Progreso, Yucatán — The second cruise ship of the week was full and lively: Carnival Triumph passengers arriving from Cozumel enjoyed the water, consumed beers and snacks and bought handicrafts.
What many of them didn’t do was take excursions to the city or Mayan ruins. The heat kept them close to the port, a reporter from a local newspaper guessed.
According to an extensive list of side trips, tourists could have seen Chichén Itzá or Uxmal, or play a round at the Country Towers golf course.
They could have gone to Mérida to see the Plaza Grande and “learn how to make authentic Mexican salsas and guacamole, drink Margaritas and learn how to dance salsa – all in one tour!” There was also a craft-beer cantina crawl in Mérida, or kayaking through the mangroves, but a many passengers were apparently contented with Coronas at the beach.
Service providers estimated that about 1,000 tourists remained of the 3,381 who arrived aboard the Carnival Triumph. That’s a lot more than the number lingering near the port two days earlier when the Carnival Valor docked.
Because the cruise docked at 8 in the morning, the passengers arrived early on Thursday.
By 10, the malecon was crowded with tourists, and by noon, they spread to the beach, reports Diario de Yucatán. Visitors played with water balloons and rode banana boats with rented life jackets. Others rented jet skis or occupied palapas and beach umbrellas. It was also a good day for souvenir vendors.
With information from Diario de Yucatán, Carnival
