Hurricane Polo Reroutes Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise
The National Hurricane Center classified Polo as a Category Five hurricane with maximum sustained winds of one hundred sixty miles per hour near Manzanillo, Mexico.
Royal Caribbean has dropped Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas from the Voyager-class Navigator of the Seas’ seven-night sailing from Los Angeles on September 25, 2026, because of Hurricane Polo. The revised Mexican Riviera itinerary adds Puerto Vallarta and brings forward the ship’s call at Mazatlan.
The National Hurricane Center’s Advisory 14 classified Polo as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph. The advisory placed the storm about 240 miles southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico, moving northwest at 6 mph.
Royal Caribbean notified booked passengers in a September 23 letter. “We’re sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather - your safety is our top priority,” the company wrote.
What changes for Navigator passengers
The September 26 visit to Ensenada becomes a sea day. Mazatlan moves up a day to September 28, the date originally assigned to Cabo San Lucas.
The newly added Puerto Vallarta call on September 29 runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., giving passengers 10 hours ashore. Sea days follow before the ship returns to Los Angeles on October 2.
Passengers who prepaid for Royal Caribbean shore excursions at either canceled destination will receive credits to their SeaPass accounts. Those credits can be spent anywhere onboard, and any unused balance will be returned at the end of the sailing.
The itinerary change comes near the end of Navigator of the Seas’ West Coast deployment, following five years of year-round operations in the region. In early October, the vessel is scheduled to begin a repositioning voyage to Singapore before operating a winter season in Southeast Asia.
Other West Coast departures
Carnival Cruise Line has also revised Carnival Panorama’s eight-night September 26 departure from Long Beach because of Polo. That sailing drops Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, adds Ensenada, and retains its planned visits to La Paz and Cabo San Lucas.
In its notice to booked passengers, Carnival said the forecast required a route change to maintain a safe distance from the storm. Excursions purchased through Carnival for the two canceled destinations will be canceled and refunded in full.
“Because forecasts can change, we will continue to monitor the storm along the way and make further changes if necessary,” Carnival told passengers.
Royal Caribbean also has Ovation of the Seas scheduled to leave Los Angeles on September 28 for a three-night cruise. Its Ensenada call is scheduled for September 29.
See current Navigator of the Seas fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
