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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03/23/2026 - Numbers go up by a few this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 38 ships registered to dock as we fully welcome Spring. This is 3 more ships than last week and 18 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 36 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 133,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 14.2 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 15 ships docking there, 11 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 12 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 6 ships will dock, 8 ships will dock on Tuesday, 5 ships on Wednesday, 7 ships on Thursday, 7 ships on Friday, 4 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
Up And Coming Royal Caribbean Beach Club Will Set You Back $310 USD Per Day Pass
Royal Caribbean says once permits are in order, they will begin construction of their new Cozumel beach club. A day pass to access the up-and-coming Royal Beach Club Cozumel at Playa Paradise will set you back a whopping $310 USD per person. According to the company, the price of $310 USD or around 5,560 pesos at the current exchange rate, includes a 30 minute massage for two, a bottle of champagne, waterpark access and a day bed (if available).
Royal Caribbean says “construction will begin following the completion of all regulatory and environmental permits. The current access will remain open until the new facilities are fully operational, guaranteeing uninterrupted public access during the transition.” The company explained that they “will create a new public beach access in the Zona Hotelera Sur as part of the development of Royal Beach Club Cozumel, reinforcing its commitment to community well-being and sustainable tourism. “The new path will significantly improve public beach access, which has long faced challenges such as traffic conflicts, lack of signage and lighting. The relocation will ensure greater accessibility, improved safety, and enhanced facilities.” Ari Adler Brotman, President of Royal Caribbean Mexico said, “We are excited to bring the Royal Beach Club experience to Cozumel while ensuring that beach access, a right guaranteed under Mexican law, is available to all. “This initiative reflects our dedication to creating shared value by improving safety, accessibility and infrastructure for the community.”
The cruise line company says “the program is aligned with Royal Caribbean’s SEA the Future initiative which seeks to offer the best vacation experiences responsibly, sustaining the planet, energizing communities, and accelerating innovation. “Royal Caribbean’s commitment to supporting projects that uplift and uphold environmental preservation, economic development, and sustainability plays a vital role in ensuring that coastal destinations remain resilient, welcoming, and vibrant for generations to come.” The island’s new Royal Beach Club Cozumel is set to be operational this year during 2026. According to the company, construction will create 180 jobs and more than 700 employees will be hired to work in the beach club.
“Royal Caribbean intends to increase deployment to Cozumel to bring an additional 1 million guests by 2031. Royal Beach Club Cozumel will contribute over $350M to the MX GDP over the next 5 years.” The company submitted their documents for Cozumel construction permits in December of 2025. Royal Caribbean is also revamping the cruise dock of Mahahual after purchasing the land to create Perfect Day Mahahual.
Environmental Authorities Warn Of Feral Cats Threatening Cozumel’s Biodiversity
Environmental authorities have issued an urgent warning about the growing threat posed by feral cats to the biodiversity of Cozumel Island, calling on residents to practice responsible pet ownership to protect native species. The National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) announced that domestic cats living or roaming unsupervised outdoors become predators capable of severely impacting birds, reptiles, and small mammals. The risk is particularly acute on islands and in protected natural areas where native wildlife hasn’t adapted to such threats.
CONANP emphasized that responsible pet ownership makes the difference in reducing feral animal populations, especially cats whose uncontrolled numbers have grown on Cozumel. Key measures include keeping cats indoors, preventing abandonment, and promoting sterilization actions that protect both animal health and ecosystem integrity. While the issue hasn’t been prominent in recent public discussions, specialists and environmentalists warn that feral cat proliferation could have irreversible consequences for endemic and migratory species. CONANP stressed that citizen responsibility represents the first step in containing the problem. Local organizations and environmental authorities are currently working on awareness and sterilization campaigns, but they say greater public participation is needed. Harmonious coexistence between humans, pets, and nature depends on simple but decisive actions like not abandoning animals, sterilizing pets, and maintaining proper care of domestic animals.
Mexico To Hold Public Consultation For New Underground Protected Area In Quintana Roo
A project to establish a new protected area in Quintana Roo, designed to shield the region’s extensive system of cenotes and underground rivers from pollution, will enter a public consultation phase in June. This step is essential for the official decree of the protected zone, an initiative described as an innovative global effort to safeguard three million hectares of subterranean waterways.
According to Maricarmen García Rivas, Director of Conservation for the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), the project aims to comprehensively protect a unique cave system that is vital for water supply and maintaining the environmental balance of the entire region. She detailed that the decree is not intended to halt tourism or real estate development but to regulate and protect the most vulnerable parts of the aquifer. The management plan will include core areas of strict protection alongside zones where certain uses are permitted under more rigorous guidelines. García Rivas emphasized the critical importance of maintaining good water quality. The goal is to preserve the karst system while also protecting urban developments from potential structural collapses, particularly in areas where construction may be unsuitable. She explained that one of the major issues prompting this project is the poor management of wastewater and the recurring failure to comply with regulation NOM-001, which requires advanced treatment before any discharge into the subsurface. “I have been a diver and cave diver for over 20 years, and we have tried to protect these cave and underground river sites,” García Rivas said. “Later, with the Basin Council, we managed to change the NOM-001 regulation for wastewater treatment from secondary to tertiary treatment, meaning removing nitrogen and phosphorus, because Caribbean waters are sterile. What we have had for years is enrichment or eutrophication; this has led to more algae than corals, which ultimately prevents reef restoration.”
Although the current regulation has required tertiary treatment for years, its lack of enforcement has impacted the aquifer. Therefore, the new protected area will seek to work in coordination with water authorities to oversee concessions, permits, and projects, preventing activities that could damage the integrity of the caves. “The entire Yucatan Peninsula is an alkaline system of underground rivers and caves that should be protected,” the specialist noted. “But it is important to say that creating a protected area does not mean they will take your land; it is a benefit for everyone to protect what we have.” The project is currently in the final stage of technical development, where scientific information is being compiled ahead of the public consultation in June. The official decree is expected to be published in the second half of the year. The initiative has been developed by divers, communal landowners, hoteliers, and local communities. If established, it would mark a significant step for Mexico in environmental conservation, creating one of the world’s most ambitious and extensive underground protected areas on the Yucatan Peninsula.
Focus: The project focuses exclusively on the subsurface, marking a milestone by protecting the “Great Maya Aquifer” and systems like Sac-Actun and Ox Bel Ha Diving & Underwater Activities Objectives: To regulate real estate development and protect water quality, biodiversity, and paleontological findings. Timeline: The preliminary justification study will conclude in March 2026, followed by the public consultation and the final decree.
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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03/23/2026 - Numbers go up by a few this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 38 ships registered to dock as we fully welcome Spring. This is 3 more ships than last week and 18 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 36 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 133,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 14.2 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
