Disappointing news from Cozumel

[MagnoliaBlossom]

We just returned from a stay at an AI in Cozumel and while there, DH was chatting with the hotel director about the challenges of COVID, etc.   The man told D that he had just received a letter that day from the Tourism Board advising them that the Mexican Health Board (mot sure of the name but he said it is their version of the CDC) has said there will be no cruise ships allowed in Mexican Ports until January of 2023.    Needless to say this will cripple so many businesses in MX and increase the hardship on thousands of families.  So sad.

[roger001]

If the hotel director is correct, something extending for almost two years from now, very subject to change as conditions change.  

[BamaCruiser39]

I haven't heard anything about that, but I find it very hard to believe they would implement a ban for that length of time and decimate local communities if the CDC et al allow ships to sail from US ports.

[CILCIANRQTS]

One would expect that news that big would have found it’s way to the news outlets by now.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Well, I certainly hope he is mistaken, but Im just reporting what he said.

[BoozinCroozin]

This would be all over the news and cruise line stocks would be dropping like a rock. What "could" be behind this is the discussion of money. Many of these tourist destinations have quickly found that they make far more in tourism revenue from guests staying "in country" rather than the daily 8-hour visitors. The costs they incur for this may no longer be worth it. I know when other island nation has found this out during covid as well. You could potentially see a shift in traveling. The cost of cruise ships going to islands could be slowing. Their thoughts are "why should the cruise line get $4,000 and we get $100?" (made up numbers). That type of analytics can quickly change the way these countries look at it. Shift from a cruise port to an AI and keep those tourists there for a week. 

[seemoreroyals]

24 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

We just returned from a stay at an AI in Cozumel and while there, DH was chatting with the hotel director about the challenges of COVID, etc.   The man told D that he had just received a letter that day from the Tourism Board advising them that the Mexican Health Board (mot sure of the name but he said it is their version of the CDC) has said there will be no cruise ships allowed in Mexican Ports until January of 2023.    Needless to say this will cripple so many businesses in MX and increase the hardship on thousands of families.  So sad.

If what the HD says turns out to be factual, there is a good chance that either the cruise industry goes bankrupt or they figure out a way to operate with cruises to nowhere.  No way the cruise industry can hold out until Jan of 2023.

[vpearlkc]

We recently booked 2 weeks in October at our timeshare in Puerto Vallarta for the first time. We normally go for a week but want to spending more time there after spending more than a year not traveling more than 100 miles from our home.

 

I can say from experience that, at least in PV, having a one or two cruise ship in port is hardly noticeable. Of course Cozumel is far more dependent on cruising. I hope cruising in the Caribbean resumes long before 2023.  

[oteixeira]

46 minutes ago, seemoreroyals said:

If what the HD says turns out to be factual, there is a good chance that either the cruise industry goes bankrupt or they figure out a way to operate with cruises to nowhere.  No way the cruise industry can hold out until Jan of 2023.

Barbados and the Bahamas are both already open to an extent for cruising, other smaller countries (think Belize, Honduras, etc) will open to cruising as well as they don't have the infrastructure for AI like Mexico.  The ships will have plenty of places to dock, that wont be an issue that would bankrupt a cruise-line.

[SpainAlien]

What I did see was that Quintana Roo are introducing an $11 per person tourist tax so that would affect Cozumel and Cancun

[CroozFanatic]

They could just circle around Cozumel for the day...I'd still go.

[graphicguy]

Just as an observation, just about everything I've heard from anyone in Mexico even remotely aligned with the tourist industry while dealing with me (an American) has been dubious, at best.  Sometimes they paint a doom and gloom picture to elicit pity tips.  That's been particularly true in Cancun and Cozumel.

 

I wouldn't put much stock into what he told you.  As others have mentioned, that would be HUGE news to both Mexico, North America, the tourist industry and certainly, the cruise industry.  It would have shown up  on the international news scene, from several outlets.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by graphicguy

[hallux]

1 hour ago, seemoreroyals said:

or they figure out a way to operate with cruises to nowhere

That would literally take an act of Congress, unless they find a way to home-port in Bermuda, Nassau or some other Bahamian port.

 

This would also be contradictory to the report from a month ago that Mexico was INVITING cruise lines to home-port in Cozumel...

Edited March 15, 2021 by hallux

[jbcallender]

Sounds like the hotel manager is trying to encourage future reservations.

 

[DCGuy64]

Not meaning to pick on the OP, but I think your hubby was given some false information. This reminds me of the time I was looking for a Honda Accord and had heard there was a refreshed model coming out in September of 2015. The salesman at a local store, with lots of current models in stock, said "no." 

Well he was wrong, but I don't blame him because he was just trying to sell what he had. Much like a hotel director could stand to lose business if cruise ships eat into his hotel profits. 

[graphicguy]

Just thinking of some of the things I was told by tourism related employees while in either Cancun and/or Cozumel.

 

-Guide to Chichen Itzá..."this important site is going to be destroyed because it takes too much to maintain it.  If you would like to make a donation to save it, you can give it to me and I'll forward it to those who maintain it."  For the record, it's owned by the gov't.

 

-Restaurant on the beach in Cozumel...person dressed as a waiter offers to get me a table outside, on the water.  I am seated at one of the tables, order drinks, some food and asked for a check.  Someone else brought the drinks and food. Original "waiter" comes out and writes a generic handwritten bill.  He leaves as I was waiting for my girlfriend to return from shopping as she had my wallet.  She returns.  I go to the restaurant cashier inside.  Bill was actually ½ of what the waiter told me.  Cashier said the waiter was not associated with the restaurant.  Upon seeing us leave, he comes running up to me yelling I was stiffing him.  I yelled back he should take it up with his restaurant employer.  Bottom line, the chairs by the water were free, as the restaurant allowed you to sit at them if you ordered.  Scammer tried to charge for the table/chairs by doubling the food/drink check and keeping 1/2.

 

-In Cancun marketplace, there was a guy near the water who had an oil painting on an easel, which he said he painted.  We didn't see him paint it, but he had paints, a brush and the painting on the easel.  Painting he had displayed was nice.  GF thought it would make a good membrane of our trip.  Painter said he'd charge $125 for a painting of the sunset (which was happening in short order).  I offer him $100.  He accepts. He said to give him $50 and the rest when he's finished.  He then said we couldn't look over his shoulder while he painted and asked for us to come back in 30 minutes (quick for a painting, for sure).  We went and shopped a little more.  Came back ½ hour later.  Of course, he was gone.  Nice grift...pay for ½ the painting up front, thinking he wouldn't leave because he wouldn't get the other ½.

 

-Hotel concierge in Cozumel claimed the hotel cut his salary because of a (then) after affects of a hurricane (which had happened 3 years prior).  He was asking for tips, which I gave him each time he answered even the easiest question, as he literally had his hand out each time.  Upon check out, the desk clerk said the man was indeed the concierge, but was also one of the highest salaried people at the hotel.  Who was telling the truth?  Who knows?  Nice scam, though.

 

I have a bunch more as over the years, we've either stayed in Cancun/Cozumel or cruised there.  It's a scammers paradise....some of them pretty sophisticated.

 

 

 

[serene56]

Royal Caribbean has sailing scheduled from Nassau to Cozumel starting in june or July. 

[mitsugirly]

I just returned from a week and a half in Cozumel and ask several locals and vendors about this. They said that cruising is coming back to Cozumel in June is what they have been told.

[Arzeena]

19 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

I just returned from a week and a half in Cozumel and ask several locals and vendors about this. They said that cruising is coming back to Cozumel in June is what they have been told.

👍🙏🥂