El Gogo

We took a private tour with Lawson’s Yucatan Tours for our first visit to Progreso last week during our cruise on the Carnival Valor . We visited the village of Muna, then Hacienda Yaxcopoil , then the Uxmal ruins and the chocolate museum across from it . We had an authentic Yucatecan meal at a family’s home for lunch. All that and we got back to port 90 minutes before we were set to leave .

 

Definitely the best guided tour we’ve ever done .

Wait, free birthday champagne? How did you get that ? Our first ever cruise will be next Monday on the Valor, on my wife’s birthday....how do we get something like that ?

You can get massages at the beach for $10-30 , depends on where you go. Shopping and food can be found on the beach road ( Malecon) area too .

 

But the port of Progreso is not at all like Cozumel . It’s a fishing town , water is not all blue and clear , and not as tourist centered as Cozumel. If you want to do more and explore the Yucatan, then taking an excursion , even if it’s just to Merida, is the way to go

At Sanchos, the water inflatables Park is $12 extra charge . At Playa Mia, it’s included with admission . Only issue is that the ones at Playa Mia requires a bit of a swim to get to from shore , whereas the ones at Sanchos is fairly close to the beach . Admission at playa mia also includes Hobie Cat boat rental and kayaks and water tricycles .

Gypsy Lady,

 

I am a first time cruiser who will undertake his first cruise along with his wife in 3 weeks on the Valor out of Galveston , and our excursion choice for our day in Progreso will be a tour with Lawson’s to the Uxmal ruins and the Choco Story chocolate museum near it. We just paid the deposit for it yesterday and while it is indeed an expensive tour for two, especially for two first time cruisers on their first ever viist to Mexico at that, we feel that the experience and intimacy of a private tour will be much more enjoyable than being with a huge cruise tour group being on a big bus .

 

I will definitely leave a review of our experience with Lawson’s, but so far in the communication I’ve had with them , everything has been handled smoothly and professionally by them.

I’m a Michigander by transplant and just became a naturalized US citizen last December. I applied for and received my new Enhanced Driver’s License in January. I had to produce my Naturalization certificate , previous drivers license and my birth certificate from Indonesia for it, but I did it and it was a painless process.

 

My first ever cruise is coming up in about 30 days and I absolutely will bring my EDL as my proof of identity and citizenship. Gonna bring my Naturalization certificate too.

Thank you for the fun times . Very helpful. Mind if I share this on FB to the Valor group there ? ..

Well, according to the cab fare board at the ports in Cozumel, you can reach Isla Pasion by cab. You’ll have to reach the island by a small boat once the cab reaches the end point of Cozumel where the boats to Passion Island is. I guess it’s doable without catamaran or Twister boat

Thank you for the review . Still considering this for our visit in June as first time cruisers. 2 adults, no kids .

Thank you, everyone . I just want us to be sure if we need to carry additional documents besides our EDL’s or not. ..

Hi, everyone .

 

Ok, so We just want to get our ( mighty ) ducks all in a row before our first ever cruise this coming June . We are heading to Mexico from Galveston and are getting to Texas from Michigan by train/ bus one way and flying back.

 

My question is this : both my wife and I have Enhanced Driver’s Licenses; I got mine after I became a naturalized U.S Citizen last December . Can we use those licenses as our sole ID for boarding and disembarking the ship, or do we need to bring our birth certificates too?

 

I will apply for a US Passport in the near future; just want to know what your thoughts are on this situation . Thank you everyone .

Great review.

 

My first ever cruise will be on the valor, same itinerary, on June 25th. Also won through MyVegas.

 

Have FTTF and first night steakhouse reservation too.

 

Will do our own excursions at both stops, because this trip will be more adventure for us.

I do plan to get a US passport soon, but as of right now we are trying to save money for other things . But definitely will get a US Passport because I do plan to travel back to my birth country and others .

simple question here.....our first cruise will be in June this year, Galveston to Mexico and back. Wife and I are from Michigan, and I just became a US citizen last December. Both of us now have Enhanced Driver’s Licenses. Question is: can we use that as our ID and not bring our birth certificates? My understanding is that our EDL’s work similarly to a US Passport Card.

 

Thanks in advance

Sergio’s Tours is on FB. Message them there. They offer more than just the popular 5 in 1 tour, most at lower prices than cruise lines also

Take an Autoprogreso tour to the Technotel beach resort. Not far from port, and has the all inclusive day you’re looking for. Fairly cheap to do, also. And you won’t have to worry about returning to ship late because Autoprogreso is the company that shuttles the passengers from the port to town for free, and that’s who will bring you back to the ship at the end .

The open air double decker bus tour people refer to is in Progreso, available right after you get off the free shuttle bus from the port.

 

As for Merida, you can take a cruise line excursion or a private company tour there .Or rent a taxi for the day from the port. I believe the city is about a 30 or so minute drive from Progreso. They do have frequent public buses that runs from Progreso to Merida and back also.

Considering Chichen Itza is 2 hours away from port and it’s a very crowded site, I’d be on the safe side and book the excursion through the ship. I’m planning to see Uxmal on my cruise in June and are looking at a private excursion outside of the cruise line just because the site is closer than Chichen Itza and not as crowded .

Here is one on Shore Excursioneer that is highly rated...you get to choose the itinerary, which can include San Gervasio and a beach...

 

http://m.shoreexcursioneer.com/cozumel/private-jeep.html

Chankanaab has a miniature Mayan Ruins in the adventure park....why not do that , and you can do a beach and ruins visit in one location ?

 

An alternative would be doing one of those Jeep Tours that stop at San Gervasio and a beach .

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this . Going on first ever cruise next June , on the Valor, on this same itinerary . The programs have some awesome info.

 

Hmm....Chocolate Extravaganza.....was that free?

200+ days away. First cruise ever, Carnival Valor. June 25th. Hyped !

I’m a first timer too, but keep in mind that if you choose Tulum from Cozumel, you have to factor in the ferry ride from Cozumel to the mainland and back. That’s 90 minutes in addition to the drive from the ferry port to Tulum itself. Just a heads up.

 

For our Cozumel stop on our cruise next June, we’re just probably do a beach day and snorkel . We plan to visit a Mayan Ruins from Progreso, the next stop on our cruise

My first cruise ever will be on the valor in June ... that review was helpful. Thank you :)

Thank you for the replies

 

Are those snorkel tours any good? We plan on spending the whole day at one of those beach clubs, well until time to head back to the ship of course. Money Bar, from all my research so far, sounds good for snorkeling though ...I think Sky Reef sounds kinda like MB too..