Carnival is planning on sending two more cruise ships — and a lot more tourists — to Progreso.
The Carnival Radiance and Carnival Breeze will join the Galveston-based fleet in May 2021. Combined, the ships carry around 6,500 tourists.
Five-day cruises depart Sundays and head to Cozumel and either Progreso or Costa Maya, a cruise port on the other side of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The Radiance, formerly the Victory, will undergo a US$200 million bow-to-stern renovation beforehand.
The extensive 38-day overhaul in Spain will add a host of new food and beverage outlets, including Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, a Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant, Bonsai Sushi, Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Pub and the first Big Chicken restaurant created by Carnival’s “Chief Fun Officer,” Shaquille O’Neal.
All of the ship’s spaces will be transformed, including the water park, youth facilities, retail shops, spa and showroom.
Carnival Breeze will become the newest and largest ship to operate a short-cruise itinerary from Galveston when it kicks off year-round four- and five-day cruises from that port May 5, 2021.
Five-day voyages depart Mondays and Saturdays with stops at Cozumel and then alternating between Progreso and Costa Maya.
Carnival also sends the Fantasy, Dream and the Valor to Progreso, and Royal Caribbean offers an itinerary with the Yucatan port aboard its Enchantment Of The Seas.
French luxury cruise operator Ponant is sending its 92-cabin Le Champlain on a series of eight-night voyages from December 2019 to February 2020 to Progreso.
Progreso’s port serves mainly the container shipping, cruise tourism and fishing industries. While in the Gulf of Mexico, Progreso is considered one of the Caribbean’s newest cruise ports with capacity to handle the world’s largest passenger vessels. Shore excursions include Merida and the Mayan archaeological sites Dzibilchaltun, Uxmal and Chichen Itza.
