Brilliant Lady replaces Cabo San Lucas call with Ensenada
Virgin Voyages revised a seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary after Hurricane Rachel left swells that affected tender operations.
Virgin Voyages has substituted Ensenada for Cabo San Lucas on Brilliant Lady’s seven-night Mexican Riviera sailing from Los Angeles, citing residual swell from Hurricane Rachel.
The cruise line said the hurricane had moved away from the ship’s route and no longer posed a threat to the voyage. However, remaining sea conditions would have made tendering at Cabo San Lucas unsafe or uncomfortable, according to the company.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico said authorities had closed the Cabo San Lucas port from September 30 until further notice because of rough seas, although the storm was not forecast to make a direct strike on the destination.
The revised itinerary retains planned visits to Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. Brilliant Lady is scheduled to call at Mazatlán from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on October 6.
At 8 a.m. MST on October 2, the National Hurricane Center measured Rachel’s maximum sustained winds at about 110 mph and reported that the storm was moving west at 6 mph. Guests who bought Cabo excursions through Virgin Voyages will automatically receive full refunds to their original payment methods. The cruise line advised travelers with independently booked tours to contact their operators about available refund options.