Mexico's ports received 8.9 million cruise passengers from January to September, up 15%, SECTUR says
Cozumel took 3.7 million of the 8.9 million and the Pacific grew fastest. The rise was smaller than the 17.1% SECTUR reported for January to June.
By Durango Reviews Team ·
Good to know
- SECTUR counted 8.9 million cruise passengers and 2,413 ship calls in January to September 2026, up 15.0% and 11.2% on the same months of 2025.
- Cozumel received 3,715,770 passengers, about 42% of the total by our calculation. Cabo San Lucas had 995,896 and Mazatlán 355,474.
- The nine-month rise is smaller than the 17.1% SECTUR reported for January to June, so growth slowed in the third quarter, by our reading.
- After nine months, 2026 had reached close to 80% of the 11.2 million passengers SECTUR reported for all of 2025, by our calculation.
Cruise traffic to Mexico is still growing. The tourism ministry, SECTUR, said on November 8 that the country's ports received 8.9 million cruise passengers from January to September 2026, 15.0% more than in the same nine months of 2025, and that ships called 2,413 times, an increase of 11.2%. The average ship brought 3,700 passengers, up 3.4% from 3,580.
Growth is easing a little. In July, SECTUR reported 6.5 million passengers for the first half of the year, a rise of 17.1%. A nine-month increase of 15.0% means the July-to-September months grew more slowly than the first half, by our reading of the two releases.
Where the passengers went
The Pacific coast grew fastest, but the Gulf and Caribbean ports still carry most of the traffic. The two regions together account for 8,927,844 passengers, of which Cozumel alone received about 42%, by our calculation.
| Port or region | Passengers | Change | Ship calls | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific region | 3,001,612 | +27.1% | 863 | +16.0% |
| Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur | 995,896 | +44.4% | 254 | +40.3% |
| Mazatlán, Sinaloa | 355,474 | +67.6% | 96 | +43.3% |
| Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas | Not given | +90.2% | Not given | +71.4% |
| Gulf-Caribbean region | 5,926,232 | +9.7% | 1,550 | +8.8% |
| Cozumel, Quintana Roo | 3,715,770 | +11.3% | 995 | +9.6% |
| Progreso, Yucatán | 402,454 | +16.4% | 125 | +10.6% |
| Mexico | 8.9 million | +15.0% | 2,413 | +11.2% |
The two regions' growth rates have gone different ways since the first half. SECTUR's July release put the rise in passengers from January to June at 36.4% for the Pacific and 8.9% for the Gulf-Caribbean; for January to September, the November release gives 27.1% and 9.7%. Among the ports, Cabo San Lucas's rise eased from 64.5% to 44.4% and Progreso's from 21.6% to 16.4%, while Cozumel's edged up from 10.0% to 11.3%. By our reading of the two releases, the national slowdown came from the Pacific.
The November release names only these five ports. It gives no figures for Ensenada in Baja California or Mahahual in Quintana Roo, which SECTUR's report on 2025 singled out, with 1.3 million and 2.4 million passengers that year respectively.
How the year compares
For the whole of 2025, SECTUR reported 11.2 million passengers and 3,156 ship calls, which it called historic results, up 12% and 10.7% on 2024. After nine months, 2026 has reached close to 80% of last year's passenger total, by our calculation. The November release gives no forecast for the full year. SECTUR's July release attributed the half-year figures to the Mexican Navy (Secretaría de Marina); the November release does not name its source.
For the fee foreign visitors pay to enter Mexico, see our report on the 2027 increase.
How this story was reported: from SECTUR's releases of November 8, 2026 (January to September), July 28, 2026 (first half) and January 30, 2026 (full year 2025), all read on November 10, 2026. Shares, sums and comparisons between the releases are ours.
Sources
- Crece 15% llegada de cruceristas a México y suma 8.9 millones de pasajeros de enero a septiembre (Comunicado 226/2026) Secretaría de Turismo (SECTUR), November 8, 2026
- Turismo de cruceros registra crecimiento de 17.1% en México durante el primer semestre (Comunicado 142/2026) Secretaría de Turismo (SECTUR), July 28, 2026
- México recibe 11.2 millones de pasajeros en cruceros en 2025 y registra crecimiento de 12% (Comunicado 021/2026) Secretaría de Turismo (SECTUR), January 30, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance, then checked against the 3 sources above in a separate fact-check on November 10, 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.