West Coast cruises adjust as Priscilla's swell lingers

Published on Oct 9, 2025, 9:56 am CDT

5 min read

Hurricane-turned-tropical-storm Priscilla continues to push powerful Pacific swell toward Baja California Sur and the Mexican Riviera, forcing cruise lines to rework near-term schedules. Port captains closed Cabo San Lucas to navigation earlier this week, while the National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening surf and rip currents along affected coasts. Several major ships have skipped Cabo or swapped in alternative ports, and shore excursions tied to closed harbors have been refunded.

Key points

Why it matters: Cabo closures and rough surf are still altering West Coast cruises after Priscilla's peak.
Travel impact: Cabo calls are being dropped or replaced; refunds issued for canceled excursions.
What's next: Gradual easing as the storm weakens, but swell can trail the system for days.
Alternate ports: Catalina and Ensenada are common substitutions from Long Beach.
Safety rules: Harbor masters can halt all small-craft operations when bars or surf are unsafe.

Snapshot

As of October 9, 2025, Priscilla has weakened to a tropical storm, but residual long-period swell continues to disrupt maritime operations from Cabo San Lucas northward. The Cabo port captain closed the harbor to navigation beginning late October 5 as seas and winds built, pausing water taxis, tour boats, and many ship tenders. The National Hurricane Center highlighted dangerous surf and rip currents alongside heavy rain for parts of Baja California Sur and the Pacific coast of western Mexico. Cruise lines have responded with near-term itinerary changes, including skipping Cabo or replacing it with Catalina Island and additional time in Ensenada. Guests booked on canceled Cabo excursions are receiving automatic refunds.

Background

Cabo San Lucas is a frequent tender port on Mexican Riviera itineraries from Long Beach and San Diego. When swell exceeds safe thresholds, local harbor authorities can shut the port to all traffic, including tenders, until conditions improve. Even as tropical systems weaken, their swell often arrives in long sets that challenge safe tendering and small-craft operations. U.S. and Mexican port captains coordinate with meteorological agencies, and the U.S. Coast Guard issues bar restrictions along the Pacific Northwest when needed. For cruise travelers, this typically results in same-day schedule changes, added sea days, or swaps to protected ports reachable without crossing the worst seas.

Related coverage on regional storm disruptions: Tropical Storm Jerry travel impacts.

Latest developments

Cabo San Lucas closures ripple through Mexican Riviera itineraries

Harbor authorities in Cabo San Lucas ordered a full closure to navigation late October 5 due to hurricane-driven seas, with updates indicating continued restrictions as Priscilla tracked parallel to Baja. In response, several West Coast cruises dropped Cabo calls this week, opting for Catalina Island and double-Ensenada combinations from Long Beach, or added sea days on affected voyages. Cruise industry reports note Carnival Panorama's schedule swap and Royal Caribbean ships adjusting routes to avoid peak swell windows. The National Hurricane Center's advisories emphasized dangerous surf and rip currents along exposed coasts, consistent with Cabo's closures and beach safety measures. As Priscilla weakens, closures should lift in phases; however, residual swell may keep tender operations limited on a lag of one to two days after winds subside.

Analysis

The operational challenge is less the wind and more the sea state. Long-period swell propagates well ahead of and behind a tropical system, producing steep tender landings and unsafe harbor bars. Cabo is especially sensitive because most large ships must tender passengers; when the port captain prohibits small-craft operations, tendering stops entirely. Lines then pivot to protected, closer-to-home ports like Catalina or Ensenada that can be reached without crossing the worst fetch, reducing motion and schedule risk. For travelers, the immediate effects are revised daily planners, canceled Cabo excursions with automatic refunds, and potentially extra sea days. Air travel connections are largely unaffected because ships are still returning to Southern California homeports on time, but guests on independent tours in Mexico should verify vendor policies tied to port closures. Expect more conservative call decisions until local harbor bulletins clear swell hazards and lifeguard flags return to safe levels. Looking ahead, West Coast cruises will normalize as Priscilla's energy disperses, yet this episode underscores how Pacific swell, not just storm cores, can reshape itineraries across the Mexican Riviera.

Final thoughts

West Coast cruises remain resilient, but Priscilla's lingering Pacific swell is a textbook example of how sea state, tender logistics, and harbor safety rules drive last-minute changes. If you are sailing the Mexican Riviera this week, watch your cruise app for port swaps, confirm any independent bookings are refundable, and expect smooth sailing to resume as conditions ease. With prudent routing and flexible planning, travelers still enjoy strong itineraries even when West Coast cruises bend around the weather.