Caribbean "Eco-Tax" Expansion Impacts 2026 Cruise Bookings

Several English-speaking Caribbean nations, including Antigua and Barbuda and Belize, have officially activated new environmental levies for cruise passengers starting today.

These "eco-taxes," ranging from $10 to $25 per person, are dedicated to funding marine conservation and coastal infrastructure resilience.

While the move has been praised by environmental groups, some cruise lines have expressed concern that the cumulative cost of these fees could impact the affordability of family vacations in the region for the 2026 season.

Despite the new taxes, the Caribbean tourism outlook for the rest of January remains "exceptionally strong." Destinations like Grenada and the Bahamas are seeing record-breaking occupancy rates as they successfully pivot toward luxury eco-tourism and "blue health" retreats.

Travelers are being advised to check their cruise or hotel invoices for these new sustainability fees, which are increasingly becoming a standard part of the cost-of-travel in the world’s most delicate tropical ecosystems.