Beginning in December 2002, Insider was proudly the first website to provide readers the Cozumel News in English.
Articles are slected from local newspapers which we feel will be of interest to our diverse audience. These articles are then translated into English. We cannot always investigate the veracity of a particular article but offer these translations as a reflection of the Cozumel community news just as reporters write it for Por Esto, Diario de Quintana Roo, Novedades and El Seminario and many other sources.
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03/18/2024 - Numbers decrease slightly this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 30 ships registered to dock as we welcome Spring. This is 3 fewer ships than last week and 10 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 26 ships in port during the same week of 2023. An estimated 105,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $11.2 million dollars behind in the local economy.
High season for cruise ship arrivals typically runs from November 15 - April 15 each year with the remaining 7 months of the year considered "low season." This week Puerta Maya pier will be host to 12 ships docking there, 8 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 10 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have 0 arrival with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 1 ship will dock, 4 ships will dock on Tuesday, 8 ships on Wednesday, 7 ships on Thursday, 6 ships on Friday, 3 ships on Saturday and Sunday will see 1 ship in port. To see a complete list of this week's ship arrivals, please visit Insider's Weekly Cruise Ship Schedule
Cruise Tourism Grows In The First Two Months Of 2024 In Cozumel
The island of Cozumel received almost one million cruise tourists during the first two months of 2024, a figure that represents 18% more compared to the same period in 2023. According to the report from the Comprehensive Port Administration of Quintana Roo (Apiqroo), from January to February of last year, 784,896 passengers arrived on 157 cruise ships that stopped in Cozumel. This year there were 958,527 cabin occupants in 284 floating hotels.
Of the two months that have passed this year, January was the one that marked the highest balance, with 96,253 additional visitors compared to January 2023. In that month, a total of 504,886 tourists arrived on 150 floating islands that docked at the “Punta Langosta”, SSA México and “Puerta Maya” docks, the latter two in the southern part of the island and the first in the central part, just 500 meters from Benito Juárez Park. In the case of February there were 453,641 on 134 ocean liners. Last year 2023, 135 ships were received with 408,633 tourists during January, while, in February, the berths closed at 120 with a reception of 374,240 visitors.
Regarding the issue of the federal passenger route, the other shipping company plans to begin providing service next week, according to the notification presented by company representatives on February 6, in which they indicate that they will begin to provide service to starting at 07:30 in the morning every hour. Its last run, according to the document, will be from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen, at 08:30 at night, while the crossing from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel is at 09:30 at night. However, these times and dates are tentative, the Apiqroo executive stressed, since the shipping company had already announced dates in 2023 and 2024, without them specifying them.
Quintana Roo Lobster Fishermen Report One Of Their Best Seasons
As of March 1st ,the 2023-2024 lobster season for Quintana Roo fishermen came to a close. State fishermen reported a seasonal catch of around 350 tons. The five existing fishing cooperatives of Isla Mujeres spent Thursday rushing to remove their traps from the seabed and avoid sanctions. Many took advantage of the good weather conditions to lift the traps, which had to be out of the water before midnight February 29.
Baltazar Gómez Catzin, President of the federation’s fishing cooperatives called this last season good with the month of February being the most productive. He says there are 15 cooperatives associated with the federation who reported a total catch of 350 tons of whole lobster and around 25 tons of tail. Quintana Roo fishermen from the five cooperative from the southern zone (Xcalac, Andrés Quintana Roo, Azcorra, Langosteros del Caribe and Banco Chinchorro) captured 150 tons.
Three cooperatives from the central zone (the María Elena cooperatives from Cozumel, Punta Allen and Tulum) reported a capture of 85 tons, while the seven from the northern zone caught 125 tons of which 25 tons were captured between the Puerto Juárez and Cabo Catoche cooperatives of Holbox. The five cooperatives of Isla Mujeres reported a record-breaking total haul of 100 tons of whole lobster, 10 tons of which were caught 2 weeks ago. Gómez Catzin says it was one of the best seasons in recent years. Lobster season for Quintana Roo runs June 30 to March 1 each year.
Cozumel Police Participate In Mandatory Health And Fitness Classes
Cozumel police officers now have to participate in mandatory health and fitness classes to stay on the job. The new requirements include both classroom and workout time to ensure “correct health” and “good performance”.
The two-week health and wellness course is being taught “in order to endorse in the elements the teaching of correct health and good eating habits as well as good physical performance and conditioning,” Professionalization Institute of the Security Directorate head Dante López Cortez reported. Through the Institute, this initiative must be part of the basic training of the police. López Cortez says it is a permanent ongoing program for all Cozumel officers. Classroom topics being taught include motivation, psychology and self-esteem, closed order, police discipline as well as food and health as physical care. The new program also includes two fitness sessions per day. Dante López said that the topics covered in the course are with the intention that the elements are better prepared for their work on the street. He also said that in terms of food it is very difficult for officers, compared to a normal citizen, to eat in a healthy and balanced way due to their work schedules, which usually results in them choosing to eat what is within reach, which is why they are being provided with tools for proper eating. He said this type of training will be applied throughout the year until palpable results are seen within the Cozumel police corporation.
Cozumel Residents See No Need For A Third Ferry Company
The maritime passenger transportation market between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen is covered without problems by the shipping companies Winjet and Ultramar, so users of the island do not see the need for Xcaret Xailing to come into operation, as revealed by a survey among passengers.
The entry of the third shipping company into the market has already been delayed for more than six months, because the federal maritime transport authorities have not yet authorized the proposed rates. This was confirmed by Miguel Alberto Alonso Marrufo, representative of the Comprehensive Port Administration of Quintana Roo (Apiqroo), who indicated that the last date formally requested to begin sailing was February 10. During the Mexican Tourist Tianguis in 2021, businessman Miguel Quintana Pali made the announcement about his intention to enter Cozumel in the passenger ship market, with the purchase of three ships with capacity for 350 passengers each. In January 2023, the businessman reported that the vessels would begin operations in August of that year, but the deadline expired and nothing happened.
Miguel Alonso, Apiqroo's highest-ranking executive in Cozumel, announced that in January 2024 the representatives of Xcaret Xailing formally presented a new request to begin traveling the nautical route on February 10, but that did not happen either. Their rates are waiting to be authorized by the General Directorate of Ports, which depends on the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine, explained Alonso Marrufo. During a survey among local users at the entrance to the San Miguel dock, those interviewed said that they do not have many expectations about the entry into operation of the Xcaret ships, since they consider that their prices will not be lower than those of Winjet and Ultramar. “They come for the tourist dollars. We are not interested in Cozumeleños,” said Miguel Rivas, who mentioned that for work reasons he travels at least three times a week to Playa del Carmen. Ana Luisa Rangel, mother of the family, was another example that there is no great expectation for the third passenger shipping company. “I travel to Playa del Carmen for health reasons and to visit my children, and although in high season there is a lot of movement, Winjet and Ultramar serve perfectly. They have some incidents, but they are minimal. Those from Xcaret are businessmen from outside and do not think about those of us who live in Cozumel” she said.
Need a LEGAL U.S. Notary Service? THIS is your solution!
It has happened to ALL of us U.S. Citizens who spend significant amounts of time living / working in Cozumel: reading the dreaded words on a document from back home: "Notarized Signature Required." It's such a simple thing and no one wants the added expense of travelling back to the U.S. just to have their signature notarized but there are many legal processes in the U.S.A. where nothing BUT a notarized signature will be accepted.
Some common documents that U.S. Citizens need notarized while living abroad are: Real Estate Deeds or Mortgages, executing Wills, Powers of Attorney, requests for Birth / Marriage / Death Certificates, Permission for a parent to get a minor’s US Passport, banking / insurance / bonding documents, permission for a minor to travel without parents or application for duplicate or replacement vehicle titles just to name a few.
In the past, the most common solution was for a U.S. Citizen to make their way to the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy where notaries are always available but the fees involved can be quite expensive. In addition there is the cost of actually travelling to the Consulate and who knows if appointments will even be available especially if the notarized signature is needed urgently. Plus from Cozumel that Consulate visit includes the cost of a ferry round trip to get to Playa del Carmen. All of these complicating factors just create more of a headache for something that is supposed to be relatively easy and inexpensive.
Another option frequently used has been that of a U.S. Notary operating outside of their country and jurisdiction. While this option is usually easy and cheap (often free or for a donation), it is one of those situations where "you get what you pay for" because technically these U.S. Notaries are operating ILLEGALLY as they are outside the legal jurisdiction for which they are authorized to notarize documents. In theory an illegal notarization could be attacked and challenged in the future and nullified causing legal issues with the documents signed. A fraud challenge to a Notary operating outside of the USA, simply involves a court asking the Notary to present their passport to the judge. Immigration stamps inside the passport will prove the Notary's whereabouts when documents were signed and if this was done inside the Notary's legal jurisdiction or illegally outside their authorized jurisdiction.
So do yourself a favor and avoid any future Signature Notary problems by utilizing an ON-LINE NOTARY SERVICE. Thanks to remote online notarization (RON), you can notarize a document from anywhere in the world, using your computer or mobile device and the internet. It takes only 10 minutes and is quite an easy process right from the comfort of your own home or office any hour of the day or night.
All you need to do is click this link 24/7 Online Notary Service To use this service, the fee is $25 USD and you must have a device with audio- visual capabilities (like a smart phone, tablet or PC) and proof of identity (a valid US Government-issued photo ID such as a Driver’s License or Passport). You can then access and meet with a licensed Notary Public who will notarize your papers in a matter of minutes. The process is easy, quick, efficient and AVAILABLE 24/7 online!! So WHY take a chance doing it any other way?!
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August 22, 2023 (Most Recent) Comprehensive Mexico Travel Warning
Because we are continually asked about travel safety in Mexico and Cozumel, INSIDER always maintains a condensed version of the U.S. State Department Mexico Travel Warning HERE on our website for traveler convenience.
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico Issued AUGUST 22, 2023 shows the Mexican State of Quintana Roo (includes Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, and Tulum) to be a LEVEL 2 Advisory - Exercise Increased Caution (Level 4 Advisory is Highest Risk):
There are "NO RESTRICTIONS" on U.S. government employees for travel to "ANY PARTS" of Quintana Roo state, which includes tourist areas such as: Cozumel, Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Tulum. However, U.S. government employees are advised to exercise increased situational awareness and caution after dark in downtown areas of Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen, and to remain in well-lit pedestrian streets and tourist zones.
U.S. citizens should as always exercise increased caution and be aware that according to Government of Mexico statistics, criminal activities and violence, including homicide, remain a concern throughout the State. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations and turf battles between criminal groups that have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Bystanders injuries, while rare, have occurred. While not directed at tourists, shootings between rival gangs have killed or injured innocent bystanders. Additionally, U.S. citizens have been the victims of both non-violent and violent crimes in tourist and non-tourist areas.
The Mexico Travel Warning dated August 22, 2023 from the Department of State can also be viewed in its entirety on the Department of State website.
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