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.
05/04/2026 - Numbers go down a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 21 ships registered to dock as we begin the month of May. This is 1 ship less than last week and 1 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 19 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 73,500 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 7.8 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 8 ships docking there, 6 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 4 ships will dock, 4 ships will dock on Tuesday, 4 ships on Wednesday, 4 ships on Thursday, 2 ships on Friday, 3 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
First Loggerhead Sea Turtle Nest Of 2026 Found At Punta Sur Beach
The Foundation of Parks and Museums of Cozumel (FPMC) has recorded the first loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nest of the season at the Punta Sur Turtle Camp, officially launching the 2026 Marine Turtle Protection Program.
Rafael Chacón Díaz, director of Conservation and Environmental Education at FPMC, announced that since the beginning of the year, staff have conducted ongoing beach cleanups to ensure that turtles find the best possible conditions for nesting when the season begins. Last Friday night, during one of these cleanup patrols, biologist Ricardo Peralta Muñoz spotted the tracks of the first turtle to arrive on Cozumel’s shores to lay eggs that will hatch into new sea turtles in the coming months. The discovery represents a moment of hope and environmental commitment, highlighting the importance of protecting coastal ecosystems and strengthening conservation efforts for emblematic species of the Mexican Caribbean.
FPMC General Director Juanita Alonso Marrufo said the institution promotes a vision of sustainable development based on respect for nature, biodiversity protection, and shared responsibility to preserve Cozumel’s natural wealth for current and future generations, in line with the state government’s New Agreement for the Wellbeing and Development of Quintana Roo promoted by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa.
Divers Witness Rare Synchronized Spawning Of Barrel Sponges In Cozumel
Divers exploring the reefs of Cozumel Marine Park witnessed a rare natural phenomenon: the synchronized spawning of barrel sponges (Xestospongia muta), a fleeting event that briefly transforms the underwater ecosystem.
According to members of Cozumel Divers, during a dive they observed multiple sponges simultaneously releasing clouds of reproductive material, creating a white foam that rose through the water column. This phenomenon, known as synchronized spawning, occurs when sponges expel sperm and eggs at the same time, significantly increasing the chances of fertilization. The timing is regulated by natural factors such as lunar cycles and water temperature. Specialists note that such events last only a few hours and are difficult to witness even for experienced divers, making it an exceptional spectacle on the reefs. Beyond its biological significance, the process contributes to the regeneration of marine life, strengthening the biodiversity that underpins one of Cozumel’s main tourist attractions.
Mara Lezama Unveils Cozumel Boardwalk Transformation Project With Cruise Tourism Trust
Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa presented an executive urban project to transform the Cozumel boardwalk during a tour with members of the Cruise Tourism Trust. Alongside Michele Paige, executive director of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), Lezama highlighted that the project is part of the portfolio approved for Cozumel for fiscal year 2025. It includes a comprehensive rehabilitation of the boardwalk, strengthening of the Tourist Assistance and Security Center, and urban improvements in the area.
The project will be developed in phases: planning and diagnosis of the urban, social, and environmental context; conceptual design with an architectural and landscape focus; development of the executive project including blueprints, technical reports, and material quantification; integration of specialized engineering; and final compilation of a bidding and execution folder.
Officials present included Bernardo Cueto, head of the Tourism Secretariat (Sedetur); Reyna Arceo, Secretary for Anti-Corruption and Good Governance; Rafael Lara, head of the Public Works Secretariat (SEOP); Cozumel Mayor José Luis Chacón; and Vagner Elbiorn Vega, head of the Integral Port Administration of Quintana Roo (APIQROO).
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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05/04/2026 - Numbers go down a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 21 ships registered to dock as we begin the month of May. This is 1 ship less than last week and 1 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 19 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 73,500 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 7.8 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
