The port of Cabo San Lucas concluded its peak cruise season with significant growth in arrivals, registering a 30 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to industry representatives.
For the Mexican Cruise Association, this result confirms the positive projections made months ago, driven by the addition of new ships and increased route capacity.
“We saw it coming, given the new ships and their capacity, that it was going to be an excellent season. Now, compared to last season, there’s almost 30 percent more, so it’s been a very good season for Cabo San Lucas in terms of cruise ship arrivals,” said Arturo Mussi Ganem, president of the Mexican Cruise Association.
The association’s president, Arturo Mussi Ganem, explained that the evaluation is based on the peak season, which runs from September to April, allowing for a more accurate measurement of the sector’s annual performance.
According to data from the Mexican Ministry of Tourism’s “DataTur” system, Cabo San Lucas has received 76 cruise ships so far in 2026, carrying a total of 264,140 passengers.
These figures reflect an upward trend compared to previous years. In 2025, 285 arrivals were recorded with more than one million passengers, while in 2024, 221 arrivals were registered with approximately 778,000 visitors, marking a sustained recovery in the industry.
Despite this positive performance, the sector faces significant challenges for the remainder of the year. Among these is the increase in fuel costs, considered one of the highest expenses for cruise lines.
Mussi Ganem warned that price volatility and reported shortages in some regions, such as Europe, have already begun to generate cancellations on other routes, which could impact the industry’s overall operations.
Source: oem
