Mexico Passes $42 Cruise Tax, Carnival Hikes Drink Package

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several significant financial changes affecting cruise passengers in Mexico, Greece, and within Carnival Cruise Line. Mexico's Congress and Senate have passed a new 42 dollar national immigration fee that applies to all cruise passengers, even those who do not disembark. This fee replaces a previous exemption and is projected to generate nearly half a billion dollars annually, with one third of the funds designated for military projects. Additionally, Cozumel will implement a five dollar local infrastructure fee starting early next year. For a family of four visiting Cozumel, these combined fees would total 188 dollars. Regarding onboard costs, Carnival Cruise Line has increased the daily price of the Cheers beverage package by 16 percent. The package now costs 82.54 dollars per day, which represents a 112 dollar increase for longer sailings compared to previous discounted rates. Finally, the report notes that Greece will introduce new taxes in 2025 to combat overtourism, with specific fees for Santorini and Mykonos as well as other destinations. The segment concludes with an update on cruise industry stock performance, noting gains for Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Viking.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.