After Mexico's Congress last week passed a $42 per person immigration levy for all cruise ship passengers, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) said it was seeking immediate and collaborative discussions with the Mexican government. FCCA says cruise tourism in Mexico now could be 213 percent more expensive than the average Caribbean port, “effectively pricing Mexican ports out of the cruise market." The new fee will apply for all guests arriving at any Mexican port – whether they go ashore or not.
Over the weekend, however, the Mexican government said it would be pushing back the tax implementation from January 1 to July 1. In a statement following this announcement, the FCCA said, "While the proposed postponement provides a temporary reprieve, FCCA stresses that more comprehensive measures are required to address broader concerns about the tax's devastating impact on cruise tourism, Mexico's economy, and the livelihoods of its coastal communities."
The cruise industry association adds that even a modest 15 percent reduction in cruise ship calls to Mexican ports could negate the intended economic benefits of the tax.
Separately, two thirds of travel advisors who participated in Travel Agent’s latest “Travel Trends & Advisor Insight Report” say that cruise interest has increased among “non-cruisers.” They’re mostly drawn to contemporary/family cruises (66 percent) and premium/upscale cruises (50 percent). But half of all advisors also said that interest in cruise vacations has increased among all their clients. Those travelers continually have new options to consider, such as Princess Cruises' 2026-2027 Australia and South Pacific itineraries and Aurora Expeditions' new 2026-2027 Antarctica season of voyages.
In a new cruise industry twist, travelers also now have an “Annual Pass” option on Virgin Voyages. Starting with its 2025 sailings, travelers with this pass can hop onto any ship, anytime, from anywhere, for an entire calendar year. The Virgin Voyages Annual Pass is available on a first-come, first-served basis with a base fare total of $120,000, excluding taxes and fees for voyages booked. For every annual pass they sell, travel advisors (or First Mates as Virgin calls them) will earn $10,000 commission.
On the luxury front, Regent Seven Seas Cruises debuted new brand positioning with a new logo, a new “Unrivaled at Sea” tagline and the global brand campaign, “Nobody Does It Better.” Look for it on print and digital advertising, social media, television and more. Sister publication Luxury Travel Advisor chatted with Bert Hernandez, Silversea’s new president, during a recent Silver Nova voyage. In addition, Crystal has unveiled new itineraries for the second half of 2026.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), separately, canceled 35 additional 2025-2026 voyages for Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy, according to Cruise Industry News. The latest cancelations follow others announced in November. Redeployment details are yet to come.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, parent company of NCL, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises, committed to a new 30-year agreement with PortMiami, including a higher passenger guarantee and agreement for building an additional parking facility, according to Seatrade Cruise News. Following a repair to one of its electric propulsion motors, Swan Hellenic's Diana completed final sea trials in the Beagle Channel and is now operating the line's first dedicated Antarctic cultural expedition cruise of the 2024-2025 season, the line told Travel Agent in an update.
Last Monday, we reported that some Royal Caribbean International guests on upcoming Symphony of the Seas' sailings weren't thrilled about the substitution of Labadee, Haiti, for an expected port call in San Juan, Puerto Rico. That was necessary because the Port of San Juan had a pier issue, resulting in schedule changes for multiple ships. Haiti is classified as Level 4 "Do Not Travel" by the U.S. State Department, but Labadee is remote, far from the country's urban troubles, fenced and protected by a private security force. This week, Royal Caribbean told us: "The safety and security of our guests, crew, and communities we visit are our top priority. Our Global Security and Intelligence Team continuously monitor the situation in Haiti. Currently, there are no changes to our planned itineraries." So, that means no changes to Labadee calls at present.
Carnival Cruise Line has raised its Wi-Fi and drink package pricing, according to USA Today. And on the personnel front, Riviera River Cruises appointed cruise industry sales veteran Clark Reber as its new southeast regional sales director.
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