Royal Caribbean Cancels One Port of Call for a Rare Overnight in Cozumel
Key Aspects:
Royal Caribbean has made a change to Liberty of the Seas’ 2026 Christmas cruise.
The planned visit to Costa Maya was removed from the itinerary due to port availability.
It has been replaced with an overnight call to Cozumel, Mexico.
Even as summer approaches, the countdown to Christmas is on, at least for cruisers booked on Liberty of the Seas’ 5-night Western Caribbean Christmas cruise.
The Galveston-based sailing, which is scheduled to embark on December 21, 2026, was supposed to call at Cozumel on December 23 and Costa Maya on December 24 in Mexico.
However, Costa Maya was removed from the itinerary due to a port conflict, and the Cozumel visit was extended into an overnight call.
“To avoid a berthing conflict and provide you with the best experience, we’ve decided to skip our visit to Costa Maya, Mexico, and enjoy an overnight in Cozumel, Mexico,” Royal Caribbean said in a letter to booked guests, which was obtained by Cruise Hive.
This change means that guests will get to spend Christmas Eve in Cozumel. Of course, any Royal Caribbean shore excursions that were booked for Costa Maya will be automatically cancelled and refunded. Additionally, tours booked for Cozumel will be rescheduled or cancelled for guests.
An Overnight Call in Cozumel
Instead of arriving in Cozumel at 7 a.m. on December 23 and leaving that night at 6 p.m., the 3,634-guest ship will arrive at 6 p.m., allowing guests to enjoy Cozumel’s nightlife that cruisers don’t usually stay long enough to see.
Guests will then have until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve to explore the island, which is located off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
“We’ll arrive on Day 3 at 6:00 PM and depart the next day at 5:00 PM. There’s nothing like extra time to make sure you don’t miss out and enjoy everything this beautiful destination has to offer,” Royal Caribbean noted.
If guests are lucky, they might also get to be among the first to experience Royal Beach Club Cozumel, which is expected to open at the end of December.
If the cruise line follows the same strategy as it did for the opening of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau in December 2025, the grand opening may get moved up.
Alternatively, Christmas might come early for some if Royal Caribbean decides to invite select guests to preview the private resort ahead of its official opening, as they did for the Nassau-based resort.
Previews are typically a free experience that allows the cruise line to ensure everything is operating smoothly and to train crew members with a limited capacity.
What’s Happening in Costa Maya?
More astute cruisers may recognize some irony in Royal Caribbean cancelling a call to Costa Maya because Royal Caribbean actually owns the cruise port.
The cruise line shelled out $292 million USD to become the official owner of the port and the surrounding area in July of 2025, an investment that was made to pave the way for Perfect Day Mexico.
More likely than not, the change in port availability is related to the construction of the 200+ acre destination, which is expected to open in the summer of 2027.
Per cruise tracking data, Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas and Legend of the Seas are also on the schedule for December 21, when Liberty of the Seas was supposed to visit. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva is also on the roster.
No itinerary changes have been announced for these ships at this time, but Cruise Hive will continue to monitor and share updates if and when they become available.
Royal Caribbean Cancels One Port of Call for a Rare Overnight in Cozumel