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.
We appreciate hearing from our readers and welcome your questions, suggestions and comments. Please send them to: questions@cozumelinsider.com
Note: All translated articles are the property of Cozumel Insider and cannot be used, displayed or reproduced without express written permission from Cozumel Insider.
10/05/2026 - Numbers go up a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 20 ships registered to dock as we welcome October. This is 4 more ships than last week and the same amount as the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 19 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 70,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 7.5 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 9 ships docking there, 4 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 2 ships will dock, 4 ships will dock on Tuesday, 3 ships on Wednesday, 6 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
Cozumel Releases Nearly 7,000 Sea Turtle Hatchlings In 2026 Nesting Season
Cozumel has released 6,915 sea turtle hatchlings into the sea during the 2026 nesting season as part of conservation work at the San Martín turtle camp, where officials have also registered and marked 6,000 nests. Noel Rivas Camo, the island’s deputy director of ecology, reported the figures. Of the hatchlings, 3,782 were loggerhead turtles and 3,133 were green turtles. Among the recorded nests, 5,767 belonged to green turtles and 233 to loggerheads.
Officials warn that artificial lights, trash, and the presence of people or animals near nesting sites can disrupt the turtles. Visitors are urged to stay out of marked areas, avoid handling newborns, and follow instructions from camp staff. Andrea Beltrán, a volunteer with the program, said visitors should keep their distance from the nests and refrain from touching the hatchlings. “Protection activities should be left in the hands of authorized personnel,” she said. Diego Esquivel, who works in tourism, said that once people learn how the turtles are born, they understand why they must avoid lights, garbage, and any activity that interferes with the animals’ movement toward the sea. “It is important to follow the instructions and not tamper with the nests; the turtles are protected,” he said.
Rivas Camo said crews have carried out 122 nighttime surveillance patrols during the season to locate, register and mark nesting sites, allowing officials to track reproductive activity and organize protection measures on the beaches where the turtles come ashore. The San Martín turtle camp keeps up surveillance, monitoring, research and environmental education throughout the season in an effort to support the conservation of the marine species that reach Cozumel’s shores.
Cozumel Suspends Customs Fees On Dive Gear After Complaints From International Divers
Federal and municipal authorities have agreed to temporarily suspend customs fees charged to international divers bringing specialized equipment into Cozumel, following complaints that the charges were excessive. José Farah Ceh, the island’s tourism director, said the decision was reached after a meeting with the local customs official two weeks ago to review how arriving divers’ luggage is inspected.
One of the main adjustments was recognizing dive computers as essential safety equipment rather than additional electronic devices, a classification that had been generating improper charges. Under current regulations, travelers may bring up to two dive computers per person. In some cases, however, customs staff were counting the devices as extra electronics, which resulted in penalties for visitors. “They were told how important dive computers are for the user’s safety, so it was agreed to temporarily suspend the charge while clearer criteria are defined,” Farah Ceh said.
The tourism director noted that dive tourism accounts for more than 30 percent of visitors who stay overnight in Cozumel, with an average stay of one week and spending above that of the typical tourist. Making entry easier for these travelers is therefore a priority, he said. Officials said the agreement is intended to protect a sector considered strategic for the local economy and to keep the destination competitive against other international dive markets.
Environmentalists Urge Crackdown On Jet Skis In Cozumel Reef Zones
Environmentalists and local residents are calling for tighter surveillance of Cozumel’s reef zones, warning that jet skis arriving from other municipalities pose a growing risk to the island’s marine ecosystems.
Oceanologist Adrián Villegas said the personal watercraft are entering protected natural areas, and he questioned the lack of oversight and enforcement of the rules that govern nautical activities inside the Cozumel Reefs National Park. According to those raising the alarm, jet skis traveling at high speed and the noise they generate can alter conditions in the marine environment. A fuel spill, they added, would be another risk factor for the reefs and the species that live there.
The group asked federal authorities responsible for environmental and maritime surveillance to step in, and urged a review of the rules that permit or restrict such activities within the protected natural area. They also proposed stricter controls on the entry and movement of jet skis in vulnerable zones, along with stepped-up patrols to confirm that nautical activities comply with regulations and to prevent damage to the reef ecosystems.
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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10/05/2026 - Numbers go up a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 20 ships registered to dock as we welcome October. This is 4 more ships than last week and the same amount as the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 19 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 70,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 7.5 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
