Cruise fee doubles at vacation hot spot as passengers brace for even steeper hikes

Cruise passengers heading to Mexico are present paying a higher interest to sojourn immoderate of the country's astir fashionable destinations arsenic the latest summation successful a phased taxation program takes effect.

As of Aug. 1, the interest for overseas cruise passengers visiting Mexican ports accrued from $5 to $10 per person, with further increases scheduled implicit the adjacent 2 years, according to Mexico's phased plan.

The complaint applies to overseas cruise passengers visiting fashionable cruise destinations, including Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel and Costa Maya. It tin beryllium collected by cruise lines oregon their shipping agents.

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Clint Henderson, a managing exertion of the question tract The Points Guy and based successful New York, told Fox News Digital the summation apt won't beryllium capable to deter astir travelers, but said it adds to the increasing expenses consumers look erstwhile traveling.

"While it's not horrible and apt won't beryllium a deal-breaker for astir tourists, it's different illustration of prices going up for question crossed the board, and it's frustrating arsenic a user rights advocate," Henderson said.

Foreign cruise travelers visiting Mexican ports present look a $10 per-person fee, up from $5 arsenic of Aug. 1, with further increases planned implicit the adjacent 2 years. (Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

"Consumers support getting deed with much and much taxes and fees for everything related to travel," helium added.

The $10 complaint is lone 1 measurement successful Mexico's plan, with the interest scheduled to summation again implicit the adjacent 2 years.

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"The messed-up happening astir this caller interest is [that it's] conscionable 1 of respective increases to travel implicit the adjacent fewer years," Henderson said. "It volition yet spell up to $21 implicit the adjacent fewer years."

"Consumers support getting deed with much and much taxes and fees."

"We'll person to spot if this ends up denting cruise request for Mexico," helium added.

Henderson noted that cruise passengers had antecedently been exempt from the migration interest imposed connected definite overseas travelers entering Mexico.

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"That's nary longer the case," helium said, "and it's going to rise costs for tourists."

The $10 charge, however, is inactive importantly little than the interest Mexico primitively planned to enforce connected cruise passengers.

The higher interest applies to overseas cruise passengers visiting fashionable destinations successful Mexico and tin beryllium collected by cruise lines oregon their shipping agents. (iStock)

Fox News Digital antecedently reported that Mexico's Congress approved an migration levy of 860.56 pesos, astir $42 astatine the time, connected overseas cruise passengers successful December 2024 — prompting pushback from the cruise industry.

The instrumentality took effect Jan. 1, 2025, but Mexico granted cruise passengers a 100% fiscal recognition done the extremity of June, efficaciously postponing postulation of the fee.

Following negotiations betwixt the Mexican authorities and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the 2 sides reached an statement that acceptable the archetypal interest astatine $5 per rider opening July 1, 2025.

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"On behalf of the FCCA and our subordinate cruise lines — representing implicit 95% of cruise capableness successful the Caribbean and Latin America — we convey the Federal Government of Mexico for moving with america to scope an ‘in transit fee’ agreement," the FCCA told Fox News Digital astatine the time.

The relation said the statement was intended to support cruise tourism portion supporting Mexican communities that trust connected visitors.

Under the phased plan, overseas cruise passengers paid $5 opening successful July 2025 earlier the interest doubled to $10 connected Aug. 1 of this year.

The adjacent summation is scheduled for July 1, 2027, erstwhile the complaint volition emergence to $15 per passenger. 

Then, opening Aug. 1, 2028, travelers volition wage $21 done Sept. 30, 2030, nether the existent plan.

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The interaction of further taxes and fees tin go much noticeable erstwhile travelers are paying for an full family, Henderson said.

"It's decidedly making Mexico much costly arsenic each these taxes and fees commencement to adhd up," helium said.

The summation arrives arsenic travelers are seeing jumps successful costs passim the industry.

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"Unfortunately, cruising, similar everything else, is getting much expensive," Henderson said successful a erstwhile interview.

He pointed to higher expenses for staffing, entertainment, food, beverages and substance arsenic immoderate of the costs facing cruise operators.

The interest volition summation to $15 per rider successful July 2027 earlier rising again to $21 connected Aug. 1, 2028. (iStock)

"There's a batch of demand. There's a batch [of] radical [who] privation to cruise," Henderson said. "It's go precise fashionable and things person gotten overmuch much expensive."

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Still, Henderson said cruising tin connection bully worth erstwhile travelers see the transportation, accommodations and amusement included successful the price.

"Cruising is inactive a comparative bargain," helium said.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley DiMella contributed reporting.