Carnival to again sail Mexico's Pacific Coast year-round

By Gay Nagle Myers

Carnival Cruise Lines will resume year-round sailings to the Mexican Riviera from Long Beach, Calif., beginning in October.

The line last sailed to Mexico's Pacific Coast year-round in 2012, although it has operated some cruises on a seasonal basis since then.

The Carnival Miracle will operate three seven-day itineraries, starting next April. 

One itinerary is a three-port sailing with calls in Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. That cruise will mark the return of Carnival to Mazatlan since its pullout in early 2011, citing safety and security issues for passengers following several incidents of crime near the port.

Other lines also cut the Mazatlan stop at the time but have since returned.

"With the return of Carnival, five major cruise lines have now resumed service to Mazatlan, including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Azamara Club Cruises," said Frank Cordova, secretary of tourism for the state of Sinaloa.

"We are extremely pleased with the positive developments that have transformed Mazatlan over the past several years, including those in the cruise industry, and are excited about the prospect of future growth in tourism to the destination," he said.

Those developments include a new $3 million tourism corridor between the Port of Mazatlan and the city's historic center, making it easier and safer for cruise visitors to reach the heart of the city.

Carnival's two other Mexican Riviera itineraries include a two-port voyage that pairs a stop in Cabo San Lucas with a two-day overnight stay in Puerto Vallarta.

The third itinerary pairs a visit to Puerto Vallarta with a two-day call in Cabo San Lucas.