Graduated from UH just last month (GO COOGS!) and booked a cruise w friends to relax before beginning my career in the corporate world! This will be my first cruise ever and it's from January 7-12 to Progresso & Cozumel. Was wondering if anyone has taken this particular cruise in the past (or any cruise) and any experiences you have had or suggestions to offer such as any excursions you took at the mentioned stops! Also, since this is my first time on a cruise, a good idea of what to pack (clothing or whatever else) would be great so I don't take things I don't need or won't wear, etc. Btw, I am a guy in case that has any difference in any suggestions lol. Thanks in advance!
I've been on a few, a couple carnival and royal carribean. You'll have a good time. I scuba dive, so that's usually what I do on my excursions. If not, most people in those places will hit up the bars, especailly at Cozumel. I don't remember what I did at progresso, but typically if I'm not diving, I try and find a local bar and get some food and drinks (I try and find ones that are less touristy). I think in progresso they have Mayan ruin excursions, if that's your thing.
I'm with MAK. Diving, local eateries and ruins! But if I just graduated it might be: beach, carlos & charlie's and sleep! :grin:
I just remembered what I did in progresso. I was with about 8 other guys, we walked around the town for awhile, haggeling with the locals. We eventually got suckered into taking free tequla shots off the street, then eating in a random alley. Honestly, it was some of the best mexican food i've ever had (maybe it was actually good, but probably it was because we were starving and wasted). my buddy's feet got all sandy. beer was cheaper than water, so he washed his feet with beer. the locals thought we were crazy. my other friend tried to buy a local mom's 2 year old baby... but that's a whole other story.
I was on the triumph earlier last month! just cozumel though, not progresso. minigolf on the ship was really fun. exploring the ship drunk is fun. they just make it really hard to be bored with a million things happening. i'll figure out the name of the beach we went to...i'd probably advise looking into another, cheaper one, ours was pretty touristy. it was so gorgeous though, but i think that's cozumel in general. we also spent time haggling among the locals. I was in a group of 9...they were badass about accomodating all of us, switching our dinner times around to be together, etc. The only gripe I have is, there was an electrical fire in my friends' room when one of my friends was sleeping in there...the bulb on the light started smoking like crazy. They gave them a new, better room, but I think they should've gotten their drinks comped or something. :grin: Oh yeah, watching football on the big screen outside with everyone else on sunday is fuuuun! Spoiler my friends and i in cozumel
i have friends that live in chelem, which is a little beach town outside progreso. for $30k they bought a 2 bedroom house right on the beach (literally 60' or so from the gulf, which down there is a beautiful aqua color). as someone said, there are some mayan ruins that you can tour - uxmal and dzibilchaltun, which has a nice cenote you can swim in - supposedly, the mayans used it to throw their dead in, so as long as that doesnt bother you its a pretty relaxing place. there is also a cool pink flamingo sanctuary outside progreso - thousands and thousands of them. chichen itza is a little futher away, but if there is a tour going there check it out. merida would also be a cool place spend an afternoon. its probably the most "european" city in mexico - big french influence there. relaxing place and very tourist friendly.
I took that cruise a while back. it's good you're going in a group. My advice: Take as much alcohol in your suitcases/bags as you possibly can. We hung with some people that did this and supposedly Carnival is a lot cooler about this than other cruise lines. Nothing to do at night on the boat other than drink. Shows were ok. Food was pretty solid at the sit down place. Get a massage in progresso, they're real cheap on the beach. In Cozumel since you only have like 7 hours, you're limited on what you can do. Good 4 days and intro to cruising. I'd bring about $300 a person minimum.
A few years ago in Cozumel, I picked up a stunningly beautiful handmade ashtray, carved from the most pristine wood one can find. I broke mine, so would you mind picking me up a new one. It has a statue of two Mexicans 69ing in the middle. THANKS!
This! I've done that every time I've cruised, including college and post college. Even if you have the money to spend on $10 drinks, which I have been able to since starting my job, it still saves so much money bringing your own. It would easily take me $75 to get a good buzz going, probably close to $200 drinking all day.... It's also a good way to get some girls back to your cabin, make them some strong mixed drinks and remember you're in international waters.
progreso is a dump, and i don't mean that in the pejorative. it's a dive bar town with sun, sand, surf, and good eats. and has been mentioned, don't forget about mérida, it is a great, great, great city. huge ex-pat community with lots of artists and beautiful mayan faces. almost bought a house there a while back.
Yes as others have said, bring alcohol. I've been on 7 cruises and have done it every time. Just bring a few of your favorite bottles of liquor and wrap them up well with towels in your suitcase. Also, many people don't know but you're allowed to bring sodas on, so we usually have each person in our group walk on with a 12 pack. Then we go buy a plastic souvenir cup from the gift shop and mix the drinks in our room. It will save you a few hundrew bucks easy. Another loophole is that you're allowed to bring wine on board as a gift. My Dad usually walks on with a box of wine wrapped in birthday wrapping paper.
also, if you dont want your women getting ogled by the locals tell them to not walk around town in their bikinis. when i was there the cruise ships would come in on wednesday and the thing for all the locals was that they would just hang out on the boardwalk drinking beer and checking out all the american ladies. its very conservative there - women swim in the ocean in their dresses. seeing a bunch of big-breasted americanas walking around is quite a show! and i forgot to mention that if you want to get a good hammock pick one up in progreso. you can get a real high-quality one that would cost $100 here for about $15-$20.
