Cozumel arrive by ship leave by plane

[Hatch54]

So long story short my wife has had scheduling conflicts at work since we booked our cruise and needs to be back at work 2 days earlier than originally planned. Since this was planned around multiple families and school vacation it wasn't really an option to reschedule, so she was just looking at staying home. A few days ago I got the idea to look at one way flights from Cozumel that would get her back home in time and they are actually really reasonable. She would still get to cruise and would just miss the last 2 nights and 1 sea day.  

 

I have already talked to the cruise line and in so many words they said it wouldn't be a problem to disembark in Cozumel and there wouldn't be any extra fees but "technically" they have to advise all guests to complete their cruise.  I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this before and if there are any immigration issues in Mexico that we will run into or any other hoops to jump through that someone knows of. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Hatch54

[ABQrobin]

Hmmm..... not so sure this is legal.  I would do more research.  

[gordiej]

I think it's fine. You'd run into bigger "issues" if you, say, tried to get off at Key West if that was the first port because there's a technical penalty for not stopping in a foreign country (a friend was charged $300 for doing this when he fell ill, I could have had him stick it out to Cozumel as the airfare home was the same, and we would have saved the $300 but I wasn't aware of the regulations at the time...).

 

I'm not sure I would even bother telling the cruise line until you get to Cozumel. Then just claim an emergency.

[GTJ]

On 10/22/2023 at 5:09 PM, Hatch54 said:

I have already talked to the cruise line and in so many words they said it wouldn't be a problem to disembark in Cozumel and there wouldn't be any extra fees but "technically" they have to advise all guests to complete their cruise. I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this before and if there are any immigration issues in Mexico that we will run into or any other hoops to jump through that someone knows of.

Yes, we have done things similarly. We were destined for inland México, and to get there we booked a 14-night reposition cruise, via Norwegian Cruise Line, from New York to New Orleans. Cozumel was the final port of call before New Orleans, the following twelve nights on the vessel from New York. Our plan was to disembark at Cozumel, use the ferry to Playa del Carmen, and then continue onward into the interior of México. Several weeks later we would return to Playa del Carmen, ferry to Cozumel, and board a Carnival Cruise Line vessel in the middle of short round-trip cruise from New Orleans, and then continue home in New York via overnight Amtrak train.

 

On the NCL vessel approaching Cozumel we provided our passports to NCL staff, who would in turn provide them to Mexican immigration and customs officials. After docking we were invited to a vessel conference room where we would meet up with those Mexican officials. Instead, those officials examined our documents without even meeting with us, and NCL staff came to the conference room to return our stamped passports plus a Mexican tourist card ("Forma Migratoria Múltiple," or "FMM" for short) granting 180 days stay in the country. We were then able to alight from the vessel with our baggage, along with other passengers who were alighting only for the day.

 

The only disruption to the process is that the Mexican officials did not supply an invoice with the tourist card so that we could pay the fee therefor. As a consequence, while inland we stopped at a Mexican immigration office to request and receive an invoice (this was in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, and it took about two hours). With invoice in hand, we were able to stop at a bank (any bank will do), pay the tourist card fee, and receive a receipt for having paid the fee. When we departed México for Guatemala, using a small launch to cross the Río Usumacinta at Frontera Corozal, Chiapas, we presented the tourist card and payment receipt to Mexican immigration for getting stamped out of the country. Ordinarily, immigration would collect the tourist card, but since we would be re-entering México a few days later, we retained the tourist card and payment receipt. We did, in fact, re-enter México a few days later, this time overland from Belize at Santa Elena, Quintana Roo. We had our passports stamped and used our already-issued tourist card an payment receipt. When arriving back at Cozumel, Mexican immigration should have collected the tourist card as we were boarding the vessel, but because presumably because nearly all the boarding passengers were there simply as part of the port of call, no Mexican official collected our tourist cards.

 

What is different today and with your planned trip? Fees are now generally paid at the border when the tourist card is issued rather than at a bank. After having disembarked the vessel in Cozumel, Mexican immigration officials at the airport in either Cancún or Cozumel would ordinarily demand your tourist card. However, the government recently removed the tourist card requirement for persons flying into and out of Cancún. In part that's because travelers by air have had the fee included in airline ticket fares to México (though travelers entering México by any other means did not have the fee included in their bus or cruise vessel fare), and thus lots of paperwork for no useful purpose. But since you would not have flown into Cancún, the airport immigration officials should still demand a tourist card from you. And as to the airport in Cozumel, tourist cards might still be required for all. What will actually be the case? Between recently-changed requirements and actual practice, it is unknown for certain. For persons entering and leaving by land for seven days or fewer, there is no fee for the tourist card. But you would be entering by sea and departing by air, so this exception likely has no application. My advice is to make certain that, prior to leaving the vessel in Cozumel, you make certain that any fee payment matter is addressed, and if a fee is due, make certain that you are able to pay it before getting to the airport. Better yet, contact your local Mexican consulate for details on what the current tourist card and fee requirements. The last thing you will want to do is to arrive at the airport only to be turned back because you did not receive a tourist card or pay the required fee--or worse, get fined--and additionally missing your flight home.

 

Hopefully our experience, as I described above, will give you some insight as to what to expect. Your plan is practicable, and does not involve any cabotage issues. You should notify the cruise line at least one day in advance of disembarkation (so that immigration procedures can be followed). The main thing about which to be concerned is the tourist card and the payment of any fee therefor. Because it is not common to enter México by sea and depart by air, be prepared in case the tourist card and fee information given to you by your local consulate turns out to be wrong.