A pier damaged in Mahahual, Mexico. Image courtesy of USA Today

Ernesto may have been downgraded to a Tropical Storm, but is believed to be gaining hurricane strength again over open water in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall within the next 24 hours in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico.

At the time of publishing, the National Hurricane Centre had recorded Ernesto as being approximately 150 kilometres off the coast of Coatzacoalcos, with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometres per hour.

Moving towards the west, this motion is expected to continue for the next 24-28 hours as it moves inland over southern Mexico where it is expected to dissipate.

Three to six inches of additional rainfall is expected over Veracruz, Tabasco, Puebla and Oaxaca, Mexico with the possibility of flash flooding and mudslides.

Seatrade Insider reports that the Costa Maya cruise pier has sustained no structural damage with vp Port Operations Cesar Lizarraga telling the publication that the storm damage was minimal with the port on schedule to receive their first ship on 21 August.

The neighbouring town of Mahahual is still without power but repairs are currently underway with Disney Fantasy expected to be the first ship to return to the port on 21 August.

According to CruiseCal.com, Carnival Freedom has reverted back to her original itinerary and is currently in Cozumel, Mexico while Carnival Dream is in Freeport, Bahamas instead of Costa Maya and will call into Nassau tomorrow.

Carnival Legend is in Georgetown, Grand Cayman as opposed to Roatan and Carnival Imagination has docked at Nassau, Bahamas instead of her scheduled day at sea.

Disney Fantasy continues on her revised Eastern Caribbean itinerary instead of the original Western Caribbean itinerary as scheduled.