Mexico Itinerary changes - Sapphire Princess

[sassyredhat]

I live in San Diego. How much closer to Mexico can I get?? I'm not one bit afraid to cruise to Mexico. I will say, I feel safer in Ensenada than I do in Acapulco.

We love the shorter cruises, particularly the 5 dayers having 2 days in Cabo. We even have one booked for Feb. going to Ensenada as we accompany 2 family members who will be taking their first cruise.

So, for the record :D----I'm waiting for the day when we get our ships back.

Pat

[xrver]

I love your quote at the end........never have seen that one, priceless!

[wizard-of-roz]

I live in San Diego. How much closer to Mexico can I get?? I'm not one bit afraid to cruise to Mexico. I will say, I feel safer in Ensenada than I do in Acapulco.

 

We love the shorter cruises, particularly the 5 dayers having 2 days in Cabo. We even have one booked for Feb. going to Ensenada as we accompany 2 family members who will be taking their first cruise.

 

So, for the record :D----I'm waiting for the day when we get our ships back.

 

Pat

 

Me too!!!!

[bdjam]

The article states that there's a slump in interest in buying cruises to Mexico - because of the economic situation and because of the violence there. You're sort of right, the cruise companies are getting out of the market due to economics, but it's because they are making wise business choices, not because they think they can make more money elsewhere. If the Mexican itinerary demand was what it once was, you can bet they'd still be there. If the people won't buy a product, any business worth it's salt will sell something else.

Remember when the first cruises pulled out of the Mexican Riviera this year? The stated reason wasn't due to safety concerns, it was due to economics. The cruise lines openly said so. See the Los Angeles Times article on the subject from January. It is quite telling about the economics of the Mexican Riviera cruise industry.

[Princess Patches]

Remember when the first cruises pulled out of the Mexican Riviera this year? The stated reason wasn't due to safety concerns, it was due to economics. The cruise lines openly said so. See the Los Angeles Times article on the subject from January. It is quite telling about the economics of the Mexican Riviera cruise industry.

 

 

It's ludicrous to think that they are worried about safety concerns

 

I am confused! Didn't you refute your own argument that the cruise industry does not care about safety by citing the Los Angeles Times article which mentions drug related violence no less than 11 times as the cause ["probably the main reason"] of the cruise industry pulling out of Mexico? (including the opening paragraph which mentions finding 30 murder victims in the tourist port of Acapulco).

[caribill]

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Carnival tells USA TODAY the line has no plans to cancel calls in Puerto Vallarta. It is telling that Princess' parent company, Carnival Cruise Lines, is continuing to serve Puerto Vallarta with no plans to drop it. Why would the parent company not feel these "safety concerns"?

 

The parent of Princess is Carnival Corporation, not Carnival Cruise Lines.

 

Carnival Cruise Lines is, like Princess, owned by Carnival Corporation and is run independently from all the other cruise lines owned by Carnival Corporation.

 

Thus, Princess Cruise Lines and Carnival Cruise Lines make their own independent decisions on itineraries. Carnival Coporation does not make those decisions.

[CruisinJohn]

I have seen a petition against Princess Cruises that is being circulated on the internet because of their decision to cancel stops at Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. The petition states that Princess is slandering the safety of Puerta Vallarta. I just wanted to state that I don't believe this is true at all and I support the decision made by Princess. They have always shown that passenger safety is very high priority! They obviously have good reasons for their decision. Althought the US State Department warnings indicate that travel for US citizens to Mexico is unsafe, they do not specifically mention Puerta Vallarta. Therefore, I see no reason for anyone to accuse Princess of slander against Puerta Vallarta.

 

My thanks and support to Princess Cruises! :)

[bdjam]

Amen brother

I have seen a petition against Princess Cruises that is being circulated on the internet because of their decision to cancel stops at Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. The petition states that Princess is slandering the safety of Puerta Vallarta. I just wanted to state that I don't believe this is true at all and I support the decision made by Princess. They have always shown that passenger safety is very high priority! They obviously have good reasons for their decision. Althought the US State Department warnings indicate that travel for US citizens to Mexico is unsafe, they do not specifically mention Puerta Vallarta. Therefore, I see no reason for anyone to accuse Princess of slander against Puerta Vallarta.

 

My thanks and support to Princess Cruises! :)

[paul929207]

I would not get off the ship if we were to stop there.

[ChrisB123]

Right there with you! :)

[phabric]

Carnival has also pulled out of Puerta Vallarta and I was told that they might go back to Mazatian next year.

 

The passenger's safety is first.

[georoc01]

So if you wouldn't get off in Puerto Vallarta, would you get off in Cabo San Lucas or Ensenada?

 

After all, the question isn't whether you would take a Mexican Riveria cruise, but what cities if you were on that cruise the boat should stop at?

 

So if its the state department guidelines that should be followed, shouldn't Princess pull all Mexican Riveria cruises, and for that matter Cozumel on its Caribbean cruises also?

 

And would you rather be in Athens during the protests this week? Would that be safer?

 

the fact is that there are risks to travel. We all have to decide what ports we want to go to and choose our cruises accordingly. Granted the cruise line has the right to change them as needed, but the question is what changed recently to make this change necessary?

[senior lady]

Heavens, then why come to Vancouver.............. we just had the Stanley Cup Riots!!!:rolleyes:

[kruzinon]

I personally hope PV wins LOTS of support on its petition, though the violence in Mexico is real, it is massively overhyped in the tourist areas and is very uncommon. Do any of you realize how many Americans and Canadiens live in PV, Mazatlan and Cabo? Tens of thousands and they wander all over those cities every day as well as the thousands of people who fly into those areas everyday. Sure stuff happens but to get all crazy and dramatic is way too over the top. There are always areas you should not venture into in any urban area in every country but I can tell you I feel a heck of a lot safer wandering the streets in the tourist areas of PV, Cabo and Mazatlan than I do wandering the streets in the SAFEST part of Oakland or a dozen other cities in the US but I still do when I want to cause living your life in fear of "what might happen" isn't living life at all! But on another note all of you nervous ninnies sure are keeping the prices low in Mexico for those of us who love it so on second thought.....feel free to stay away and I will have a few dozen maggies for you when I'm in Cabo living it up for 11 days in Oct! LOL

[kruzinon]

Heavens, then why come to Vancouver.............. we just had the Stanley Cup Riots!!!:rolleyes:

 

I am starting a petition to stop all cruises from stopping or originating in Vancouver until all of those Hockey hooligans are chained and shackled! LMAO Thats what you get for beating my Sharkies!

[kath00]

Carnival has also pulled out of Puerta Vallarta and I was told that they might go back to Mazatian next year.

 

The passenger's safety is first.

 

Really??? We are on a sailing for Xmas on the Splendor and didn't get notified. Anyone know where I can confirm this?

[4cats4me]

There WAS a lot of violence in Mazatlan earlier in the year, but give me a break, one murder in Puerto Vallarta, and it wasn't even a cruise ship passenger, so Princess pulls out? There is more to THIS story for sure. We will be in PV on a land trip in 2 months and have no fear whatsoever.

And there is not even a State Dept . warning for this place either ...

sounds like Princess just wants to pull out of Mexico altogether --

But I know one thing: If PV is supposedly so unsafe, then Cabo is equally unsafe -- truthfully, I don't believe either is unsafe.

It is much more unsafe in parts of CA due to unrest with the Mexican drug cartels than it is in parts of Mexico itself. True 'dat.

I could get blown away easier in Oakland or San Francisco by being caught in the cross-fire of Surenos and Nortenos than I could south of the border.:eek: FACT.. The court system does not lie, especially when one works within it.

[phabric]

Really??? We are on a sailing for Xmas on the Splendor and didn't get notified. Anyone know where I can confirm this?

 

My friend contacted her Carnival TA about a Mexico cruise and questioned her about the ports being pulled and this is what she was told.

[runnerodb83]

So, sounds like, as with many decisions, this is a combination of factors, both saftey and economically related. The cruise industry as a whole is hurting right now, there is too much capacity in the caribbean which forces prices down and flights to/from florida from many places arent too expesive. However, Princess has pulled the CB homeport out of San Juan, you can probably bet this is due to flight expenses to that market and low demand (which is a shame, love the southern carib). They have retooled itineraries from florida to be a bit longer and stop at some southern carib destinations. Europe is an entirely different matter, too many cruise lines put too many ships there and combined with excessive airfare, demand has really slumped. Unfortunately, cruise lines plan itineraries 1 to 2 years ahead although it surprises me most lines didnt see this coming. Alaska will continue to make money but is a very short time (4 months max). So the last remaining close in market for 7 day cruises is mexico and with low demand and low margins, it makes sense for the cruise lines to pull out and wait till demand returns. Notice that Carnival will likely do very well with the Splendor as it is a large ship with many activities for those who do not wish to get off in the ports. Princess is in pretty big trouble IMO. With 6 ships in Alaska this year, and 7 next year, the challenge becomes what to do with these ships Sept through May. The Diamond will return to Asia, the Golden to Hawaii, the Star (returning to Alaska next year) to S. America, and the Coral/Island to Panama. But the Sapphire can only duplicate so many hawaii sailings where the market is probably pretty soft for so many sea days and 14 day cruises. The Sapphire has some coastals it will do which appear to be popular but only for fall and spring cruises and it is a big ship to fill. Princess has the added problems that it's grand class ships can't squeeze through the canal compared to all HAL ships and a good amount of carnival ships. And with the Grand Princess set to do SF cruises to Mexico and Hawaii winter of 2012-2013, this could get pretty dicey for Princess. As much as I would love to see more pacific coastal cruising the seas/weather just don't work much of the year (or work enough to attract boatloads of new and veteran cruisers) and there aren't many destinations in the pacific that ships can easily get to and do in 7 days. I think the industry is going to have some radical changes in the next few years. Bottom line, the capacity has far exceeded demand in many markets, and airfare prices aren't making it easy for the new or slightly veteran cruiser to try new destinations. We are heading for a South American cruise after never cruising outside of north america, but only because we had enough airfare miles to get free flights.

[sassyredhat]

Geeeeez you guys. I live in San Diego, and it's not a total war zone everywhere down there !

I'm taking some people on their first cruise in Feb, and one port is Ensenada. We are taking a tour. :)

That said, I would not want to go to Acapulco, and no one goes there now.

Also, if I planned to visit PV, and that port was canceled I would be disappointed. I have been to Cabo numerous times, but I still like it there.

All the cruise lines are repo-ing ships in alot of places.

Pat

[quincytoo]

We spend a lot of time in PV on land based trips and I walk around the southside area by myself all the time. I am a 5'7 foot female weighing about 140 pds(ok the last cruise poundage hasn't fallen off as much as I wanted it too) and have never ever felt unsafe. I have female friends who travel there and stay there by them self and have never had any safety issues.

 

I feel alot safer in PV then I do most parts of Vancouver BC

[lovevacadays]

We spend a lot of time in PV on land based trips and I walk around the southside area by myself all the time. I am a 5'7 foot female weighing about 140 pds(ok the last cruise poundage hasn't fallen off as much as I wanted it too) and have never ever felt unsafe. I have female friends who travel there and stay there by them self and have never had any safety issues.

 

I feel alot safer in PV then I do most parts of Vancouver BC

 

I live in a city that is typically ranked one of the safest cities in America. However, just a couple of miles away are cities I wouldn't wander in by myself even with the 8 pounds I gained two months ago on a cruise that I can't seem to get rid of! :D:D

[quincytoo]

I live in a city that is typically ranked one of the safest cities in America. However, just a couple of miles away are cities I wouldn't wander in by myself even with the 8 pounds I gained two months ago on a cruise that I can't seem to get rid of! :D:D

 

I hate cruise poundage that won't fall off......TWO cruises booked now? :)

[lovevacadays]

I hate cruise poundage that won't fall off......TWO cruises booked now? :)

 

Yeah, I hate it too but I guess I don't hate it enough as I had pizza for dinner! At least I went to the gym before coming home. Yep, two cruises booked. One of my friends wants to go to the Caribbean so I'm there and I really want to do the Sapphire after drydock to the Mexican Riviera again. I'm hoping by 2013 they may be visiting PV and Mazatlan again. The itinerary is showing they will but I'll keep my eye on it. If they continue to just do Cabo and Ensenada through 2013 I may cancel.

 

I see your cruising again this year. Happy cruising to you:)

[BassettMom]

.....Althought the US State Department warnings indicate that travel for US citizens to Mexico is unsafe, they do not specifically mention Puerta Vallarta.....

 

While it's true the State Department didn't specifically mention Puerta Vallarta, the State Department has warned about nonessential travel to various states including both Nayarit and Jalisco. In addition, US government employees are now prohibited from travelling to those areas. Others are urged to defer nonessential travel.

 

Since I work for the government, I wouldn't be able to get off the ship even if it went there. But in the long run, I would book this cruise even with all the changes in the itinerary since I enjoy being on the ship.

 

I applaud Princess for doing everything they can to ensure the safety of their passengers by keeping up to date on State Department travel warnings.