Cozumel Cruise Port: The Ultimate Guide & Terminal Overview

Punta Langosta cruise terminal, Cozumel cruise port

Nestled off the northeastern coast of Mexico’s state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula, Cozumel is an island of cheerful people, salsa vibes, stunning nature, and rich Mayan cultural heritage.

The port of Cozumel ranks among the largest and most visited ports in the Caribbean.

This article will provide you with detailed information about Cozumel cruise terminals along with some helpful, insider travel tips.

And if you want to read about the best things to do on this incredible island – check out my article 10 Best Things to Do in Cozumel Cruise Port

Visit also our cruise guides to Roatan, Falmouth, Ocho Rios, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman

Cozumel Cruise Port

Due to the large number of cruise liners coming to Cozumel daily, Cozumel cruise port consists of 3 cruise terminals, located within walking/short driving distance of each other.

One of them (Punta Langosta) is located in Cozumel’s capital city – San Miguel de Cozumel, whereas the other two (International Cruise Terminal and Puerta Maya) are situated within less than a 10-minute driving distance from the town.

Cozumel cruise port map
Cozumel cruise port map © google.com/maps/

1. Punta Langosta Cruise Terminal

This terminal is located within walking distance of San Miguel downtown and its main attractions, shops, bars, and restaurants.

The cruise lines such as Disney, NCL, MSC, Oceania, Silversea, Marella Cruises, and several others normally dock here (this can change, though, so always check beforehand).

Punta Langosta cruise terminal
Punta Langosta cruise terminal

Upon exiting the cruise terminal, you’ll spot a long street filled with shopping malls, souvenir stores, cafes, restaurants, and several historic landmarks.

If you turn right, within a short distance, you will reach some of the best ocean-view cafes and bars, such as No Name Bar, crew members’ favorite spot with pool facilities, fantastic food, Caribbean vibes, and a laid-back atmosphere.

Some great eateries and hotels are located here, including Rock ‘n Java Bar & grill, Subway, Hotel Barracuda, Jeanie’s (restaurant), Rolandi’s (Italian restaurant), El Muellecito (Seafood restaurant), La Internacional Cerveceria (great craft beer!), Cozumel Palace 4-star hotel resort and El Cantil Condominiums. Here, you’ll also find car rentals, tour operator offices, shopping malls, and beautiful parks.

The view of Punta Langosta cruise terminal and San Miguel downtown
The view of Punta Langosta cruise terminal and San Miguel downtown from the ship.

If you turn left upon exiting the Punta Langosta cruise terminal, you’ll spot a long boardwalk offering fantastic sea views, lined with shopping malls, brand stores (Tanzanite International, EFFY, Victoria’s Secret, Cartier, Del Sol), souvenir shops, hotel resorts, tour booths, restaurants, and bars (Hard Rock café).

Here, you can explore some historic landmarks and monuments, such as the Coral Reefs Monument, the Mexican War Memorial, the Birds Monument, and the Museum of Cozumel.

Housed in a beautiful bright building overlooking the sea, the museum features a large collection of artifacts and exhibits on the island’s history and an amazing restaurant where you can indulge in the Mexican specialties while enjoying the stunning ocean views.

In front of the Punta Langosta cruise terminal, you can find shops, bars, restaurants (Diamond International, Starbucks), Punta Langosta Mall with a cinema, and a bit further away – the historic landmarks (Iglesia de San Miguel), markets, and parks.

Taxis are everywhere, prices are reasonable, however, I would suggest you always agree on the price first.

Explore Cozumel tours and activities

No Name Bar
No Name Bar and Hotel Barracuda

Cozumel Ferry

The main ferry terminal is located within a 5-minute walk from Punta Langosta and offers daily ferry transportation between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. It is easy to find, just turn left upon exiting the Punta Langosta terminal and you’ll spot the ferries close by.

There are two ferry companies providing round-trip transport from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen: Winjet and Ultramar. The ride takes about 40 minutes one-way (or less, depending on the company), and ferries run every hour (sometimes they run less frequently, make sure you check the Cozumel Ferry Schedule for more details).

When you are buying the ferry ticket, make sure you buy a one-way ticket, as the companies don’t accept each other’s tickets. You can check the cost and ferry schedule on Winjet and Ultramar’s official websites.

Note: Although the official currency in Cozumel is the Mexican Peso (MXN), U.S. dollars are widely accepted. 1 USD equals 16.80 MXN. 

Ferries are double-deckers, modernly equipped, and feature a cafeteria where you can buy coffee and snacks. Keep in mind that a ferry ride can be extremely bumpy (when I say extremely, I mean that I’ve seen dozens of people throwing up each time I went to the mainland), so seasickness pills are highly recommended. Normally they give you a plastic bag upon embarking.

On the mainland side, the ferry docks a 5-minute walk from Playa del Carmen city center and its shopping streets, attractions, bars, and restaurants.

Plaza Playacar is the place where you usually meet your tour guides for the mainland tours, and it is located within a 5-minute walk from the main square.

Watch my YouTube video on Punta Langosta cruise terminal!

2. International Cruise Terminal

This terminal is located less than a 10-minute drive from San Miguel de Cozumel downtown (around 4 km/2.5 miles). It consists of two piers and is usually used by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise ships.

In front of the terminal, you’ll spot a spacious area featuring a large Margaritaville, usually filled with cheerful people dancing salsa, drinking tequila, or eating delicious Mexican food.

There are plenty of tour booths, shops, several bars, and restaurants (Bar Mandy, Senor Frog’s, Bubba Gump Shrimp…) in this area. This is where you meet your tour operators when joining the shore excursions. Normally they hold the signs with tour names, so you can easily spot them.

If you are taking the mainland tour, the ferry picks you up at the pier (no need to go to the San Miguel ferry terminal). However, if you decide to go to the mainland on your own, you need to take a taxi to the ferry terminal in San Miguel. The taxi ride lasts less than 10 minutes.

Upon exiting the terminal area, you’ll see many taxi vehicles and mini-buses, as well as large Mercado Popular and Royal Village shopping malls. This area is packed with brand stores (Tag Heuer, Diamonds International, Harley Davidson) and fabulous bars/restaurants (Hard Rock café).

Celebrity Edge in International cruise terminal in Cozumel
International cruise terminal

3. Puerta Maya Cruise Terminal

This cruise terminal is located a 5-minute walking distance from the International Cruise Terminal and a 10-minute drive from San Miguel de Cozumel. Puerta Maya is the largest of all terminals and Carnival Corporation cruise ships dock here (Carnival, Princess, Costa…).

The terminal consists of three piers. Here you’ll find over fifty brand stores (Cariloha and Del Sol, Tanzanite International…) and shops selling souvenirs and authentic handicrafts, as well as restaurants and bars (Three Amigos is one of the most popular ones – it offers a great selection of tequilas, beers, and yummy food).

In this area, you meet your tour operators for the tours, and ferries normally come to the terminal to pick up the cruise passengers joining the ship shore excursions.

When you exit the terminal, you’ll see large parking with many taxis, a few shopping malls, restaurants, and a flea market.

10 Best Things to Do in Cozumel Cruise Port

I had a chance to visit Cozumel many times on a cruise ship, and every time I tried something different, from dolphin swimming and horseback riding to exploring the world-famous ruins and adventure parks.

Below I will list the most popular tours and activities in the port of Cozumel. If you want to read in detail about each activity, I suggest you check out my article: 10 Best Things to Do in Cozumel Cruise Port

  1. Swimming with dolphins (Dolphinaris and Chankanaab Adventure Park)
  2. Off-Road Adventure
  3. Cozumel beaches
  4. San Gervasio ruins
  5. Snorkeling and Diving
  6. Tulum Ruins
  7. Chichen Itza
  8. Rio Secreto – The Secret Underground River
  9. Coba Pyramid and Cenote Swimming
  10. Adventure Parks – Xcaret, Xplor, Xenses

Explore Cozumel tours and activities


Also read: 8 Incredibly Fun Things to Do in Cozumel, Mexico

You may also like our cruise port guides to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Western Europe, Baltic & Scandinavia, USA & Canada, Australia & New Zealand

This article may contain affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see my disclaimer here.

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