Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas nearly missed out on their port day in Costa Maya, Mexico, due to rough seas and high winds.
The 28-year-old vessel approached the inner pier, but the captain suspended the disembarkation process because of the inclement weather conditions, with winds at about 15-18 knots.
However, as Wonder of the Seas, a newer Oasis Class vessel, sailed into port, the 235,600-gross-ton mega-ship shielded Enchantment from the wind and ocean swells.
"The hope and now reality/success [is] that Wonder of the Seas arrived and is now miraculously blocking the swells and wind from the other side of the pier (our portside) and allow[ing] a safe disembarkation process to the pier," said Come Cruise With Me's Dennis Post.
It's not uncommon for captains to cancel ports due to unfavorable weather. Although disappointing, these decisions always prioritize guest and crew safety — a principle upheld by Enchantment of the Seas' crew during the initial disembarkation delay.
Coming in at 18 decks tall compared to Enchantment's 12, Wonder towered over her like a natural protector. Wonder's sheer size and position calmed the conditions along the pier enough to allow guests to safely disembark and enjoy their day in Costa Maya.
Everything wasn't picture-perfect, though
According to passengers on Enchantment, the Costa Maya port area was at capacity.
Along with Wonder and Enchantment of the Seas, Carnival Jubilee, the newest ship in Carnival's fleet of fun ships, docked at Costa Maya on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
This brought over 10,000 guests to the port — more than it can comfortably handle with its current infrastructure.
Read more: I spent $4,700 for a 7-night cruise on Wonder of the Seas
Brandon Green of Lakeland, Florida, was traveling aboard Enchantment of the Seas and went ashore once guests were given the all-clear, as reported by Come Cruise With Me.
"It was a nightmare getting into the port, and once we got in, the shops were overrun," he said.
Wonder of the Seas' capacity at double occupancy is 5,734, while Enchantment's is just 2,252. Carnival Jubilee, though smaller than Wonder, still holds an impressive number of people — up to 5,362 at double occupancy. However, at full capacity, these ships can hold more people.
Cruise ships can use this maneuver
As soon as our team read about this story, it reminded me of a similar need for wind blocking last year.
In February 2024, a sudden storm caused Royal Caribbean to evacuate Perfect Day at CocoCay. A cold front moved in quickly, and the two ships needed to get out of the port immediately.
To help, Oasis of the Seas blocked the wind so Freedom of the Seas could depart safely. The winds were so bad that normal departure procedures wouldn't be safe.
Oasis was able to block the winds for Freedom to leave. Oasis remained docked until it was safe to depart on its own.
Royal Caribbean is transforming Costa Maya into the next best destination in the Caribbean
Royal Caribbean has big plans for Costa Maya: they're going to transform the port into the next sought-after destination in their Perfect Day series.
Perfect Day Mexico is poised to elevate the private destination experience with the same blend of chill and thrill that has made Perfect Day at CocoCay a fan favorite.
With the world's longest lazy river, the tallest waterslides in North and South America, the biggest bottle of tequila, and so much more, Perfect Day Mexico is set to redefine what it means to have a “perfect day."
Royal Caribbean doesn't plan to close off Costa Maya exclusively to its guests, but it is aiming to transform part of the port into a destination that rivals Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The port will remain open during the construction of Perfect Day Mexico. Once complete, there will be a new welcome center — built by Royal Caribbean — to acquaint guests of visiting cruise lines, including Carnival, with popular attractions in the Mahahual area and provide transportation throughout the region.
