Disabled in Wheelchair - What to do in Progreso

[JamesandLetty]

Hello,

 

I will be cruising in Feburary with stops in Cozumel and Progresso. I will be with my parents and my mother is physically handicapped and unable to walk (she has a wheelchair).

 

I don't expect Cozumel to be an issue, but am concerned about Progreso. Excursions requiring any walking or rough terrain are not options. My question for all the experienced cruisers out there is what is there to do off ship for someone in a wheelchair? Is there shopping nearby off ship? Is it safe? Easy to navigate with a wheelchair?

 

Any advise/info you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks...James

[nwo4life]

It has been a couple of years since I have been there. This is what I remember. There are a few shops right on the pier. Then everyone gets on a bus and rides into town on buses, the pier is several miles long someone said it is possibly the longest in the world. The bus will take you to a flea market with an assortment of trinkets. This is alot of fun, vendors are very friendly. There are also several shops near the flea market. The beach and a multitude of resturants are just a few blocks away. The food and drink here is wonderful and priced very affordable. I hope yall have a great trip.

[DixiesMom]

If Mom is confined to a wheelchair, the town of Progreso is really not an option. She should be able to visit the duty free areas at the port easily enough but I have never seen anything remotely ADA compliant in Progreso.

[JamesandLetty]

Hello,

 

Hey all,

 

We weren't able to cruize last Feb due to the Triumph fire, so we're trying again this Feb 14, and I am reposting my original question. Any advice is appreciated...

 

I will be cruising in Feburary with stops in Cozumel and Progresso. I will be with my parents and my mother is physically handicapped and unable to walk (she has a wheelchair).

 

I don't expect Cozumel to be an issue, but am concerned about Progreso. Excursions requiring any walking or rough terrain are not options. My question for all the experienced cruisers out there is what is there to do off ship for someone in a wheelchair? Is there shopping nearby off ship? Is it safe? Easy to navigate with a wheelchair?

 

Any advise/info you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks...James

[JerseyshoreBruce]

Its very safe and lots of shops, a flea market and restaurants. Corona Beach is right as you get off the dock! Armed police and soldiers were all around when i was there....will be there next week again!

[PSkinner]

Hello,

 

Hey all,

 

We weren't able to cruize last Feb due to the Triumph fire, so we're trying again this Feb 14, and I am reposting my original question. Any advice is appreciated...

 

I will be cruising in Feburary with stops in Cozumel and Progresso. I will be with my parents and my mother is physically handicapped and unable to walk (she has a wheelchair).

 

I don't expect Cozumel to be an issue, but am concerned about Progreso. Excursions requiring any walking or rough terrain are not options. My question for all the experienced cruisers out there is what is there to do off ship for someone in a wheelchair? Is there shopping nearby off ship? Is it safe? Easy to navigate with a wheelchair?

 

Any advise/info you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks...James

 

Husband and I went there last year on the Triumph. We took the bus into town , walked thru the shops, down the beach and that was it, headed right back to the ship. We were constantly telling vendors do we did want to buy anything. We were wanting to try some restaurants but if you weren't drinking (at 9:30) am they didn't wait on you.

 

Next month my sister and I are talking our Mother that has to use a walker and we are just going to shop at the pier and head back to the ship. Not missing much at this port.

[nlktx49]

We were in Progreso last November and enjoyed our brief stay there. This was before I had both knees replaced, so I was looking for things that didn't take much walking and were easy to access, even though I wasn't in a wheelchair. Your mother should be able to go from the ship to the area of shops you come to before you get on the shuttle bus to go into the town, down the very long pier. I don't think you could get a wheelchair on the shuttle bus, unless you could fold it and carry on, and your mother would be able to make it up the steps onto the bus. The steps were steep, I had a hard time getting up and down them. Progreso is just a little sleepy town, like you used to find on the Texas/Mexico border many years ago. Not really missing much if you skip it.

 

Does your cruise leave Galveston on Feb 10? If so, we'll be on that one!

Edited September 29, 2013 by nlktx49

[JamesandLetty]

Thanks everyone for your comments. My mother does walk, although very slowly and not for very far. I think we'd be alright folding up her wheelchair and going into Progresso. I'm thinking perhaps a stroll through the flee market, the double decker bus tour and then a bite for lunch before heading back. I am a little concerned due to all the comments I have read about the aggressiveness of the sellers in town. I'm originally from Detroit and can handle myself if I need to but don't really want to be fending off aggressive sellers while pushing a wheelchair with my wife and elderly dad with me.

 

Whatever the case, we're off on 2/15/14 (which we planned to hopefully avoid the mass of spring breakers) and I'm sure it will be a nice trip regardless.

[cjnwildfire]

Hello,

 

I will be cruising in Feburary with stops in Cozumel and Progresso. I will be with my parents and my mother is physically handicapped and unable to walk (she has a wheelchair).

 

I don't expect Cozumel to be an issue, but am concerned about Progreso. Excursions requiring any walking or rough terrain are not options. My question for all the experienced cruisers out there is what is there to do off ship for someone in a wheelchair? Is there shopping nearby off ship? Is it safe? Easy to navigate with a wheelchair?

 

Any advise/info you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks...James

We were there last year and while neither my husband or I are in a wheel chair, we do have someone in our family who is, so we pay attention.

 

First, the bus ride from the boat to the town may not be possible, we could never get a straight answer about if they have a wheel chair accessible bus.

 

We walked thru town to check out the streets, there was no way that a motorized wheelchair was going to make it thru on the side walks. They were in too much disrepair and too narrow in places.

 

We will be down there on the Triumph in January, I will be happy to let you know if anything has changed if you will remind me closer to time.

[Magic City Cruiser]

I would say you should at least try. You should be able to get on the bus to Progreso without too much difficulty. Once in town, as I recall, the sidewalks are in pretty good shape and you can walk from the bus stop to the beach with little difficulty. I'm going next week, I'll try to remember to keep you in mind and check some details. Yes, I've been a major complainer about vendors but they are more "persistent" than "aggressive" and they seem to be mostly on the beach. Not all, but mostly ;).

[JamesandLetty]

Thanks...I would appreciate any insight you could provide. Have a great cruise...

[ABQmom]

We just returned from a B2B cruise on the Elation with 2 stops in Progreso. We were traveling with a family member who has mobility issues. I think that if you mom can walk enough to get up the steps to the bus and into a seat then you will be fine. They have large compartments under the bus they can store the wheelchair for you (they put our large rolling duffle bag under there). These are large tour buses, not small vans. Once in town you will have about a 5 minute walk through the market area to the beach. There is a boardwalk once you are there that will be great for the wheelchair.

 

The vendors are plentiful, and I do mean plentiful, but they take a "no thank you" easily and move on. There are several open air restaurants on the way to the beach and across from the beach where you can find good food and cheap beer.

 

Also, don't miss the $10 massages all along the beach! We did that and it was wonderful.

 

Again, as long as your mom can handle the steps getting on and off the bus (there is a rail to hold) then she will do fine. If someone was totally confined to a wheelchair, it would be another story.

[ABQmom]

We just returned from a B2B cruise on the Elation with 2 stops in Progreso. We were traveling with a family member who has mobility issues. I think that if you mom can walk enough to get up the steps to the bus and into a seat then you will be fine. They have large compartments under the bus they can store the wheelchair for you (they put our large rolling duffle bag under there). These are large tour buses, not small vans. Once in town you will have about a 5 minute walk through the market area to the beach. There is a boardwalk once you are there that will be great for the wheelchair.

 

The vendors are plentiful, and I do mean plentiful, but they take a "no thank you" easily and move on. There are several open air restaurants on the way to the beach and across from the beach where you can find good food and cheap beer.

 

Also, don't miss the $10 massages all along the beach! We did that and it was wonderful.

 

Again, as long as your mom can handle the steps getting on and off the bus (there is a rail to hold) then she will do fine. If someone was totally confined to a wheelchair, it would be another story.