Cozumel & Progreso

[Ainsley]

We are leaving next monday for the Carnival Fantasy
My mom and I have been looking through shore excursions and we were wondering what everyone suggested doing in these ports. We have looked at the excursions in both and have somewhat thought about going to Playa Mia in Cozumel. We have done the jeep excursion there as well but a few years back. Progreso is a complete mystery to me. I'm not sure what to do. HELP?!?!? Thanks =]

[CajunCruiser]

Our most recent trip was in Sept '07 (boyfriend & I). I Progreso, we slept in, had breakfast in dining room, then went thru the shops at the pier....caught the bus that drove us to the "market" and then walked along the beach. We sat & had lunch at the Corona club...no excursion per say...we just walked the beach, lunch & drank, back thru the market & back on the boat. In Cozumel Sept '06 (us & 2 kids) did the beach snorkel sail thru carnival, had a good time and this Sept '07 we spent the day walking thru the shops & at Margaritaville.

Unsure on what we are doing on the 2 we have this summer.

[Nothin but blue skies]

We just got back from the Fantasy this past Saturday. I have made many trips to Cozumel and a few to Progresso. This time, in Progresso the water was so much prettier than before. We took the little double decker bus around town for $2 each and it took about 30 minutes. This is a great way to get your bearings there. We then walked a few blocks to the beach, found some tables and chairs in front of San Marino restaurant and stayed on the beach a while. They brought out drinks and chips and salsa for a very small charge. We then got massages on the beach (40 minutes for $15 each) which were wonderful, and went through the open air market and the port stores before returning to the ship.

In Cozumel our favorite places are Paradise Beach or Chakanaub State Park which are short taxi rides from the port. Check them out on the internet, they are both great. We also like to go to Margaritaville for lunch and go through some of the shops in town. You might also like the dolphin swim in Cozumel.

Have fun!

[zydecocruiser]

Here are pictures from some of what I've done in and around Progreso:



http://www.zydecocruiser.com/fantasy...progreso/p.htm

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/fantasy_07/progreso/p2.htm

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/elation/uxmal/uxmal1.htm

[Nothin but blue skies]

Originally Posted by zydecocruiser

Here are pictures from some of what I've done in and around Progreso:



http://www.zydecocruiser.com/fantasy...progreso/p.htm

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/fantasy_07/progreso/p2.htm

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/elation/uxmal/uxmal1.htm

Those are great pics. The water was a lot prettier in April, but it looks good here as well. You must have taken the beach shots from the pier, very good angle.

[Ainsley]

Those are some great ideas. They have a margaritaville in cozumel??? that would be so awesome. and that 40 minute massage has my name all over it hahaha.

[paddletoe53]

when we went to cozumal we went to chakanub park and we did the encenter with the dalphin it was the best side tripwe went on

[Ainsley]

well the dolphins seem like alot of fun but its really expensive. =[ i would love to do that though. but i appreciate everyones help. does anyone know if there is a certain deck you can go all the way front and then go outside right under the bridge? i know on the conquest you could go to the 10th deck and go out there. i want a peaceful place to think and look at stars =]

[Nothin but blue skies]

Ainsley there are a few nice quiet areas on the Fantasy that I enjoy. Lido aft has a couple of small decks with just a few tables and chairs behind the buffet area. I love to take my book and morning coffee up there as the sun comes up. There is a hot tub on one of the aft decks as well, maybe Lido deck. For sail away and a great view from the bow, go to the Verandah deck forward. Walk down the hall past the cabins and there is an exit door on the bow, where you can go out and stand without standing behind a glass wall of windows.

Your picture looks like you are quite young, so be careful about isolating yourself on the ship, particularly at night, as with any area.

[Ainsley]

Well I am just looking for a great place to just go and take pictures. I mean thats just about all I do while I am gone. But 99% of the time I have friends or my sister or my parents with me. I never go anywhere by myself. I just dont like to be around a bunch of people all the time. It seems like every cruise I have went on I always find places to just go and chill out. No worries I go to get pizza alone sometimes or ice cream haha thats about it. Or when I am walking back to the cabin. and yes i am young, I'm 17 but I have learned to never go anywhere alone and never sit my drink down come back and drink it. I take all precautions. I dont want to go missing. Anyways thanks for the tip about the verandah deck =]

[Nothin but blue skies]

You sound like a smart cookie. Please don't be offended by my warning, just a word to the wise.

Last week, around 12:30 am, my DH and I were strolling along the deck that overlooks the pool on the Fantasy. There are a lot of deck chairs up there and it is a great place to watch the pool activities during the day. We were caught off guard when we saw a 16 year old girl in our group stretched out on one of the lounge chairs reading. It was barely light enough to read and she was the only one there. I asked her to please find a safer, more populated area to read. This was her first cruise and she just never thought about the danger she was putting herself into. Her Dad was with us and proposed to my daughter that night, so this girl will be my new granddaughter soon. She appreciated the warning and even told her dad and my daughter that she was glad we were looking out for her, and got her to move to a better area.

[zydecocruiser]

Originally Posted by Nothin but blue skies

Those are great pics. The water was a lot prettier in April, but it looks good here as well. You must have taken the beach shots from the pier, very good angle.

Thank you. Some of the beach shots were taken from the free bus from the shore to the cruise ships.

[zydecocruiser]

Originally Posted by Ainsley

Those are some great ideas. They have a margaritaville in cozumel??? that would be so awesome. and that 40 minute massage has my name all over it hahaha.

They do!

[zydecocruiser]

Originally Posted by Ainsley

well the dolphins seem like alot of fun but its really expensive. =[ i would love to do that though. but i appreciate everyones help. does anyone know if there is a certain deck you can go all the way front and then go outside right under the bridge? i know on the conquest you could go to the 10th deck and go out there. i want a peaceful place to think and look at stars =]

On top of the bridge and yes. Deck 10, the Verandah deck on Fantasy. And you can look onto many of the balconies of the Cat 11 suites from there.

Lots of Fantasy pictures here:
http://www.zydecocruiser.com/fantasy...1/IMG_9032.JPG

and here:


http://www.zydecocruiser.com/fantasy_07/fantasy_map.htm

[Nothin but blue skies]

Your pics are wonderful. I don't know a lot about doing this, but would love to copy some of your pics to my CD, with your permission of course. I don't have as many pictures of the sites without our family in them and I love those.

[zydecocruiser]

Originally Posted by Nothin but blue skies

Your pics are wonderful. I don't know a lot about doing this, but would love to copy some of your pics to my CD, with your permission of course. I don't have as many pictures of the sites without our family in them and I love those.

Thank you. As long as it isn't for profit, copy away. If publshed, I would ask that credit be given.

[colorcrazie]

In Progresso, I once did the bus tour to Merida. Very pretty little town. Went to a mission/monastery that was very impressive, then a horsedrawn carriage ride around town, followed by lunch at a small cantina. I usually don't eat or drink anything in Mexico, but when it is arranged through the cruise lines, I will. And this was awesome. Dessert was the best home made vanilla ice cream I had ever tasted.
Not a terribly exciting tour, but a pleasant one.
Marty

[Nothin but blue skies]

Originally Posted by zydecocruiser

Thank you. As long as it isn't for profit, copy away. If publshed, I would ask that credit be given.

Thank you. I would just like to have some of your pictures to put in my album along with those that we took. I hope I can figure out how to download them now.

[zydecocruiser]

Right mouse click, save picture..

[Nothin but blue skies]

Originally Posted by zydecocruiser

Right mouse click, save picture..

Thanks

[Ainsley]

Originally Posted by Nothin but blue skies

You sound like a smart cookie. Please don't be offended by my warning, just a word to the wise.

ohh no i wasnt offended at all. i understand. thank you. i am very cautious about what i do when im on board. and btw zydeco those pics are amazing. thanks to everyone that gave me tips on places to go and take pictures. i appreciate it. i want to minor in photography in college. =] so thats definitely a plus

[colorcrazie]

WOW, Zydecoe,
Your pic's are fabulous. I will share the Cozumel ones with my 2 nephews, whom we are taking on a cruise in May...going to Cozumel. I'll post when I get back of DH and nephews wearing their froittoire ties on formal night!
Marty

[Nothin but blue skies]

Originally Posted by Ainsley

ohh no i wasnt offended at all. i understand. thank you. i am very cautious about what i do when im on board. and btw zydeco those pics are amazing. thanks to everyone that gave me tips on places to go and take pictures. i appreciate it. i want to minor in photography in college. =] so thats definitely a plus

Be sure to post your pics when you get back. I hope you have a wonderful cruise on the Fantasy. Be sure to catch the two shows on board, they are great. We really loved the "Ticket to Ride" show which is about the Beatles. They showed film clips of The Beatles for about 15 minutes before the show and I told my daughter-in-love that I remembered when Hard Day's Night first showed here. I was about 13 or 14 years old and there was a line wrapped all the way around the block at the theatre downtown. I stood in line with my best friend for over 2 hours waiting to get in to the movie.

[Ainsley]

oo believe me i will. and i always try to catch the shows. sometimes i dont go because im so exhausted from the day. but i will definitely try.

[zydecocruiser]

Originally Posted by colorcrazie

WOW, Zydecoe,
Your pic's are fabulous. I will share the Cozumel ones with my 2 nephews, whom we are taking on a cruise in May...going to Cozumel. I'll post when I get back of DH and nephews wearing their froittoire ties on formal night!
Marty

That would be great.

{for othes that don't know - froittoir is a rubboard}




[/img]

[Nothin but blue skies]

I don't know which dinner time you usually opt for, but we like the early dinner best. We then get the option to watch either the early or the late show, after dinner. With the early dinner, we can catch a show, go to the casino or maybe to one of the clubs on board after dinner. We have only done the late seating a couple of times and did not like it.

On the Freedom last year for our Grand Med cruise we took late seating because the itinerary was so port intensive and we felt like we would be rushed to get dressed for an early dinner. With this itinerary, we found that on the days that had a later sail time, the dinner times were pushed back by 30 to 45 minutes. This made us very late leaving the dining room. On the night of the Grand Midnight Buffet, we literally got up from our table from dinner and walked straight to the Buffet to take pictures. Of course we could not even think about eating anything from the buffet, but we did want the pictures.

[colorcrazie]

I will also have to post pic of my matching earrings....mini froittoires with 2 very tiny spoons attached to each!
Marty

[mehawk]

Progresso was not one of our favorite places

[Mr.Bojangles]

Originally Posted by Nothin but blue skies

In Cozumel our favorite places are Paradise Beach or Chakanaub State Park which are short taxi rides from the port.

I'll give another vote for Paradise Beach. I just got back from Cozumel/Progreso on the Ecstasy and have to say that Paradise Beach was just beautiful. You can just sit on the beach and relax and swim and no one bothers you. A great experience there overall.

As for Progreso, it clearly pails in comparison to Cozumel. The group of people that I was with basically just did bar crawls at the bars over by the beach. We didn't even bother with the beach. If you decide to eat there, I recommend eating at Flamingo's. Our group ended up eating at Los Arcos and we were severely disappointed. I had a sampling of food from Flamingo's when I ran into a friend there and it was fantastic. Several people leaving also gave it a thumbs up.

One thing to watch out for too is that Progreso has a lot more street vendors than I saw in Cozumel. We were constantly bombarded by vendors, even in restaurants. While I understand that it's the way they make their living, just be prepared not to have an uninterrupted meal.

[Ainsley]

Thank You everyone for all of your help! I am leaving tomorrow. =] FINALLY!! haha. but we have definitely received alot of help from everyone. Thanks again! =]