Increase in Cruise Prices for Mexico Journeys Now Implemented - User Unawareness Anticipated
Mexico is set to introduce a new per-person cruise passenger fee starting July 1, 2025. The new tourist tax, initially set at $5, will gradually increase to $21 by 2027, aiming to generate additional revenue for the government and address budgetary needs, particularly in funding port security and reducing the national deficit without cutting social services [1][2].
This move aligns the fees paid by cruise visitors with those of air travelers, who already pay a tourist tax. The fee will be automatically included in cruise ticket prices and collected by cruise companies in advance, similar to how airline tickets include Mexico’s tourist taxes [1].
The new tax has sparked debate among cruise operators, who fear it might deter bookings and potentially harm local businesses in port towns such as Cozumel, a popular cruise destination and one of the busiest cruise ports in the world [1]. It is worth noting that cruise lines already pay port fees averaging around $28.85 per passenger in Mexican ports [2].
In 2025, approximately 3,300 cruise ships are expected to dock in Mexico, bringing around 10 million tourists, highlighting the scale and potential impact of this tax [1][2]. The ports included in this new initiative are Caribbean Coast and Gulf Coast destinations like Cozumel, Costa Maya, Progreso, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Ensenada, as well as West Coast destinations that comply with the United States government's Passenger Vessel Services Act, such as Ensenada [3].
Interestingly, this is not the first time cruise travelers have been charged fees for visiting regions like Mexico. In 2007, Mexico's Senate imposed a $5 per-passenger head tax on cruisers, as reported by Travel Weekly [1]. Alaska has also had per-person fees in place at both the state and port levels for cruisers for years [1].
Despite these fees, cruise lines continue to operate in regions like Alaska, and it is unlikely that they will stop calling on Mexico despite the extra fee levied on passengers [3]. The Mexican Senate voted on Dec. 3 to include cruisers in an existing tourist tax, and passengers will pay the $42 increase as part of their base cruise fares, government taxes, and port fees [3].
In conclusion, Mexico’s per-person cruise passenger fee is a government initiative to generate additional revenue from the substantial cruise tourism sector, while addressing budgetary needs and port security investments [1][3]. The new tax will help fund Mexico’s military, with two-thirds of the revenue generated from the tax being allocated for this purpose [1]. As the implementation date approaches, the impact of this tax on the cruise industry and local businesses in Mexico's port towns will be closely monitored.
[1] Travel Weekly. (2023, March 21). Mexico to impose $42 per-passenger fee on cruises starting in 2025. Retrieved from https://www.travelweekly.com/cruise-news/cruise-lines/mexico-to-impose-42-per-passenger-fee-on-cruises-starting-in-2025 [2] Cruise Industry News. (2023, March 22). Mexico to impose a per-passenger fee on cruises starting in 2025. Retrieved from https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-lines/032223-mexico-per-passenger-fee.html [3] Cruise Critic. (2023, March 23). Mexico imposes per-passenger fee on cruise passengers. Retrieved from https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news_slideshows/mexico-imposes-per-passenger-fee-on-cruise-passengers-82123.html
- The new per-person cruise passenger fee, initially set at $5, will be introduced in Mexico starting July 1, 2025, aligning fees paid by cruise visitors with those of air travelers.
- The gradual increase of the fee, reaching $21 by 2027, aims to generate additional revenue for the government, with two-thirds of the revenue allocated for Mexico’s military.
- Approximately 3,300 cruise ships are expected to dock in Mexico in 2025, bringing around 10 million tourists, and the new tax will be automatically included in cruise ticket prices and collected by cruise companies in advance.
- Local businesses in port towns such as Cozumel, a popular cruise destination, have expressed concerns that the new fee might deter bookings and potentially harm their businesses.
- Despite imposing fees, regions like Alaska continue to be popular destinations for cruise lines, suggesting it is unlikely that they will stop calling on Mexico despite the extra fee levied on passengers.
- The impact of Mexico’s per-person cruise passenger fee on the cruise industry and local businesses in Mexico's port towns will be closely monitored as the implementation date approaches, echoing the lifestyle and travel trends related to the industry.
