Holland Who?

Despite all the media coverage given to Holland America's decision to cancel their calls at Acapulco for security reasons, Acapulco says they are doing just fine, thank you, with nine other lines calling at the port.

The complete story appeared in the March 29 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back to Acapulco

For a time it seemed that cruise lines had all but abandoned the once busy port of Acapulco. At one time Acapulco was popular both as a port of call and also a turnaround port, but cruise lines left as drug gang violence controlled the city.

As authorities have begun to again control the city, cruise lines have begun to return.

But a growing lack of security has caused Holland America to cancel all their calls in the 2017/2018 schedule.

Details appeared in the March 22 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Cancellations Extended for Mexican Ports

Holland America Line is advising passengers that port calls in Mazatlan and Acapulco have been canceled for sailings through March. This affects both Mexican Riviera cruises as well as Panama Canal itineraries.

Virtually all US-based lines suspended calls at the ports due to the potential for violence last winter and extended the revised itineraries through the summer and fall seasons. Most have tentatively left the calls scheduled for this winter season after the first of the year.

Mazatlan, especially, has been on a public relations campaign to convince the industry it is safe to visit the city, even bringing in journalists a few weeks ago to visit, with most saying from their experience in the city it seems very safe. (Most probed no more deeply than asking tourism officials if it was safe to visit Mazatlan, however.) Obviously there is more beneath the surface to prompt Holland America to cancel another series of calls over three months.

Updated 4pm.
The complete appeared in the December 15, 2011, edition of Cruise News Daily.