Add The New York Post on Google Mexican authorities shut down Royal Caribbean’s plans to build a massive Caribbean coast water park after outraged residents raised alarms over the project’s environmental impact.
The cruise titan is now pulling plans for its exclusive “Perfect Day Mexico” destination in Mahahual, a Mexican seaside village, after environmental groups warned the sprawling 200-acre haven could flood the area with tourists, pack the beaches and threaten marine life near a vital coral reef.
“It is not going to be approved,” Mexico’s Environment Minister Alicia Barcena said Tuesday during a press conference, adding that the company was in the process of withdrawing its plans.
The massive private retreat, set to open in fall 2027, was billed as the “biggest, baddest, boldest destination,” boasting lavish beach clubs, pools, 24 bars, more than 30 waterslides, including the tallest in North and South America, and the world’s largest lazy river, according to the cruise operator’s website.
The attraction could also accommodate about 15,000 people a day, according to analysts from Stifel.
Local Mahahual business owners feared that the Disneyland-like destination would prevent cruise passengers from spending money at local businesses, while environmental group Greenpeace warned that the region was at a “crucial juncture.”
Public opposition also surged online, with a Change.org petition launched in July 2025 calling for the project to be halted, topping 4 million signatures in recent days.
Petitioners warned the park would be built on protected mangroves, putting the local way of life at risk.
“We must not do anything that affects that area, which has a very important ecological balance, and is particularly important for the reefs,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said.
Mahahual is home to fewer than 3,000 people and the Mesoamerican Reef, the largest reef in the Western Hemisphere.
Royal Caribbean said it was disappointed over the decision but respected the country’s environmental authorities and remains optimistic about future investment opportunities in Mexico.
“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,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to The Post Wednesday.
“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.”
