Port change from Costa Rica to Acapulco?

[km3045]

The itinerary of Nov 8 Panama canal cruise on the NCL Joy was changed today.  No explanation given, but Costa Rica has been changed to Acapulco, meaning there are now 4 ports in Mexico on this cruise.  The website hasn't been updated to reflect the change, so no shore excursions showing yet.  Looking for info and tips on what to do in Acapulco and how safe you felt, while there.

 

Thanks.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, km3045 said:

The itinerary of Nov 8 Panama canal cruise on the NCL Joy was changed today.  No explanation given, but Costa Rica has been changed to Acapulco, meaning there are now 4 ports in Mexico on this cruise.  The website hasn't been updated to reflect the change, so no shore excursions showing yet.  Looking for info and tips on what to do in Acapulco and how safe you felt, while there.

 

Thanks.

I was in Acapulco on an Oceania cruise a couple of years ago.The city is like an armed camp, with police and military personnel armed with assault weapons seemingly on every street corner. It didn't feel safe at all and if I were ever on another cruise that called on Acapulco i would just stay on the ship.

[jaapie]

In December 2017 we had a stop in Acapulco on our Panama Canal cruise. We walked a couple of miles along the waterfront, the coastline is very picturesque but we did not feel safe, as well as armed police walking about, there were armed police stood in the bed of a pickup that drove up and down the coast road. If we were to go back there we would go on a ship organized excursion - perhaps to see the cliff divers - or just stay on the ship.

[Love my butler]

If you are at all nervous about being shot or killed, stay on the ship.  While the cartels don't usually target the tourists, they can and sometimes do, get caught in the crossfire.  Lots of cops and marines with heavy weapons doing what they can to protect the sheep.

[JayS]

3 hours ago, km3045 said:

The itinerary of Nov 8 Panama canal cruise on the NCL Joy was changed today.  No explanation given, but Costa Rica has been changed to Acapulco, meaning there are now 4 ports in Mexico on this cruise.  The website hasn't been updated to reflect the change, so no shore excursions showing yet.  Looking for info and tips on what to do in Acapulco and how safe you felt, while there.

 

Thanks.

The same for the Nov 3 Bliss cruise.

[tallnthensome]

I was on the Bliss Panama Canal sailing this past April. We had several itinerary changes and going to Acapulco was one of them. We enjoyed Acapulco very much due to the tour we took. We did the Isla Roqueta island walk/hike. The national park is right there near the port. It is a beautiful island. It offers some amazing high views of the ocean and Acapulco. Great picture taking. It has a nice small beach and restaurant which you will spend time at near the end. I highly recommend this tour if you are in good shape and don’t mind hiking 3 mile up and down around the island. Very safe and very quiet. The tenders will take you from the port and back. We never even went into town. 

[Turtles06]

That's a terrible itinerary change, I'm sorry for all of you.  Costa Rica is wonderful.  Acapulco is in the Mexican state of Guerrero.  The U.S. State Department has given ALL of Guerrero a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory, and specifically prohibits U.S. government employees from traveling anywhere in the state, including Acapulco.

 

 

Guerrero state – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Do not travel due to crime.

Armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero. Members of these groups frequently maintain roadblocks and may use violence towards travelers. U.S. government employees may not travel to the entire state of Guerrero, including Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa, and Taxco.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Mexico.html

 

My wife and I are booked on a Panama Canal cruise on the Gem this January.  We have a port call scheduled for Zihuatanejo, also in Guerrero and also, as you can see above, a prohibited travel destination for U.S. government employees.  I've emailed and called NCL's executive office several times to ask why they'd schedule a port call to a place considered so dangerous that it has received a  "Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory" from our State Department, and have not received any reply.   (Interestingly, for our cruise, now only three months away, there are no shorex posted yet for Zihua/Ixtapa.) 

[km3045]

In some fairness to Acapulco, I will say that I’ve been in Cozumel twice this year and both times there were armed troops in big pick up trucks driving around and parked at the water taxi pier.  

[tutuwahineLV]

Wow... keeping my fingers crossed that doesn't happen on our April crossing.  If the US govt isn't allowing their employees to travel to those areas, I'm surprised that the cruise lines continue to stop there.  I'm certainly not getting off the ship if our ship calls in there.  

 

 

[tallnthensome]

19 minutes ago, tutuwahineLV said:

Wow... keeping my fingers crossed that doesn't happen on our April crossing.  If the US govt isn't allowing their employees to travel to those areas, I'm surprised that the cruise lines continue to stop there.  I'm certainly not getting off the ship if our ship calls in there.  

 

 

Relax, there was that warning when I went in April and nothing happened to anyone on the Bliss. There were passengers walking all over the place around the port area. That warning is  ore for the neighborhoods and outer areas off the beaten path from touristy spots.  

[schmoopie17]

We were on the Bliss Panama Canal cruise March 30th. When they exchanged Puerto Vallarta for Acapulco, we were not happy. When we docked in Acapulco, we got off the ship, took a couple pictures in the dock area...and went right back on the ship.

We thought we'd have the ship to ourselves...but it turns out most people ended up staying on the ship, as well.

[Matman1215]

On the Joy on the 10/11 Panama Canal Cruise and today ours updated as well--removed Costa Rica, added Acapulco and moved the date of Guatemala. Not too bummed personally but wish Acapulco was safer. On main NCL "Shore Excursions" area of their website, they don't even list Acapulco as a port, so not sure if we'll even be able to book excursions?

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, km3045 said:

In some fairness to Acapulco, I will say that I’ve been in Cozumel twice this year and both times there were armed troops in big pick up trucks driving around and parked at the water taxi pier.  

 

For comparison's sake, Cozumel is in the state of Quintana Roo, which has only a Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution advisory from the U.S. State Dept,  and there are no restrictions at all on U.S. government employees traveling anywhere in Quintana Roo, including Cozumel.

 

Something that struck me on another thread about the Level 4: Do Not Travel ports in Mexico -- a poster had mentioned that her spouse was a U.S. government employee, and therefore could not get off the ship in those places where our State Dept prohibits federal employees from traveling.  

[roger001]

We've done one port stop on Acapulco.  My wife stayed on the ship.  I got off and walked all around the port area including a backstreet up to a big market.  I was not comfortable.  Just  a few blocks from the port area was pretty run down.  And lots of police and army presence.  I stopped in a public restroom.  Was required to pay a dollar before using the pretty nasty facilities.  Next time, if there is one, I'll just stay on the ship.     An organized tour would probably be fine though.  

[Level six]

We had a port stop in Acapulco and it was awesome.  We walked all over the city.  Took the local bus to the market place.  We went to see the cliff divers(got a great spot in a restaurant balcony).  It was perfectly safe.  I do speak a bit of spanish, so that may have helped out.

 

Friends we had met onboard had read the warnings and were going to stay on the ship, but then asked us if they could go with us.  I told them our plans(doing it on our own) and they went with us, but they did look like they were freaking out at first.  But,  the two couples  agreed it was their best day of the cruise, all for the price of a few drinks.  I think we spent $25 between all six of us.  They especially loved riding the local buses, it is a true adventure. 

 

Go ashore!  It is fine.  Anything that can happen there can happen anywhere in the world, it is just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  If you feel more comfortable go with a ship tour.  There were lots of people offering very reasonable tours at the port, I think one offered us a 3-4 hr tour for $25.  

 

 

[4774Papa]

Too bad, we enjoyed Costa Rica.  I wouldn't even get off the ship in Acapulco.

[tallnthensome]

I don’t know why you’d be afraid to get off the ship and at least try their local gem,  Isla Roqueta right there. You don’t have to go wandering down some alley ....This looks pretty scary, I know ..... Come on people, live a little and pick what you do there wisely .... It was great and I had two kids with me.

Edited October 4, 2019 by tallnthensome

[don't-use-real-name]

What were NCL reasons for the port change ?

Perhaps a US Government Travel Advisory bulletin to avoid trouble when an alternative is suggested/available ?

Perhaps too large a ship i.e. BLISS JOY would overtax the port facilities ?

A port with an infrastructure to handle 2000 guests would be overwhelmed by 4000 ?

But why would NCL schedule that sort of deal knowing it in advance ?

Some ports in Guatemala and Costa Rico are only able to handle one ship at a time ?

A scheduling conflict with sister ships or competition for port pier tendering space ?

Yes a port stop maybe required to replenish supplies fuel etc. this itinerary is not supplied like a Transatlantic cruise.

It also may be less expensive to resupply at some ports especially for fuel.

 

Some of you would of course like the Paul Harvey The Rest of the Story to this as would I for future cruise planning ?

You plan a cruise with port stops and shore excursions and these plans are interrupted - WHY ?

Yes NCL can change alter and amend the itinerary to any cruise at will - but WHY yours ?

 

 

 

 

 

[jskinsd]

Maybe it is because Costa Rica has an active volcano.  Instead of complaining and guessing, why not just google it.  NCL has nothing to do with it and is using precaution for the cruisers safety.

[jskinsd]

1 hour ago, don't-use-real-name said:

What were NCL reasons for the port change ?

Perhaps a US Government Travel Advisory bulletin to avoid trouble when an alternative is suggested/available ?

Perhaps too large a ship i.e. BLISS JOY would overtax the port facilities ?

A port with an infrastructure to handle 2000 guests would be overwhelmed by 4000 ?

But why would NCL schedule that sort of deal knowing it in advance ?

Some ports in Guatemala and Costa Rico are only able to handle one ship at a time ?

A scheduling conflict with sister ships or competition for port pier tendering space ?

Yes a port stop maybe required to replenish supplies fuel etc. this itinerary is not supplied like a Transatlantic cruise.

It also may be less expensive to resupply at some ports especially for fuel.

 

Some of you would of course like the Paul Harvey The Rest of the Story to this as would I for future cruise planning ?

You plan a cruise with port stops and shore excursions and these plans are interrupted - WHY ?

Yes NCL can change alter and amend the itinerary to any cruise at will - but WHY yours ?

 

 

 

 

 

You were wrong on all guesses.

[Homosassa]

9 minutes ago, jskinsd said:

Maybe it is because Costa Rica has an active volcano.  Instead of complaining and guessing, why not just google it.  NCL has nothing to do with it and is using precaution for the cruisers safety.

????? Any volcano that might be active in Costa Rica is nowhere near the ports (east or west coast) where cruise ships port.

[cmh]

22 hours ago, km3045 said:

The itinerary of Nov 8 Panama canal cruise on the NCL Joy was changed today.  No explanation given, but Costa Rica has been changed to Acapulco, meaning there are now 4 ports in Mexico on this cruise.  The website hasn't been updated to reflect the change, so no shore excursions showing yet.  Looking for info and tips on what to do in Acapulco and how safe you felt, while there.

 

Thanks.

Just read online there is a strike of public unions which could have blockages on roads causing delays in shore excursions and delays in ship leaving the port.

[jskinsd]

2 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

????? Any volcano that might be active in Costa Rica is nowhere near the ports (east or west coast) where cruise ships port.

So you would take the chance with so many ships and so many people off the ship in port going who knows where.

[Homosassa]

13 minutes ago, jskinsd said:

So you would take the chance with so many ships and so many people off the ship in port going who knows where.

I goggled the active volcano in Costa Rica. It is the Poas Volcano that is about an hour north of San Jose (I have been there). The only precautions that the Costa Rican government has taken is to close the national park that contains the volcano

 

No one would have the time during a port call at Port Limon to travel to the Poas Volcano. It is about 3 1/2 hours from the port without rush hour traffic on the one highway that travels from the port to San Jose.

 

From the west cost port (name escapes me at the moment), it would also be about a three hour trip without rush hour traffic.

 

So, yes, ships could safely port in Costa Rica without worrying about the Poas Volcano.

[jskinsd]

18 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

I goggled the active volcano in Costa Rica. It is the Poas Volcano that is about an hour north of San Jose (I have been there). The only precautions that the Costa Rican government has taken is to close the national park that contains the volcano

 

No one would have the time during a port call at Port Limon to travel to the Poas Volcano. It is about 3 1/2 hours from the port without rush hour traffic on the one highway that travels from the port to San Jose.

 

From the west cost port (name escapes me at the moment), it would also be about a three hour trip without rush hour traffic.

 

So, yes, ships could safely port in Costa Rica without worrying about the Poas Volcano.

And you know how strong volcanoes can be and the force they cause.  I guess Mt St Helens eruption was predictable and just a hiccup.

Edited October 4, 2019 by jskinsd
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