Cruise passengers arriving at Mexican ports are now subject to a higher federal charge, following the increase of the country’s Non-Resident Duty for foreign cruise visitors from US$5 to US$10 on August 1st, 2026. The fee is being introduced through a phased increase that will eventually bring the charge to US$21 in August 2028.
The current US$10 rate will remain in place until June 30th, 2027, before increasing to US$15 on July 1st, 2027. A further increase to US$21 is scheduled for August 1st, 2028. The charge is generally collected by cruise lines or their shipping agents and incorporated into passengers' taxes and fees. It is applied once per itinerary rather than separately for every Mexican port visited.
The current system follows an agreement reached after the Mexican government initially approved a substantially higher charge. In December 2024, Mexico's Congress approved a US$42 levy for cruise passengers, with implementation originally scheduled for January 1st, 2025. Following negotiations with the cruise industry, the government adopted a phased structure beginning at US$5 from July 2025 instead.
The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) had argued that the original US$42 charge could have affected cruise demand and generated wider economic consequences for Mexican coastal communities. The association called for discussions with the Mexican government following the passage of the measure.
Mexico remains one of the principal cruise destinations in the region. The country recorded ~11.2 million cruise passengers in 2025, according to figures cited in recent reporting, underscoring the scale of the market affected by the new charge.
The increase forms part of a wider trend among cruise destinations seeking additional revenue from maritime tourism. Barcelona, for example, has been considering a higher municipal surcharge for cruise passengers on short port calls, while Hawaii previously pursued a so-called Green Fee intended to support climate-resilience and environmental projects. The latter was challenged in federal court by the cruise industry before its planned implementation.
For cruise operators, the Mexican measure adds another component to the taxes and fees incorporated into fares for itineraries calling at destinations such as Cozumel, Costa Maya, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlán. Cruise lines already identify the Mexican non-resident charge separately within the taxes and fees applied to qualifying bookings.
The phased structure means that the financial impact on passengers will increase progressively over the next two years, with the US$21 rate scheduled to become the standard charge from August 2028.