Cruises are one of the most popular vacation options for many Americans.
Some substantial changes are in store for ships that set sail for Mexico.
And cruise ships have a nasty surprise awaiting them after Mexico made this awful move.
Mexico announces a new tax on cruise ships for 2025
President-elect Donald Trump is driving a hard bargain with Mexico to get the country to cooperate on the flow of illegal aliens and deadly drugs across the southern border.
He announced that he would enact a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico unless the country cooperated more on securing the southern border.
Mexico announced a new tax on cruise ships that was likely in retaliation for Trump’s threat of tariffs.
The country is charging every passenger a $42 immigration fee on every cruise ship that docks in Mexico whether someone gets off the boat or not.
Mexican states have added their own $5 a passenger fee which makes the country among the priciest in the world for tourists when their cruise ship docks.
The fee was passed by the Mexican Congress which will use the money to spend additional money on the military.
Florida-based cruise expert Stewart Chiron told Fox News Digital that “the cruise industry and Mexico have enjoyed a very strong, beneficial relationship.”
“Cruise lines, unlike hotels, are able to move their ships. I’m sure cruise industry executives are working to set up meetings to work toward an amicable solution,” Chiron explained. “I would think cruise passengers would voice an opinion to skip Mexico in lieu of a $42 fee hike.”
Cruises could skip Mexico because of the new fee
Nearly 17 million Americans went on a cruise in 2023, and Mexico is one of the most popular destinations.
Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association CEO Michele Paige wrote a letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warning her that cruises could skip Mexico because of the new tax.
Mexico used to waive immigration fees for cruise ships because the country considered the boats in transit.
The new tax waived the in-transit exemption for cruise ships.
“The Government’s plan to eliminate the ‘in-transit’ exemption status that has been in place for cruise passengers for over a decade impacts the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Mexican citizens, countless small businesses, and communities along Mexico’s coastlines that depend on cruise tourism,” Paige wrote. “Cruise lines will inevitably reevaluate the viability of these investments considering the potential loss of consumer demand for Mexico cruises driven by the unprecedented tax increase on cruise tourism.”
Even Mexico’s tourism industry is alarmed over the new tax.
The Mexican Association of Naval Agents warned that tax would make destinations in the Caribbean more attractive to the cruise industry.
“Mexico could lose up to 10 million passengers and more than 3,300 ship calls in 2025,” the Mexican Association of Naval Agents stated.
Cruise ships have plenty of attractive destinations to choose from in the Caribbean for passengers.
Mexico may end up dealing a serious blow to its tourism industry as part of its fight with Donald Trump over tariffs.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments to this ongoing story.
