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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07/20/2026 - Numbers go up a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 22 ships registered to dock as we enjoy Summer vacations. This is 2 more ships than last week and 2 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 15 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 77,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 8.2 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 6 ships docking there, 8 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 8 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 4 ships will dock, 3 ships will dock on Tuesday, 4 ships on Wednesday, 3 ships on Thursday, 4 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
Sahara Dust Cloud To Blanket Yucatan Peninsula Through Mid-July
A dense cloud of Saharan dust will linger over the Yucatan Peninsula for much of this week, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) confirmed last Sunday. The phenomenon began moving into the region last week and is expected to persist until mid-July. The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) will advance over Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo before spreading toward Gulf Coast states, according to the SMN, which based its advisory on NASA satellite imagery.
Over the coming days, residents can expect hazy sunrises and sunsets with intense red, orange, lilac, and purple hues , one of the most visible effects of the dust particles suspended in the atmosphere. In addition to altering the sky’s appearance, the Saharan dust may partially reduce rainfall, as dry air masses limit cloud development when particle concentrations are high. However, this does not signal an end to precipitation or alter the ongoing Atlantic hurricane season.
Saharan dust is an annual phenomenon occurring between June and September, when massive amounts of sand and fine particles are carried from North Africa by trade winds, traveling thousands of kilometers across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean and the Yucatan Peninsula. Although the particles typically remain in the upper atmosphere, authorities recommend that people with allergies or respiratory conditions take precautions, especially during periods of higher dust concentration or gusty winds.
The SMN anticipates that this will not be the only Saharan dust cloud to affect the region this season, and similar episodes may occur in the coming weeks.
State Continues Work On Coastal Guidelines For Beach Zoning Plan
The state continues its efforts to develop guidelines in the coastal zoning plan of Quintana Roo. The guidelines are meant to deal with the state’s continued problem with mass beach erosion.
The head of the Secretariat of Ecology and Environment (SEMA), Oscar Rébora Aguilera, reported that the state government is working on the development of guidelines that could become the first coastal zoning plan in the country. The goal he says is to speed up beach restoration and recovery projects in Quintana Roo. He explained that the guidelines will allow the definition of specific zones according to the natural characteristics of each coastline, such as geomorphology, type of sand and erosion conditions, thus facilitating the environmental processes necessary to develop coastal recovery projects. “We are working on guidelines that could lead to the first coastal management plan in the country. It is similar to POEL (Local Economic Development Plan), where we can define certain areas based on their geomorphology, the type of sediment, and the conditions of the beaches in the state,” he said. Rébora Aguilera indicated that this model would allow for more agile Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) since it would have prior studies that would simplify the technical and administrative processes. “Environmental impact assessments would be much simpler because this planning process would already have many of the necessary advancements. We would save a lot of time on that,” he explained.
The head of SEMA stressed that the erosion problem is not limited to Cancun or Riviera Maya but affects different areas of the Quintana Roo coast where some beaches lose sand more quickly than others. “It’s not just Cancun. We have an erosion problem throughout the entire state. There are places where we are losing much more beach than in others and we need to find a comprehensive solution,” he stated. He also stated that the goal is to move beyond temporary solutions such as simply filling with sand and instead focus on long-term ecological restoration strategies. “You can’t just grab the sand, dredge it, and repave the beaches. It’s a quick fix, but what we’re looking for today is to rebuild the coastal dunes, the seagrass beds, and even have a regenerative vision for the corals themselves,” he pointed out.
Rébora Aguilera added that the project has required more than a year and a half of technical work together with academics, scientists and specialists, in order to build a solid model that allows for a sustainable approach to coastal erosion in Quintana Roo. “It involves a lot of technical work and also getting many specialists to agree in order to make joint decisions, but these guidelines will give us a roadmap for how the beaches should be restored,” he concluded.
Environmentalists Demand Transparency Over Dolphin Activity Fee In Quintana Roo
Environmental activists are demanding transparency over a 50-peso fee charged to tourists for recreational, educational, therapeutic, or interactive activities with captive dolphins in Quintana Roo. The group Manglares Más Vivos Más Sanos has raised concerns about how the funds are being managed, targeting the state’s Secretary of Ecology and Environment (Sema), Oscar Rébora Aguilera, and Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa.
Selene Tejada Bravo, a representative of the collective, said that Tuesday marks the deadline for authorities to respond to a formal information request filed through the National Transparency Platform under file number 340026700353026. The request seeks details on revenue collected since the tax on activities with aquatic animals took effect under Decree 078, which amended the Quintana Roo State Revenue Law. “What Sema and the Government of Quintana Roo have done to the environment is everything except their obligations,” Tejada Bravo said. “It has nothing to do with dogs and cats. It’s about defending mangroves, defending wildlife, defending life, not private interests alongside Mara Lezama. We are very upset by the lack of transparency.” The group is asking for a full accounting of income, how the funds are allocated, the criteria for determining the tax, and what benefits the money has provided for marine mammals in the state. Meanwhile, the international animal rights organization PETA Latin America has launched a petition calling on Quintana Roo authorities to create a sanctuary for dolphins. The state is home to 18 of Mexico’s 31 registered dolphinariums, accounting for 80% of the country’s facilities. An estimated 200 to 240 cetaceans remain in captivity, though no official census exists. Local authorities have remained silent on the issue, despite claiming on social media to be “vigilant guardians” of cetacean welfare.
A 2025 reform to the General Wildlife Law restricted shows involving marine mammals and banned their reproduction in captivity but left the fate of animals already in captivity unclear. One notable case involves nine dolphins housed at the former Ventura Park site in Cancún. State officials say the animals are not abandoned and receive specialized veterinary care. Dolphinariums in Quintana Roo are located in Cancún, Riviera Maya, Playa Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, Cozumel, and Isla Mujeres. Dolphin Discovery was shut down by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa) in October 2025, while Delphinus holds about 100 animals across seven locations.
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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07/20/2026 - Numbers go up a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 22 ships registered to dock as we enjoy Summer vacations. This is 2 more ships than last week and 2 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 15 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 77,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 8.2 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
