Excursion help - Progreso or Cozumel

[Kb31992]

Hi all! First time cruiser here so I could use some help :)

 

We are cruising on the Elation and looking at doing a Mayan ruins excursion in either Cozumel or Progresso. Some we are considering are Chichen Itza (Progresso) and Tulum (Cozumel). Has anyone been to either place before? We are just trying to figure out which place would be best for us to visit! It's just my boyfriend and I, and we're both in our 20s. Or, if you have other suggestions that would be great too.

 

Thanks!

Edited September 24, 2014 by Kb31992

[missypriss19]

I have never been on any of these of these excursion but I will say if you are looking to do one do one from Progresso. There is not a lot to do at this port so an all day excursion would be the best.

[snorkler8]

I've been to Tulum twice, it's beautiful. If you google pictures that's really how beautiful the beach is there, not photoshopped. The ruins are cool but the "no touch" type. And it's kind of a long ways from Cozumel. I agree with missypriss19, not much to see or do in Progresso. If it were me I would do ruins in Progresso and do something else in Cozumel.

[cruisinmeme]

For the ones that has gone to chichen itza I have heard it was wonderful. Our fir cruise we went to talum. Been there done that. It was March yet so hot I thought we would fry to death. Everyone raves about the ruins but for me it just didn't do it.

Cozumel is my favorite place to shop so I don't like to do excursions. We have been there 14 times and I still like it.

[webzila]

Been to both. I would have to say that Chichen Itza has the best ruins I have seen at all sites we have been to. Tulum is not bad either but the ruins are not as great but there is an awesome beach.

[Mutumbojimbo]

We're going to Uxmal from Progresso in December. Progresso is closer to the ruins than Cozumel and you have so many good options in Coz for other activities.

 

Zydecocruiser dot net has a couple photo reviews of the Elation 5 day, you might check those out for ideas. Some in this board don't like him, but he has a ton of information on his site.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[ddloml]

You should also consider a visit to Uxmal ruins from Progreso. The ruins are extensive, and you get closer and are able to climb more of them than at Chichen Itza. The drive is about half an hour shorter too, so you would get more time to explore.

[Purvis1231]

When we sailed on the Elation, Tulum was not an excursion choice from Carnival. We have done several of the ruin tours in Progreso and they were all great but some are a two hour bus ride.

Have fun.

[mzloolue]

Use Cozumel for a beach day.

I suggest Chankanaab.

Take a cab and go on your own.

They have a lot of stuff to look at, snorkeling, gardens, shops, food service, bodegas to get cokes and chips, gardens, a Mayan reenactment homestead, and replicas of ancient Mexican antiquities set along garden paths, big iguanas, fish in a big pond, dolphins, a zip line and a show with trained seals and stuff.

Also palapas spread out on a beach so that other folks are not too close.

Plus I have never seen it crowded.

 

Paradise Beach is nice too.

 

Tulum is beautiful if you get a chance to go, but it is a long drive.

And it is the hottest place I have ever been.

Progreso is seriously where you want to do Mayan ruins.

 

Progreso has many good choices for ruins.

Dzibilchaltun is good because it is close, fairly big and you can climb on things.

It is also close enough to feel comfortable doing the tour less expensively with

AutoProgreso.

 

Chichen Itza is impressive and it well known, but it is a long bus ride and there are peddlers inside the grounds.

It is a very impressive place.

You get up early, leave early, ride the bus forever, see a little bit of Chichen Itza and then ride the bus endlessly back.

 

Uxmal is the best.

If you are planning to do different tours, save Uxmal for the grand finale.

It is big, there is a partial pyramid you can climb and it has the huge Pyramid of the Magician that is the equal of the pyramid at Chichen Itza.

It is also set in green hills.

 

And there is also another fairly extensive ruin complex near the place outside Progreso where they take you to see the flamingos. I don't remember the name.

 

I have been to Progreso about a dozen times.

A lot of people dis it because they don't do their homework.

[Rogueperson]

There's also Coba at Cozumel. Its farther than Tulum and I personally like it better. That's where I'm going this December.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[JimAOk1945]

We have seen Uxmal, Chichen Itza, and Tulum. My wife took tons of pictures at all three sites and made them into slide shows for her website. You might be interested is seeing them to help you decide which one to visit. I'll insert links below.

 

Chichen Itza (Progreso)

 

Uxmal (Progreso)

 

Tulum (Cozumel)

 

Happy cruising. It's a great way to see the world.

[mrsfuzzmo]

One thing to note is that Tulum and Coba are not on Cozumel. Cozumel is an island off the mainland and you need to ferry across the channel to the mainland, then bus to the ruins, explore, bus back and ferry back to Cozumel. It's a really long day of traveling.

 

I think doing one of the ruins in Progresso is the best idea. When you go to Cozumel....do something on Cozumel. It's a great island!!

[ABQrobin]

HUGE difference between the ruins, Chichen Itza and Tulum.

 

Chichen Itza is huge, the size of a small US city, fascinating history, dozens and dozens of structures, a good tour guide will really give you a sense of what the culture and times were like and how the city evolved for hundreds of years, etc.

 

Tulum is a late, late Mayan city, very small and when the culture was in decline so temples and bldgs are tiny. The whole area of the ruins is the size of a football field. No comparison. This site is sitting overlooking the ocean, which is pretty, but this is not a great choice if you want to learn about the Mayans.

 

Coba is another ruin you can tour from Cozumel stop. It is in the jungle just west of Tulum. Only a few structures have been uncovered but they are very large and impressive, including a ballcourt and the tallest structure on the Yucatan. You can climb that temple (can't climb any at Chichen Itza or Tulum). There are dozens of structures still covered by jungle there, and you can see archeologists working on them, who knows how big the city will be if they ever finish digging.

Edited September 25, 2014 by ABQrobin

[basser]

We have done both. I would do Eitherfrom Progresso because you don't have that ferry ride from Cozumel. Either way you are in for a long day. We did Chichen Itza from Progresso and Talum from Cancun on a land based vacation.

[cruzinlisa]

I've been to Tulum twice, it's beautiful. If you google pictures that's really how beautiful the beach is there, not photoshopped. The ruins are cool but the "no touch" type. And it's kind of a long ways from Cozumel. I agree with missypriss19, not much to see or do in Progresso. If it were me I would do ruins in Progresso and do something else in Cozumel.

 

I agree with everything this poster said. Tulum is gorgeous. But it is a long trip and a ferry ride. Chichen Itza is supposed to be neat. Its on my bucket list some day.

 

I have not been to Progresso but have been to Cozumel many times. It kind of seems like ruins are pretty much the main thing to do in Progresso. There may be other options but it seems limited. Cozumel has plenty to do.

Paradise Beach, Chankanaab, Mr. Sanchos are a few beach places. There is snorkeling. We have even gone to down town a couple of times and walked around, went shopping and checked out a few bars. And Cozumel is very doable on your own. So if it were me, I would do ruins in Progresso and something else in Cozumel. And as a matter of fact I am, when I cruise Elation in 1.5 weeks!