Princess Cruises has rerouted the September 25 sailing of Grand Princess around Hurricane Polo, cancelling three scheduled Mexico calls and adding an overnight stay in San Diego plus a new call in Mazatlan. The cruise line disclosed the changes in an itinerary notice sent to booked guests, which was quoted by CruiseHive on September 25.
The decision that matters for travelers is straightforward: if you are on this sailing, your port days have changed and your shore plans need a same week rethink. The Grand Princess ship guide lays out the vessel for first time Princess cruisers, but the immediate work is confirming the revised port lineup in your booking and reworking any independent excursion reservations.
- Sailing: Grand Princess departed Los Angeles on September 25, 2026.
- Trigger: Hurricane Polo, a Category 5 storm tracked off the Mexico Pacific coast on September 25.
- Cancelled calls: La Paz on September 29, Guaymas on September 30, and Puerto Vallarta on October 2.
- Added calls: Overnight San Diego from September 26 to September 27, plus Mazatlan on October 1.
- Source: Princess Cruises guest notice dated September 25, via direct reporting.
San Diego Overnight Arrives September 26
The headline change is a new overnight call in San Diego that arrives on September 26 and departs on September 27, replacing what had been scheduled as a sea day. An overnight in port is unusual on a Mexico itinerary, and it gives affected guests a full extra port day on the California coast. Princess Cruises said in its notice that the amendments keep the ship well out of the path of the storm, with guest and crew safety as the highest priority.
For travelers already aboard, the practical consequence is a bonus evening ashore in San Diego followed by a second day in port. Guests who can go ashore should treat September 26 as a port day rather than a sea day, with dinner and entertainment options in the city as well as aboard. Anyone with dinner reservations or show plans on the ship for that evening may want to rethink them.
Three Mexico Calls Cancelled
The storm forces three cancellations on the back half of the voyage. La Paz drops off on September 29, Guaymas on September 30, and Puerto Vallarta on October 2. These were the core Sea of Cortez and Riviera ports on this itinerary, so guests who chose the sailing for those destinations face the largest disappointment. Princess Cruises framed the removals as necessary to stay clear of Polo as it moves along the coast of Mexico.
Partially offsetting the losses, the line added a call at Mazatlan on October 1. Mazatlan keeps one Mexico port on the revised lineup and preserves a beach and old town day that the cancelled calls would have supplied. The remainder of the voyage then continues on its adjusted plan, with the ship keeping well clear of the forecast storm track.
Excursion Bookings Need a Fresh Check
Every cancelled port takes its shore excursions with it, so guests should review each booking tied to La Paz, Guaymas, and Puerto Vallarta. Royal Caribbean refunded line booked tours as onboard credit when Hurricane Polo forced similar changes on a sister Los Angeles sailing, as reported by the Royal Caribbean Blog on September 23. Princess Cruises has not publicly detailed its own excursion handling for this sailing beyond the itinerary notice quoted by CruiseHive on September 25, so guests should confirm directly with the line rather than assume matching terms.
Independent third party tours need the most attention because outside operators set their own cancellation windows. Contact each operator now with the revised itinerary in hand, and keep receipts for any rebooking fees. Travel insurance paperwork should also reflect the new ports, since port of call changes can affect covered excursion claims.
Other Los Angeles Sailings Rerouted
Grand Princess is not the only Los Angeles departure reshaped by this storm. Royal Caribbean altered the September 25 sailing of Navigator of the Seas from the same port, dropping Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas while adding Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, with line booked excursions refunded as onboard credit. Virgin Voyages also overhauled the September 26 sailing of Brilliant Lady, as covered in the related Brilliant Lady California reroute post.
The pattern tells travelers on any late September Mexico sailing from California to expect movement. Polo reached Category 5 strength with 180 mph winds on the September 25 morning advisory, positioned about 410 miles south southeast of Cabo San Lucas and moving west. Cruise ships can outrun weather that land travelers cannot, which is exactly why lines are trading Mexico calls for California and revised ports.
Handling a Late Itinerary Swap
Start by opening the revised itinerary in the Princess Cruises booking portal or app and confirming each date against the notice. Screenshot the new port lineup so excursion operators and insurers see the same schedule you do. Guests flying in for embarkation already sailed on September 25, but friends joining later segments should double check which port the ship actually visits on each date.
Then repack in your head for California instead of the tropics on the swapped days. San Diego evenings run cooler than La Paz afternoons, so a light layer belongs in the day bag. Full details on where to stay in Los Angeles still help anyone whose pre cruise hotel math changed, since port swaps can shift arrival and departure logistics around the voyage.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Booked line excursions in La Paz, Guaymas, or Puerto Vallarta | Confirm their status with Princess Cruises before the September 29 port date. |
| Booked independent tours in a cancelled port | Contact the operator now with the revised September 25 sailing itinerary. |
| Want a port day on September 26 | Plan for San Diego, where the ship stays overnight until September 27. |
| Sail on a later Mexico voyage this season | Watch Polo advisories and keep excursion bookings refundable. |
September 26 arrival in San Diego is the first gate. Treat it as a port day and move any shipboard evening plans you set for the original sea day.
September 27 departure from San Diego is the second gate. Use the morning ashore, then be back aboard on ship time for the onward voyage.
October 1 in Mazatlan is the third gate. It is the replacement Mexico call, so shift beach and old town plans there.
Why did Grand Princess change its September 25 itinerary?
Princess Cruises said it is closely monitoring Hurricane Polo and amended the voyage to keep the ship well out of the storm path, with guest and crew safety as the highest priority.
Which ports did Grand Princess cancel?
La Paz on September 29, Guaymas on September 30, and Puerto Vallarta on October 2 are cancelled on the September 25 sailing from Los Angeles.
What ports replace the cancelled calls?
An overnight San Diego call from September 26 to September 27 replaces a sea day, and Mazatlan joins the itinerary on October 1.
What should I do about excursions I already booked?
Confirm line booked tours with Princess Cruises and contact independent operators directly, since outside cancellation terms vary and Princess has not published its own excursion handling for this sailing.
Are other ships affected by Hurricane Polo?
Yes. Navigator of the Seas and Brilliant Lady also rerouted late September sailings from Los Angeles around the same storm, so any Mexico sailing this week deserves a fresh itinerary check.
