Four days into this nine-day cruise aboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, and we finally hit our first port of call—Costa Maya, Mexico. Originally, we were supposed to be in Montego Bay, Jamaica, but Hurricane Melissa had other plans. With Montego Bay still cleaning up, our visit there was swapped for a stop here in Mexico. Not the worst trade, though Costa Maya has never been a favorite.
A little side note about this port, and it’s kind of a big one. Royal Caribbean recently bought Costa Maya and the surrounding land with plans to turn it into Perfect Day Mexico. Slated to open in the fall of 2027, it’s going to be one of their private destinations with every over-the-top feature imaginable—record-breaking slides, the world’s longest lazy river, swim-up bars where people never leave their barstool to pee, and private cabanas galore. Basically, it’s going to put every other Mexican port to shame.
Perfect Day will be exclusive to Royal Caribbean guests, but the existing Costa Maya port will still be open for everyone else. The catch is that it’s going to sit right next to Royal Caribbean’s new playground, which is bound to make other cruise lines a little uneasy. Carnival has already started quietly pulling its ships from Costa Maya in the months leading up to the opening, and I’d bet my next gin and tonic that others will follow suit.
We rolled the clocks back an hour overnight to match Mexico’s time, which meant an extra hour of sleep—or the endless, “OMG it’s only 10:30?” when it’s really 11:30. We arrived around 8 a.m., joining Margaritaville at Sea Islander and Princess Cruises’ Emerald Princess. With just three ships in port, it allowed for some breathing room ashore. On busier days, Costa Maya can be total chaos—a few thousand people shoulder-to-shoulder trying to shuffle through the shopping area while getting pitched “free tequila” every ten feet. Today, though, you could walk without bumping into people.
The port itself is a complex of souvenir shops, bars, restaurants, and a small beach area lined with loungers available to anyone willing to buy enough drinks. The shopkeepers are… enthusiastic. And by enthusiastic, I mean relentless. They’ll call out, wave you in, and insist you need another shot of tequila or a bracelet that will “bring you good luck.” If you so much as make eye contact, it’s over—you’re in a sales pitch.
The swim-with-the-dolphins attraction is gone now, thanks to new Mexican animal welfare laws, and the aviary has also been closed for the past several times I’ve been. The dolphin pools are still there, just empty and roped off. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a taxi to Mahahual, the nearby beach town a few miles away, but don’t think about walking it. This is definitely a place where booking a ship-sponsored excursion is worth every penny. If something goes wrong on an independent tour and you miss all aboard, the ship won’t wait.
Mexican Laws About Vaping & Port Safety
Now, let’s talk about something I noticed printed in today’s Daily Programme that’s worth paying attention to—Mexico’s vaping laws. Mexico implemented one of the strictest anti-vaping policies in the world. The Mexican government officially banned the importation, sale, distribution, and even possession of ecigarettes, vapes, and related products. This wasn’t a soft “guideline” or a “just don’t use it in public” rule—it’s a full-blown ban. The law was part of a broader public health initiative launched by President Obrador, who had concerns over youth vaping and unregulated chemicals.
Once the law went into effect, customs agents began confiscating vapes at airports, and local authorities started cracking down in tourist areas, including popular cruise ports like Cozumel and Costa Maya. The Daily Programme even issued a warning today: “Recent updates in Mexican law strictly prohibit the use, possession, purchase, importation, sale, and distribution of evaporizers. Penalties for violations include fines of up to US $11,909 and possible imprisonment.”
In other words, if you vape, leave it on the ship. Don’t try to sneak it ashore. Mexico isn’t playing around with this one. They’ve been known to confiscate devices at security checkpoints and, in some cases, issue hefty fines on the spot. Trust me, getting sent to a Mexican prison is definintly not something you want to happen while you’re on vacation.
And speaking of warnings, today’s planner also included a travel advisory for Costa Maya—another friendly reminder that while thousands of tourists visit without issue, petty crime does happen. The notice urges guests not to openly carry expensive items or anything that screams “tourist,” which on a cruise stop in Mexico is basically all of us. But still, it’s good advice. Keep your valuables in the cabin safe, travel smart, and if anyone offers to show you a “hidden gem” off the beaten path, maybe take a pass.
I got off the ship around 1 p.m. and wandered for about 45 minutes, filming a bit for an upcoming video (which I’ll share when the ship’s Wi-Fi stops acting like it’s powered by a hamster). It was a nice enough walk—quiet, not too hot, but the shopkeepers were in full attack mode with their “best price for you, my friend” routine. As ports go, Costa Maya isn’t at the top of my favorites list, but it wasn’t bad today. Sometimes, the best part of visiting a port like this is knowing you can easily retreat to the ship’s pool deck when the hard sells get to be too much.
All aboard was 5:30 p.m., and we were the last ship out of port, with Margaritaville at Sea Islander leading the way.
Halloween on Queen Elizabeth
Now, it wouldn’t be right to skip over the fact that today was Halloween. Some cruise lines go all out for it, with costume contests, themed parties, and spooky decorations everywhere. Disney Cruise Line, for instance, turns its ships into floating haunted mansions for its Halloween on the High Seas sailings that run from mid-September through October. There’s trick-or-treating, Mickey and friends in costume, themed treats, and even a full-blown “Mouse-querade Party.”
Here on Queen Elizabeth, things were a little… quieter. Down on Deck 1, outside the Purser’s Desk, there was a pumpkin-carving display. Crew members carved pumpkins, guests voted for their favorites, and it became the ship’s main photo op for the day. Some of the carvings were pretty impressive!
The other nod to Halloween came in the form of a special drink menu. There were two themed cocktails served throughout the ship: the Dark Side of Mai Tai, made with Bacardi, Captain Morgan Dark, Cointreau, orgeat syrup, lime juice, and charcoal (yes, charcoal), and the Corpse Reviver 2, a blend of gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, absinthe, and lemon juice. Both were $12.
That was about it for Halloween on board. No costume contests, no parades, no haunted ballroom—just pumpkins and booze. But a few passengers, myself included, got into the spirit anyway with some masks, makeup, and small costumes.
As evening rolled around, I found myself back at Gin & Fizz because, honestly, where else would I be before dinner? While the bartender mixed up my usual gin and tonic, he asked if I’d heard about something called the Gin Journey. I hadn’t, but he had me at “gin.” It’s a $45 masterclass that’s basically an excuse to drink in the name of education. You sit down, taste six different gins while pretending to care about the history lesson, and walk away with a 10% discount on your next bottle. I signed up and will be taking the “journey” tomorrow.
Dinner at Karibe on Queen Elizabeth
Dinner tonight was another one of Cunard’s pop-up experiences, this one called Karibe, created for Queen Elizabeth’s Caribbean season. It’s held in a section of the Lido buffet that gets transformed into a small restaurant at night. For $35, you get a Caribbean-themed menu with your choice of appetizer, entrée, sides, and dessert.
Extra items cost more, with an extra appetizer or entree costing $12 each and an extra dessert $5. Dinner starts out with Pigeon Pea Quac and chips. Not bad.
I ordered two appetizers—the Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche and the Adobo Short Rib. Both were excellent, but the ceviche was so fresh and flavorful I could’ve gone for seconds.
For my main, I had the Jerk Chicken, which came with mac and cheese croquettes and was as a couple at a nearby table said, “succulent.” My sides, fries and broccolini, didn’t add much, but dessert made up for it.
The Karibe Sundae was the grand finale: ice cream, chocolate sauce, marshmallows, espresso chips, caramelized Rice Krispies, and rice pudding gelato. It was the kind of dessert that makes you forget you’re full. Service was fantastic and timed perfectly, and the atmosphere was relaxed, with only a few tables filled. If you’re on Queen Elizabeth during her Caribbean run, book Karibe while you can because it probably won’t stick around once she heads to Alaska.
After dinner, I made my way to the Commodore Club for a couple of nightcaps before calling it a night—or so I thought. I made a detour to the casino to “check on my luck,” which didn’t last long. The $800 I’d won earlier in the cruise disappeared faster than a free drink on embarkation day. The casino here is tiny, tucked near the Golden Lion Pub, and it never seems to have much energy. A few people at the machines, one or two playing at a blackjack table, and that’s about it.
Like all Carnival-owned ships, the casino operates under Carnival’s Ocean Players Club program, where you earn one point for every two dollars you play through. Rack up enough and you can get free play or even discounted cruises. Since this ship is only doing a short Caribbean season, I’m not too focused on building up points here.
So after my wallet took one for the team, I finally called it a night. Tomorrow’s another sea day — and like I mentioned earlier, I’ll be diving into all the dining options onboard Queen Elizabeth, from the main restaurants to the pop-ups like La Piazza and Karibe. Thanks for following along… and let’s hope tomorrow doesn’t come with another time change. Seriously, can we all just agree to stay on Miami time and call it a day?
Daily Schedule
