Mexico’s Environment Secretariat halts Royal Caribbean Tourism Project in Quintana Roo

ByGloria López and Juan Luis Ramos

This article by Gloria López and Juan Luis Ramos originally appeared in the May 19, 2026 edition of El Sol de México.

The head of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), Alicia Bárcena, reported that the Royal Caribbean company’s project in Mahahual will not be approved by the federal government due to the environmental impact it could generate in the reef area of ​​the Mexican Caribbean.

During the presentation of the Basic Diagnosis for the Comprehensive Management of Waste, the official assured that, although the company is considering withdrawing from the project, the agency has already made a final decision.

“Royal Caribbean ’s Perfect Day project will not be approved. We know that the company is also looking to abandon the project itself, but we at SEMARNAT will not approve it,” she declared.

The proposed “world’s largest sombrero” was described as “gringo slop” by Mexicans.

Bárcena explained that the refusal is due to the ecological importance of Mahahual, where part of the Mesoamerican Reef System is located, considered one of the most important reefs in the world for its biodiversity.

“Not in this wonderful place that is Mahahual, where the most important Central American reef is located, where there are so many species and where we really want to conserve that place.”

Although she ruled out tourism development in that area of ​​Quintana Roo, the head of SEMARNAT indicated that the federal government remains open to the company seeking other alternatives in the country.

“Yes, we would invite the Royal Caribbean company to look for another place, but not there, not in the wonderful place that is Mahahual,” she added.

The project had generated concern among environmentalists and residents of the region due to the possible effects on the marine and coastal ecosystems of the Mexican Caribbean.

In 2024, President Sheinbaum was a lot more excited about the project.

In October 2024 , during the CEO Dialogue summit attended by business leaders and officials from Mexico and the United States, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced investments of more than 20 billion dollars in the country, including Royal Caribbean’s investment in Mahahual.

“It’s in southern Quintana Roo, which is also important because southern Quintana Roo needs development. It’s a tourism investment that will be linked to the Maya Train and all the tourism development that will be taking place,” the President said a few days after taking office.

Royal Caribbean’s “Icon of the Seas,” the world’s largest cruiseship which spews tens of thousands of pounds of shit every week. Royal Caribbean paid $27 million in criminal fines in the late 1990s for dumping oil and hazardous chemicals into the ocean via a “secret bypass pipe.”

Royal Caribbean Responds to SEMARNAT

Regarding the announcement by Semarnat, Royal Caribbean responded that it agrees with President Sheinbaum’s government that tourism should be developed responsibly, with environmental protection as a central focus, as well as technical rigor.

Royal Caribbean’s proposal has been described as gringos building “the most stereotypical and racist crap in our own territory.”

“We are committed to full transparency and will provide SEMARNAT with all the information necessary to support a thorough and objective review,” the company said.

In response to the suggestion from the head of the agency, Alicia Bárcena, to look for other alternatives in the country for the project, the cruise company said that the decision to build its park in Mahahual was made after exhaustive environmental and technical analyses to identify the most suitable location.

“Mahahual was chosen because it already has a cruise ship pier, a water park and a beach club, which allows us to operate within areas already in use, while preserving the surrounding habitats and biodiversity,” he said.

The company pledged to “do this right” and expressed interest in working with the federal government to ensure the project reflects a “shared commitment to sustainability and inclusive growth for Mahahual and southern Quintana Roo.”