The Mexican government has set a new head tax for cruise passengers visiting the country’s ports starting in July 2025.

According to a report by El Financiero, guests will need to pay $5 when entering Mexico onboard a cruise ship.

The local finance news website noted that the amount is much smaller than the initially proposed tax of $42 per person.

The fee is set to be raised gradually.

According to the website, the head tax is set to increase again in 2026 and 2027 before reaching a maximum of $21 per person in 2028.

By Mexico’s Federal Rights Law, cruise passengers were previously exempt from paying visiting fees, El Financiero said.

In December 2024, the country’s Senate and Chamber of Deputies approved changes to the policy, forcing cruise passengers to pay head taxes.

At the time, local reports also stated that over two-thirds of the new fees would be spent on military matters.

The measure was met with resistance from cruise lines, which publicly asked the country to eliminate the tax.

Josh Weinstein, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation, later said that the company was “working hard to find a collaborative approach” with Mexico to solve the matter.

He added that Carnival had been aiming to recognize the economic benefit that cruising brings and what it could bring in the future.

According to local officials, cruise ships brought over seven million cruise visitors to Mexican ports in 2024.

Most of the passengers were welcomed in Cozumel, which is one of the most popular destinations for vessels sailing to the Western Caribbean.