2027 Mexican Riviera Cruises: Norwegian Encore & Star from Los Angeles and San Diego
Table of Contents
- Quick Facts
- Introduction
- 2027 Mexican Riviera Season Highlights
- Why Choose the Mexican Riviera in 2027?
- Mexican Riviera Port Breakdown by Departure City
- Most-Visited Ports of Call on 2027 Mexican Riviera Sailings
- Month-by-Month Mexican Riviera Cruise Calendar for 2027
- Ship Deployment
- Planning Tips for a 2027 Mexican Riviera Cruise
- How to Find the Best Deals on Mexican Riviera Cruises
- Related Guides
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Facts
| Total Sailings | 40 Norwegian Cruise Line Mexican Riviera departures tracked for 2027 |
| Departure Ports | Los Angeles, California (26 sailings), San Diego, California (13 sailings), Miami, Florida (1 repositioning voyage) |
| Ships | Norwegian Encore (26), Norwegian Star (13), Norwegian Joy (1) |
| Durations | 7 nights on 39 of 40 sailings; one 15-night Miami to Los Angeles repositioning voyage |
| Peak Season | January through early April 2027, plus a shorter October through December block |
| Popular Ports of Call | Cabo San Lucas (40 calls), Mazatlan (39 calls), Puerto Vallarta (37 calls), Ensenada (3 calls) |
| Typical Price Range | Approximately $148-189 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026) |
How we source these figures: CabinSaver tracks published Norwegian Cruise Line fares daily and has recorded 364 pricing snapshots for these sailings between 2025-08-16 and 2026-08-14. The ranges below reflect 40 2027 departures priced for solo travelers at single occupancy (which includes the single supplement), and are subject to change. Verify current fares directly with Norwegian Cruise Line before booking.
Introduction
Norwegian Cruise Line's 2027 Mexican Riviera season is a two-ship, two-homeport operation built almost entirely around the seven-night round-trip: 39 of the 40 tracked departures run exactly seven nights, and every one of them calls at some combination of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Norwegian Encore carries the Los Angeles program with 26 sailings, Norwegian Star runs 13 round-trips from San Diego between January 2 and March 27, 2027, and a single Norwegian Joy repositioning voyage threads the Panama Canal from Miami in April. The calendar splits cleanly into a January-to-April winter block and an October-to-December autumn block, with nothing tracked in between.
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2027 Mexican Riviera Season Highlights
Two ships do nearly all the work. Norwegian Encore sails 26 of the 40 tracked departures, all round-trip from Los Angeles, and it is the only ship in the 2027 Mexican Riviera lineup with Studio cabins designed for single occupancy. Norwegian Star handles the San Diego program with 13 seven-night round-trips running weekly from January 2 through March 27, 2027, after which San Diego drops off the tracked Mexican Riviera calendar entirely for the rest of the year.
The season has a genuine gap rather than a quiet stretch. There are no tracked Mexican Riviera departures at all between the April 11, 2027 Norwegian Encore sailing and the October 17, 2027 restart, which is the window when West Coast ships typically move north for the Alaska season. Encore returns to Los Angeles in mid-October and runs weekly through a December 26, 2027 New Year departure that ends January 2, 2028.
The outlier is worth knowing about. Norwegian Joy's 15-night repositioning voyage leaves Miami on April 21, 2027 and finishes in Los Angeles on May 6, calling at Puerto Quetzal, Colon, Cartagena and Puntarenas alongside Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. It is the only sailing in the tracked 2027 Mexican Riviera set that is not a seven-night West Coast round-trip, and the only one that transits the Panama Canal. Verify the full port sequence with Norwegian Cruise Line, since repositioning itineraries are adjusted more often than regular seasonal ones.
Why Choose the Mexican Riviera in 2027?
Mexican Riviera cruises are the classic drive-to option for anyone within reach of Southern California. Both homeports in the 2027 season, Los Angeles and San Diego, are round-trip, so the car goes into a parking structure on embarkation day and comes back out at the end. That matters more here than on most routes, because the itinerary itself is short: a seven-night loop with three Mexican calls and two sea days does not justify a long-haul flight for many travelers, but it works very well as a regional getaway.
The three anchor ports each do something different. Cabo San Lucas sits at the tip of the Baja peninsula and is the most-called stop of the season at 40 calls, generally tendered rather than docked, with the granite arch at Land's End as the recognizable landmark. Mazatlan, with 39 calls, is the mainland port with the deepest historic centre. Puerto Vallarta, with 37 calls, is the most developed of the three for shore excursions and beach access. A single seven-night sailing gives you all three, which is unusual density for the length.
Pricing is the other reason travelers look west in winter. Tracked inside-cabin fares for the 2027 season typically ran approximately $148-189 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy, based on CabinSaver's own fare tracking as of August 2026 (subject to change). Solo figures on this site always include the single supplement, which is why solo fares run close to double a per-person double-occupancy quote for the same cabin. On the 26 Norwegian Encore departures that offer Studio cabins, tracked Studio fares typically ran approximately $131-166 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy as of August 2026 (subject to change).
Mexican Riviera Port Breakdown by Departure City
Los Angeles, California (26 sailings)
Los Angeles is the primary 2027 homeport, with all 26 departures operated by Norwegian Encore on seven-night round-trips. Twenty of them run the sequence Los Angeles, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Los Angeles. Five late-season departures between November 7 and December 12, 2027 run the loop in the reverse direction, hitting Puerto Vallarta first, and a single January 3, 2027 sailing calls Mazatlan first. The Los Angeles program is the only one that runs in both halves of the year: January 3 through April 11, then October 17 through December 26, 2027.
San Diego, California (13 sailings)
San Diego's 2027 Mexican Riviera program is Norwegian Star only, and it is a compressed winter season. Sailings run weekly on Saturdays from January 2 through March 27, 2027, all seven nights round-trip. Eight of the 13 follow San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, San Diego. Three January departures (January 9, 16 and 23, 2027) swap Puerto Vallarta for Ensenada, giving a four-Mexican-port pattern of Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada. Two more, on January 2 and January 30, 2027, run Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan.
Miami, Florida (1 sailing)
One 15-night Norwegian Joy voyage departs Miami on April 21, 2027 and disembarks in Los Angeles on May 6, transiting the Panama Canal en route. Its Mexican Riviera content is Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta near the end of the run, after Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, Colon in Panama, Cartagena in Colombia and Puntarenas in Costa Rica. This is a one-way itinerary, so plan for a return flight from Los Angeles and verify the disembarkation timing with the cruise line.
Most-Visited Ports of Call on 2027 Mexican Riviera Sailings
Across all 40 tracked 2027 sailings, the port-call distribution is concentrated in three Mexican stops:
| Port | Calls in 2027 | Appears on |
|---|---|---|
| Cabo San Lucas, Mexico | 40 | Every tracked itinerary, including the Panama Canal repositioning voyage |
| Mazatlan, Mexico | 39 | All seven-night round-trips from Los Angeles and San Diego |
| Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | 37 | 36 seven-night round-trips plus the repositioning voyage |
| Ensenada, Mexico | 3 | Three January 2027 Norwegian Star departures from San Diego |
| Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala | 1 | Norwegian Joy, April 21, 2027 repositioning voyage |
| Colon, Panama | 1 | Norwegian Joy, April 21, 2027 repositioning voyage |
| Cartagena, Colombia | 1 | Norwegian Joy, April 21, 2027 repositioning voyage |
| Puntarenas, Costa Rica | 1 | Norwegian Joy, April 21, 2027 repositioning voyage |
The practical takeaway is that port selection is not really a variable on this route. Choosing between Los Angeles and San Diego changes the drive, the ship and the sailing day far more than it changes what you see ashore. The one genuine exception is the three January Norwegian Star departures that call Ensenada instead of Puerto Vallarta. Tender versus dock arrangements vary by port and by day, so verify berthing and go-ashore timing with Norwegian Cruise Line for your specific sailing.
Month-by-Month Mexican Riviera Cruise Calendar for 2027
January 2027
January is the busiest month of the season with 10 tracked departures, split evenly between the two homeports. Norwegian Star leaves San Diego on January 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, and Norwegian Encore leaves Los Angeles on January 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31. Three of the Star departures (January 9, 16 and 23) are the Ensenada-pattern itineraries. January also carries the lowest tracked per-night figures of the 2027 season, typically running approximately $138-158 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026). Baja weather in January is generally dry and cool by Mexican standards, so pack for a breezy top deck.
Ships: Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Star Destinations: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Ensenada Duration: 7 nights
February 2027
February holds eight departures, four per ship, with Norwegian Star out of San Diego on February 6, 13, 20 and 27 and Norwegian Encore out of Los Angeles on February 7, 14, 21 and 28. Every February sailing follows the standard three-port Mexican Riviera pattern. Tracked per-night figures for the month typically ran approximately $153-208 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026), with the San Diego sailings sitting at the higher end. Presidents' Day week draws additional demand.
Ships: Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Star Destinations: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta Duration: 7 nights
March 2027
March also carries eight departures: Norwegian Star from San Diego on March 6, 13, 20 and 27, and Norwegian Encore from Los Angeles on March 7, 14, 21 and 28. March 27, 2027 is Norwegian Star's final tracked Mexican Riviera departure of the year. Spring break demand shows in the data, with tracked March figures typically running approximately $144-233 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026). The Los Angeles sailings generally sit lower in that band than the San Diego ones.
Ships: Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Star Destinations: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta Duration: 7 nights
April 2027
April closes the winter block with three tracked sailings. Norwegian Encore departs Los Angeles on April 4 and April 11, 2027, and Norwegian Joy begins its 15-night Panama Canal repositioning run from Miami on April 21, arriving in Los Angeles on May 6. After April 11 there are no further seven-night Mexican Riviera round-trips until October. Tracked April figures typically ran approximately $178-275 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026), with the longer repositioning voyage at the top of that range.
Ships: Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Joy Destinations: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Panama Canal ports Duration: 7 nights, plus one 15-night voyage
October 2027
The autumn block opens with three Norwegian Encore departures from Los Angeles on October 17, 24 and 31, 2027, all on the standard Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta pattern. October is one of the two lowest-priced months of the tracked 2027 season, typically running approximately $146-151 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026). It also sits at the tail of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, so travel insurance and itinerary-change flexibility are worth considering.
Ships: Norwegian Encore Destinations: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta Duration: 7 nights
November 2027
Norwegian Encore runs four departures in November 2027, on November 7, 14, 21 and 28. Three of these (November 7, 14 and 28) sail the reverse-direction loop, calling Puerto Vallarta first and Cabo San Lucas last. The November 21 departure covers the US Thanksgiving week and carries the highest tracked November figure. Tracked per-night figures for the month typically ran approximately $155-187 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026).
Ships: Norwegian Encore Destinations: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas Duration: 7 nights
December 2027
December has four Norwegian Encore departures from Los Angeles: December 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2027. The first two continue the reverse-direction pattern, while December 19 and December 26 return to the Cabo San Lucas-first sequence and cover the Christmas and New Year holidays. Holiday pricing is stark in the tracked data: December figures typically ran approximately $161-347 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026), with the December 26 sailing that returns on January 2, 2028 at the top of that range and the entire 2027 season's highest per-night figure.
Ships: Norwegian Encore Destinations: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta Duration: 7 nights
Ship Deployment
- Norwegian Encore - January 3 through April 11 and October 17 through December 26, 2027; 26 seven-night round-trips from Los Angeles; the only 2027 Mexican Riviera ship offering Studio cabins built for single occupancy, and the only ship covering both halves of the season
- Norwegian Star - January 2 through March 27, 2027; 13 seven-night round-trips from San Diego, sailing every Saturday; runs the three Ensenada-pattern itineraries in January and does not appear on the tracked calendar after March
- Norwegian Joy - April 21 through May 6, 2027; one 15-night Panama Canal repositioning voyage from Miami to Los Angeles calling Puerto Quetzal, Colon, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Cartagena and Puntarenas
Deployment plans are set well in advance but do change. Confirm the ship and itinerary assigned to your sailing directly with Norwegian Cruise Line before booking flights or hotels.
Planning Tips for a 2027 Mexican Riviera Cruise
- Pick the homeport before the itinerary. With Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta on nearly every sailing, the real decision is Los Angeles versus San Diego. San Diego's tracked season ends March 27, 2027, so anything after that means Los Angeles.
- Decide early if you want a Saturday. All 13 Norwegian Star sailings from San Diego depart on Saturdays, while all 26 Norwegian Encore sailings from Los Angeles depart on Sundays. That one-day difference drives your flight or drive-in day.
- Watch the direction of the loop. Five Norwegian Encore departures between November 7 and December 12, 2027 call Puerto Vallarta first and Cabo San Lucas last. If you have a preference about which port lands on which day of the week, check the sequence rather than assuming.
- Plan around the tendering. Cabo San Lucas is commonly a tender port, which affects how early you can get ashore and how tightly you should schedule an independent excursion. Verify the arrangement for your sailing with the cruise line.
- Check documentation requirements early. A valid passport book is typically required for cruise travel (passport cards are generally not sufficient). Requirements vary by itinerary and citizenship. Always verify current documentation requirements with your cruise line and check official government travel advisories before your trip.
- Consider the one-way logistics on the Joy voyage. The April 21, 2027 Miami departure disembarks in Los Angeles, so a return flight is part of the plan. Confirm disembarkation timing with the cruise line before booking it.
How to Find the Best Deals on Mexican Riviera Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line pricing fluctuates based on demand, booking time, and availability. Here's how to time your booking:
- Book early - Promotional fares are often available 12-18 months in advance, and the 2027 calendar is already fully published
- Monitor price drops - Fares change weekly; set up deal alerts to track your preferred sailings
- Consider shoulder season - Mid-January and the October restart carried the lowest tracked per-night figures of the 2027 season, typically running approximately $138-151 per night for solo travelers at single occupancy in an inside cabin (subject to change, as of August 2026)
- Expect movement within a sailing's own history - Across 364 tracked snapshots, the current inside fare for a given 2027 Mexican Riviera sailing sat a median of roughly 8 percent above the lowest figure ever recorded for that same sailing, and the gap between each sailing's tracked low and tracked high ran a median of roughly 60 percent (as of August 2026)
- Compare the two homeports on the same week - In February and March 2027 the Los Angeles and San Diego sailings run one day apart, and the tracked per-night figures for the paired weeks are not the same
Our deal finder shows real-time pricing across all 40 tracked 2027 departures, helping you compare fares for your preferred dates and departure port.
Between two West Coast homeports, three ships and a calendar that runs from a New Year's week departure through to the following New Year, the 2027 Mexican Riviera season offers a compact set of choices that are easy to compare side by side.
Ready to book? Check live pricing and availability for any of these sailings.
Data current as of August 2026, derived from CabinSaver's own cruise fare tracking. Always verify availability and details directly with the cruise line.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which departure ports offer Mexican Riviera cruises in 2027?
Los Angeles and San Diego are the two round-trip departure ports for Norwegian Cruise Line's 2027 Mexican Riviera season, with 26 sailings from Los Angeles and 13 from San Diego. One additional 15-night repositioning voyage departs Miami on April 21, 2027 and ends in Los Angeles, reaching Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta by way of the Panama Canal. Always verify departure ports and terminals directly with the cruise line before booking.
What ports do 2027 Mexican Riviera cruises visit?
Cabo San Lucas is the most-visited stop with 40 calls across the 2027 season, followed by Mazatlan with 39 calls and Puerto Vallarta with 37. Ensenada appears on three San Diego round-trips as a fourth Mexican stop. Port sequences and calls are subject to change, so verify the itinerary for your specific sailing with the cruise line.
Which ships sail the Mexican Riviera in 2027?
Norwegian Encore operates 26 of the 40 tracked 2027 Mexican Riviera sailings from Los Angeles, Norwegian Star operates 13 round-trips from San Diego, and Norwegian Joy operates a single 15-night Panama Canal repositioning voyage from Miami to Los Angeles in April 2027. Deployment plans can change, so confirm the ship assigned to your sailing with the cruise line.
How long are Mexican Riviera cruises in 2027?
Seven nights is the standard length: 39 of the 40 tracked 2027 Mexican Riviera sailings run seven nights round-trip from Los Angeles or San Diego. The one exception is a 15-night repositioning voyage from Miami to Los Angeles in April 2027. Itineraries and durations are subject to change.
When is the best time to cruise the Mexican Riviera in 2027?
The 2027 season splits into a January-to-April winter block and an October-to-December autumn block, with no tracked sailings between late April and mid-October. January and October carry the lowest tracked per-night fares of the year for solo travelers at single occupancy, while late December holiday departures carry the highest. Fares and schedules are subject to change.