Cat 4 Hurricane Willa May Hit Mexico

A powerful hurricane is making its way toward Mexico, causing a number of cruise travel disruptions.

According to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Willa is now an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of about 155 mph. It could strengthen further today, potentially reaching category 5 status.

The storm is currently about 200 miles south-southwest of Las Islas Marias, Mexico. It is expected to move over or very near Islas Marias early Tuesday and make landfall along the southwestern coast of mainland Mexico late Tuesday or Tuesday night.

A hurricane warning is currently in effect for an area ranging from San Blas to Mazatlan, including Las Islas Marias. A tropical storm warning is in effect for an area from Playa Perula to San Blas and from north of Mazatlan to Bahia Tempehuaya.

Cruise Updates

The path of Hurricane Willa, as well as Tropical Storm Vincente, has caused Norwegian Cruise Line to modify the itinerary of the Norwegian Bliss, which has been sailing a seven-day itinerary out of Los Angeles and playing host to the Dream Vacations, CruiseOne & Cruises Inc. National Conference. Instead of its previously scheduled itinerary, which called at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, the ship will now call at San Francisco and San Diego, California, as well as Ensenada, Mexico, before returning to Los Angeles.

Holland America Line reports that it has altered the itinerary on the Eurodam, which is on a seven-day sailing that departed October 21. The ship will now sail north along the coast of California, with calls in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Avalon and Ensenada. All guests will receive a future cruise credit and a shipboard credit.

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