Cruise Ships Scramble To Avoid Hurricane Hilary's Wrath

Several cruise ships have scrambled to avoid Hurricane Hilary as it neared landfall on Mexico's Baja California peninsula early Sunday.

Hilary is expected to hit as a weakened, but still dangerous, Category 1 hurricane bringing enough rain that "catastrophic and life-threatening" flooding is likely across a large region through Monday, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm was "very near" the west coast of Baja California, and about 285 miles from San Diego, California, the center said in a 5 a.m. advisory. The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 mph, down from 85 mph a few hours earlier.

Forecasters said Hilary was expected to weaken to a tropical storm before it reaches southern California, bringing with it flash floods, high winds, isolated tornadoes and power outages.

A number of cruise lines have adjusted itineraries to ensure ships avoid the worst of Hilary's impact.

Carnival Cruise Line modified the Carnival Panorama's itinerary for a 7-night cruise that set sail from Long Beach, California, on Saturday.

The ship will call on Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday, instead of Puerto Vallarta, while the call on Mazatlán on Wednesday has been canceled and the ship will instead call on Puerto Vallarta that day.

"Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is actively monitoring Hurricane Hilary's potential impact on the itineraries for Carnival Panorama and Carnival Radiance," a Carnival spokesperson told Newsweek via email.

"As the safety of our guests and crew is our priority, we are continuing to monitor the storm and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates to our guests as more information becomes available."

Princess Cruises' Emerald Princess made a service call to Ensenada on Saturday before heading back to Los Angeles a day earlier than originally planned.

"As a result of Hurricane Hilary, and as the safety of our guests and crew remain our highest priority, Emerald Princess has adjusted her itinerary," a Princess Cruises spokesperson told Newsweek. "Guests have been given the option to depart the ship on Sunday or remain onboard until the morning of Monday, August 21."

According to Cruise Hive, Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas is visiting Ensenada, Mexico, earlier than planned to make sure the vessel is able to move out of Hilary's projected path.

Newsweek has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment via email.

Hilary has already brought heavy rain and flooding to Mexico and the southwestern United States as it approached on Saturday.

Forecasters say it is expected to reach southern California on Sunday afternoon, making it the first tropical storm to hit the state in 84 years.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency on Saturday and urged people to take precautions.

"California has thousands of people on the ground working hand-in-hand with federal and local personnel to support communities in Hurricane Hilary's path with resources, equipment and expertise," Newsom said in a statement. "We're mobilizing all of government as we prepare and respond to this unprecedented storm."

Update 8/21/23, 3 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add a comment from a Princess Cruises spokesperson.