Two cruiselines will be returning to Mexico this month following the decision last Friday by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to drop its alert against travel to the country.
At the same time, the Foreign Office lifted its travel ban advising against all but essential travel to Mexico.
Royal Caribbean International said it will resume calls to Cozumel with sailings that depart on or after May 24, but Mariner of the Seas will continue to cruise a revised Pacific Northwest itinerary up to and including its June 14 sailing.
Carnival Cruise Lines will make its first call back to Cozumel on May 30, with Carnival Holiday, but most ships will resume calls to Mexican ports in June, once all previously modified cruises have been completed.
Carnival president and chief executive officer Gerry Cahill welcomed the CDCP’s decision and said feedback from customers showed they supported a return to Mexico. He added: “We know that they and our port destination partners are very much looking forward to it.”
Last week, Carnival Corporation chairman Micky Arison wrote to US President Barack Obama requesting he encourage the CDCP to lift its advisory against travel to Mexico because of the serious damage it was doing to the country’s economy and citizens.
Passengers on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships will still have to fill in a health questionnaire on embarkation and there will continue to be spot checks on anyone showing signs of flu.
Norwegian Cruise Line has repositioned ships in Alaska and Europe and is not due to return to Mexico until early autumn, while Holland America Line is not scheduled to return until October. Princess Cruises has only one ship in the region, Sea Princess, and has not yet said when it will be returning to Mexico.
For more information go to travelweekly.co.uk/swineflu