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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Note: All translated articles are the property of Cozumel Insider and cannot be used, displayed or reproduced without express written permission from Cozumel Insider.
04/21/2025 - Numbers go down slightly this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 20 ships registered to dock as we move on after Spring Break vacations. This is 1 ship less than last week and the same as the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 22 ships in port during the same week of 2024. An estimated 70,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US$ 7.5 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 9 ships docking there, 5 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 6 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have 0 arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 3 ships will dock, 7 ships will dock on Tuesday, 3 ships on Wednesday, 3 ships on Thursday, 2 ships on Friday 2 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
Cozumel Kicks Off 2025 Sea Turtle Committee Installation
The Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC) participated in the installation of the Quintana Roo Committee for the Protection, Conservation, and Management of Sea Turtles.
During the 2025 kickoff event, biologist Ricardo Peralta Muñoz, technical manager of the Punta Sur Turtle Camp, highlighted the actions prior to the start of the nesting season for the Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta species, such as the beach clean-up campaigns that have been underway for the past couple of months with the support of volunteers. Juanita Alonso Marrufo, the General Director of the FPMC, said that this work prioritizes nature conservation and community participation. “The sea turtle program is a clear example of how environmental education and volunteering can transform people’s relationship with their environment,” she stated. Alonso Marrufo emphasized that the FPMC is a pioneer in the protection of sea turtles in the country, with 37 uninterrupted years of work on behalf of these flagship species, which include species protected by NOM-059-SEMARNAT due to their endangered status. “Several generations of Cozumel residents have grown up with a different awareness, thanks to this program that has left its mark on the community and on marine conservation,” she said.
Cozumel Breaks Cruise Ship Record
Cozumel breaks record with cruise ship tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2025. The goal for the end of the current year is to break the record again with 5 million cruise ship visitors by the end of the year.
Cozumel broke a record for cruise ship tourism arrivals in the first quarter of 2025, with a count of 1,502,727 visitors from this tourism segment, a figure that surpasses records for the first three months of recent years and is unprecedented. José Luis Chacón Méndez, mayor of the most important cruise ship destination in the Americas, emphasized that these statistics reflect a trend that will lead the island to close the year with at least five million visitors embarked, marking a historic figure for the municipality. “Last year, Cozumel welcomed 4,623,000 tourists; the goal is to reach 5 million. We will achieve this by working closely with the shipping companies and tourism entrepreneurs on the island and internationally. During our participation in Seatrade Cruise Global 2025, we held important meetings with the shipping companies, who expressed their complete confidence and assured us that Cozumel is a leading, high-quality destination with a vast array of natural beauty,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Quintana Roo Comprehensive Port Authority (Apiqroo) announced that the cruise ship list for last week estimated that 80,459 tourists were expected to arrive on 21 tourist vessels.
SSC Says Public Security Camera Reviews Underway In All 11 Municipalities
Authorities say an operation in underway to review all video surveillance cameras throughout the state. At a recent press conference, the Secretary of Citizen Security (SSC) said all 11 municipalities are being reviewed.
The extensive review is being made after illegal surveillance cameras were found installed in public places in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Tulum, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. Between those four municipalities, police have located nearly 100 illegally installed surveillance cameras so far this year. SSC head Rear Admiral Julio César Gómez Torres said all cameras are being reviewed to ensure they are legally installed and registered. He said unauthorized cameras are considered a potential threat to security. Any cameras found not to be registered by the state will be removed. Gómez Torres announced that operations are continuing in the 11 municipalities to verify the status of video surveillance cameras installed in public spaces, which are not permitted.
“Video surveillance cameras installed in public spaces such as light or telephone poles, trees, traffic lights or any type of municipal or state infrastructure, must be officially authorized and registered. “Operating them without the proper permits can pose a risk to public privacy and to the integrity of investigations conducted by authorities. For this reason, unauthorized devices are considered a potential threat to security and the current legal framework,” he explained. “Each camera detected must be reported and verified, and if it does not correspond to those registered by the State, it will be removed.” According to Gómez Torres, there is close coordination with members of the various security agencies and all levels of government so that when conducting patrols, they can identify locations where rogue cameras exist and proceed according to the agreed-upon protocol, thereby reducing the capabilities of criminal groups. He also said that work is being done in collaboration with the institutions to update the State Video Surveillance Law to strengthen action against those who illegally place these devices in public spaces.
“The public is once again urged to report these types of devices to 911 for anonymous reporting. Likewise, we invite those who have these devices on their properties to participate in the Guardianes 911 program, which involves linking their video cameras to the Collaborative Monitoring systems of the various Command Centers and thus creating a stronger support network against crime,” he said. “With actions like this, the Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana (SSC) reaffirms its commitment to legality, transparency, and the safety of the people of Quintana Roo.”
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
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 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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04/21/2025 - Numbers go down slightly this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 20 ships registered to dock as we move on after Spring Break vacations. This is 1 ship less than last week and the same as the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 22 ships in port during the same week of 2024. An estimated 70,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US$ 7.5 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
