On Monday, January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn into office for his second term as president of the United States – and one of his first orders of business may directly impact cruising.
During his inaugural address, Trump said that one of his first executive orders will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America – which is part of the itineraries for hundreds of sailings from the major cruise lines each year.
He previously brought up the name change at a press conference held in Florida at Mar-a-Lago earlier in January.
โWe’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America,โ Trump said at the time, per ABC News. โWhat a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate. It’s appropriate.โ
The Gulf is often referred to as the โThird Coastโ of the United States because its coastline spans across five Southeastern states, which includes Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
However, the name change is likely connected to President Trump’s ongoing clash with Mexico regarding several issues, including border security and tariffs on imported goods.
But while the new President can issue an executive order changing the name of the Gulf, itโs not necessarily a unilateral decision – especially as the massive body of water doesnโt fall squarely within the borders of the United States.
This means other countries do not necessarily have to adopt the new name – including Mexico, where the Gulf is referred to by its Spanish name: โEl Golfo de Mรฉxico.โ However, the name will be changed on official US federal documents and maps.
As of the time of publication, Trump has not yet signed the executive order – but has vowed the name change will be complete “a short time from now,” while speaking at the Capitol Rotunda.
Additionally, Trump will also be changing the name of Mount Denali in Alaska back to Mount McKinley. The mountain was previously renamed by President Barack Obama in 2015.
The mountain – and the National Park and Preserve itโs found in – is Americaโs tallest peak and serves as a popular destination for cruise passengers who take land tours from Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.
The Gulf of Mexicoโs Importance to Cruising
As the ninth largest body of water in the world, the Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean that spans 617,800 square miles.
In addition to bordering five states within the US, the coastline also expands to six Mexican states to the west (Quintana Roo, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan) and the island of Cuba in the southeast.
The Gulf is a very busy waterway – often a key part of the route for cruise ships sailing from the major cruise ports in Texas (Port of Galveston), New Orleans, Mobile, Alabama; and the busy ports in Florida (including Port Canaveral and Port Tampa Bay).
Hundreds of sailings from Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Disney Cruise Line sail through the gulf each year – taking their guests to destinations throughout the Caribbean, including their exclusive private islands.
It also provides access to popular Mexican ports like Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Costa Maya, and Cancun.
Read Also: One of These Mexico Cruise Ports Could Be on Your Itinerary
That said, Trumpโs name change shouldnโt impact access to the Gulf for cruise ships. The bigger hindrance to cruising is more likely to be the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season – which lasts from June 1 to November 30.
The 2024 hurricane season was unusually busy, with the Gulf of Mexico impacted by multiple major storms – including Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
While no cruise ships or passengers were harmed by the hurricanes, many sailings were rerouted – or even cancelled – to avoid the worst of the severe weather.