Just wandered over from the Community Board,and saw your request.
My wife and I will be visiting Progreso early in November on the "Mercury."
Progreso is slowly becoming a cruise port of some note. Originally a weekend resort for Mexican families, it lacked the glitz of, say, Cozumel or Cancun. Work is being done to lengthen and enlarge port facilites in order to accomodate more cruise ships, so some of that unpoilt local charm will disappear faster than a campaign promise.
The local beach is fairly pristine, with some facilities extant, although there is a lot of seaweed. The local palm trees are under assault by a virus, and look rather scruffy.
Progreso is a jumping off port for most of the Mayan ruin sites in the Yucatan, the largest being Dzibichaltun, Uxmal, and, of course, Chichen Itza. Dzibichaltun is the closest to Progreso, about a fifteen minute ride from the port/ To get to Uxmal and Chichen Itza requires a seven hour or more bus ride through the Yucatan countryside. That's SEVEN HOURS on a BUS in MEXICO with your fellow cruise ship "touristas!"
Get the picture?
To get to Uxmal and Chichem Itza, you must pass through the town of Merida, whose economy is all about catering to the touristas like yourself. Think Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg with no Dollywood and you get the idea.
As a result of this buildup of business catering for the "touristas," there is fast developing a sullen, resentful backlash in Merida against us gringo Nortes, especially those of us who seem bent on being the archetype "Ugly American."
Just remember that you are a guest in their country,and an ambassador of your own, and you'll do fine.
anton