Virgin Voyages has warned guests booked on Brilliant Lady’s 17 October sailing that Hurricane Trudy could force an itinerary change, which would be the fourth consecutive voyage disrupted.
The seven-night ‘Mexican Riviera’ cruise is due to depart Los Angeles and visit Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, returning on 24 October.
The cruise line said the ship’s planned route would take it near Baja California on Sunday night into Monday morning, close to the storm’s projected path.
An alternative itinerary has been prepared, but no decision has been made on whether to reroute the ship.
Tropical Storm Trudy is forecast to rapidly strengthen and approach southwestern and west-central Mexico as a major hurricane this weekend, according to a National Hurricane Center advisory.
Trudy, a Category 1 hurricane, is expected to approach Mexico’s Pacific coast, with heavy rain forecast in Colima and Jalisco, increasing the risk of life-threatening flooding and landslides, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Mexican authorities.
Virgin Voyages said it was working with weather experts and would provide a further update once the storm’s path became clearer. It also warned guests that an alternative route could bring cooler temperatures.
Three consecutive sailings aboard Brilliant Lady have already been affected by tropical storm systems.
Virgin Voyages said: “Trudy is expected to continue moving northwest off the coast of Mexico. Our current planned track for Brilliant Lady would bring us near Baja California around Sunday night into Monday morning, while we’re on our way to Cabo San Lucas, close enough to the storm’s path that we’re taking it seriously and planning ahead.
“We’re working closely with weather experts to make the most informed decision for the voyage, and we’ll share more details tomorrow once we know more about the storm’s path.”
