Most Carnival Ships Will Stop Visiting Costa Maya Starting October 2026
Costa Maya, Mexico, has been a staple of Western Caribbean itineraries since it first opened in 2001. Over the years, the port has welcomed millions of cruisers looking for beaches, excursions to Mayan ruins, and the laid-back fishing village of Mahahual.
That changed in October 2024, when Royal Caribbean announced it would purchase Costa Maya and transform it into its newest private destination, Perfect Day Mexico. The company made clear that other cruise lines would still be allowed to dock at the port, but only Royal Caribbean and Celebrity guests would have access to the new private destination. That left many cruise fans wondering how long other lines would continue sailing to a port that is essentially run by their biggest competitor. For Carnival, the answer appears to be October 2026.
Which Cruise Lines Visit Costa Maya Now?
Royal Caribbean has always dominated Costa Maya traffic. Looking at the port schedule, more than half of the ships visiting in September 2025 are from Royal Caribbean. Carnival ranks second with 24% of visits with ships like the Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Dream visiting from Galveston. They’re followed by MSC Cruises and Margaritaville at Sea. Smaller appearances come from Virgin Voyages and Celebrity.
Under the purchase agreement, other cruise lines can still use the pier and transportation facilities. Royal Caribbean even announced a new welcome center for all visiting lines that will showcase attractions in the Mahahual region and provide local transportation. What those guests will not get is access to Perfect Day Mexico.
Carnival Pulls Back in October 2026
Carnival has not made a formal statement about its plans for Costa Maya, but we took a deep dive into their published cruise schedules, which are released through April 2027. Starting in October 2026, Carnival’s presence begins to fade significantly. While previously taking up 1/4 of all visits, by 2027, the only Carnival ship visiting the port is the Carnival Legend, and even those stops are limited to select itineraries once a month at most.
Cruise Line Visits to Costa Maya Port
| Sept ’25 | Sept ’26 | Oct ’26 | Jan ’27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | 16 | 20 | 14 | 20 |
| Carnival | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| MSC | 5 | 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Margaritaville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Norwegian | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Celebrity | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Virgin | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Other (Oceania, TUI, Regent Seven Seas, Cunard) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Instead, Carnival is shifting its Western Caribbean sailings toward other ports like Isla Tropicale (the new name for Mahogany Bay, Roatan), Cozumel, and Belize City. That leaves Costa Maya with fewer Carnival calls and a lineup increasingly dominated by Royal Caribbean, MSC, and Norwegian.
Perfect Day Mexico at Costa Maya
Royal Caribbean spent $292 million to acquire Costa Maya and surrounding properties, including the Lost Mayan Kingdom water park. The cruise giant is investing more than $600 million to transform the port into Perfect Day Mexico, a massive private destination designed exclusively for guests.
Much like Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, this new destination is designed to keep guests spending their day (and money) within the Royal Caribbean ecosystem. With sprawling beaches, record-breaking slides, and the world’s longest lazy river, it is positioned to become one of the most ambitious cruise destinations in the Caribbean.
Plans call for sprawling white sand beaches, huge infinity pools, the world’s longest lazy river, and a giant waterpark with record-setting slides.
Perfect Day Mexico is expected to open in Fall 2027 and will only be available to passengers sailing on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships. For Carnival fans, that means saying goodbye to Costa Maya as a regular stop. For Royal Caribbean guests, it signals the arrival of one of the most ambitious cruise destinations ever built in the Western Caribbean.
My Take: The Pullback at Costa Maya Isn’t Surprising
When Royal Caribbean first announced Perfect Day Mexico, it was hard to imagine other cruise lines sticking around, even though the company said they’d still be welcome to dock. What cruise line really wants to bring its guests to Royal Caribbean’s doorstep? Picture sailing into Costa Maya on the Carnival Breeze and spotting the massive slide towers and oversized sombrero from your balcony. The kids point and ask, “Can we go there?” The answer is no, and suddenly the family is wondering if maybe next time they should book with the cruise line that gives them access.
Carnival has the flexibility to move ships to its own growing portfolio of private ports like Isla Tropicale in Roatan, Honduras. Other lines such as Norwegian, MSC, and Virgin don’t have as many private destinations in the Western Caribbean. Until they do, they’ll likely keep sending ships to Costa Maya, even if the most eye-catching attractions are off-limits to their guests. Even without access to Perfect Day, guests can still visit the ancient Chacchoben Mayan Ruins (read about our visit here) or spend at day at local establishments like our favorite, Maya Chan (read about our visit here).
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