Carnival Cruise Line has sent a letter to impacted passengers of Carnival Firenze, letting them know that their travel plans will have a slight change due to Tropical Storm Lorena which was downgraded from a hurricane.
Although the storm has weakened, it’s still expected to bring a large amount of rainfall to the West Coast. The ship, which sailed from Long Beach on Thursday, September 4, is now visiting its ports in Mexico in a different order.
The company’s “Fleet Operations Center” is closely watching the storm in the Eastern Pacific. To stay a safe distance from bad weather and offer a better experience for passengers, Carnival decided to flip the itinerary.
A letter shared with guests onboard, and later posted on social media, detailed the change:
“Our Fleet Operations Center is actively monitoring Hurricane Lorena that has developed in the Eastern Pacific. Based on current forecasts, and to remain a safe distance from storm conditions and offer a better experience ashore, it is necessary to revise our itinerary plans, as outlined below:”
What’s Changing?
The five-night cruise was originally set to visit Cabo San Lucas first, followed by Ensenada. The new plan will have the ship visit these ports in reverse:
- Ensenada: The ship will now arrive on Friday, September 5, instead of Monday, September 8.
- Cabo San Lucas: This stop, originally scheduled for Friday, will now happen on Sunday, September 7.
The rest of the trip, including two days at sea and the planned return to Long Beach, will continue as scheduled.
Safety First
The letter from Carnival also emphasized that safety is the top priority:
“We apologize for this weather-related change and trust you understand this decision was made with everyone’s safety in mind.”
The company has also assured guests that any shore excursions they pre-purchased will be adjusted to the new schedule.
While weather-related changes can be disappointing, they are a standard safety practice for cruise lines, which prioritize avoiding rough seas and storm conditions.
About the Ship
The Carnival Firenze is a 2021-built ship that can carry 4,208 passengers at double capacity. It sails from Long Beach year-round, offering four- to six-night cruises to Baja California and the Mexican Riviera.
The ship is also set for some big changes in the future. Starting in the winter of 2026-27, it will offer new itineraries, including special cruises through South America before being repositioned to the U.S. East Coast.
It is even scheduled to arrive in New York City in May to begin summer cruises from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
About the Storm
At the time of the itinerary change, Hurricane Lorena had been downgraded to a tropical storm but was still a significant weather event in the Eastern Pacific.
The storm’s path was expected to remain offshore just west of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, but forecasters warned of a continued threat of life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides for parts of the region.
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