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It is amazing when you first look at the price for a cruise vacation. The number could look so amazingly low for the vacation of a lifetime. After all, it is a floating resort with food, entertainment and so much more all included.
But then you keep clicking “Next,”“Next,”“Next,” and then all of a sudden the price jumps due to the add-ons such as the gratuity on the drink package, the specialty restaurant fee and the nastiest part: the port taxes and FEEEEEEES!
The last part can dramatically vary depending on the route and can be a minimal expense. Or, if you are entering the Panama canal, the fees can be gulp-worthy (i.e. hundreds of dollars per person) and have you reconsider if you really want to take a cruise or not.
Well according to the Associated Press, Mexico is considering implementing a $42 port fee tax, per person, for visiting. It may even be more nasty and not just a 1x fee but every time you visit a port. Think about the cost that could add per couple on a sailing that happened to visit a number of ports in Mexico.
No, thanks!
I mean personally I am not a fan of Mexico and have only visited the airport and never left (other than an overnight in the Hilton MEX Mexico City Airport Terminal One I would rather forget) as well as a number of pier visits on cruise ships over the years (again, I never got off the ship). With that disclaimer let me move on.
Mexico is desperately, like most governments worldwide, looking for anything they can do to bring in more money to pay off debt and fund their pet projects. Cruising, right now, is as hot as it has ever been. So much so that some cites are protesting about the massive number of visitors. When you have that kind of volume, and don’t want to extract more money from your own people, why not simply charge the (purportedly) rich tourists instead?
But clearly there is the obvious problem(s) that a ship has a rudder and can choose to NOT go to a given port and instead visit one that does not ding you such a nasty “visit” fee (fyi cruise passengers are normally exempt from tourist fees visiting Mexico). Please don’t ever think that a cruise line will simply absorb the cost to visit some port and not pass along this new huge fee to passengers. And if passengers are not willing to pay the increased fee, by not booking sailing to Mexico, then the cruise line will simply sail the ship to another port that does not charge such a nasty fee.
Personally I think we are at a breaking point when it comes to add-on fees. Yes, these are great times for the cruise lines but THEY are the ones who want to cash in on this cash bonanza and not give so much away to the places they visit or risk passengers not booking a voyage due to the increased fees. Mexico had better rethink this fee hard (and quickly) unless they want the businesses that rely on cruise ship passengers to make a living to be left abandoned by the happy visitors! – Rene
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All they need to do is call it a tariff, then Americans will think that Mexico pays it, and not them! Simple logic!
Sad but true.
While I like Mexico a lot I can’t help but view this as a blatant and shortsighted money grab, and a pretty egregious one at that.
@Christian – 100% agree. Had they gone with say a low $5 fee no one would have noticed.
But, but, but the money is supposed to go the military, see…
You are surprised by this and think it might change people’s vacation behavior? Not a chance. This is an old story by any taxing authority anywhere in the world. Tax the guests or visitors and not our own citizens! That is why there are hotel room taxes and rental car fees and taxes and many other taxes added onto events that are largely attended by guests. It is easy revenue. Cruisers won’t even blink an eye at those fees and taxes.
@jeffk – We shall see. Mexico focused sailings are generally very price conscious. My feeling is lines will consider alternative ports very quickly.
Generally appreciate your posts and insight but can’t figure out how you’re not a fan of a place you’ve never been. Particularly an entire (large and diverse) country. Seems like a strange stance for a traveler to take.
@Dave – Just don’t feel safe visiting. A personal choice.
Thanks for reloading. That’s wild to me given the proximity and level of safety afforded tourists in most of the country. Can I ask what metrics you look at when you decide a place is unsafe to travel or what other countries you feel similarly about?
@Dave – I have very good friends whom I trust (both from Mexico and US) and I don’t feel the visit is worth the risk for my family.
A couple friends of ours immigrated from Mexico and still have family there. They told us to stay away because it’s dangerous. That’s just them, tho.
It’s a big country. Depends where you and, and also who you are.
The money grab is even worse if you stay at a hotel or resort… The tax % is very high at ??25% or more and then there are the service fees of 20% and then other tack on fees for using for credit cards or to put items on your room charge.It is now tooo cost prohibitive to stay there. We felt safe and secure in the resorts as security staff and gates and other measures was over the top..
Good to know about safety. Do you mind sharing with us with resorts and where?
WE stayed at Esperanza(Cabo) in a 4 BR VIlla every year 2020-2021-2022. WE could not get the same place (2023) as the owner wanted our week when we have gone in the past…In both places we did not have to leave the campus for anything. In Esperanza they even did a grocery run for items we wanted that were not on the campus. Chris, if you want more info let me know. It is a direct(and reasonable) flight to Cabo from LAX!!
Just change sailings to Costa Rica, Belize, and Honduras and bypass Mexico. Everyone has already been to Cancun and Cozumel. After a few months of no ships they will be begging for tourists to return.
Odd for a writer to be so disdainful of a country never visited beyond the airport or the cruise pier. Certainly not a first-hand opinion. Over my years of cruising I have particularly loved the port of Cozumel, and it’s close neighbor Costa Maya (Mahahual). On my many visits there I’ve walked the streets, dined at local restaurants, quaffed a cool one at many a drinking stop, enjoyed interacting with the friendly locals, and generally thoroughly enjoying my visits there. I’ve taken tours, visited beaches and parks, and never at any time did I or my wife feel in danger or threatened in any way, and Cozumel remains at the top of my cruise destination list. My personal feeling is that when the powers to be in Mexico ultimately realize the significant impact this new fee may have, they will change their tune. Instituting this new tax could be a death knell for future cruises there.
@Will – The State Dept warning map tells me what I need to know: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html