USA 🇺🇸 MEXICO 🇲🇽 ~Florida to Mexico “Road Trippin’ and Cruising on Margaritaville at Sea “Islander,” Tampa Port to Cozumel, and Progreso, Mexico”
Time to Cruise
It was high time for an adventure for Daryl and I. We defiantly miss traveling, but with the world being so upside down, we have chosen to stay closer to home and enjoy our family, and it’s been a great call! Travel will still be there, when the time is right, again.
The opportunity came up, however, to go on a cruise. The price was very reasonable, and we were ready. I had not even heard of the cruise-line “Margaritaville At Sea,” but a dear friend of mine had, so we decided to give them a try. We got a pretty good deal, including a one-dollar upgrade to a balcony room. This was my eighth cruise, and at my age I won’t cruise, unless I’m in a balcony room. They really are the way to go.
This was only Daryl’s second cruise. His first one was about nine years ago, already, where we got to visit Turks and Caicos and Nassau, Bahama. We were suppose to stop at Dominican Republic, too, but weather did not allow. Daryl was pretty bummed about that, because he did not enjoy doing figure eights out in the ocean for two days, instead, AT ALL. Anyway, this second cruise for him, was a five-day cruise, leaving out of Tampa, Florida, which would be just perfect, and not too far from home, to cruise into Mexico. We were on the ship called “Islander.” Our itinerary included Cozumel and Progreso in Mexico. Mexico isn’t all that thrilling for us, since we’ve been so much, but we hadn’t gone anywhere for so long, so even it sounded great, and we are very glad we went!
It was a no-brainer to drive from North Carolina to Tampa, Florida, instead of fly, since it would only take about 12 hours and we could make it super easy with a night over at a motor inn, since flying, included airports and flight time, would have been, well over 20 hours and cost $750 per person; and that’s if flights didn’t cancel.
NO THANK YOU.
We love a road-trip and looked forward to our adventure! We made some stops on this road trip, too, which is always fun, to break up the drive-time
Overall, we were pleased with this cruise line. The food was good and the ship was clean, and our cabin was clean. The entertainment shows at night were worth watching, and the staff was very friendly and attentive. This particular cruise line really promotes a laid-back vibe. The entire time, including dinner dining, is casual attire. This sure made it easy to pack, since there was no formal dinner night. It had a “Tommy Bahama” vibe and that was fine.
Cruising has changed quite a bit, since the pre-covid days. I’m very glad to have gotten in on those times. The last time we went, it was still good, but…what I mean by that, is, the charging for every single little thing has gotten even crazier, on-board, and much more expensive, of course. The water was free, still, because we would fill our water jugs each morning at breakfast from the water filling station.
One of my favorite things on a cruise is getting breakfast delivered to the cabin with hot coffee, each morning. Well, this still can be done, but they charge for the service, now, and I just couldn’t justify it. It used to be included, so we just down-graded to hot coffee and paid for the room service and enjoyed that.
For us, having the balcony is a great place to enjoy that coffee in the morning! We do not drink alcohol, so there is a lot of savings right there, since drinks are really high priced, but people still pay thousands on booze for their time on the cruise. No judgement, but it is pricy. Overall, if you just watch your spending, it’s doable on a budget.
We chose to do a land excursion in Yucatan, to see some Mayan Ruins called Uxmal. We had not seen this historical place, since I had been to all the others ruins, during previous visits to Mexico, over the years. So I guess that means I can check Mayan Ruin visits, in Mexico, off the list. I’ve seen them all; well, the ones that we are able to visit.
The weather was great for the entire cruise, as well as shore time. This also made for a smooth sailing adventure, for all the days. It was very hot, but that was to be expected. On another shore stop, in Cozumel, we hired a local driver, who just drove us around the outskirts of the island, so we could enjoy the sites. It’s actually a beautiful place to Scuba Dive and we had both done that, in the past.
Enjoy the Pictures! I Always Post Lots of Pictures!
Lets Drive to Tampa for Our Cruise
Note: This is the 2026 cruise itinerary, but it is the same we did, in 2025 ⬇️
We enjoyed great weather on this cruise, and I gotta say, we were not disappointed in Margarita At Sea Cruise Line. We would definitely go again, if the opportunity comes up.
On board The Islander ship, waiting for our cabin to be ready. Our only entertainment was each other 😂
Finally, we could throw our bags in our cabin and explore the ship and view the Tampa, Florida Harbor
And We are Off!!!
First Port of Call: Cozumel, Mexico 🇲🇽
Cozumel’s history spans over 2,000 years, evolving from a sacred Maya pilgrimage site, to a pivotal Spanish landing point; a notorious pirate hideaway, and eventually the world-renowned scuba diving and cruise destination it is, today.
The Sacred Island: Settled by the Maya around 300 BC, the island was known as Ah Cuzamil Peten (Land of the Swallows).
Goddess Ixchel: It served as a vital religious hub dedicated to Ixchel, the Maya moon goddess of fertility. Ancient Maya women made routine pilgrimages to the island across the Yucatán strait in canoes.
First Contact: Spanish explorer Juan de Grijalva first visited in 1518, followed by Hernán Cortés in 1519, who used the island as a staging base for his conquest of the mainland.
Population Collapse: European diseases, particularly smallpox, devastated the indigenous population. In the span of about 50 years, the population dropped from over 40,000 to just a few dozen, and the island was largely abandoned.
Because of its hidden coves and protected waters, the island frequently served as a strategic hideout and base of operations for legendary pirates, including Henry Morgan and Jean Lafitte.
The Caste War: In 1848, the island was repopulated by mainland mestizos and Maya refugees fleeing the bloody War of the Castes in the Yucatán.
Trade: The town of San Miguel was founded, and the island briefly prospered as a commercial port, shipping coconut and chicle (the base for chewing gum)
Second Port of Call: Progreso, Mexico 🇲🇽 
1872: Formally established. Business leaders literally drew a straight line from Mérida to the coast to find the shortest distance, naming the new port “Progreso” (meaning progress) to reflect aspirations for regional advancement.
Late 19th Century: The henequen or “green gold” export boom begins, cementing Progreso as the most important commercial port in the state of Yucatán.
1936–1941: Construction of the massive Progreso Pier begins. Stretching over 4 miles into the Gulf of Mexico, it was built to bypass shallow waters. It remains one of the longest piers in the world.
Late 20th Century to Present: As the henequen market declined, Progreso shifted its focus. The addition of a cruise ship terminal and expanding international tourism reshaped the city, turning it into a favored Gulf Coast destination for travelers and Canadian/American expatriates.
Our friendly guide. He does these tours on the side, but is also a high school teacher.
We would be driven from the Yucatán Port, to Merida, which was only 22 miles, but there was heavy traffic, so it took awhile. It was a very hot day, but we had A/C and a decent van, with other tourists. Uxmal might not be as familiar to you, as the nearby Chichén Itzá Ruins, but we had already been there, and chose a quieter option, with far less crowds, on this excursion day. But, if you’ve never been to either ruins, definitely make sure you get to Chichén Itzá, if you have the chance. It’s more impressive, but I’ve enjoyed all the Mayan ruins.
Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal
The Mayan town of Uxmal, in Yucatán, was founded in 700 AD. and had some 25,000 inhabitants. The layout of the buildings, which date from between 700 and 1000 years of age, reveals a knowledge of astronomy. The Pyramid of the Soothsayer, as the Spaniards called it, dominates the ceremonial center, which has well-designed buildings decorated with a profusion of symbolic motifs and sculptures depicting Chaac, the god of rain. The ceremonial sites of Uxmal, Kabah, Labna and Sayil are considered the high points of Mayan art and architecture.
The Pyramid of the Magician (Pirámide del Adivino)
And just like that, cruising came to an end……
Back in Tampa, Florida and Driving home to North Carolina
On the road trip, we stopped at this historical Battlefield
The Significance: It was the first significant Patriot victory of the Revolution, in the South. The defeat completely dashed British plans for a full-scale invasion of the southern colonies and emboldened North Carolina to become the first colony, to vote for independence.
Having lived in North Carolina for a couple of years, I’ve come too learn about the “Daughters of the American Revolution.” It’s an old and respected society in the South, to this day.
Thanks For Coming Along!
About Us
About Us
Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both traveling in Thailand with friends. We happened to be in the same travel group, and […]