As swine flu outbreak worsens, cruise lines cancel stops in Mexican ports
As the swine flu outbreak worsened, some cruise lines began cancelling stops in Mexican ports while tourists mulling trips to Mexico quickly changed plans.
Three Carnival cruise ships scheduled to make port calls today were called off and Princess Cruises diverted two more. Both companies said in statements that they were deliberating what to do with upcoming cruises.
"We hope that our passengers will understand that these changes were beyond our control and that we have provided them with an attractive, alternative itinerary," Princess Cruises said in a statement on its Website.
Holland America Line announced it was also cancelling all port calls to Mexico for the rest of April and May, affecting five cruises.
Concerned that cruise ship passengers and staff could spread swine flu locally, Palm Beach County commissioners called this morning for cruise companies to allow penalty-free cancellations as airlines are doing.
Commissioner Shelley Vana suggested stopping cruises altogether.
"As a South Florida area, can we have some sort of action that says 'Stop the cruises for a while?'" Vana asked. "I don't want to overreact, but we are all responsible for our districts."
Seven million vacationers a year travel through Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and the Port of Miami, said Commission Chairman Jeff Koons. But decisions on travel are up to federal authorities.
Peter Shah, an agent at Legend Travel and Tours in West Palm Beach, said he contacted clients who were thinking about going to Mexico, and they're changing their plans, heading for The Bahamas or the Caribbean instead.
The Palm Beach County Health Department's assistant director, Dr. Alina Alonso, told commissioners that her agency is making sure that arriving travelers are being told to report to a physician if they feel unwell.
Those who appear sick are being reported to the health department so they can be tracked by an epidemiologist, she said.
"There will be no forced isolation or quarantine at this point. It is all going to be voluntary," Alonso said. "This is a marathon. This is not a hurricane that will be over in a week. This will be ongoing for a long time, so we have to pace ourselves."
