What is the deal???

[Corn Fed]

OK... What is the deal with Progreso????

I know certain ships go here alll the time and I am sure people get off the ships.

People, What do you do???

What do you see?

What do you buy??

What do you like/ dislike???

What do you eat??

Where do you go???

If no one likes this port....why are ships still going??

Come on, we are headed to Progreso port in 5 months and I want to hear about Progreso and areas.

[jobster71]

I am looking forward to meeting some friendly and genuine nice folks. They are proud of their Mayan cultures. I am personally going to the Reef Beach Club , Yucatan, for some peace and quiet. All inclusive for a little 30 bucks. Massages are extra. Visit a ruin and a flamingo sanctuary. But mostly vegging out by the pool and getting my drinks;)

[hdawson]

Continue reading this board. And also visit http://www.yucatantoday.com

There are so many options at this port. After two port calls sailing Celebrity I've now been back for 3 annual land vacations. This are is the real mexico; not the overcrowded, overtouristed Cancun, Cozumel or bordertowns.

[RizzoLee]

Exactly what hdawson said-it still has the authentic feel.

 

There's a lot of little shops to do, there's a beach, a beach club up the street and you can do an excursion to Dzibichaltun (recommended-we went swimming in the cenote-beautiful!) or Merida, or even take a trip to Chichen Itza (I know I spelt that wrong).

 

Or stay on board and suntan. But you'll be missing a piece of true Mexican culture.

[hdawson]

Rizzo. You spelled it just right. It's the Dz one that I won't attempt.

 

To do? There are several major Mayan ruins dating back to the 5 and 6th centurys. Progreso it's self has a good long and wide beach but not good for snorkling. Water is shallow till you get further out, the reason for the 4 1/2 mile pier complex. Good restaurants with the freshest fish and seafood. The Reef Yucatan all-inclusive. Merida, a beautiful Spanish colonial city dating back to the mid 1500s. (prior to the US colonies). Population 1 million, the state capitol and home to at least 4 universities. And NO cruiser's chain stores such as Diamond International and no C&C or Senor Frogs.

[Warmer Climes]

We liked this port very much- wish we had had more time so we could have looked around Progreso more. (We went on the public bus to Merida.) Any itinerary that includes this port would attract us in future.

 

Barb

[jap114]

We were there last week on the Dream and didn't have anything planned prior to arrival. The evening before arrival we went down to the excursion desk and asked for excursions with the fewest people signed up. After reviewing our options we selected the historic hacienda tour.

 

We only had 9 in our group which made for a very personal tour led by a hilarious tour guide. The hacienda is a now working museum where "sisal" rope/twine once was mass produced. We learned that it's actually made from the heniken (sp) plant and were shown the various stages of production starting with the cutting of the plants all the way to the final product.

 

They then took us on a horse drawn tour of the fields where the plants are grown and harvested. In the middle of this field was Mayan home and we stopped to visit with an older Mayan gentleman who explained, or tried to explain anyway, the history. True Mayan is a language different than Spanish and it was funny to see the Mayan to Spanish to English translations happen!

 

From there, we ventured on to a Cenote (cave to most of us) where we could swim for a while. Everyone enjoyed this. After swimming we returned to the hacienda and were fed lunch. After lunch we were back in the van for the approx. 1 hour trip back to the pier which left us some time to visit the various shops.

 

We didn't actually stop or visit anything in Progresso or Merida but it was a fun tour and well worth the $63~$69 each.

 

Jerry

[texaspowercat]

When we went to Progresso on our cruise we went to visit the Mayan ruins of Uxmal. It was absolutely beautiful and amazing! It is worth every penny! It was a little over an hour drive from the port and our two guides were very funny and informative. I would reccommend going to Uxmal for anyone! You can climb on of the large pyramids and there are tons of incredible photo opportunities. We also probably saw over 75 iquanas.

 

The bus driver took us through some Mayan villages on the way back to the port. They still live under grass roofs.

 

It was just a wonderful day!

[hdawson]

Corn Fed. Where did you hear that "no one" likes this port? Hope you now have some ideas for your day.

[brianpritch]

My wife and I and another couple were there last may. We are all in our upper 20's. We had just been to cozumel and absolutely loved our time in Progresso. Just go with an open mind and try to get off of the beaten path. We walked around town and shopped, ate chicken nachos at an open eatery on the beach (before we stumbled into the fresh chicken market and about threw up) and set on the beach for awhile. The people there are so friendly and we came home with more stories to tell from progresso than we did from Cozumel. We prefer to get out and see the real world and not so much of the tourist traps. If you want to go to a tourist destination you may not like it but we would go back in a heartbeat. Just go with an open mind and enjoy yourself.

[tigerdadky]

No we didnt do the mayan ruins and that mightve made the stop a lot better, but yeah it is the true mexico why it is such a dump. I wont book any cruise that goes there unless its for the price or the other port of call. For the record wasnt that impressed with cozumel either. I loved the cruise and wouldve had more fun if I had stayed on in the Port of Calls. The one exception was Carlos and Charlies in Cozumel. It was a blast. Just my opinion.

[hdawson]

Well, we all have our own prioritys in life.

[Corn Fed]

Corn Fed. Where did you hear that "no one" likes this port? Hope you now have some ideas for your day.

hdawson: I am only making an Observation as to what I see on this site.

Maybe I shouldn't have said 'NO One' and used the word 'Very Few' are exactlly excited to talk about Progreso as I see on other Port Threads.

I mean Look at this site!

I am soooo trying to get excited about going here and I am craving some input from people who have been there... done that.... and Enjoyed them self.

Thank you to all who have added their input of the Progresso Port...positive or other wise.

[hdawson]

Corn Fed. You're doing the right thing. Research, research and research. That's for any port. email me for any more information you need and pictures. Lots of pictures. lol

http://www.hdawson228@aol.com

[hdawson]

Corn Fed or anyone else interested.

 

If you're looking for an abundance of tourist oriented stores, all selling the same trinkets, you may be disappointed.

If you're looking for a port to drink heavily, and sometimes, too much, then you may be disappointed.

 

If you are looking for an authentic foreign culture, you're on the right track.

If you're looking for 1500 year old Mayan ruins, this is the place.

If you're interested in visiting a rather sophisticated and cosmopolitan large Spanish colonial city, you're in the right place. Merida is a 30 minute bus trip for $3.00 RT.

If you would rather visit an all-inclusive resort, it's very cheap to do.

 

These are really nice people who are very proud of their culture and history. Talk to them, even if your spanish is not up to par. You may be surprised how well many speak English.

 

If you really like fish and seafood, this is definitely the place. So very fresh. My favorite is the whole deep fried Snapper at Le Saint Bonnet and I don't usually like fish all that much.

 

John

[Corn Fed]

hdawson: I think you covered my questions... Thank you Bunches!;)

I guess what has ...had me worried was I didn't know What to expect or to look for.

I just wanted to know What keeps people coming back to Progresso.

What are the best ' don't go home with out ' items to look for while shopping?

Please keep posting your experiences with Progresso, I have 5 months to research!! LOL!!

[hdawson]

Even at five months out, I envy you. lol

[Warmer Climes]

One of the things I loved about Merida was how nice people were to my DD (8 y.o.) and DS and his cousin (16 y.o.), Very friendly, asking them about school and remarking on their height and looks. DD said after we got back on the ship "I love Mexico and I love Mexican people!" I know that Merida is a big city but it doesn't have the bustle that I would associate with a city this big. People here are really proud of their culture and the area and if you act interested and respectful, they will react very positively. We are not much for the beach or the Carlos-and-Charlies type bars so it was a great stop for us. The Cathedral was spectacular and we had a wonderful Yucatan meal just off the main plaza.

 

A man in Progreso called Cozumel "Gringo City" and even though I love Coz for the snorkeling and buying Nahuan pottery I can see that it IS Gringo City and I like seeing something else in Mexico also.

 

I know that people from my cruise who stayed on the beach in Progreso had a good day, too. After all, you're on vacation and in warm weather- what's not to enjoy?

 

Barb

[hdawson]

Barb. You remind me of my first land vacation in Merida. I was traveling alone. I stopped in MacDonalds, near the Walmart for lunch. Well, surprise, surprise, I placed my order at the counter but my order was delivered to my table. Then a pair of 13/14 y/o girls in their school uniforms sat at the table next to me and struck up a conversation. I suspect to practice their english. They were truely delightful and moved to Merida a year earlier from Mexico City because of the crime rate and the safety in Merida. One of the many highlights of the trip.

 

A friend that I sometimes travel with took her 8 y/o grand-daughter to Merida and like yours, she made friends every day.

 

It's really a shame that some do not see the good things of travel.

[clackey]

Hola Corn Fed,

 

Everytime that I book a cruise to Progeso, I think that I have done everthing that there is to do. Wrong!! We shopped in town. Explored several blocks from the Malecon. Went to Merida, the Dzibilchaltun Ruins and on our last trip we vegged at Reef Yucatan Resort with a small stop over at the Xcambo Ruins. This is one port that I can visit over and over again. The only drawback is the lack of good snorkeling water. Oh well, I guess that I can do it at some of the other ports.

 

I almost missed the food part. The Le Saint Bonnet on the Malecon has some good food and on one trip we went to the mercado and ate some of the local fare. I have no idea what I ate but it was GOOD! We also got to see an egg truck that sells eggs by weight.(I don't know if it was by pounds or kilos?)

 

Hdawson won't steer you wrong. He is pretty knowledgable about the Yucatan.;)

 

P.S. Hey H, tell the locals that their Dominos Pizza joint looks out of place.

[conwakr]

Count me in on the "love Progresso, want to go back soon". It reminded me of Cozumel 25 years ago minus the turquoise water color. Yup, I will return but I better do it quick or I fear they may open a Margaritaville or a Diamond International....

[bobby_tee]

We just got back from a cruise on the NCL Dream and our first port was Progreso. Bottom line: we loved the place.

 

Right off the boat we were offered a resort package that promised a private beach, pool, showers, all you can drink, etc. Sounds great, right? But my 17 year old daughter stunned me by saying "Why did we come all this way to go to a resort? Let's go into town to the beach." I am so glad we did. We walked over to El Malecon (the street along the beach) and found a spot on the sand where we had some shade and a couple of attentive waiters from the place across the street. They kept us stocked with cold sodas, Sols (the local beer- great cold!) and chips and salsa.

 

This place may not be for everyone, but the low key attitude and small town flavor was great for us. Hardly anyone speaks English, at least not well, which was OK with us. Gave me a chance to dust off my high school Spanish, which actually came in handy. The girls loved walking around the local markets and bargaining for buys.

 

Like I said, may not be for everyone, but we loved it. We hated to get back on the boat!

[ChristieDawn]

I am so glad that I have been reading these boards. I was not very excited about Progreso but now after reading these threads I am very excited about just going to the beach and walking around the market!

 

By the way! I am planning on calling my daughter once we get to port! (She's 4 and I've never been away from her for that long) Anyways, should we just go to a shop and buy an international calling card and use a pay phone? We are taking my Nextel but from what I understand it won't work!

 

Thanks!:D

[hdawson]

Pensgrl. Go to http://www.telmexusa.com and buy a phone card online and print it out. Telmex is the national phone company of Mexico. Online it's 50 cents per minute. Make sure you use the Telmex payphones which are everywhere.

When you dial the access number instructions are in english. They're great. Have used them several times. Very economical.

[ChristieDawn]

Thank you hdawson! I have been so stressed about the thought of not being able to call home and check on our daughter!:)