Swine flu fears keep passengers at sea

If you thought swine flu was moving quickly, then it has nothing on the ability of a cruise line executive to change his mind. Yesterday the bosses at Carnival Corporation were adamant that their ships would not be cancelling calls at Mexican ports.
Today, the 10,000 or so passengers on those ships found themselves still at sea instead of going ashore, as health officials in America and Europe advised against all non-essential travel to Mexico
Carnival Elation stayed out in the Pacific instead of visiting Ensenada on the Mexican Riviera. Carnival Inspiration and Holiday remained in the Caribbean Sea instead of putting in to Cozumel.
Sapphire Princess cancelled a call at Puerto Vallarta, and Coral Princess’s visit to Cabo San Lucas did not go ahead. Two further Mexican calls by Sapphire later this week have been substituted with visits to San Diego and Catalina Island. Holland America, also owned by Carnival, kept Ryndam out of Mazatlan.
Royal Caribbean went ahead with today’s Mariner of the Seas’ visit to Cabo San Lucas, but have announced that future sailings will head north to Canada from its home port of Los Angeles.
Fred Olsen Cruises has decided that Balmoral, carrying 1,300 mostly British passengers and currently two-thirds of the way through a world cruise, will not make a planned overnight stopover in Acapulco next week.