coral Princess are being watched for possible changes.
Can I cancel my cruise because of Hurricane Polo and get a refund?
Only Princess has announced a full fare refund, and that's for guests on the 25 September Grand Princess sailing. For the other lines, normal cancellation penalties still apply, so check your fare terms and your travel insurance before cancelling.
Will I get compensation for a missed port on my cruise?
Usually you get back the port taxes and fees for that stop, plus any shore excursions booked through the cruise line. Grand Princess guests who keep sailing are getting $100 onboard credit on top. Carnival and Royal Caribbean are refunding cancelled excursions to your onboard account.
Is it safe to be on a cruise ship during a hurricane?
Yes, as long as the ship steers clear, which is exactly what these reroutes are for. Cruise ships are faster than a hurricane's forward movement and can reposition well ahead of it. Expect some motion from the swell, but not the storm itself.
Is Cabo San Lucas open for cruise ships this week?
Not reliably. Navigator of the Seas and Brilliant Lady have both dropped their Cabo calls, and Polo is forecast to reach Baja California Sur on Monday 28 September. Carnival Panorama still lists Cabo for 2 October, but the line says it may change the itinerary again.
Final thoughts
Look, nobody books a Mexican Riviera cruise to spend a day in San Diego. If you had your heart set on Puerto Vallarta, this is a disappointing week. But every one of these lines made the right call, and they made it early, which is what you want.
Keep your cruise line app notifications on, sort out anything you booked independently, and pack for a bit of motion. I'll update this post if more ships are changed or Carnival Panorama loses its Baja ports.
Are you on one of these sailings? Tell me in the comments what your notice said and how the new itinerary is working out. And if you want to see what these ships are actually like on board, come and find me on YouTube at The Walking Cruiser.
