Passengers aboard CCL-Carnival Cruise Line's ship Carnival Radiance departed Los Angeles (Long Beach, California USA) last week for a roundtrip to Ensenada (Mexico). However, unrest throughout Baja California kept tourists on the liner.
Hooded bandits associated with drug cartels shut down the region on Friday, August 12. State officials said the group had hijacked and burned at least 2 dozen vehicles and put up roadblocks.
On social media, messages (allegedly by the Jalisco New Generation cartel) were circulated, declaring a curfew in Tijuana, and warning residents to go home or risk an attack. The USA's Consulate General in Tijuana issued an order for government employees to shelter in place on Friday.
According to the consulate, the shutdowns had affected Ensenada, Tijuana, Tecate, Mexicali, and Rosarito which had caused CCL - the world's largest cruise line - to forgo its call port on Sunday.
CCL's spokesperson Matt Lupoli said the safety of their guests was their top priority.
Lupoli added that cruise lines reserved the right to change a trip’s itinerary at any time before/during a voyage for any reason. If guests’ vacations were “significantly impacted” by a change, Carnival had guidelines to provide “goodwill gestures.”
The consulate rescinded the shelter in place order just after 11:30 am on Sunday, August 14, well after the Radiance would have called at the port.
With 3 cruise ships based in Long Beach, Carnival offers weekly voyages to Ensenada.
For more Carnival Radiance incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.