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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09/08/2025 - Numbers go up a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 17 ships registered to dock as we enter the first full week of September. This is 2 more ship than last week and 3 less than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 19 ships in port during the same week of 2024. An estimated 59,500 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US$ 6.3 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 7 ships docking there, 5 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 5 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 3 ship will dock, 3 ships will dock on Tuesday, 3 ships on Wednesday, 3 ships on Thursday, 2 ships on Friday, 3 ships on Saturday and Sunday will see 0 ships in port. To see a complete list of this week's ship arrivals, please visit Insider's Weekly Cruise Ship Schedule
Royal Caribbean Has Confirmed That It Will Submit Environmental Impact Statement
Environmentalists and citizens have called for the cancellation of the Royal Caribbean shipping company 's project in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, due to the potential environmental implications of the mega-tourism project . Now, the company asserts that it will not carry out any work in the area without obtaining environmental authorizations. Royal Caribbean International plans to invest $600 million in the development of the "Perfect Day Mexico" concept , which will be located in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, and will be ready by 2027.
In a letter to the public, the company stated that it will submit the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for evaluation in the coming weeks. “As part of our ongoing environmental commitment, we will conserve 45 hectares of existing mangroves. These mangroves are currently polluted due to damage caused to existing infrastructure. We will actively participate in restoring water flow throughout the ecosystem and collaborate to reverse existing groundwater degradation, allowing the mangroves to live in a thriving natural habitat and flourish in their surroundings,” the company promised. However, more than 250,000 people have signed a petition urging President Claudia Sheinbaum to cancel the project, warning that more than 90 hectares of mangroves will be destroyed. “The project threatens the very existence of Mahahual, a coastal town in southeastern Mexico bordering the second largest coral reef in the world. This project contemplates the construction of a 90-hectare water park on a protected mangrove area, a natural barrier essential to marine life, ecological balance, and our future,” the Change.org petition states.
The company has committed to building a new wastewater treatment plant and solid waste management facility that will serve not only the company's facility but also the local community, significantly improving the quality of life for residents throughout the region. "More than 95 percent of the treated wastewater will be available for beneficial reuse," the shipping company announced. The project has been included in the projects of Plan Mexico , an initiative of the current government to stimulate the economy and, at the same time, increase passenger flow, with the goal of making the country the fifth nation with the highest number of international tourists by the end of the decade.
Mega Cruise Ships Are Being Driven Away
The global cruise industry is advancing rapidly. Vessel sizes are growing rapidly, and starting in 2026, ships will be 12 percent longer, 67 percent wider, 78 percent heavier, and with a 72 percent greater capacity for tourists. To meet this demand for capacity, the port terminal company Muelles del Caribe began preparing a pier project in 2020, the first in Cozumel large enough to accommodate these mega-ships; however, it was recently announced that it would halt an investment of more than $2 billion. The company expects more favorable conditions to begin construction once Semarnat reviews the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), issued on December 7, 2021, by the General Directorate of Environmental Impact and Risk, number SGPA/DGIRA/DG-05859-21.
The ongoing review came after five environmental groups demanded an evaluation of an alleged "artificial reef," fictitiously called "Villablanca," which, however, does not appear in any government or private registry. The agency headed by Alicia Bárcena gave in to the activists, despite the fact that they had already lost a substantive lawsuit before a federal court in Quintana Roo and in a review by a Collegiate Court in Veracruz (indirect amparo 62/2022 and amparo under review 573/2023), where they were unable to prove their legal interest or the existence of said "reef." Although activists began their campaign to oppose Muelles del Caribe in 2022, just three months ago, other opponents emerged: Green Party legislators Karen Castrejón, Carlos Puente, and Renán Sánchez Tajonar, who rejected the development and even claimed that no permits existed. Opposition also comes from Sand Dollar Sports, which operates on Villablanca Beach, the name given to the supposed "reef", in reality, a complex of corroded metal structures and poorly maintained plants from which it sells coral restoration tourism experiences for up to $250. This isn't just any company: it's a multi-million-dollar business with more than 20 nautical vessels that also occupies the beach adjacent to where the pier will be built. This firm, owned by American John Flynn, acknowledges having financed at least two of the opposing environmental groups, given its interest in preserving the beach for Sand Dollar Sports.
The lack of legal certainty for investment in Quintana Roo is driving away capital from Mexico compared to Caribbean competitors such as Grand Bahama, Honduras, and even Belize, which offer clear rules and public-private partnerships for building mega-docks and hope to be part of the $1.6 billion in annual flow to the region.
Veterinarians Offer Services In Hard To Reach Places With the Animal Welfare Caravan
Veterinarians are participating in a mobile health caravan for pets. The caravan is traveling to communities where people do not have access to full veterinary care.
The Animal Welfare Caravan began last month in a Cancun suburb where, according to Governor Mara Lezama, 50 dogs were sterilized for free and 100 pet kits handed out. The Animal Welfare Caravans are being held with the goal of bringing free sterilizations and vaccinations to the public. They will visit vulnerable communities and/or those lacking accessible veterinary services, she said. Veterinarians will sterilize 1,200 domestic animals (dogs and cats), as well as distribute 1,000 animal welfare kits containing tick-repellent soap, deworm, vitamins, a food bag, a food dish and water.
The caravans are coordinated by the Secretariat of Ecology and Environment, the Institute of Biodiversity and Natural Protected Areas and the Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection.
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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September 6, 2024 (Most Recent) Comprehensive Mexico Travel Warning
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico Issued SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 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 the 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 September 6, 2024 from the Department of State can also be viewed in its entirety on the Department of State website.
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09/08/2025 - Numbers go up a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 17 ships registered to dock as we enter the first full week of September. This is 2 more ship than last week and 3 less than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 19 ships in port during the same week of 2024. An estimated 59,500 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US$ 6.3 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
