Satellite image shows a car on fire along a coastal road in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, on February 22, 2026, after drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in a military operation.
Vantaa | via Reuters
U.S. travel companies are scrambling to reroute cruise ships and accommodate tourists to Mexico after violence and chaos erupted in some coastal areas of the country following the killing of a cartel leader.
The U.S. State Department expanded its warning to travelers to shelter in place across multiple regions of Mexico, including popular tourist spots Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Tulum, Tijuana and Puerto Vallarta.
Violence erupted after Mexican troops killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguerra Cervantes, leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel. Known as “El Mencho,” he heads one of Mexico’s fastest-growing criminal networks and is notorious for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States and launching brazen attacks on government officials who challenge him, the Associated Press reported.
Airlines canceled flights and cruise lines rerouted ships to avoid potential trouble ports as roads were blocked by burning vehicles.
carnival corporation The Royal Princess and Holland America Zuiderdam announced Monday that they were bypassing a scheduled port of call in Puerto Vallarta. norwegian cruise line The company’s ship Norwegian Bliss announced Wednesday that it had canceled plans to call in Puerto Vallarta.
MSC Cruises USA said its cruises to Cozumel, Mexico and Costa Rica are currently operating as planned, but shore excursions may be adjusted or canceled.
However royal caribbean CNBC said there are currently no ships in the affected area, but CNBC has learned that some tours in Ensenada, Mexico, were affected.
Airbnb told CNBC it has activated its “severe disruptive event policy” in Jalisco and other affected areas. This policy overrides a host’s individual cancellation policy and allows travelers and hosts to cancel reservations without repercussions.
“We are closely monitoring this situation and are focused on supporting our guests and hosts in the affected areas,” an Airbnb spokesperson said.
In a memo to investors, Trustee Travel and leisure analyst Patrick Scholes writes: Hyatt has the highest exposure for international brands, with 8.5% of the room coming from Mexico. marriott is the second most exposed, with 3.3% of the room coming from Mexico.
Typical travel insurance policies often include exclusions for terrorism, political violence, and civil unrest.
SquareMass, an online marketplace for travel insurance, warned would-be travelers that “violence in Mexico is now a foreseeable event, or what the insurance industry calls a known event. Therefore, travelers cannot purchase insurance now to cancel their trip.”
However, a SquareMass spokesperson told CNBC, “Given the uncertainty, purchasing CFAR (cancellation for any reason) or IFAR (interruption for any reason) as an add-on is a wise decision if you are heading to Mexico soon, especially during spring break.”
