Starting July 1, all cruise passengers traveling to Mexico must pay a $5 surcharge. The original proposal was $42, but after significant backlash, the Mexican government and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association reached a compromise.
Over the next three years, the fee will increase to $21 per passenger.
The Mexican government had proposed the cruise fee in December, prior to President Donald Trump taking office. The fees were delayed after pushback from the cruise industry.
The Associated Press said that most of the money would go toward the Mexican military and not to improve port facilities.
The Mexican Association of Shipping Agents is decrying the reduced tax.
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“If this measure is implemented, it would make Mexican ports of call among the most expensive in the world, severely affecting their competitiveness with other Caribbean destinations,” the association said in a statement to the AP.
Previously, cruise ships had been exempt from immigration fees.
More than 10 million cruise passengers are expected to visit Mexico in 2025.
