Key Aspects:
- Carnival Firenze is adjusting her September 4, 2025 departure to remain well north of Tropical Storm Lorena.
- All port visits are preserved, but the days and times for both Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas have changed.
- Tropical Storm Lorena is expected to weaken through Friday and into Saturday before dissipating completely.
As the Atlantic hurricane season nears its peak, historically around September 10, it can be easy to forget that tropical storms and hurricanes also form in the Pacific Ocean.
Guests boarding Carnival Firenze on Thursday, September 4, 2025 won’t easily forget, however, as their entire itinerary has been adjusted and reversed to avoid Tropical Storm Lorena.
Carnival Cruise Line notified guests of the change the day before embarkation, when the storm was still a hurricane.
“Our Fleet Operations Center is actively monitoring Hurricane Lorena that has developed in the Eastern Pacific,” the email explained. “Based on current forecasts, and to remain a safe distance from storm conditions and offer a better experience ashore, it is necessary to revise our itinerary.”
Carnival Firenze is sailing a 5-night Mexican Riviera itinerary. To make the most of the sailing, preserve all the port visits, and stay safely away from the storm, nearly every day on the schedule has been adjusted.
The revised itinerary is as follows:
- Thursday, September 4: Depart Long Beach, California
- Friday, September 5: Ensenada, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (previously at sea)
- Saturday, September 6: Fun Day at Sea (previously Cabo San Lucas)
- Sunday, September 7: Cabo San Lucas, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (previously at sea)
- Monday, September 8: Fun Day at Sea (previously Ensenada)
- Tuesday, September 9: Return to Long Beach
Only the ship’s departure and return to Long Beach is unaffected. This dramatic change, however, does permit Carnival to preserve all the planned port visits, rather than completely cancelling any stops during the sailing.
Any pre-paid excursions booked through Carnival Cruise Line for either Ensenada or Cabo San Lucas will be automatically adjusted to the new days and visit times. Guests will be notified if their excursions can no longer be accommodated.
“We apologize for this weather-related change and trust you understand this decision was made with everyone’s safety in mind,” the cruise line explained.
While some guests may be upset at the last-minute notification of the change, Carnival’s brand ambassador, John Heald, has explained why storm-related changes aren’t made until the last minute.
No matter what the condition of a tropical storm or hurricane, the severe weather can be unpredictable. It is best to make changes close to the sailing in the hopes of preserving as much of the originally planned itinerary as possible.
Tropical Storm Lorena Update
As of Thursday afternoon, just a couple of hours before Carnival Firenze is departing Long Beach, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that Lorena’s maximum sustained winds had decreased to 50 miles per hour.
Stronger wind gusts remain possible, however, and tropical-storm-force winds extend as far as 60 miles from the center.
Read Also: When is the Best Time to Cruise the Mexican Riviera?
Heavy rain is likely from the storm, with some areas forecast to get eight inches or more of rain. Because that can cause shore tour cancellations and possible mudslides, it is a wise precaution for Carnival Cruise Line to reroute Carnival Firenze.
Though Tropical Storm Lorena is not forecast to make landfall, she is just 160 miles offshore of the Baja Peninsula. Because swells and high winds can be felt so far from the center, Carnival Firenze would have been in for rough sailing on the original itinerary.
Instead, the ship will now stay much further north of the storm until late Saturday. By that time, the tropical storm is expected to have largely dissipated and Carnival Firenze should enjoy smooth sailing.
