I've been getting messages all week from friends, readers, and fellow cruise enthusiasts asking the same question: should I still go on my Mexican Riviera cruise?
Here's my honest perspective - as someone who has been passionate about Mexican tourism and Pacific coast cruising for more than 20 years.
What Happened
On February 22, Mexican military forces killed Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), in a targeted operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco - roughly 105 miles from Puerto Vallarta. The operation was aided by U.S. intelligence and represents the most significant blow against organized crime in Mexico in nearly a decade.
Within hours, retaliatory violence erupted across several Mexican states - and Puerto Vallarta was not spared. CJNG members set up roadblocks, hijacked and torched vehicles on major roads, and burned multiple OXXO convenience stores across the city. A shelter-in-place order was issued, flights were temporarily disrupted, and Puerto Vallarta effectively shut down for the better part of two days. The violence also spread well beyond Jalisco - roadblocks, arsons, and clashes with security forces were reported in Colima, Michoacan, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, and other states.
True to historical CJNG patterns, however, the violence largely avoided tourist areas and was not directed at visitors. There are no confirmed reports of tourist fatalities tied to the incident in cruise zones, but authorities reported civilian and security force casualties in the broader unrest - including 25 National Guard members killed in clashes across Jalisco. Attacks targeted infrastructure, convenience stores, and transportation routes rather than hotels, restaurants, or the Malecon. The same pattern held across the country: significant cartel response, but generally steered away from tourism zones. That doesn't mean the disruption and risk weren't real - they absolutely were, even if temporary.
That said, the cruise lines' response was absolutely warranted. Tourism operators are expected to be cautious and err on the side of safety when situations like this develop - the same way they reroute around hurricanes in the Mexican Riviera region or cancel port calls ahead of severe weather. You don't wait to see if the storm hits the pier. You protect your passengers first and assess later.
Something else worth addressing head-on: Jalisco state authorities confirmed that several viral images circulating on social media - including gunfire at Guadalajara airport, passengers stranded on the tarmac at Puerto Vallarta airport, and downtown Puerto Vallarta engulfed in flames - were AI-generated fakes. We've built a social media ecosystem that amplifies the impact of real events exponentially, and when you layer fabricated images on top of genuine unrest, the perception becomes far worse than the reality on the ground. Do your own research. Look at verified sources. Talk to people who are actually there. The real situation was serious enough without manufactured panic making it worse.
The Cruise Line Response
Multiple cruise lines acted quickly to protect passengers. Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Carnival have all canceled or rerouted Puerto Vallarta port calls over the past week. Carnival Corporation went a step further, announcing it would wait "a few weeks" before returning to Puerto Vallarta - an open-ended decision that could affect multiple sailings.
The critical context here: other Mexican Riviera ports - Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Ensenada, and the entire Yucatan Peninsula including Cozumel - remain unaffected and continue operating normally. The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) - the trade organization representing 23 member cruise lines operating in the region - stated that more than 95% of cruise tourism in Mexico is currently running as planned. Puerto Vallarta accounts for roughly 5% of cruise passenger capacity in the country. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the global industry trade body representing more than 50 member lines, maintains that member lines work closely with global security experts and government authorities, prioritizing safety and security above all else when making itinerary adjustments.
Ships that would have visited Puerto Vallarta are being rerouted to extended time in Cabo, additional stops in Mazatlan, or extra sea days. It's not ideal for travelers who specifically wanted Puerto Vallarta, but itineraries aren't being scrapped entirely.
My Personal Perspective
My first visit to Puerto Vallarta was about 20 years ago, and it opened my eyes to two things at once. The warmth of the people and the richness of the culture genuinely moved me. But I'd be dishonest if I didn't acknowledge that the presence of armed guards was immediately noticeable. Jalisco wasn't considered safe. Mazatlan was on many travelers' "avoid" lists for similar reasons.
Over those two decades, the Mexican government - working alongside U.S. authorities and border state cooperation on both sides - invested enormously in making Pacific coast tourism destinations among the best in North America. And they succeeded. These are world-class destinations with incredible food, genuinely welcoming communities, and experiences that cruise travelers talk about for years.
That hasn't changed because of one week of violence.
Here's what I believe: I still feel safer walking around Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo than I do in plenty of major U.S. cities. That's not naive - it's based on repeated personal experience. But I also know that comfort requires common sense. You can get in over your head quickly in any foreign country if you wander into unfamiliar areas without awareness. The same street smarts that apply anywhere apply here.
The Bigger Picture on Cartel Leadership
What we're witnessing is the second time in recent years that a major cartel has lost its top leadership. El Chapo was captured in 2016 and extradited to the United States in 2017. His Sinaloa Cartel subsequently fractured - most visibly when co-founder El Mayo Zambada was taken into U.S. custody in July 2024, triggering its own wave of violence in Culiacan.
Now El Mencho is gone, and the CJNG faces the same leadership vacuum. Security analysts are already warning that with no clear successor - El Mencho's son is imprisoned in the United States - regional commanders may fight for control. The pattern is familiar and sobering: removing cartel leaders is a genuine victory, but the aftermath creates instability before things improve.
The CJNG had been known - and I want to be very clear that "known for" does not mean "respected for" - for largely keeping its violence away from tourist areas and major cities. That operational pattern may not hold as new factions jockey for position. The bus hijackings and vehicle burnings we saw this week were a hallmark of earlier CJNG retaliatory tactics, and there's reason to expect more disruption before stability returns.
These are barbaric, violent organizations. The fact that one operated with more calculated restraint than others doesn't make them anything less than that.
Why This Moment Matters for Working with a Travel Advisor
If you booked your cruise through a travel advisor - this is exactly why you did. This is the moment that justifies that relationship.
My wife Heather, who runs Flow Voyages, has spent the past week fielding calls - not from people asking "how much can you save me?" but from travelers genuinely needing guidance.
Can I get a refund on my independently booked shore excursion in Puerto Vallarta? What are my options if my cruise reroutes to Ensenada instead? Should I cancel entirely, or is the rest of the itinerary still solid?
These are the questions a travel advisor is built to answer. When your itinerary changes mid-voyage or your port of call disappears from the schedule, having someone in your corner who understands cruise line policies, can negotiate on your behalf, and knows the alternative ports makes all the difference. That's the real value of a travel advisor - not saving $50 on the booking, but having expert support when things don't go as planned.
If You're Worried About Your Mexican Riviera Cruise, Here's What I'd Tell a Friend
Puerto Vallarta is already recovering. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued its final security update on February 25 - immediate shelter-in-place orders were lifted and embassy operations normalized, but broader travel advisories and caution recommendations remain in effect across many Mexican states. By midweek, the airport was fully operational, restaurants and tour operators were reopening, and tourists were back on the beaches in the Zona Romantica. This city has weathered disruptions before and it will come back from this one - but travelers should continue monitoring official advisories rather than assuming the situation is fully resolved.
The cruise lines will return to Puerto Vallarta. The timeline depends on the security situation in the coming weeks, but this is a temporary disruption to a destination that remains fundamentally important to Mexican Riviera itineraries.
And even if Puerto Vallarta isn't on your itinerary this year, here's what I want people to remember: Mexican Riviera cruises feature some of the absolute best ships in the fleet. Norwegian Bliss, Royal Princess, Carnival Panorama - these aren't second-tier vessels filling a B-list route. The crews on these ships are exceptional, and they will make sure you have an incredible experience whether your port day is in Cabo, Mazatlan, Ensenada, or an extra sea day with nothing to do but enjoy the ship. Safety comes first, and these cruise lines have proven this week that they take that seriously. But a great cruise isn't defined by a single port of call.
If there's a silver lining in all of this - the perception damage from burning bus photos and AI-generated hysteria will likely soften demand for Mexican Riviera cruises for the rest of the year. If you're comfortable with the region and willing to keep an eye on developments, there may be some genuinely good deals ahead on Pacific coast sailings.
When things settle down, I can't wait to get back to supporting the communities that make these destinations so special. The people of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo deserve travelers who show up for them - not just when it's convenient, but when it matters most.
If you're traveling to Mexico this spring, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) through the U.S. State Department - it's free, and it's how you'll receive real-time security alerts directly from the embassy rather than relying on social media. Check the State Department's Mexico travel advisory for state-by-state guidance, talk to your travel advisor, and make an informed decision. Don't let algorithmically amplified fear make it for you.
Thanks for reading. We hope this was helpful!
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