Mexico Unveils Massive Cruise Fee Cut: Save Up to 90%!
A charge that might have made Mexico
one of the priciest destinations for cruising
has been narrowly avoided.
During the winter of 2024, the Mexican government intended to introduce a $42 charge for cruise ship visitors planning to dock at the nation’s ports starting in 2025.
irrespective of whether or not they got off
However, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association along with its “member cruise lines,” which account for over 95% of the cruising capacity in the Caribbean and Latin America, managed to negotiate with the Mexican government, resulting in the fee being reduced to only $5.
“We appreciate the Federal Government of Mexico for collaborating with us to establish an ‘in-transit fee’ agreement that protects cruise tourism in the country and seeks to increase benefits for local communities reliant on this industry,” said Justin Paige, the association’s spokesperson, via email.
The negotiations led to a gradual hike in tourism charges. The fee will go up to $10 in 2026, climb further to $15 in 2027, and hit $21 by 2028, as stated by Paige.
Critics of the $42 charge included the Mexican Association of Maritime Agents, who
sent a letter to the Mexican authorities
On November 29, they argued that the new charge would “raise docking fees by as much as 213% relative to other nearby ports, pushing Mexico out of the international tourist sector” and warned that the country might miss out on up to 10 million visitors annually, which significantly benefit the economy each year.
In December, Chris Lenat, a licensed California-based travel agent, mentioned that cruise travelers were beginning to avoid trips to Mexico and opting instead for alternative Caribbean locations.