Cruise liners are being rerouted away from the shore of Mexico as the outbreak of swine flu continues to get worse in the country and elsewhere in the world.

A Carnival cruise departing Miami on 4 May on the Carnival Imagination has replaced the Mexican port of Cozumel with Nassau in the Bahamas. The company’s other ships are also affected.

A notice on the company’s website offers no refunds but says alternative bookings may be available.

Other companies, including Princess and Holland America, have followed suit on the advice of the US Centre of Disease Control and prevention to avoid all non-essential travel to the country.

No news has been posted on the well known cruising website noonsite.com with regard to yachtsmen experiencing problems along the coast.

Mexico declared a state of emergency on 23 April, leading one yachting website to speculate that the annual Baja Bash – when US yachtsmen head north up the west coast before hurricane season starts – could for some be brought forward by a month or more.