Ahoy and welcome to planDisney, Katherine! The line where the sky meets the sea is calling you, too? With so many adventures on the horizon, I am glad you came here with this question.
I have not been on this excursion, but my panelist pal
Amy shared her experience with
Holy Guacamole, and now I want to go. She said it was picturesque with cooking right on the beach under a shaded area. They learned how to make guacamole, salsa, and margaritas, customized to their taste. She shared there were parents with toddlers on their lap so it is possible, it just requires some special attention to make sure potentially dangerous utensils are out of the little voyager's reach.
She said she would recommend this experience "for a taste of something local, a little education on food and culture, getting kids involved in cooking/prep, and a beautiful location." And you get to spend time with one of my favorite Moana characters: the Ocean, whose waters are pretty gentle like the waves inside the reef in Motunui. Another panelist friend,
Andrew, let me know the beaches on Progresso have a lot of shells mixed with the sand, so he recommends making sure you have footwear for the beach.
Andrew also offered advice for excursions with young kids that I learned the hard way: read the descriptions and the "Know Before You Go" details to get a sense of how far the destination is from the port. Excursions like the
Mayapan Ruins or
Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins look phenomenal, but they require a lot of time on a bus and walking. They may not be a toddler's idea of a fun way to spend an afternoon. Now that I know to look out for length of time on a bus, I also look for how long the excursion will be overall and try to gauge how that fits with my kids' personalities and attention spans.
Holy Guacamole, like most port adventures in Progresso, is a little far beyond the reef, but you can cook, eat and play in the ocean on this excursion. If you decide you want to venture, based on all I have heard from my friends, this looks like a great option.
I learned a few other lessons with Port Adventures. If you choose a destination with a beach, make sure you grab towels on the ship. They usually have them in the meeting location for your excursion group. If you do not see them, be sure to ask when you check in.
With a toddler, I am sure you are quite familiar with the value of snacks. Just like bringing food on board with you, they have to be in factory-sealed packaging to go with you to a port. The excursion details will let you know if meals or snacks are available or provided. I always plan for a few snacks to carry just to keep any crankiness at bay when the glorious
Flo's Cafe and all the options available on the ship are in the distance.
Please come back to
planDisney with any other questions. I hope your cruise stretches your days and brings you fun!
SEA Ya Real Soon,
Jana