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Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean island and is located off the eastern coast of the
Yucatan peninsula.
Cruise ships visiting Cozumel dock at one of three piers on the island’s western shore
near the town of San Miguel.
In this video, we’ll provide an overview of the Puerta Maya Cruise Center, which is
located at the largest of the three piers and is roughly two and a half miles south
of San Miguel.
Be careful not to confuse this cruise center with Costa Maya, which is located much further
south on the Yucatan peninsula.
The Puerta Maya Cruise Center is typically where Carnival, Princess, and Holland America
ships dock.
However, ships from other cruise lines also dock there from time to time.
To find out if your cruise ship will be docking at the Puerta Maya Cruise Center, check the
Cruise Center’s Port Schedule for the day you’ll be in port.
After you dock and exit your ship, you’ll walk a short distance along the pier to a
large gift shop.
Walk through the gift shop and exit on the other side to access the Cruise Center.
Just past the gift shop and the end of the pier, you’ll find the gathering location
for cruise passengers taking ship-sponsored excursions.
Several excursions are available, including visits to the nearby Mayan ruins, adventure
sports, and all-inclusive beach experiences.
Like many other ports, shopping at the Cruise Center is located just steps away from where
the ships dock, with many retail stores offering freebies and raffles.
Check the port shopping guides that are handed out on the ship for more details.
Also within the Cruise Center, you’ll find shops offering samples to attract customers,
several eateries, if you’d like to grab a bite to eat or drink
massages
fish pedicures
public restrooms, and more.
Although the Peso is the official currency and Spanish is the official language, we had
no trouble paying with US Dollars and speaking English with the merchants.
And while there’s not a beach with access to the water at the Puerta Maya Cruise Center,
there are some sun loungers available at a man-made “beach” area.
Swimming is prohibited.
If you’re a fan of kitschy photos, there are quite a few opportunities for fun snapshots
at the Cruise Center.
There are also two locations to take photos with a Puerta Maya sign in the background.
The first sign is located inside the Cruise Center and can be accessed by turning left
after leaving the pier.
You’ll find the photo spot just after the ferry pier.
The second sign is located just outside of the Cruise Center, soon after you exit the
gates to the area where the taxis pick up.
To find this exit, look for the thatched roof covered walkway.
The taxis in this area pick up cruise passengers wishing to explore Cozumel on their own.
Taxi fare prices are posted in US dollars and, on our cruise, fares were by cab occupancy,
not by person.
Pricing was listed for numerous destinations, including downtown, a number of popular attractions,
beaches, all-inclusive resorts, and private island tours.
If you continue towards the street after exiting the Cruise Center, you’ll find locals offering
horse and carriage rides.
If you cross the street, then turn left and walk along the sidewalk, you’ll soon come
to an area popular with cruisers and ship’s crew.
It features a fake Mayan ruin photo op, as well as shops, bars and restaurants.
During our visit, a troop of aerial artists performed the Dance of the Voladores and posed
for photos for a reasonable tip.
We found the prices for goods and services to be less expensive in this area than they
were in the Puerta Maya Cruise Center.
And prices in general became less expensive the further we walked away from the Cruise
Center area.
Finally, a great resource for planning your day in the Puerta Maya area is the Puerta
Maya website.
The site features a map of the cruise port area, shop information, taxi fares, and the
port schedule.