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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10/12/2026 - Numbers go down a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 16 ships registered to dock as we celebrate Columbus Day. This is 4 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, 4 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 2 ships will dock, 2 ships will dock on Tuesday, 3 ships on Wednesday, 4 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
Cozumel Tightens Crocodile Response Protocols After Sightings
Officials from all three levels of government and local organizations agreed to tighten coordination on crocodile reports across Cozumel, responding to growing concern among residents after a series of recent sightings. The meeting was convened by the island’s Ecology Subdirectorate and included representatives from the Quintana Roo Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Natural Areas (IBANQROO), the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (PROFEPA), the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP), the State Environmental Protection Agency (PPA), the Integral Port Administration of Quintana Roo (APIQROO), the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), the Port Captaincy, the Hotel Association, Civil Protection, the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT) and the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC), among other institutions.
Participants reviewed the protocols for handling incidents involving crocodiles, along with the monitoring, rescue and wildlife management work currently carried out on the island. IBANQROO director Javier Carballar presented the agency’s procedures for human-crocodile emergencies and stressed the need for clear steps among the institutions that respond to such situations. Noel Rivas Camo, of the Ecology Subdirectorate, outlined the actions taken to manage and rescue wildlife, as well as the measures adopted in response to reports from the public. The authorities agreed to step up monitoring, train the personnel involved and expand public outreach on preventive measures, particularly in coastal areas and other sites where contact between people and wildlife may increase.
What to Do If You See a Crocodile: Officials urged the public to keep a safe distance from any crocodile, avoid approaching, feeding, chasing or trying to capture the animal, and immediately report its presence by calling 911 so that trained personnel can respond. The participating institutions also agreed to maintain ongoing communication to improve their response to future reports and to promote safe coexistence with wildlife among residents and visitors.
Officials noted that crocodiles are part of Cozumel’s biodiversity and said timely information and responsible behavior are key to reducing risk.
CONANP Closes Four Cozumel Reefs For Two Months To Aid Coral Recovery
Divers heading to Cozumel this fall may discover that a favorite reef is temporarily off limits. It isn’t an emergency closure, and it doesn’t mean something has suddenly gone wrong underwater. It is part of a conservation strategy Cozumel has used since 2019, periodically giving heavily visited sections of its famous reef system a break from divers, snorkelers and tourist boats.
From October 1 through November 30, San Francisco, San Francisco Bajo, Santa Rosa and Pared de Santa Rosa are closed to tourism as part of that rotating program. At the same time, Palancar Cuevas, Palancar Ladrillos, Colombia Somero, Colombia Intermedio and Colombia Profundo have reopened after completing their August and September rest period. Cozumel’s reefs don’t all close at once; different sections take turns.
Why Did Cozumel Start Closing Reefs? The program dates to one of the most difficult periods Cozumel’s reefs have faced in recent years. In 2018, a fast-moving coral disease commonly called White Syndrome was detected in the Mexican Caribbean. It attacks hard corals, causing rapid tissue loss and potentially killing an entire colony in susceptible species. By 2019, CONANP reported that monitoring at some reefs inside Cozumel National Park showed losses of up to 90% among coral species susceptible to the disease. That October, authorities took the unusual step of temporarily closing Palancar, Colombia and El Cielo to recreational activities. The closure was never presented as a cure for White Syndrome. Instead, the goal was to remove as much additional stress as possible while scientists monitored an ecosystem already struggling with disease and unusually warm water. When those sites reopened, CONANP developed a rotating reef-rest strategy rather than repeatedly closing the entire southern section of the marine park.
What Does a Reef “Rest” Actually Accomplish? A two-month break does not magically restore damaged coral. What it does is temporarily remove some of the everyday pressure associated with intensive tourism, including divers and snorkelers in the water, boats operating above the reef and the possibility of accidental contact with coral and other marine life. CONANP has said there is no single measurement that can tell scientists exactly how much a particular reef improves during one closure. Officials have, however, reported positive changes during rest periods, including increased sightings and diversity of fish and better development of coral organisms. The unusually long tourism shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic also gave park managers an unplanned opportunity to observe what happened when recreational pressure virtually disappeared. Those observations helped reinforce the idea that reducing human activity can be useful as one part of a much broader conservation strategy.
Some Closures Coincide With Coral Spawning. Timing can matter, too. When CONANP closed Palancar Cuevas, Palancar Ladrillos and sections of Colombia during August and September in 2020, the agency specifically pointed to coral spawning season.Corals reproduce sexually by releasing eggs and sperm into the water, sometimes in synchronized events involving large numbers of colonies. Successful reproduction is critical to maintaining genetic diversity and creating future generations of coral, so reducing recreational activity during this sensitive period removes one potential source of disturbance. That August-September grouping has continued to appear in Cozumel’s rotating closure schedule, including this year’s recently completed rest period.
Does This Mean Diving in Cozumel Is Closed? No. The Cozumel National Park remains open, and only designated reef sites are temporarily taken out of rotation. When the original emergency closure was introduced in 2019, CONANP emphasized that the affected sites represented only a portion of Cozumel’s recreational reef system and that numerous other dive and snorkel sites remained available. Dive operators simply adjust their itineraries to reefs that are open while the closed sites are left alone until their scheduled rest period ends. For October and November, that means no recreational visits to San Francisco, San Francisco Bajo, Santa Rosa or Pared de Santa Rosa, while the Palancar and Colombia sites that rested during August and September are available again. Visitors with a particular reef on their must-dive list should check the current closure schedule before booking, particularly if that site is an important part of their plans.
The Bigger Problem Can’t Be Solved With Closures. Giving a reef two months without tourists can reduce direct human pressure, but it cannot protect coral from everything happening around it. CONANP’s broader White Syndrome action plan identifies multiple threats to Mexican Caribbean reefs, including poor water quality, inadequate wastewater treatment, warming seas, invasive species and environmental effects associated with large sargassum arrivals. Coral bleaching driven by high water temperatures presents another challenge that a local tourism closure cannot prevent. The rotating rests are therefore best understood as one management tool rather than a solution to reef decline, alongside monitoring, water-quality improvements, responsible tourism, restoration work and efforts to improve reef resilience.
Why Protecting Cozumel’s Reefs Matters. The Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel protects part of the Mesoamerican Reef System, which extends through the western Caribbean. For Cozumel, however, protecting the reef isn’t simply an environmental issue; it is also important to the island’s economy. Dive shops, boat captains, instructors, restaurants, hotels and other businesses depend on people continuing to travel to Cozumel specifically because of what is underwater. That creates a balancing act: tourism depends on access to the reef, while heavy use can add pressure to the ecosystem the park is trying to protect. Rotating closures are designed to make that compromise possible. Rather than shutting large areas indefinitely, individual reefs periodically get a break while tourism shifts elsewhere. Most dive operators have adapted to the system, although CONANP continues surveillance with other authorities and unauthorized entries into closed areas remain a concern.
For divers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: a closed reef isn’t gone for good; it’s taking its turn to rest. San Francisco and Santa Rosa are scheduled to reopen after November 30, while other sections of Cozumel’s reef system will continue through their own periods of use and rest as the conservation program moves through its rotation.
Trash And Sargassum Trap Dozens Of Sea Turtle Hatchlings On Cozumel
Dozens of sea turtle hatchlings were found trapped among sargassum and solid waste during a cleanup along Cozumel’s eastern coast, in the stretch between Mezcalitos and Punta Morena.
Personnel from the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone Directorate (Zofemat) and the Mexican Navy (Semar) found live and dead turtles buried in the macroalgae and trash. Crews had to remove the debris by hand to open a path to the ocean for the hatchlings that were still alive. According to authorities, the absence of daily supervision patrols in that stretch allowed waste to pile up and hinder the turtles’ movement toward the sea.Gerardo Can, who heads Zofemat on the island, said crews removed 210 kilograms of solid waste during the operation, mainly bottles, caps and metals mixed in with the sargassum. That combination, he said, creates a physical barrier that can prevent hatchlings from completing their journey from the beach to the ocean.
Despite the discovery, Can said the eastern coastline remains under a green alert status because of the low levels of sargassum that have washed ashore in recent weeks. Collection work currently runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with crews removing an average of up to two tons of sargassum per day. The incident nonetheless showed that even when relatively little algae arrives, accumulated waste can become a critical obstacle for marine wildlife during nesting season. The cleanup efforts aim to keep the coastal strip clear and make it easier for hatchlings to reach the water.
Authorities continued removing sargassum and trash from the area, where the presence of hatchlings has underscored the need for stronger monitoring and cleanup at the points where the turtles make their way to the ocean.
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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May 29, 2026 (Most Recent) Comprehensive Mexico Travel Warning
Because we are continually asked about travel safety in Mexico and more specifically Cozumel, INSIDER always maintains a condensed version of the U.S. State Department Mexico Travel Warning relating to Cozumel HERE BELOW on our website for traveler convenience.
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico Issued May 29, 2026 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 May 29, 2026 from the Department of State can also be viewed in its entirety on the Department of State website.
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10/12/2026 - Numbers go down a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 16 ships registered to dock as we celebrate Columbus Day. This is 4 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. 
