Cruise Passengers Should Leave This Common Item On The Ship At Mexico's Ports To Avoid Huge Fines

For those who want a multi-destination vacation, cruises are a popular way to travel. You get to enjoy the ocean up close and personal while exploring other countries, without hustling through busy airports. For U.S. residents, one of the most popular cruise destinations is none other than Mexico, with its stunning beaches and coastal fun. However, a new law could see cruise passengers to Mexico facing thousands of dollars in fines and possibly even jail time.

In December 2024, Mexico's Senate passed a new constitutional reform that made the import and sale of e-cigarettes and illicit fentanyl illegal. The new law went into effect on January 18 2026, after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo published the amendment in the official federal gazette, and reports have already emerged of people at airports and ports being searched and fined for carrying vapes. According to the current iteration of the law, visitors carrying vapes into the country could face up to $12,500 in fines or up to 8 years in prison. The message for cruise passengers is clear: Leave the vapes on the ship.

The new amendment is the latest in a series of laws aimed at cracking down on the import and sale of illicit substances. It doesn't just cover standard e-cigarettes; it also includes disposable vapes, non-nicotine e-cigarettes, and refills, among others. Because vaping for personal use is technically allowed, critics argue that the law is ambiguous on what constitutes personal use versus commercial intent. But that's not an argument you want to have on your vacation, so it's best not to bring the vape ashore. 

Because Mexico is one of the cruise destinations where the dollar goes the furthest, it's also one of the most popular destinations for Americans. Several popular cruise lines include at least one Mexican destination in their itineraries, and Royal Caribbean is even building its own waterpark in Mahahual. While most of these cruise lines allow vaping in designated areas on the ship, they're now warning passengers to leave their vapes onboard before setting foot on Mexico's ports, per a report from CruiseHive.

With the new law in place, tourists could end up penalized even if they carry vapes for personal use, despite the law explicitly allowing it. The confusion stems from the strict enforcement of the vape ban at ports and airports. Technically, anything visitors bring from another country is considered an import. So passengers who've bought their vapes legally in another country and only plan to keep them for personal use could still face fines or jail time for "importing" the vapes into Mexico. While there are scattered reports of people successfully sneaking their vapes into the country in the first few days of the ban, newer reports show that the authorities have responded to that by searching disembarking passengers with trained sniffer dogs at popular ports like Cozumel.

It's also worth remembering that in 2023 the country banned smoking and vaping in public spaces like beaches, parks, public transportation, and enclosed public spaces. So you won't be able to vape publicly, even if you do manage to sneak your vapes into the country. Until the Mexican authorities lay out clear guidelines on the difference between vapes for personal use versus commercial use, it's best if you just leave your e-cigarettes in your cabin on the ship, and focus on enjoying the best beaches in Mexico.