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afkpar
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We are booked on Ruby next April the Mexico itinerary. So in light of Royal, Celebrity and Disney canceling calls to Puerto Vallarta my hubby wants to switch to a different itinerary. Since that was the one port he really wanted to see. Do we wait this out or switch asap???

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We are booked on Ruby next April the Mexico itinerary. So in light of Royal, Celebrity and Disney canceling calls to Puerto Vallarta my hubby wants to switch to a different itinerary. Since that was the one port he really wanted to see. Do we wait this out or switch asap???

 

This information was just posted on Cruise Industry News:

 

Puerto Vallarta Officials Meet with Cruise Lines To Calm Concerns

 

on 13 May 2015.

Government and tourism officials from Puerto Vallarta Tourism, the State of Jalisco and the Mexican Tourism board met yesterday in Miami with cruise line representatives to discuss enhancements to operations in the destination, following cruise cancellations prompted by reports of drug-traffic related violence earlier this month.

Jalisco’s Minister of Tourism, Enrique Ramos Flores, the Tourism Director of the City of Puerto Vallarta, Oscar Perez, the Director of the Mexican Tourism Board for North America, Rodrigo Esponda and the Directors of Security for the State of Jalisco and the City of Puerto Vallarta met with Michele Paige, President of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), and Representatives from Leading cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival and Disney.

During the meeting all parties agreed to improve and increase communications to ensure the cruise lines are kept better informed and receive updates in real time about the destination, according to a statement from the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board.

Enhancements to the security at Puerto Vallarta’s marina will be implemented to ensure the cruise lines know the whereabouts of all passengers who go ashore; as it is done in many other international cruise destinations. An average of 65% of cruise line passengers who disembark in Puerto Vallarta chose to explore the area unescorted. The City of Puerto Vallarta will work with local tour operators, taxi drivers and other tourism service providers to employ new measures that inform the ships of their passengers’ location.

This week Disney, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises did not make the last stop of their seasonal route in Puerto Vallarta as scheduled due to conflicting and inaccurate reports about events that occurred on May 1 in the destination, according to the board of tourism.

Carnival Cruises has been calling on Puerto Vallarta as scheduled and Norwegian Cruises made an unscheduled call on Puerto Vallarta on Tuesday May 5. Both cruise lines have been running tours and excursions in the destination as planned. Currently, Carnival Cruises is the only cruise line operating a weekly scheduled call in the destination which is entering summer season. All cruise ship calls to Puerto Vallarta have been and are expected to continue as scheduled.

The events that took place in Puerto Vallarta and other areas in the state of Jalisco on Friday morning May 1 were quickly contained and resolved, according to the board.

No harm came to any residents or visitors to Puerto Vallarta and no disturbance, restriction or limits affected tourists in the area, the board stated. All tourism infrastructure and services including the cruise ship terminal, marina, airport, convention center, hotels and resorts, tours, and ground transport remained fully operational. Puerto Vallarta continues to offer the tranquility, warm hospitality and security it is well known for, and the isolated and highly unusual incidents that took place have in no way affected or altered this.

Hotel occupation has been running at an average of 80% occupancy in Puerto Vallarta since October 2014; according to the Mexico Ministry of Tourism and Puerto Vallarta was operating at 95% full during the long holiday weekend between May 1t–4. The North American Travel Journalist Association (NATJA) Annual Conference was held in Puerto Vallarta between May 4-9 and the city hosted over 140 American and Canadian travel writers, editors, bloggers, photographers, and videographers. All delegates enjoyed numerous activities and excursions throughout the city on their own as well as in group outings during their week-long visit and have been posting blogs, live tweets, photos and videos of their experience.

__________________

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IF they can assure reasonable safety (no place is absolutely safe) that I would stick with Puerto Vallarta. We had a lovely time there about 15 years ago.

 

The locals are friendly and happy to see you. We were there about 6 months after a big hurricane and thy did all they could to make us feel welcome and safe. I imagine if they cruise ships return, they will do as much for you.

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Not sure if the cancellations are warranted, but only time will tell. The violence was nowhere near the tourist/cruise areas but it is conceivable that pax may find themselves, if they travel pretty far afield, in a questionable area.

Of course nowhere is totally safe from violence or accidents. Most considered train travel in the US fairly safe...until last evening.

 

We were a full day in PV on the Star in January. Walked probably close to 5 miles in various areas of the city with absolutely no problem. If presented with an opportunity to visit PV again, would do so with absolutely no qualms.

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The cancelations were on repositioning cruises. The Mexican Riviera cruising season has ended and there weren't any other ships due to stop there for months.

 

Time will tell whether PV will be on the itinerary in the Fall. Anything could happen between now and then.

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I love Puerto Vallarta. I spent a week there last summer, and visited it on the Crown this past November. I'd be very sad to see the cruise industry leave even for a short while. I'm guessing local officials, police, government, etc. will do everything they can to make the area safe. The knowledge of how Mazatlan suffered with the lack of cruises will be great motivation. With this said I'd still go and plan to visit soon and often. I will pay close attention though to any new developments.

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We are booked on Ruby next April the Mexico itinerary. So in light of Royal, Celebrity and Disney canceling calls to Puerto Vallarta my hubby wants to switch to a different itinerary. Since that was the one port he really wanted to see. Do we wait this out or switch asap???

 

No guarantees. If do will not enjoy the cruise without the stop, then have him choose something else. Certainly you have lots of time to decide.

 

Roatan is our favorite port on W. Caribbean itineraries. ( We have done land vacations there.) Princess often skips it because of poorly designed port. So we use Celebrity if wanting a "for sure" stop. Skipping a favorite is tough.;)

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http://www.vallartadaily.com/puerto-vallarta-cruise-lines-meet/

 

It appears from this and other sources that the cruise lines in question "jumped the gun" in cancelling stops because of the violence in the area.

 

Really? This was written by Puerto Vallarta Tourism. What do you think they are going to say. Stay home? Sorry but this means nothing to me.

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Really? This was written by Puerto Vallarta Tourism. What do you think they are going to say. Stay home? Sorry but this means nothing to me.

 

It is interesting that you ask for a source-- It is presented -- And you dismiss it.

 

What do you really want ???

 

The incident that triggered the cruise cancellations was much closer to Guadalajara than PV, and several expats who spend a great amount of time in PV have posted that the activity in PV tourist areas was pretty miniscule.

 

Several US newspapers also carried articles on the May 1 problem. MaYBE YOU CAN FIND THEM BY USING GOOGLE.

Edited by swedish weave
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For those interested, the in depth Forbes article includes a photo the bank in Puerto Vallarta burned by the narco criminal group. It also references three official warnings issued by the American Consulate to all Americans in the region, including the city of PV.

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Really? This was written by Puerto Vallarta Tourism. What do you think they are going to say. Stay home? Sorry but this means nothing to me.

 

I can understand that. My opinion is also based on first-hand reports from people I know in the area. I will be in PV in June, so I'll let you know if I make it out alive.

Edited by shredie
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I can understand that. My opinion is also based on first-hand reports from people I know in the area. I will be in PV in June, so I'll let you know if I make it out alive.

 

Certainly not a funny subject but I do wish you a safe journey.

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We were just on the Ruby in PV on April 22 - just 3 weeks ago. I didn't notice much in the way of port security compared to cruises there in the past. Since this was my 5th (or more - lost count) trip to PV, I stayed on the ship with the exception of walking off the ship, checking out the total madhouse right at the side of the ship, and getting right back onboard. My 85 yr. old father walked all over the port shops and then back to Dock 3 which was really far away from the "round house" that has internet service next to Dock 1.

 

I have faith that Princess will only go to PV if they feel their passengers are relatively safe.

Edited by DrivesLikeMario
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According to the piece in Forbes the May 1st violence in PV and elsewhere in Jalisco State was very serious. http://www.forbes.com/sites/doliaestevez/2015/05/04/narcoviolence-in-jalisco-home-to-largest-group-of-americans-in-mexico-a-serious-concern/

I think they will have to clean up their act. Thank Goodness there are so many beautiful areas in this world we can sail to:)

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Everybody feels safe until the bad thing happens.

 

Yes, I feel generally safe when I get in my car, but I do know I'm far more likely to die on an American highway than on a Mexican beach. The odds of a traffic accident far outweigh anything I'm likely to encounter in a tourist area. I'll go with the odds. If I worried about every bad thing that happens in this world, I'd never leave the house. I refuse to live like that. In the recent episodes in PV, no tourist was killed.

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Some on this thread, and more so on another in this section on CC titled "Puerto Vallarta off Itinerary", would have people believe that the May 1 events in the state of Jalisco were nothing more than the harmless handiwork of some pranksters, They are suggesting that all of the violence was overstated and nothing more than "media hype" sensationalizing the event. As one uninformed poor soul stated "it's the big lie". Really?

 

To suggest that what happened in Jalisco was done by some harmless teenagers, who were actually mindful of the safety of citizens and concerned with collateral damage, is naïve, absurd and delusional.

 

I totally understand why anyone would make personal choices about where they want to vacation; it is their prerogative to go anywhere they please. But to come on a forum such as this and downplay an under-current of out and out terrorism is without purpose and downright wrong.

 

When armed criminals firebomb, kill 12 army personal and 3 civilians, blocks streets, bring down an army helicopter etc., that is not anything close to a "protest". These specific incidents happened in the state of Jalisco; and while they did not occur in the tourist zone in the city of PV, this kind of dangerous mentality and disregard for life is capable of a strike anywhere, and at anytime.

 

I say enjoy your Corona and $1 fish tacos, appreciate your walks at midnight in one of the most dangerous countries in the world - but please don't try to convince someone reading these boards that because you "feel safe and it is all a big lie", it is perfectly safe in Mexico. That is irresponsible.

 

People trying to make a choice of whether to visit PV or anywhere in Mexico, should perform meaningful research, read the Canadian and US Travel advisories and make informed choices. The "feeling safe" nonsense is the experience most people have the moment before they are a victim of crime.

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This is what I posted recently re the uproar IN Puerto Vallarta:

 

In Puerto Vallarta it was ONLY on May 1 during the morninghours. Yes 2 gassstation were set afire, as were 2 or 3 banks. All of them outside the area where tourists come. No injuries or casualties with locals or tourists, banks were closed due labourday, gasstations attendends were warned to stay away. Many tourists didnot even noticed what happened but heard about it later or saw it on TV.

Nothing happened after that morning and most likely it will not happen again. Police have arrested some youngsters that propably started the fires.

Yes in the state of Jalisco (not in Puerto Vallarta) more serious actions between police and drugsgangsters took place.

 

Yes I replied that is a big lie lie on another post where was posted:

It is a terrible liability to put tourists in....literally....the line of fire. Gang/drug cartel shootings that happen to hit and wound or kill cruise ship passengers doesn't look good in court."" The big lie is there were NO tourists put in a line of fire!!!

Somebody else posted: We did hear after our return that a tourist had been murdered in the Marina district and that was a robbery gone bad.

Just unfortunately another real bad rumor......

It is upsetting that those rumors keep coming back, that is so confusing to tourists and simply not true.

It is good to know Carnival Miracle docked as usual in Puerto Vallarta this week.

 

Just today Travel weekly posted this:

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Puerto-Vallarta-and-cruise-officials-vow-to-communicate-better

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The cancelations were on repositioning cruises. The Mexican Riviera cruising season has ended and there weren't any other ships due to stop there for months.

 

Time will tell whether PV will be on the itinerary in the Fall. Anything could happen between now and then.

 

Carnival Miracle will stop in Vallarta also during the rest of this year.

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