Is Mexico Safe for American Tourists Right Now?

Is traveling to Mexico as dangerous as some people make it seem? (Photo: Thinkstock)

The drug-fueled violence that is growing in Mexico is getting too close for comfort for some cruise lines in Puerto Vallarta.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. recently canceled some Mexican ports of call by Celebrity Cruises’ Infinity and Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas. Royal Caribbean tells Yahoo Travel, the calls were canceled “due to the recently experienced episodes of violent civil unrest, stemming from criminal gangs that have engaged in armed conflict with local authorities.

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Other cruise lines tell Yahoo Travel they’re adjusting their visits to Puerto Vallarta as well, as drug cartels in the state of Jalisco — where Puerto Vallarta is located — have stepped up violence there in recent weeks. One cartel reportedly shot down a Mexican military helicopter earlier this month, killing at least six soldiers. And last week, cartels used burning vehicles to block highways and carried out arson attacks against businesses throughout Jalisco.

This latest violence so near a popular cruise destination has brought up more questions about the safety of travel to Mexico — a popular tourist spot despite its long and bloody drug war. 

Last week, the U.S. Department of State updated its Mexico Travel Warning. The extensive new report highlights the positive: Millions of Americans visit Mexico each year without incident, and many of the country’s most popular tourist areas remain safe for Americans. The 10 Weirdest Things to See and Do in Mexico City

But the State Department also has a disturbing new warning: The number of Americans murdered in Mexico went up last year, with 100 reported homicides in 2014, compared to 81 in 2013.

With drug groups openly battling law enforcement, as well as each other, in certain parts of Mexico, American visitors are sometimes among the victims of the violence. The State Department says, “While many of those killed in organized crime-related violence have themselves been involved in criminal activity, innocent persons have also been killed.