San Diego is welcoming a cruise ship full of passengers who were rerouted because of the now-Tropical Storm Willa.
The Norwegian Bliss sailed into San Diego Bay just before 7 a.m. Wednesday.
The ship was supposed to visit several Mexico ports but was diverted north after Willa moved ashore Tuesday southeast of Mazatlan as a Category 3 hurricane.
As a result, more than 4,000 passengers will be stopping in our city and could be walking around the downtown area at lunchtime.
The hurricane's winds at landfall were estimated to be 120 mph, according to The Weather Channel. The storm has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.
The original itinerary included Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, according to Desire Rosa from Puerto Rico.
This was her first cruise and she and her husband were celebrating their first vacation in a long time as a couple, without their children.
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On the first day, they learned they were being diverted because of weather.
“All my clothes is for Mexican weather,” Rosa said. “It was a little challenging about the cold in San Francisco but it was beautiful.”
She and her husband plan to explore San Diego because they’ve never been to the zoo or Balboa Park.
“Just go with the flow,” she said. “That’s the Puerto Rico way.”
The Bliss is the newest ship for Norwegian Cruise Lines released earlier this year.
Some of the new amenities on this cruise ship include an aqua park, laser tag maze and a race track on the top deck.
There is also a mural by the artist Wyland on the bow of the ship.
