Confused about Progreso

We are stopping in Progreso on our Triumph cruise at he end of November. It will be me, my wife, and our 7 month old. We have never been to Progreso and I'm trying to figure out the port area. We are not planning on doing an excursion and want to just do something on our own.

My understanding is that the pier where the ship docks is 4 miles long and a bus is required. Is the bus ride free? Also, where does the bus drop you off at? Is it a shopping/eating area like Cozumel where we could just walk around, maybe eat, grab a souvenir or two, and then go back to the ship? Also, is it safe?

We have gone to progreso twice. It was a long ride to town on a tiny bridge and I think the bus ride was free unless you wanted a tour once you got there. The beach is a few blocks away and an easy walk but be careful walking, watch for cars and people. We enjoyed the beach, there are water sports like banana boats, and massages on the beach. There are a lot of local small restaurants on the way. The beach had nice clear water so it was worth it for us. The town itself is not pretty in all spots but there are nice parts of it. We took great pictures there. I would not need to go back to town again, I prefer other beaches but you should go once at least. The beaches in Cozumel were much prettier. There was also shopping stands like a flea market at the port and again once you got into town.

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I've been to Progreso 8 or 9 times, last in July 2016. The pier is 4 or 5 miles long and the bus ride into town is free. You will board an AutoProgreso bus out front of the pier. Just walk all the way through the shops and once you are outside you should see the bus. If the bus has already left there will be AP people that will lt you know when there will be another. They wear light blue shirts with the AP logo on it. They are adding another 2 lanes to the bridge but they have been working on it a few years now. The bus will drop you off at the El Centro bus station and it's a 4-5 block walk to the beach. Vendors will be everywhere wanting you to buy something from them but they are usually friendly. The beach water looks like what you'd see in Pensacola, FL. I don't enjoy the beach because it is hard to relax due to the vendors who will be non-stop. We have walked down the beach maybe half mile and found places where we had the place to ourselves. Progreso has always seemed safe and there are restaurants on the Malecon, the road by the beach. You will see heavily armed police but they are always there. If you want to get a look at the town I'd suggest taking the double decker bus ride which costs around $4. It will take you around for about 25 minutes and has a guide to tell you about the town. Progreso is real Mexico, not a tourist town like Cozumel. My daughter and I have often walked around by ourselves and felt perfectly safe.