Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - With the arrival of the cruise ship Navigator yesterday, shipping agent Charles Gerard Guzmán reports that it was the last visit of that ship until later this year.

From October 2010 to April 2011, 160 vessels arrived at the port, according to the schedule of arrivals from the Administration Port Integral Puerto Vallarta (APIVAL). A surge in cruise ship arrivals was reported in October, closing 2010 with 557,210 tourists who visited Puerto Vallarta on 225 cruises.

The count for 2011 shows an expectation for a total of 171 arrivals with 298,070 tourists. This represents a decrease of up to 25% of cruise ships, resulting from the cancellation by Mariner of the Seas for their cruise to the Mexican Riviera.

During the month of April, there were a total of 17 arrivals with a total of 37,236 visitors, and it is estimated that each visitor spends between $75 and $90 dollars while in port.

This week the summer cruise season officially starts with the arrival of the Carnival Splendor. Ocean Dreams returns to Puerto Vallarta in July, Ocean Star at the end of May or early June, and the Thursday Disney Cruises resume in September.

Gerard Guzmán said the low season figures are not surprising, as this is the usual yearly cycle for the months of May and June, which normally do not have a high tourist influx. He also noted that he is hoping the many promotional campaigns for Puerto Vallarta will bring more visitors.

As a direct result of the decrease in visitors, local merchants experience a reduction in revenue, so the President of the Merchants Association called together local entrepreneurs to encourage them to enact new marketing plans in order to avoid having to lay off employees.

The insecurities of this year are having a strong impact because some of the cruise lines will not be visiting Vallarta. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines is not planning to return at this time, and Norwegian Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises have also decreased the number of cruises.

Happily, the Carnival Splendor, Holland America and Ocean Star Pacific will continue visiting our port throughout the summer.

Gerard Guzmán requested that employers and tourism industry officials in Puerto Vallarta not be alarmed, because this is the normal yearly cycle for tourism in the summer months. He also stressed to employers the importance of their efforts to keep their employees working.