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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09/28/2026 - Numbers go down quite a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 16 ships registered to dock as we welcome Autumn and head towards October. This is 5 fewer ships than last week and 4 less than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 16 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 56,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 6 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 4 ships docking there, 5 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 7 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 2 ships will dock, 3 ships will dock on Tuesday, 3 ships on Wednesday, 3 ships on Thursday, 3 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
Marc Dubrick stole the spotlight from Lionel Sanders last Sunday, leading from the first stroke to the finish line to win Ironman 70.3 Cozumel by a decisive margin. The American, who also won the race in 2024, never surrendered the front of the field once he left the water. He finished in 3:39:18, more than seven minutes clear of his closest rival.
Dubrick emerged from the swim with a slim advantage: 19 seconds on Joaquin Pereda and just over half a minute on a chase group that included Flavio Morandini, Andrew Shellenberger, Rodrigo Gonzalez, Danilo Pimentel and Eli McWard. Sanders, the pre-race favorite, took far longer to reach his bike, exiting the water in ninth place, 2 minutes 58 seconds behind. Dubrick stayed on the attack through the bike leg, sticking to his own pacing plan and steadily building his lead. Even Sanders, who worked his way up to second on the bike, could not match the American’s speed. The Canadian reached T2 trailing by 3:49, while third-place rider Dominik Sowieja entered transition 7:36 back. By then, the race for the title had narrowed to Dubrick and Sanders. The expected duel never materialized. Dubrick controlled the closing half marathon as well, gaining time on his rivals with each kilometer and stretching his winning margin past seven minutes at the line. Sanders could not hold on to second place either. Mexico’s Rodrigo Gonzalez overtook him to finish second in 3:46:34, leaving Sanders third in 3:48:56.
The women’s field was smaller, and Mexico swept the podium. Cecilia Perez took the win in 4:21:36, ahead of Natalia Casas Gallegos (4:33:57) and Arlette Gonzalez (4:37:40)
Quintana Roo Tightens Rules For Scuba Divers Arriving With Specialized Gear
Tourism officials in Quintana Roo met with Cancún customs authorities and nautical industry representatives to smooth the way for divers who arrive in the Mexican Caribbean carrying specialized equipment. The State Tourism Department, known as Sedetur, said the meeting focused on improving entry procedures for visitors traveling with gear that is not standard tourist luggage. The activity draws more than 500,000 tourists to the state each year. Participants reviewed the types of equipment used to explore caves and caverns, as well as cameras, housings and other devices used for underwater photography and video.
Among the agreements reached, the group proposed: Strengthening training for customs personnel. Establishing direct communication channels with dive service providers. Offering clearer information to travelers about what they can bring into the country. Bernardo Cueto Riestra, who heads Sedetur, said institutional coordination is essential to address the specific needs of the diving segment and to improve the experience of visitors to the state.
Quintana Roo offers a wide range of settings for the activity, from marine ecosystems to cave and cavern systems. State officials have described diving as part of the Mexican Caribbean’s broader strategy to diversify its tourism offerings. The meeting also sought to address concerns raised by industry members about customs procedures for temporarily importing specialized equipment.
Explorers Document New Underwater Cave System South Of Cozumel
A team of speleologists and scientists has documented Cueva Popotitos, a previously uncharted underwater cave system south of Cozumel, marking the first scientific record of the site. The network of flooded passages is now the subject of ongoing exploration and study. The cave reaches depths of more than 10 meters so far and is notable for holding mostly freshwater. On its ceilings, researchers identified mineral formations known as soda straws , thin calcite structures that grow downward like small drinking straws. Speleologist Germán Yañez said work is continuing to map passages that remain unexplored, as well as to analyze the characteristics and properties of the water running through the subterranean system.
The exploration also aims to determine whether Popotitos connects to other ecosystems on the island. One hypothesis under consideration is that the system may have underground links to emblematic areas such as Laguna Colombia, though that possibility still requires further investigation and confirmation. The discovery opens a new window for studying Cozumel’s water resources and geological history as specialists push deeper into the flooded labyrinth to learn how far it extends and what else lies beneath the surface.
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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09/28/2026 - Numbers go down quite a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 16 ships registered to dock as we welcome Autumn and head towards October. This is 5 fewer ships than last week and 4 less than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 16 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 56,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 6 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
