Anyone done the Carnival Meridia shopping tour?

[AUTUMN SUN]

Im trying to figure out if you take the carnival meridia shopping tour, if when the excursion is over, do they drop you off in the Progreso shopping area or do the take you back to the ship? In other words do they give you a choice at the end of the excursion? Thanks!:)

[jetskier]

I am not sure if they drop you back at the ship or not. We took the pier shuttle to the drop point in Progreso. Right around the corner is the local bus service. For $2.50 round trip, we took a bus to Merida. They run every 15 minutes. The bus station in Merida is about 2 blocks from the town square. We were able to get there 30 minutes before the ships excursion.

 

We then walked around and did some shopping, ate, took photos of some of the landmarks. At no time did we feel threatened or uneasy.

 

Dave

[hdawson]

There is definitely no need for a Carnival excursion to visit the beautiful spanish colonial city of Merida. It is so very easy to do on your own.

[AUTUMN SUN]

I really have thought about doing this on my own but.......

Well my DH is not the adventurous type. Yes, taking a city bus into Meridia would be on the edge for him!!:p LOL!! He prefers the security of a planned excursion whether its with Carnival or a private person. I would love to see Meridia and take a dip in a cenote as well. Ive always wanted to do that. I guess im not sure what to do. Are the buses in good condition? Is it difficult to get there on your own? Really its no big deal to me but again I would never hear the end of it if it didnt work out well. :rolleyes: Suggestions? Thanks .:)

[jetskier]

http://www.yucatantoday.com/transportation/eng-bus-lines.htm

http://www.yucatantoday.com/maps/eng-progreso-map.htm

http://www.yucatantoday.com/maps/eng-merida-centro-map.htm

 

On the second link above, the bus from the pier will drop you off at the Centro Cultural. The bus station is between Calle 80 and 82 on Calle 29th. The buses we were on were in great condition.

 

The bus will end it run at the Progreso Terminal in Merida. Look at the third link above. On its map, look for item #40 called Auto Progreso. From there it is a one block walk north to the Plaza Grande.

 

When we went I had two couples overheard what we were doing as the pier bus was going to Progreso. They asked if they could join us. I said sure, if you dont mind possibly getting lost. We all ended up having a great time. Print out copies of both maps as they are invaluable in case you need a local to point out which way to go.

 

Dave

[AUTUMN SUN]

Jetskier, thanks for the info and links. Now to return, do I just reverse the order to get back to the pier? Thanks again.:)

[jetskier]

Yes, just reverse the order. If you time it right you should still have about an hour in Progreso do shop around.

Dave

[AUTUMN SUN]

How much does it cost to use the public bus system? Can I use U.S. money? Do I just pay when I board the bus? Thanks again for the help.

[jetskier]

It was $2.50pp round trip. Yes they do take US $, but you will get your change back in pesos. You pay at the ticket window at the bus station.

 

A tip for you is to bring along some t-paper. Some of the restrooms have a limited supply or you have to pay for it a sheet at at time.

Dave

[jetskier]

duplicate

[AUTUMN SUN]

It was $2.50pp round trip. Yes they do take US $, but you will get your change back in pesos. You pay at the ticket window at the bus station.

 

A tip for you is to bring along some t-paper. Some of the restrooms have a limited supply or you have to pay for it a sheet at at time.

Dave

OH MY!!!!:eek:

[jetskier]

It took my wife by surprise also when the old lady was outside the restroom selling the t-paper. When I was in Playa del Carmen at the bus station, you had to pay to go through the turnstiles to get to the restroom. There were no t-paper in the stalls but there was one roll hanging up by the sinks. You had to be good at guessing how much you were going to use. In some areas, you do not put the t-paper into the toilet. It goes into a trash can in the stall. This is to keep from overtaxing the sewer system.

 

That reminds me of the joke on my second to last cruise. The comedian asks if everyone has read the sign on the toilet in our staterooms. It says "Other than toilet paper, do not flush any foreign objects down the toilet" He said, "so what do you do with the stuff you originally went into the bathroom to get rid of?"

Dave

[AUTUMN SUN]

LOL!! If that aint the truth :D !! Thanks for all your help.:)

[Cheryl1ann]

Thank you for all the good information and maps! We leave on 3/31 and Progreso is one of our stops.

[hdawson]

Cheryl. Have a great time. Many options for your stop in Progreso.