Carnival Cruise Ship Modifies Itinerary to Avoid Storm

Carnival Miracle’s current Mexican Riviera itinerary must be radically modified due to the influence of soon-to-be Hurricane Lidia.

Guests onboard have been notified of the change, and Carnival Cruise Line continues to monitor the storm’s progress to keep everyone safe and comfortable.

Carnival Miracle Itinerary Change

The 88,500-gross-ton, Spirit-class Carnival Miracle is sailing from Long Beach, California on an 6-night Mexican Riviera sailing, departing Sunday, October 8, 2023.

The ship was scheduled for an extended, overnight visit in Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, as well as a call in Ensenada before returning to Long Beach on Saturday, October 14.

Because Tropical Storm Lidia is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane and come close to Cabo San Lucas, however – and rough weather from the storm will likely cause coastal impacts hundreds of miles away from the storm’s eye – the ship must sail a modified itinerary instead. When boarding the ship, guests were given notification of the altered itinerary.

“Our Fleet Operations Center continues to monitor Tropical Storm Lidia, which is forecasted to become a hurricane by tomorrow,” the notification explained. “Given the projected path of the storm and for everyone’s safety, we must modify our itinerary. Regrettably, we will not be able to visit Cabo San Lucas.”

Cabo San Lucas is a tender port, requiring the use of smaller boats to ferry guests to shore from the cruise ship. As rough waters can make tendering hazardous, cruise lines are especially cautious when poor weather is likely to impact the port. While the chance of tropical storm force winds in Cabo San Lucas remains slight, it is enough to cause the itinerary change.

Instead, Carnival Miracle will be visiting both San Diego and Catalina Island. The visit to San Diego will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, while the call on Catalina will be from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 12. The visit to Ensenada remains as originally scheduled from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. on Friday, October 13.

“We were looking forward to delivering the itinerary you had expected and share your disappointment for this weather-related change,” the letter continued. “We apologize for this change of plans and thank you for your understanding.”

All pre-purchased Carnival shore tours for the now-cancelled stop in Cabo San Lucas are being automatically refunded to guests’ onboard accounts, and tour options for both San Diego and Catalina Island are being made available through the Carnival Hub app or by visiting the Carnival Adventures desk on Deck 2 (Promenade Deck), portside mid-ship in the Metropolis Lobby.

Furthermore, as compensation for the dramatic change, all staterooms are receiving an additional $200 (USD) onboard credit that can be used for any onboard purchases, such as photos, spa treatments, drinks, souvenirs, and more.

Carnival Miracle can welcome 2,124 guests onboard at double occupancy, or up to 2,680 guests when the ship is fully booked with all berths filled. Additionally, there are approximately 900 international crew members on board.

Tropical Storm Lidia

Tropical Storm Lidia currently has maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour (113 kilometers per hour), and is expected to cross the threshold (74 mph / 119 kph) to become an official hurricane in a matter of hours. The center of the storm is currently located approximately 410 miles (660 km) southwest of Cabo San Lucas.

The storm is moving north at 7 mph (11 kph), and is expected to turn to a northeast track by Monday morning, when she strengthens into a hurricane. Landfall is expected along the central western Mexico mainland coastline on late Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

At landfall, the storm will likely be a Category 1 or possibly a Category 2 hurricane. Coastal hurricane and tropical storm watches are already in effect in the areas most likely to be impacted by landfall.

In addition to Carnival Miracle, multiple other vessels may be impacted by this storm, including Carnival Panorama, Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas, and Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam.

Any guests cruising on any line with visits along the Mexican Riviera in the next few days should stay in close contact with their cruise line for updates and possible itinerary alterations or cancellations.