Carone, who grew up in Southern California and has family in Santa Barbara and San Francisco, said she has been to the California ports dozens of times.
"These places are not exotic or anything," she said. "When you tell me you are going to take me to Santa Barbara and San Diego for $700, I can go there on my own."
Brian Capt, a passenger on Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, who departed from San Pedro on Sunday for a seven-day cruise of the Mexican Riviera with his wife and four children, said via e-mail his family was offered only $150 in onboard credits as compensation for the changes.
"That translates on the ship to three, yes, three bingo cards," he wrote, adding: "My kids wanted to go to Disneyland, and I told them that a cruise would be so much more fun. . . . Wow, was I ever wrong."
Cruise line representatives said most passengers have taken the changes in stride, and they apologized for the inconvenience, saying the schedule changes were made in response to recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico.
"We understand there is going to be disappointment because it's not the itinerary they expected," said Karen Candy, a spokeswoman for Princess Cruises.
Princess Cruises says it will avoid Mexican ports through May 24. Carnival, the world's largest cruise line, is avoiding Mexico through May 11, while Royal Caribbean is steering clear through June 14.
"We feel that this situation has been beyond the control of any cruise line," said Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokeswoman for Carnival Cruise Lines.
New cruise line itineraries are posted on the company websites: www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.royalcaribbean.com, www.ncl.com, www.hollandamerica.com.
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hugo.martin@latimes.com
The Associated Press was used in compiling this report.
