The outbreak of swine flu has not only affected the pork industry but cruise lines as well as many have announced a change of itinerary. The rerouting of ships would involve a change to alternative ports or having them spend more time at sea. 

Three major cruise lines have released changed itineraries with halts to ports in Mexico being cancelled. These changes followed on the heels of five of the world’s largest cruise lines announcing plans to suspend all stops to Mexico as per recommendations made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has asked people to curtail all non essential travel to Mexico in the light of the swine flu spreading to more people and places.

The worlds largest cruise line, Carnival Cruise Lines is hit the worst by the swine flu outbreak with 15 ships affected and select four-night cruises on two ships, Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Ecstasy are being canceled to accommodate new, seven-night itineraries.

According to the itinerary, posted on the company website ( carnival.com) the new itinerary update for eight ships that were previously scheduled to stop in Mexican ports between Wednesday and Friday, said ships that were scheduled to stop in Progresso, Cozumel and Ensenada either will stop at Key West, Fla., or Nassau, Bahamas, or will spend a "fun day at sea." While ships scheduled to stop in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas will instead stop in San Francisco or stay out at sea.

Also Carnival Fantasy's May 2 and May 11 departures from New Orleans which were originally five-day cruises have been converted into seven-day cruises departing on May 2 and May 9. The cruises will call on Key West, Freeport and Nassau in lieu of Progreso and Cozumel. That ship's May 7 departure, a four-day cruise from New Orleans, has been canceled.

Carnival Ecstasy's May 2 and May 11 departures from Galveston, originally five-day cruises, have been converted into seven-day cruises departing on May 2 and May 9. The cruises will call on Montego Bay and Grand Cayman in lieu of Progreso and Cozumel. That ship's May 7 departure, a four-day cruise from Galveston, has been canceled.

Guests may opt to receive a refund in the form of a future cruise credit or money back equal to the full amount paid for the voyage if they cannot switch to or do not want to sail on any of modified itineraries.

Carnival Corp’s Princess Cruises released an itinerary for two ships, the Star Princess and the Sapphire Princess, scheduled to make stops in Mexico through May 7. Now those ships will stop in Santa Barbara, San Diego, Catalina Island, San Francisco or will spend the day at sea.

In the case of  Holland America lines the ms Veendam, which is scheduled to launch Friday, cruising from Florida, through the Panama Canal to British Columbia, will no longer stop at Huatulco, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas but will cruise Golfo Dulce, an inlet in Costa Rica, making stops at Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica; Cortino, Nicaragua; and Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.