Environmental groups say Semarnat’s public rejection of Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day project in Mahahual is not enough without a formal written record. The demand follows Semarnat’s technical findings on mangroves, reef impacts, water use, and linked cruise infrastructure. The case now turns on what is written into the environmental file, after the company withdrew its review process and federal officials said the project would not be approved.

Cancellation of Royal Caribbean Project

Environmental groups are pressing Semarnat to put the end of Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day project in Mahahual on the record in a formal written record, after the federal agency said the company withdrew its environmental review and the procedure had been closed under environmental law.

The demand came after activists and local defenders gathered outside Semarnat’s offices in Mexico City. Groups led by Salvemos Mahahual said a public announcement would not be enough unless the agency releases a signed resolution detailing the technical and scientific reasons for stopping the project.

Semarnat has said the project will not be approved. The agency also said Royal Caribbean formally withdrew from the environmental assessment process on May 19, 2026, prompting the General Directorate of Environmental Impact and Risk to take the administrative steps necessary to conclude the file.

What Semarnat Found in the Mahahual Review

Semarnat said its review covered three linked procedures tied to Royal Caribbean’s plans in Mahahual: Perfect Day, Beach Club Perfect Day México, and a private-use cruise pier and terminal project.

The agency said those filings were connected in their functions, operations, and environmental impacts. For that reason, federal reviewers determined that they should be analyzed together rather than separately.

The main Perfect Day filing was submitted Dec. 9, 2025, as a regional environmental impact statement. The plan included the demolition of existing infrastructure and the construction of a water park divided into several areas: Hideaway, Arrival, Family Cove, Loco Waterpark, service areas, and natural areas.

The project also included artificial beaches and rivers, an artificial canal for trajineras, support infrastructure, a wastewater treatment plant with an injection well and a reverse osmosis plant for drinking water. The reverse osmosis system included extraction wells and brine disposal.

Semarnat said the project covered 82.58 hectares, including 16.38 hectares that would have required land-use change.

Mangroves, Water and Reef Concerns

Federal reviewers identified mangrove vegetation inside the project area. Semarnat also cited possible noncompliance with distance rules under NOM-022-SEMARNAT-2003, the Mexican standard related to mangrove protection near construction.

The agency also pointed to possible saltwater intrusion linked to the reverse osmosis plant, risks to the aquifer’s hydrological balance, and insufficient prevention, mitigation, and compensation measures.

Semarnat said the filing lacked sufficient analysis of possible effects on aquatic and reef ecosystems within the influence area of the Reserva de la Biosfera Caribe Mexicano. The review also cited possible impacts on species listed under NOM-059.

In the related Beach Club review, Semarnat identified 33 environmental impacts without presenting measures to prevent, mitigate, or compensate for them. The agency also reviewed inconsistencies in the cruise pier filings and did not authorize a requested modification for that port infrastructure.

Why Activists Still Want a Formal Record

The public dispute now centers on certainty. Activists said that without a written, formal cancellation, Royal Caribbean could try to revive the original plan or seek a revised version tied to the same site.

Royal Caribbean has said it respects Mexico’s environmental authorities but remains interested in investment in Mexico. The company has also said it plans to speak with stakeholders about local jobs, environmental infrastructure, and community programs.

That leaves Mahahual’s case in an administrative phase where the wording of Semarnat’s final record will matter. Environmental groups are asking that the rejection not remain only in public statements or an informational communication.

For now, Semarnat’s position is that the Perfect Day environmental procedure has concluded, the company withdrew its filing, and the project will not be approved.