What is there to do In Progresso?

[cnewberry23]

In order to save money, we were wanting to go on our own and explore Pregresso. I had heard of a all-inclusive resort there that you could go to for only $30.00 per person. I was wanting to know a little more information about it. If there is anything else to do that is fun in Progresso, please let me know. I'm into the beach scene.

[Tanker4]

You might want to try the "ports of call" thread and click on the Progresso link. There's a lot of information there.

 

Happy Cruzin........:)

 

Tanker 4

[runner15km]

Here is what we did.

We boarded the free bus that takes you into town. In town we took the double deck bus tour of the town for $2, it was a good tour for the price and it gives you a bearing of were the shopping and beach is located.

After the tour we walked about 2 blocks to the beach area, the first area is Corona Beach which was a little to crowded for us.

We walked about 1/4 mile further down the beach and stop at a nice area that had free chairs and umbrella's. The food and drinks were good and prices very reasonable.

[parody]

As an aside, I received a Cruise Critic refrigerator magnet when I notified CC that on their Ports board it is Progreso (i.e., not spelled like the spaghetti sauce)!

[Seago2]

I was just going to say- Progreso has one "s"!

 

Here is the best thing to do in Progresssssso:

 

Stay On The Ship!

 

I had an EXCELLENT cruise on the Elation with my kids- time of our lives. But here is what I put in my review about Progreso http://www.cruisereviews.com/CarnivalCruiseLines/Elation79.htm:

 

PROGRESO: Several alternatives went through my mind as I took the bus from Progreso to Merida: was this some sort of joke? Is CCL in dire straits financially? Do they think we are stupid?

 

I remember reading that this was the World’s Longest Pier or something along those lines. Aren’t piers supposed to be elevated, or at least pier-like? This is a man made peninsula from Hell, with concrete trucks rumbling by at breakneck speeds, and in the distance, piles and piles of broken concrete, rusty ships, third world industrial things… and this was before the ride from the ship to the end of the pier. Never has the word “shuttle” meant so little.

 

The little shopping area in Progreso is where you should pick up your trinkets, jump back on the “shuttle” (imagine Tom Sawyer’s school bus preserved in acid and then carted on a rusty barge to Botswana, used there for a century, and then hauled here), and kick it back to the Lido Deck. Do not, repeat, do not go to Merida. It looks up to being Tijuana. I know there are aficionados of Merida, and you would do well to read their reviews. I am calling it the way I saw it, and I saw nothing redeeming about the place but the cathedral, a picture of which will accompany this review.

 

My mother and the big boys went to Dzibilchaltun and they absolutely loved it. They ate in a café in Progreso afterwards and loved that, too. I should mention that my mother is Cuban and obviously fluent in Spanish, so she managed to find some off the beaten path taqueria that was some kind of undiscovered gem.

 

Whither Progreso? Why would anyone who is not an Amnesty International rep want to visit there? What part of “cruise ship vacation” says Progreso? Mayan ruins? Give us an extra day in Cozumel and we’ll see them from there.

[cruise_lover]

I found this link. I hope it helps:

http://www.caribbeanportreviews.com/Progresso.htm

 

 

[cruise_lover]

I found this article in the Community Section here at Cruise Critic. I am one of many people who forget to use the spell check (top right hand corner) and forget to proof read my posts but this paragraph is worth mentioning.

 

Quote

Spelling and Grammar Errors

It is important to remember that everyone makes mistakes at one time or another, and that there are many users who use English as a second language, especially on our Cruise Boards. There are also a number of people who suffer from learning disabilities and who have difficulty noticing their spelling mistakes. Do not make comments on the spelling and grammar of other users. It is simply not a productive expenditure of energies.

Unquote

 

Here is the link for other interesting information -

http://www.cruisecritic.com/community/guide.cfm#10

 

[Seago2]

I never correct spelling errors, no matter how irresistible it might sometimes be (sometimes you can get some very comical mistakes!).

 

The vast majority of CC'ers spell is "Progresso," two "s".

 

But it is Progreso with one "s". Just something someone might want to know. That's all!

[CGBCruiser]

I totally agree with Carlalena1...I can't believe they are using this as a port of call. It's still just a little fishing village and there is really nothing there. There is the Corona Beach, but it's right next to the long pier, and even the water wasn't that great. :(

 

When we were pulling into port and while we were in port, you have never seen so many jellyfish! No, they weren't at the beach, but there were tons of them at the pier. I thought that the entire town was yucky! If we were to go back I wouldn't bother getting off the ship!

[bonniemari]

I remember thinking if I ever come back to Pregreso there would be no need to get off the ship. Now this was back 7-8 years ago and I find myself once again heading to Progreso on on NYE cruise. Not my choice but due to one of those nasty hurricanes no more Costa Maya (which I loved).

 

I am going to give it another chance and get off the ship. We will probably go with the ships excursions and do the AI resort for the day.

[parody]

It is not inexpensive to do, but the Mayan ruins at Chichen-Itza, which can be accessed from Progreso, come highly recommended. For more information, click here.

[CGBCruiser]

I've heard the ruins in Chichen-Itza are wonderful. I've been to Tulum and it is beautiful. However, to get to Chichen-Itza from Progreso is a 5 hour round trip bus ride (2 1/2 hours each way!). So, you get about 2 hours there and the rest is traveling. That's just way too long for me for a 2 hour excursion. I have friends that flew on a chartered a plane from Playa del Carmen, but they were also staying there and not on a limited time frame.

[parody]

However, to get to Chichen-Itza from Progreso is a 5 hour round trip bus ride (2 1/2 hours each way!).

 

True, but it's a great way to see the countryside if the alternatives are not particularly attractive!

[hdawson]

Uxmal, to me more impressive, prettier and lots less crowded, is under a four hour RT drive. I've been there twice and Chichen Itza once while on land vacations.

[hdawson]

I forgot to post http://www.yucatantoday.com as an excellent visitor's guide to the Yucatan. Many, many options for your port call. Most accessible port for major Mayan ruins or the cosmopolitan large Spanish colonial city of Merida.

[hdawson]

Darn double posting.

[Terri102066]

I will be there in a couple of weeks and I must agree with the above poster about the jelly fish. The last time I was there my Son got stung by a jelly fish at Corona Beach. Of course it could have been the time of year. The beach is not anything like Cozumel, but the beaches in FL or not like the ones in Cozumel.

 

Go and enjoy, make the best of what ever you decide to do.

 

Terri

[CGBCruiser]

The jellyfish definitely come during different seasons. We live close to the Gulf and sometimes go to Surfside Beach out of Freeport, TX. A couple of times each the beach will be covered in dead jellyfish that have washed onshore. Yuck! You still have to be careful because even though dead, if you step on one it still stings. We were in Progreso in Sept. 06 so maybe we just hit the right time of year for them.

[lhaddon]

I have heard that you can take a trip to Cancun from Progreso. Does anybody know if that is true? If so, how long is the ride and how much does it cost?

 

Thanks!

 

Lora

[jmcdon7230]

I have heard that you can take a trip to Cancun from Progreso. Does anybody know if that is true? If so, how long is the ride and how much does it cost?

 

Thanks!

 

Lora

 

Take your trip to Cancun from Cozumel. Progreso is on the other side of the Yucatan. Progreso is appealing because of it's proximity to Uxmal.

[tigerdadky]

If you want to do anything in Progresso an excursion is a must. It is one ratty town and the tourist traps arent much. I would never go there again without a planned excursion.

[clackey]

Not my choice but due to one of those nasty hurricanes no more Costa Maya (which I loved).

 

I am going to give it another chance and get off the ship. We will probably go with the ships excursions and do the AI resort for the day.

Hola Bon,

 

This is what I love about these boards. One man's garbage is another mans treasure. I have been to Costa Maya twice and don't care for the place while others love it. I've done Progreso 3 times and have had a ball every time. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

We did the resort AI on our last trip. Nice place, gorgeous pool, open bar and a side trip to some small ruins and/or a trip to a flamingo sanctuary. You can book locally thru AutoProgreso and Carnival also had it listed on there shore tours list.

 

If you have kiddies along with you, you will be happy to know that they have an area that is kid friendly. Lots of toys.

[In the Pink]

I totally agree with Carlalena1...I can't believe they are using this as a port of call. It's still just a little fishing village and there is really nothing there. There is the Corona Beach, but it's right next to the long pier, and even the water wasn't that great. :(

 

When we were pulling into port and while we were in port, you have never seen so many jellyfish! No, they weren't at the beach, but there were tons of them at the pier. I thought that the entire town was yucky! If we were to go back I wouldn't bother getting off the ship!

 

You really should take the bus to Merida, which is the capital city of Yucatan and is a beautiful metropolitan city but with history and European architecture. THAT's the point of docking at Progreso, NOT Progreso. Since you are from Houston, it would be like if Houston was a port of call and when people docked at the new Port of Houston in LaPorte, they get off the ship and walk around LaPorte, and saying "what's the point? I'm not coming here again", instead of going to Houston, to the shopping, sports, theaters, museums, NASA, etc. I know Houston will never be a port of call, I'm just using it as an analogy.

[hdawson]

Hola C. First I want to express my sincere appreciation for your support and good thoughts as well as all the other folks. Surgery was very sucessful (heart bypass) and now dreading the hip replacement in January.

 

We agree on so much about Mexico. The port area of Costa Maya is the most phony and contrived port of all. Nothing genuine although up the coast there is a nice beach town that most really enjoy. And some ruins sites.

 

Tiger. After two portcalls to Progreso while cruising Celebrity, I've now been back for three two week vacations to Merida and much of the Yucatan State. Progreso offers the chance to explore several major Mayan ruins including the one on the new Wonders of the World list, Chichen Itza. Also many smaller sites. If you don't want to experience the local culture, there is the very nice Reef Yucatan that Clackey mentioned. Spent a couple of nights there in 05. Food was just OK but the drinks were very good. I have read comments on these boards that some parents may not want to expose their kids to the drunks on the return to Progreso.

 

I find it really refreshing to visit Mexico when local residents actually outnumber the tourists. They are very warm and proud people.

 

There's nothing phony about Progreso, Merida or the rest of the Yucatan such as found in Cancun and Cozumel. No Carlos and Charlies. No tourist/cruise chain stores which are repeated in almost all the ports.

 

Merida, a city of one million is a rather sophisticated Spanish colonial city dating back to the mid 1500s. Some buidings around the central plaza are original and been in continued use all those years. Casa de Montejo, built in 1549 is now serving as a bank. The Cathedral on the plaza was built in 1561. It's the oldest cathedral of the Americas.

 

If you find yourself returning to Progreso, checkout http://www.yucatantoday.com for some ideas. Probably the very best visitor's guide I've seen for any destination.

[qprrules]

hdawson - glad your feeling better! Hope your hip replacement goes well.

Like anything on a cruise, Progreso and it's surronding area is what you make of it. Appreciation of culture and history are in the eye of the beholder! I think it would get pretty boring if every "port of call" was based on how nice the beach is and if there's a Carlos 'n Charlies.....