A new tropical disturbance in the Pacific Ocean is causing at least one cruise ship to be rerouted away from its path.
Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas has adjusted its current itinerary to reroute away from Cabo San Lucas and avoid the impact of Tropical Storm Mario.
One cruiser posted to a Royal Caribbean Facebook page about the last-minute itinerary change. The guest, who is currently sailing on Ovation of the Seas, reported that the captain announced the reroute to avoid Tropical Storm Mario.
The passenger wrote, “On Ovation preparing to leave Los Angeles…The captain just came on and due to Tropical Storm Mario forming near Cabo San Lucas, our ship’s itinerary has changed. We have 2 days at sea now and 2 days in Ensenada, Mexico (overnight). Really wanted to go to Cabo, but oh well. As long as we’re on a ship, who cares!!!”
Another guest onboard posted to Reddit about the itinerary change. The poster shared, "Our overnight cruise to Cabo on Ovation just was bumped to Ensenada because there was no chance for tenders with the tropical storm. Entirely understandable but still a massive bummer. Especially since we now head back to a port we didn’t want to visit again, much less for two days."
Tropical Storm Mario officially developed on Friday off the Pacific coast of Mexico. The storm is forecast to bring heavy rain with strong winds and potential flooding to the Baja California peninsula. Because Cabo San Lucas doesn’t have a dock for cruise ships, guests must take small tender boats to go ashore.
Ovation of the Seas is currently sailing a 5-night Cabo Overnight itinerary from Los Angeles, California. The Quantum class ship departed from Los Angeles today, September 12, 2025, for the Baja California cruise.
The cruise ship was scheduled to arrive in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on September 14, 2025 for an overnight stay. Ovation of the Seas was meant to depart Cabo San Lucas on September 15, 2025 and spend one day at sea before returning to California. Instead, the cruise ship will spend two days at sea before docking in Ensenada, Mexico for an overnight visit.
The revised itinerary allows Ovation of the Seas to steer clear of the storm’s path while still providing passengers with a port experience in Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center described Tropical Storm Mario as a “tiny” storm, but the system is expected to intensify over the next few days. The storm has reported sustained winds of 40 mph, which could extend upwards of 25 miles north of the storm's center.
In addition, tropical storm conditions could be possible as a result of the system along portions of the coast of Michoacan as the system moves parallel to the southwestern coast of Mexico.
Forecasts show that heavy rainfall will impact Jalisco and nearby regions through Saturday morning, and the National Hurricane Center warns this could result in flash flooding for high terrain areas. Tropical Storm Mario is predicted to bring two to four inches of rain.
The National Hurricane Center states that gusty winds are possible along the coasts of western Guerrero, Michoacan, and Colima. Tropical Storm Mario is currently moving toward the west-northwest at 14 mph and forecasters predict this will continue throughout the weekend.
By Sunday, the system is forecast to shift farther out to sea, gradually moving away from land. As it tracks west into the open Pacific early next week, Tropical Storm Mario should begin to weaken. However, coastal areas may still feel lingering effects like high surf and scattered showers.
Ovation of the Seas is still scheduled to return to Los Angeles, California on September 17, 2025 despite the revised itinerary. It’s not uncommon for cruise lines to reroute ships to avoid storms to maintain the safety of the vessel, crew members, and passengers. In addition, rerouting ensures guests can still enjoy their vacation comfortably without stormy weather and rocky seas.
