Mexico doubles cruise-passenger levy as further increases loom
The per-person charge rose to $10 on Aug. 1, 2026, with increases to $15 in 2027 and $21 in 2028 planned.
Mexico’s cruise-passenger docking levy doubled from $5 to $10 per person on Aug. 1, 2026. The charge, described as the Non-Resident Duty or Tax Incentive, is scheduled to increase annually, reaching $15 in 2027 and $21 in 2028.
Passengers visiting several Mexican ports as part of a single cruise itinerary will not be assessed the fee at each call. However, travelers taking more than one cruise during the same vacation will be charged separately for each sailing.
The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association had argued in 2024 that earlier proposals, which then contemplated a $42 charge, could make Mexican destinations less competitive than other Caribbean ports. The association has since welcomed the revised plan, saying it reached an in-transit fee agreement with Mexico’s federal government and thanking officials for working with the group.
Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora said Mexican ports received 11.2 million cruise passengers in 2025, representing a 12% increase from the previous year.