Carnival and NCL Skip Mazatlan Calls

Mazatlan Coast - Courtesy Mazatlan Tourism

Carnival Splendor &

Norwegian Star

Skipped Mazatlan

(Last Update:  Feb 28, 2011)

This photo, courtesy of Mazatlan Tourism, paints a beautiful, serene, image of this coastal town.   However, in recent months, violence has caused cruise line executives to carefully weigh making calls in Mazatlan. 

We first brought you information about cancellations in January: Cruise Lines Pull Out of Mazatlan  After that, some cruise lines did return to Mazatlan, after being assured by tourism officials that security had been increased,  but continued to monitor the situation.


An incident this week has once again caused two cruise lines to alter their itineraries:

Norwegian Cruise Line cancelled the Norwegian Star’s calls to Mazatlan, Mexico, through April and Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Splendor cancelled its Feb. 24 call.  Carnival is still monitoring the situation before making additional modifications.

According to the Associated Press, two men, who were not tourists, were shot to death in the parking lot of a hotel located in the tourist zone.  There have been reports that passengers on the Norwegian Star heard the shots.  

NCL and Carnival Statements

“The safety and security of our guests and crew is our number one priority,” NCL said in a statement. “Therefore, the company has been closely monitoring the situation in Mazatlan, Mexico. Because of recent incidents of violence in Mazatlan, we are cancelling all of Norwegian Star’s calls to Mazatlan for the remainder of the season through the April 30 sailing. Instead, the ship will make two back-to-back calls to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We thank our guests for their understanding.”

Carnival also said it replaced the Mazatlan call with an additional day in Cabo San Lucas. “Carnival is currently gathering information on the incident that occurred [Feb. 22] in Mazatlan,” the line said in a statement. “Until we are able to obtain all of the facts and fully assess the situation, no decision has been made regarding future calls. The safety and security of our guests remains our top priority.”

Updated Feb 28:

Disney Cruise Line - has also cancelled all calls through April, 2011
Carnival Splendor & Carnival Spirit will replace calls with Cabo San Lucas for upcoming week
Some additional weather-related changes were made on dates for call
Holland America Oosterdam - still planning to call there on March 2
Oceania Marina - March 3 call replaced with Puerto Vallarta

We too will continue to monitor this situation and bring you any updates.

NCL Caribbean Deployment 2012/2013

Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Dawn

Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Jewel

Norwegian Star

  Norwegian Sun

Caribbean Deployment

2012 / 2013

Miami, New Orleans, Tampa

Five Norwegian Cruise Line Ships will be deployed to the Caribbean in the 2012/2013  season.

Out of Miami, you can chose from Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Jewel, and Norwegian Sun.  The Sun will sail 10 and 11 day Southern Caribbean itineraries while the Epic and Jewel will sail alternating 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itinerarires.

• Saturdays from November 3, 2012 to April 13, 2013 (Norwegian Epic)
• The Eastern Caribbean cruises call on Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands with an optional tour to St. John; and Nassau, Bahamas. 
• The Western Caribbean cruises stop in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras. 

• Sundays from October 14, 2012 to April 14, 2013 (Norwegian Jewel)
• The Eastern Caribbean cruises call on Samaná, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands with an optional tour to St. John; Tortola, British Virgin Islands with an optional tour to Virgin Gorda; and Nassau, Bahamas. 
• The Western Caribbean cruises visit Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico. 

• October 14, 2012 to April 10, 2013 (Norwegian Sun)
• The 10-day cruise calls on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands with an optional tour to St. John; Roseau, Dominica; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.  
• The 11-day cruise calls on Cartagena, Colombia; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curaçao; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands with an optional tour to St. John.
• One seven-day Western Caribbean cruise from Orlando and the Beaches (Port Canaveral) on April 14, 2012 with stops in Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas.   

Out of Tampa, the Norwegian Dawn replaces Norwegian Star sailing 23 seven day Western Caribbean itineraries

• Sundays from November 11, 2012 to April 14, 2013 (Norwegian Dawn)
• The 7-day cruises call on Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. 

Out of New Orleans, the Norwegian Star will sail seven day Western Caribbean itineraries

• Sundays during Winter and Spring (Norwegian Star)
• The 7-day cruises call on Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; and Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras. 

Completing the Deployment

Limited Time Offer (click)

Norwegian will also offer 11 repositioning cruises ranging from a four-day Pacific Coastal to a 17-day Panama Canal from April 15 to October 26, 2012 departing from Miami, Tampa, New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Quebec. For the first time, the cruise line will offer a 16-day Colonial America cruise on Norwegian Dawn sailing from Quebec City, Quebec to Tampa, Florida on October 26, 2012 calling on Portland, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; Baltimore, Maryland; Norfolk, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; Miami and Key West, Florida.

In addition, two-day Quick Getaways will be offered from Miami on board Norwegian Jewel on October 12, 2012 and from New York on board Norwegian Gem on September 28, 2012

Search (here) for Norwegian Cruise Line Itineraries