Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port Guide
Mexico · in-depth port guide, sources shown throughout
Across Mexico — laws, safety & health
National rules and risks that apply anywhere in Mexico — relayed from official sources, not our verdict. We pass on what the authority says and leave the judgement to you.
Laws that catch visitors out
- Penalties for drug offences are severe — convictions carry sentences of up to 25 years. Do not become involved with drugs of any kind.
- It is illegal to bring e-cigarettes, vaping devices or solutions into Mexico, or to buy or sell them — customs will confiscate them and you could be fined or detained.
- Some alcoholic drinks have contained methanol, causing deaths and serious illness — even small amounts can kill; buy from reputable outlets.
- Carry your passport with its entry stamp — authorities do not accept copies or photos.
- Smoking or vaping in a public place can be fined up to about 3,000 Mexican pesos (~£150).
Drones
Mexico regulates drones (RPAS) through the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) under official standard NOM-107-SCT3-2019, which requires the drone to be registered with AFAC before you fly. Registration is made through the AFAC RPAS portal and asks for official identification, so visitors should confirm what is possible with AFAC well before travelling. Keep within visual line of sight, away from airports and crowds.
via Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil (AFAC) — RPAS / Drones (NOM-107-SCT3-2019) · 25 Jun 2026
Scams to watch
Be wary of criminals posing as police trying to fine or arrest you for no reason. Take care at ATMs and exchange offices — use ATMs in daylight inside shops or malls. Unlicensed taxis have robbed and assaulted passengers — use regulated "sitio" taxis from authorised ranks or have your hotel order one. A common phone scam features a fake kidnapped relative demanding money.
Health hazards
Mosquito-borne Zika virus, chikungunya and dengue are present — use insect-bite precautions. Drink only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice; cyclospora (food/water-borne) occurs. (Altitude sickness is a risk in highland areas only — not Cozumel, which is at sea level.)
via UK FCDO travel advice — Mexico (health) · 18 Jul 2026
Relayed from UK FCDO travel advice — Mexico · checked 18 Jul 2026
Traffic drives on the right. Look left first when you cross the road.
Docking & terminals in Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas has no cruise berth: ships anchor in the bay and passengers are tendered ashore to the marina in the town centre (ASIPONA Cabo San Lucas).
- Marina tender landing (The landing is in the town-centre marina.)
Mobility & step-free access
Getting around between the pier and town:
- On foot — The tender landing is in the town-centre marina — shops and restaurants surround it (ASIPONA).
- Boat — El Arco and Lover’s Beach sit inside the Cabo San Lucas protected area — visits run by authorised operators from the marina; CONANP rules apply, including the access bracelet.
Step-free options vary by pier and by the day — confirm the specifics with your operator and the ship’s guest-services desk before booking.
Heading back at the end of the day: Every ship tenders to the same marina landing — there is no pier assignment to confuse; allow queue time for tenders at peak.
Cruise lines don’t always tell you which pier you’re on, and it’s easy to forget once you’re ashore. As you leave the ship, note or photograph your pier’s name — then give your taxi that exact pier (or your ship’s name) for the trip back.
Tender times and the last tender back are on the ship’s daily programme — check before going ashore.
Getting around & must-sees in Cabo San Lucas
Getting around
Tenders land in the town-centre marina; the marine-park sights are reached by authorised boats from the same marina.
- On foot — The tender landing is in the town-centre marina — shops and restaurants surround it (ASIPONA).
- Boat — El Arco and Lover’s Beach sit inside the Cabo San Lucas protected area — visits run by authorised operators from the marina; CONANP rules apply, including the access bracelet.
Must-see sights
- The Arch of Cabo San Lucas — A granite formation marking the meeting point of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortes
- Lovers Beach — A secluded beach between two rock formations, popular for swimming and snorkeling
Key facts only — confirm times, fares and seasonal openings locally.
Local know-hows in Cabo San Lucas
Money
- Currency
- Mexican peso (MXN); American dollars are also commonly accepted (Los Cabos Tourism Board).
- ATMs
- Local ATMs dispense pesos — the tourism board’s suggested way to get local currency on arrival.
- Tipping
- Los Cabos has a tipping culture, especially for tour operators and hospitality staff — carry spare pesos for tips.
Local etiquette
The headline sights are inside a protected marine area — bracelet, rules and authorised boats; and respect the desert sun.
- El Arco / Land’s End is a federal protected area: buy the CONANP access bracelet, don’t disturb the flora, fauna (including the sea-lion colony) or landscape, and follow boat-crew instructions.
- Whale-watching (in season) is regulated — follow the official observation rules and the authorised operators’ safety instructions (CONANP).
- Sun protection matters: ~350 days of sunshine a year — pack hat, sunglasses and sunscreen (tourism board).
Practicalities
- Language
- Spanish is the local language; English is fluently spoken at resorts, golf courses and tour companies (tourism board).
- Tap water
- No official body states Cabo tap water is visitor-drinkable: OOMSAPAS Los Cabos documents chlorination and NOM-127 quality monitoring as an ongoing improvement project, and the tourism board notes major hotels and restaurants offer purified water — the practical norm is purified/bottled.
- Plugs
- 127 V (±10%), 60 Hz — US-style flat-blade sockets; US/Canadian appliances work without an adapter.
Key facts to know before you step off — confirm anything time-sensitive locally.
Port busyness in Cabo San Lucas
Often very busy
A tender-only call: ships anchor in the bay, so the tender shuttle — not a pier — sets the pace ashore. ASIPONA publishes an official arrivals calendar showing which ships share your day.
Peak pattern: Slowest ashore when several ships anchor at once and tender queues stack up.
- No berth — every passenger lands by tender at the marina
- ASIPONA publishes arrivals + daily-movement sheets
- Marine-park boat traffic shares the bay
This shows a typical day for the time of year — actual crowds vary on your date, and it isn’t a guarantee.
What we’ve checked in Cabo San Lucas — and when
We last checked the facts on this page on 6 Aug 2026. Live travel advisories refresh automatically from the official sources.
- Docking & getting ashore
- Verified by The Excursion Edit · 6 Aug 2026
- Getting around
- Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 6 Aug 2026
- How busy it gets
- Verified by The Excursion Edit · 6 Aug 2026
- Travel advisories
- FCDO (GOV.UK) & US State Department · refreshed automatically