Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises canceled their itineraries to Ensenada, Mexico after a weekend of vandalism, looting and threats of mass violence by a drug cartel in that port city and elsewhere in Northern Baja, according to multiple reports. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), formerly known as Los Mata Zetas, burned vehicles in the area and threatened violence.
These two Miami-based cruise lines, which sail from Long Beach, California to Mexico’s west coast, stopped calling at Ensenada this past weekend. AIS tracking systems indicate both Carnival radiation and Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the seas sailing in circles off the coast of Ensenada earlier this week. 
Last Friday, the Mexican drug cartel sent out a warning promising “chaos in the streets” throughout the weekend if some of its gang members were not released from prison. Reports of car hijackings and burning, roadblocks being set up and shops being looted followed.
The Los Angeles Times reported that “messages also began circulating on social media, allegedly from the Jalisco New Generation cartel, declaring a curfew in Tijuana (about 100 kilometers from Ensenada) and warning residents to go home or risk being attacked.” . The Times also reported that “hundreds of military and special forces troops had arrived in Tijuana to help restore order and bolster security. About 300 troops, along with 50 members of the National Guard, moved in to support the 3,000 National Guard and Tijuana’s 2,000-strong police force, which the mayor said were already on patrol.
Carnival Radiance & Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas #sailing ships sailed in circles earlier this week missing port in #Mexico as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), formerly known as Los Mata Zetas, burned vehicles and set up roadblocks in #Ensenada & throughout Baja 1/2 https://t.co/RMqM36v5v5
— James (Jim) Walker (@CruiseLaw) August 17, 2022
The cartel’s activity, including the burning of dozens of vehicles, kept Carnival Radiance passengers on board and off the coast of Ensenada. https://t.co/Fs3K3lo5Bt
— Long Beach Business Journal (@LBBizJourn) August 15, 2022
According to the Border Report, the mayor of Ensenada, Mexico issued a public announcement that “the cruise ships are returning” after being pulled over safety concerns for passengers and employees.
According to the mayor’s office, Carnival had “threatened to cease operations in Ensenada unless security measures for passengers were increased.”
The mayor claims he received unspecified “assurances” from Carnival during a conference call Monday afternoon.
“I’m very happy that they confirmed the rest of their planned arrivals and they believe in the actions we have implemented,” said Mayor Ayala Robles. The nature of the so-called “security procedures” allegedly taken was not mentioned. Carnival has not publicly stated that it has specific plans to resume the former Ensenada itineraries. Royal Caribbean has been silent about this risk.
Mayor of #Ensenada, #Mexico announced “#sailing ships are turning” to try to avoid PR disaster as @CarnivalCruise & @RoyalCaribbean suspended #sailing itineraries to Ensenada after #drugs cartel violence and threats. . . 2/2 https://t.co/Da9uVmjXPf
— James (Jim) Walker (@CruiseLaw) August 17, 2022
Selling cruises to Mexico has always been tricky. Gunmen robbed 22 Carnival passengers on an excursion to Mexico about ten years ago.
In 2012, Royal Caribbean and NCL cruise ships that sailed to Mexico were repositioned from Los Angeles due to fears of violence in Mexico. We have written numerous articles over a decade ago about the threat of drug-related violence and crime in several Mexican ports.
An AP article from more than a decade ago said that although port officials and cruise industry representatives have tried to emphasize that most violence in Mexico occurs away from cruise destinations, that message has a hard time “competing with images of mutilated bodies in the news.”
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Main Images: Information of AIS Ensenada, Mexico and Navigator of the seas – MarineTraffic.com.
