Talks appear to be happening behind the scenes between Royal Caribbean and the Mexican government regarding a new private destination.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says government officials are discussing the possibility of relocating Royal Caribbean’s proposed Perfect Day Mexico development.
According to an article published by El Universal and translated from Spanish to English, Sheinbaum discussed the future of Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico project during a May 27 press conference.
The president said the federal government remains in talks with Royal Caribbean to determine whether there may be another location in Mexico where the project could be developed. She added that any potential future site would first need to be evaluated for environmental viability and assessed to ensure it would not create the same concerns identified in Mahahual.
“We are in talks with the company to see if there are any locations where the project could be developed without these environmental impacts, and we will first analyze whether it truly has environmental viability,” said the president.
Sheinbaum added, “In this area (Mahahual), the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and the governor herself are evaluating the possibility of granting it an additional protection category, for example, allowing ecotourism only under certain conditions.”
The comments mark the latest development in an ongoing saga surrounding Royal Caribbean’s planned Perfect Day Mexico destination. The project was expected to become one of the cruise line’s largest private destination investments near Costa Maya, Mexico.
However, while Mexican officials say discussions are taking place, Royal Caribbean has not publicly commented on the possibility of relocating the project. The cruise line’s most recent public statement came after Mexican regulators rejected the original proposal on May 20, when Royal Caribbean said it was ‘disappointed’ by the decision but remained optimistic about advancing its investment in Mexico responsibly.
Government says environmental protection and investment must be balanced
During the press conference, Sheinbaum defended the role of Mexico’s environmental regulators, explaining that Semarnat evaluates both environmental concerns and economic investment opportunities when reviewing major developments. According to the president, projects can ultimately be modified, relocated, or rejected depending on the findings of the environmental review.
“They envision both issues: on the one hand, that there be investment in the country, but at the same time, in areas where a project is not suitable, the project is redefined so that it does not have those impacts, or it is relocated to another place, or it is simply rejected,” she said.
Sheinbaum also revealed that Mexican officials are evaluating added protections for the Mahahual area itself. According to the president, Semarnat and Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama are discussing whether the area should receive an additional category of environmental protection beyond the protected natural areas already established there.
One possibility mentioned by Sheinbaum would involve limiting future development in the area and allowing only certain ecotourism activities under specific conditions. She said officials are currently considering what protections may be necessary to prevent tourism developments that could negatively impact the local environment.
Perfect Day Mexico plans were rejected earlier this month
The latest comments come less than two weeks after Mexico’s Environment and Natural Resources Ministry (Semarnat) announced that Royal Caribbean’s proposal would not be approved in its current form.
On May 19, Environment Secretary Alicia Bárcena confirmed that the project would not move forward after regulators completed their environmental review. According to the government, the proposed development was considered too invasive for the area.
Valued at approximately $600 million, Perfect Day Mexico was expected to include beaches, pools, restaurants, bars, an adults-only area, and a massive water park with more than 30 waterslides. The project represented one of Royal Caribbean’s largest destination investments to date.
Sheinbaum reiterated that Semarnat determined the project was not suitable for the location and that Royal Caribbean had already been notified that three portions of the proposal were deemed unacceptable. According to Reuters, the three denied permits included one associated with the project’s proposed pier infrastructure.
The government’s decision followed growing scrutiny from environmental organizations, activists, and members of the public who argued that a project of this size could permanently alter the area’s ecosystem. Some activist groups also argued that large-scale tourism developments in the region could amount to the privatization of natural spaces and cause irreversible environmental damage.
Why did regulators reject the project?
According to findings released by Semarnat, officials identified multiple environmental concerns during their review of the proposal. One of the primary concerns involved mangroves located within and around the project area.
Mangroves are considered critical to coastal ecosystems because they help prevent erosion, improve water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife. Mexican regulators specifically cited concerns about the presence of mangroves near portions of the proposed development and their importance to the area’s environmental health.
Prior to the project’s rejection, Royal Caribbean had repeatedly emphasized that it did not intend to develop within protected mangrove conservation areas.
Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean’s Senior Vice President of Product Innovation, said in a 2025 interview, “We are not going to touch anything at all in the mangrove conservation area.”
The cruise line also argued that portions of the region’s mangroves were already being impacted by pollution from local wastewater infrastructure and said the project would include environmental improvements aimed at restoring mangrove health. According to previous project materials, Royal Caribbean planned to leave roughly 64% of the property undeveloped because of mangroves and other environmentally sensitive areas.
Regulators also raised concerns about the project’s potential impact on the Mesoamerican Reef System, which is one of the largest coral reef networks in the world. Other concerns involved groundwater systems and underground hydrological networks located beneath the region.
According to the agency’s findings, officials believed the size and scale of the proposed development could create environmental risks that were difficult to mitigate.
Another factor involved the way the proposal was submitted. Rather than evaluating the water park, beach facilities, cruise infrastructure, restaurants, and entertainment venues separately, regulators assessed the entire proposal as a single integrated development.
As a result, officials concluded that the cumulative environmental impact of the overall project was too significant to approve.
The review process has also attracted substantial public attention. According to Semarnat, more than 14,000 public comments were submitted regarding the project between February and March 2026. Environmental organizations, including Greenpeace Mexico, publicly campaigned against the proposal and urged regulators to reject it.
The group warned that the project and its connection to expanded cruise tourism could have significant environmental consequences for the region. Following the government’s decision, Greenpeace said it would “remain vigilant” regarding the possibility of the project being relocated elsewhere in Mexico.
Royal Caribbean says it still believes in Mexico
Following the government’s rejection, Royal Caribbean issued a statement expressing disappointment while also emphasizing that it remained committed to investing in Mexico.
“We are disappointed by SEMARNAT’s decision and respect the role of Mexico’s environmental authorities,” the company said. “Mahahual is a special place that deserves care and protection. We continue to believe in Mexico, and are optimistic in the potential to advance our investment responsibly.”
The company also stated that it planned to continue engaging stakeholders while exploring ways to move forward that support environmental infrastructure, local jobs, and community programs.
"Over the coming weeks, we will re-engage stakeholders to move forward in a way that delivers shared prosperity through the development of essential environmental infrastructure, the creation of thousands of local jobs, and community programs that support the people of Mexico."
More recently, reports indicated that Royal Caribbean withdrew portions of its original proposal, including plans for the massive water park component. That move reportedly allows the company the opportunity to potentially submit a revised proposal in the future. However, Royal Caribbean has not publicly detailed what any revised project might include.
Perfect Day Mexico was first announced in 2024
Royal Caribbean first announced Perfect Day Mexico in 2024 as part of an ambitious expansion of its private destination portfolio. The project was planned for Costa Maya near the village of Mahahual on Mexico’s Caribbean coast after Royal Caribbean acquired the Costa Maya cruise port.
The cruise line envisioned a destination similar to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, but on an even larger scale. The proposed development would have covered approximately 230 acres and carried an estimated cost of roughly $600 million.
“Perfect Day at CocoCay has been a gamechanger for both our guests and our business. With travelers prioritizing unique experiences and destinations driving their booking decisions, we’re excited to expand our Perfect Day Collection by creating Perfect Day Mexico to super serve guests who want to explore the Western Caribbean,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.
“Our momentum for reimagining the ultimate vacation experience for guests of all ages continues as we help guests turn the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations across our brands," he continued.
Among the headline attractions was Jaguar’s Peak, which was meant to be a 170-foot-tall slide tower that Royal Caribbean said would feature several record-breaking experiences. This included the tallest waterslides in the Americas and the longest coaster-style waterslide.
The project was designed to accommodate thousands of cruise passengers per day. Additionally, Perfect Day Mexico was expected to become a major attraction for Royal Caribbean ships sailing from Florida, Texas, and other Gulf Coast homeports.
“Since the introduction of Perfect Day at CocoCay in 2019, our top-rated destination, the memories made by millions have paved the way for the unbelievable experience that will be Perfect Day Mexico,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International at the time of the project's announcement.
“Destinations are a big part of why families and adventurers vacation with Royal Caribbean, and in collaboration with Mexico’s state of Quintana Roo, we are unlocking new and unparalleled ways to make memories in a destination known and loved for its natural beauty, warm culture and prime location," Bayley added.
