Los Cabos Port Status: Small-Craft Closure, Tender Risk

Published on Sep 4, 2025, 8:19 am CDT

5 min read

Municipal and maritime authorities in Los Cabos have closed the port to small-craft navigation as Hurricane Lorena brings heavy rain, strong gusts, and rising swell to Baja California Sur. Cabo San Lucas is a tender-only cruise stop, so large ships may still anchor; however, tender operations can be paused or canceled quickly when sea state exceeds safe limits. Travelers with Cabo calls around September 5 to 6 should monitor ship apps, line emails, and port-captain notices for rolling changes.

Key Points

Why it matters: Small-craft restrictions increase the chance that Cabo tenders are suspended, shortening or canceling shore time.
Travel impact: Expect last-minute tender holds, tour cancellations, beach red flags, and possible port skips or reordered itineraries.
What's next: NHC forecasts continued hazards for Baja California Sur through Friday, followed by weakening as Lorena crosses the peninsula.
Port status: Los Cabos and La Paz ports are closed to small craft, with airports operating but weather-aware.
Your move: Prefer ship-run excursions, keep plans refundable near the marina, and watch for app pushes about tender tickets.

Snapshot

Lorena strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on September 3, positioned offshore of Baja California Sur with tropical-storm conditions and dangerous surf spreading north. In response, Los Cabos authorities restricted navigation for embarcaciones menores and suspended many aquatic activities, a precaution that often precedes intermittent tender pauses at Cabo San Lucas. Because Cabo lacks a cruise pier, the bottleneck is the sea state at the tender platforms, not the anchorage itself. Expect red or yellow beach flags, sporadic lifeguard closures, and higher cancellation rates for independent small-boat tours.

Background

Cabo San Lucas manages cruise calls by anchoring offshore, then shuttling guests by tender between ship and marina. That model is highly sensitive to combined swell, wind waves, and cross-chop at the platforms. In Baja storms, the Capitanía de Puerto frequently limits or halts small-craft operations, even while cruise ships can safely remain at anchor. Similar restrictions and last-minute tender suspensions occurred during recent Eastern Pacific storms, including Ivo and Flossie, which forced lines to delay or skip Cabo for safety. Lines typically compensate with onboard credits, extended sea time, or a substitute port when feasible.

Latest Developments

Harbor closure specifics, alerts, and timing

Local outlets report Los Cabos closed its port to small craft as Lorena's swell and squalls increased on September 3, with additional limitations confirmed in regional advisories. Authorities also suspended classes and mass events as rain bands moved across Los Cabos and La Paz. NHC guidance highlights tropical-storm warnings for parts of Baja California Sur, with coastal flooding possible near landfall zones. Practical takeaway, cruise tenders may operate in short windows, then pause without notice when surge or cross-chop spikes at the marina.

What your ship may do

Bridge teams will evaluate tender safety at first light and before each tender cycle. If platforms are unsafe, ships may, one, delay the first tender window and compress time ashore; two, hold offshore awaiting improvement; three, swap port order on a Mexican Riviera run; or four, cancel Cabo and add sea time or a safer substitute such as Ensenada, subject to berthing. Recent precedent shows lines skipping Cabo during high winds and swell, with onboard credits issued when calls are lost. Expect push alerts, revised meet times for ship-run excursions, and updated all-aboard messages in the app.

Guidance for guests on independent shore tours

If you booked an independent tour, confirm whether operators can legally sail under small-craft restrictions, and verify refund terms. Favor marina-adjacent, walk-up activities you can abort quickly if tendering pauses, avoid nonrefundable small-boat trips, and keep receipts for claims. Ship-operated tours remain the lowest-risk option because they auto-refund if the call is shortened or canceled, and timing is matched to the ship's tender windows. Beaches may fly red or yellow flags; heed lifeguards and avoid exposed headlands during peak swell.

Analysis

Cabo's risk calculus is different from pier ports. A large modern ship can ride moderate swell comfortably at anchor, but tenders must maintain boarding stability, safe freeboard, and a manageable approach angle at the marina. As Lorena's long-period swell wraps the bay, short-lived cross-chop can develop, forcing the bridge to halt boarding even under blue skies. This is why Cabo sees more tender suspensions than full cruise cancellations. Lines will weigh guest-safety envelopes, port-fee economics, and schedule slack. On busy weekends, they also factor berth scarcity at alternates. For Cabo calls listed for September 5 to 6, published schedules show multiple ships slated to anchor, raising the likelihood that any usable tender window fills quickly once green-lit. Guests who board early maximize time ashore; late risers risk missing the window if conditions deteriorate.

Final Thoughts

Los Cabos is resilient, but tenders rule the day during Eastern Pacific storms. If you are booked on Cabo this weekend, keep plans flexible, prefer ship-run excursions, and expect rolling updates. Should tendering be suspended, anticipate a sea day or a reordered itinerary, and watch for automatic refunds. Safety decisions are made cycle by cycle at the platforms, not by the sky overhead. Monitor official advisories and ship apps, and plan around the evolving Los Cabos port status.

Related coverage on Adept

Read our deeper tender primer and context in Cabo San Lucas cruise tender risk as Lorena nears and Tropical Storm Ivo Intensifies Near Baja.