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Late Tuesday night, Travel Agent received word that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is temporarily suspending its port calls in Mexico. The cautionary decision was made to allow for additional time to better understand the full impact of the swine flu, and follows a similar decision made by Carnival.
The suspension involves Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises brands. The former has four ships currently making regularly scheduled ports call in Mexico: Enchantment of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. Two additional Royal Caribbean International ships were scheduled to make upcoming Mexican port calls as they repositioned—Serenade of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas. Celebrity Infinity was scheduled to make an upcoming Mexico port calls as it repositioned.
All but one of the affected ships will either make alternative port calls or spend additional time at sea. Mariner of the Seas will sail a fully revised itinerary, visiting Canada and the U.S. West Coast.
"Although authorities have not raised specific concerns regarding the ports we visit in Mexico, we want to err on the side of caution," said Dr. Art Diskin, chief medical officer for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "We're taking proactive steps onboard our ships to help ensure the health and well-being of our guests and crew members, and this is just one more step in that process."
Visit www.royalcaribbean.com.