About the Progreso, Mexico Cruise Port
Porting at Progreso is a different experience than stopping at more established and commercialized ports like Cozumel, and because of its less developed nature, some cruisers do not like the rusticness of this port. Located on the Yucatán peninsula where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Caribbean Sea, Progreso is situated on the northern coast, near the city of Merida.
A memorable feature of the Progreso Cruise Port is its pier, which is the longest in the world at just over four miles in length.Unlike Cozumel, where most vendors near the port speak Spanish and English and US currency is almost universally accepted, that may not always be the case in Progreso. In my experience at the shops just outside the port terminal, many vendors spoke little or no English, and several merchants only accepted Mexican Pesos (MXN). Credit cards seemed to be generally accepted, although not universal. The symbol for pesos is the same as a dollar ($), which can become confusing.
The cruise port in Progreso, Mexico offers authenticity. (Outfit: Acelitt Sleeveless Multicolor Tank Dress)
Progreso Cruise Terminal
Because of the massive length of the pier, getting from the ship to the port terminal means that cruisers must take a free shuttle after disembarking the ship. Walking is not feasible nor is it allowed. This is a bit of a hassle, as it’s sort of a tender port – but by shuttle instead of boat – and adds time to get from ship to terminal as the shuttle ride takes about 15-20 minutes. The shuttle runs every 20 minutes, which is nice, but this can add considerable time to your day in getting to Progreso from the ship, so be sure to account for this when planning your day, especially when coordinating the timing of excursions. The final shuttle of the day generally returns from the terminal to the ship on hour before “return to ship” time, so plan for that as well.
The terminal at the Progreso Cruise Port serves as the gateway to the town of Progreso and its surrounding attractions. As noted above, this isn’t one of those contemporary mega terminals but a more rustic one. The terminal’s design provides easy access to transportation options, including taxi stands and tour operators, and there are some souvenir shops. This port can accommodate two cruise ships, so it rarely feels overly crowded. A Progreso cruise port map is available here.
A map of the Progreso, Mexico cruise port (click to enlarge).
Free Things to Do in Progreso
Immediately outside the port is the town of Progreso, which has not yet developed to the level of other Mexican ports like Cozumel or even Costa Maya. The benefit of this is that cruisers can enjoy an authentic experience in a port town, which is somewhat rare. The downside is that there are fewer things to do, even shopping, within walking distance geared toward tourists. This isn’t the kind of port with Señor Frogs and Margaritaville at every corner (or anywhere, for that matter), but rather, it’s more of an authentic Mexican town.
The best free activity in Progreso is to enjoy one of the nearby beaches or take the free bus into town to the local markets. The bus drops you directly into the middle of the downtown at the Bus Terminal, next door to the Mercado. If you hang a right immediately out of the port terminal, you can access Malecón de Progreso, or “Malecón Internacional de Progreso”, which is a 1-kilometer tourist walkway with activities, stalls, and vendors that runs along Playa Progreso, which is the closest beach to the port. “Malecón” translates to “pier” in English.
Progreso Cruise Port Beach
Once you get off the free shuttle from the cruise ship to the Progreso port terminal, you can walk to Playa Progreso, the nearest beach, where local vendors rent chairs and umbrellas to tourists. Beaches in this region tend to be rocky, so consider bringing water shoes. Depending on weather, season, and currents, the water may also appear brackish and contain quite a bit of seaweed. The beach area immediately near the cruise terminal tends to get crowded, so walking further down can provide a more tranquil experience.
Progreso Port Taxis
A taxi stand is located at the port terminal, and prices are reasonable. However, taking a taxi is likely unnecessary at this particular destination as there is a free bus into town. There aren’t many locations, in my opinion, that are worth exploring on your own via taxi rather than buying an excursion, and the beach is easily accessible on foot. Unlike other Mexican port cities like Cozumel, do not assume that all taxi drivers here speak fluent English or accept US currency or credit cards.
Best Excursions in Progreso
The highlight of this port is its culture, which is rooted in ancient history through the various Mayan ruins sites, so most of the excursions in this port center on that. These ruins vary in size, crowdedness, and distance from the port, with some being a good distance away, so consider these factors before deciding which to visit if you opt to explore ruins. Here are my top recommendations for Progreso excursions, which cruisers can book independently.
- Chichen Itza is one of the most famous ruins and is one of the “7 new wonders of the world”, but it’s two hours from Progreso, so few tour providers offer it as an excursion.
- Progreso XCambo Mayan Ruins Excursion is much closer, about 37 minutes from the port.
- The Mayapan Ruins and Cenote Swim excursion takes cruisers south into the town of Merida, about a 45 minute drive. It includes a cenote (pronounced “sin-no-tay”) swim, which is a quintessential Mexican Experience.
- Mayan Ruins and Beach Break is an excursion that also takes travelers into the Merida area to the Dzibichaltun ruins and includes a beach stop at a private beach club.
Progreso, Mexico Cruise Port Ship Schedule
Progreso Time Zone
Keeping track of time zones can get complicated when cruising, especially for itineraries where there can be multiple time zone changes on one sailing. Your captain will make announcements during the cruise to update you on these changes, but it’s good to be aware of these differences ahead of time when planning your stop at the port, especially for excursions.
Most cruise lines operate on “ship time” set to the time of their departing port, so for sailings out of Galveston, Texas, a common departure port for Progreso, the ship time is likely Central Standard Time (CST). As for the port, Mexico has four time zones, and Progreso – like Galveston – is on Central Standard Time (CST). The region does observe Daylight Saving Time.
