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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11/17/2025 - Numbers go up A LOT ! this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 38 ships registered to dock as we officially welcome the beginning of HIGH season. This is 12 more ships than last week and 18 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 28 ships in port during the same week of 2024. 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 16 ships docking there, 11 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 11 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 7 ships will dock, 7 ships will dock on Tuesday, 6 ships on Wednesday, 6 ships on Thursday, 6 ships on Friday, 5 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
Authorities Welcome Celebrity’s Xcel Cruise Ship During Debut Journey
Local authorities welcomed Celebrity’s Xcel cruise ship as it made Cozumel its first port of call. The new ship, which is on its debut tour, stopped at the island of Cozumel last week.
Governor Mara Lezama and Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez lead the welcome ceremony for the cruise ship. With the arrival of the majestic Celebrity Xcel cruise ship, considered a jewel of the Edge class, Governor Lezama and Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez, led the traditional exchange of plaques with the ship’s captain, Kyriakos “Kirk” Matragkas. Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez welcomed the captain and crew and expressed his gratitude for choosing Cozumel as their first port of call. He noted that this beautiful island, known as the Island of Swallows, owes its name to its Mayan origins and the history of ancient navigators who arrived to worship the goddess Ixchel, deity of love and fertility, praying for their families and the joy of parenthood. He emphasized that it is an honor for the people of Cozumel to receive visitors from around the world with the hospitality that distinguishes the town, and he thanked Governor Lezama for her constant support of Cozumel’s development and her commitment to shared prosperity that strengthens the island’s present and future.
The Celebrity Xcel has a capacity for 3,836 passengers in addition to a crew of 1,400. During the ceremony, the governor and the mayor were accompanied by state and municipal authorities and representatives of the port and shipping sector. Xcel arrived at Cozumel at 6:00 a.m., docking at the SSA Mexico pier before heading south at 8:00 p.m. to continue its Caribbean journey.
Cuauhtémoc Training Ship Departs Cozumel After Returning To Mexico From New York Accident
The Cuauhtémoc Military Training Ship ARM departed from the Punta Langosta dock of Cozumel last week. The ship was docked at the island for six days on its first visit to Mexico after a Brooklyn Bridge, New York accident. President of the Tourism Commission of the City Council, María Fernanda Vargas González, attended the departure ceremony along with Daniela Giomara Ayala Blanco, trustee of the City Council and the comptroller Fidencio Balam Puc.
Municipal officials thanked the crew commanded by the Captain of the Navy, Víctor Hugo Molina Pérez, for their visit and highlighted the bonds of brotherhood between Cozumel and the Mexican Navy. During its stay, the ship opened its doors to the local public who were able to tour its corridors, learn about its history and take photographs aboard the iconic “Ambassador and Gentleman of the Seas.” “The visit was a resounding success, both culturally and socially, reinforcing a sense of identity and respect for the Armed Forces,” Cozumel City Council said in a statement. As part of their agenda, the crew participated in recreational and cultural activities on the island, highlighting the official delivery of the book “BE Cuauhtémoc 25 Years Ambassador and Gentleman of the Seas”. Ship Cuauhtémoc departed for its next destination in Progreso, Yucatán, continuing its journey through the Panama Canal to head to its home port in Acapulco, Guerrero.
In May 2025, two people were killed and 22 injured when the ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge as it left Pier 17 in Manhattan. Three of the Cuauhtémoc sailing ship’s masts hit the bridge and collapsed. Those broken pieces fell into the ship, hitting nearly two dozen crew members. Two crew members died in that accident.
Cozumel Welcomes 100+ Migratory Bird Species
With the arrival of a cold front and the seasonal change, more than 100 species of migratory birds have arrived on the island of Cozumel to seek refuge and feed during the winter, according to Paulina Sabido, head of the Department of Environmental Education for the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC).
Sabido explained that this season is ideal for bird watching, an activity known as birding, which allows people to enjoy the biodiversity and contribute to its scientific record. Among the species that can be observed are warblers, aquatic birds, ducks, sandpipers, and flamingos, which rest temporarily in the island's wetlands and bodies of water. The specialist highlighted that constant monitoring has allowed for the registration of new species in the southern zone, such as the Mexican duck, observed for the first time two years ago in the Punta Sur Ecotourism Park.
State Starts 32 Million Peso Project To Repave Cozumel Streets
The state government has started a 32 million peso street rehabilitation project in central Cozumel. The San Miguel streets are being repaved with funding collected from the Cruise Ship Trust. More than 32 million pesos is being spent on the island street project. According to Governor Mara Lezama, the money used is from the cruise ship tourism in Quintana Roo.
Governor Lezama led the groundbreaking ceremony for the rehabilitation of the main tourist streets in downtown Cozumel last week. Accompanied by Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez, she highlighted that the project, which is being carried out through the Department of Public Works headed by José Rafael Lara Diaz, will improve mobility, safety and the quality of life of thousands of Cozumel families. Mara Lezama explained that the trust was created in collaboration with cruise companies to close inequality gaps with projects that benefit Cozumel and Mahahual, the first and second most important cruise destinations in the country. This collaboration, she added, reflects the essence of the New Agreement for the Well-being and Development of Quintana Roo, through which joint actions between the government and private initiative are promoted to improve urban infrastructure, strengthen the local economy, for the well-being of the people. During the event, Governor Lezama stated that it represents shared prosperity: “using the resources of the tourism industry to modernize public infrastructure, strengthen the local economy and beautify the urban image of our tourist destinations.”
Work will be carried out on 13,615 square meters of the island’s tourist streets with 15-centimeter-thick hydraulic pavement. She said 7,158 linear meters of horizontal signage based on thermoplastic paint and microspheres will be applied to pavements and pedestrian crossings and 34 vertical signs will be installed. “In Cozumel we are writing a new history. We are a humanist government that listens to the voice of the people and delivers,” said Lezama.
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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11/17/2025 - Numbers go up A LOT ! this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 38 ships registered to dock as we officially welcome the beginning of HIGH season. This is 12 more ships than last week and 18 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 28 ships in port during the same week of 2024. 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. 
