Following a logical pattern set by a regional New England airline years ago, Scotia Prince Cruises of Maine is in the middle of a five-month trial run of a service using one of its boats down in Florida for the winter. It has been operating a really cheap ferry service between Tampa and the Yucatan, with roundtrip prices as low as $75 per person.
That's what you pay in the unlikely event you just want to zip over and back on the same journey, having only a day to sightsee on the peninsula if you take the Merida (Progreso) route, an evening in Cancun if you take that trip instead. If you want to stop over in Mexico, you'll pay a minimum of $120. That gets you a Spartan, economy cabin with a bunk and a shared wash basin. You can pay more for a private cabin with your own bathroom; $25 above the basic $75 gets you a bunk in a cabin with lavatory and basin, an extra $75 an inside stateroom with toilet, shower and basin. There is even a suite if you want to pay big bucks.
Most intriguing are the packages offered by the line, starting at $229 for a seven-day cruise/stay, with time in hotels either in Cancun or Merida, the two ports visited by the ship in Mexico. Longer visits are possible, too, as are bus tours of the peninsula.
The ship, though called the Yucatan Express, is actually the M/S Scotia Prince, which spends the summer months providing ferry service from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The ship will sail the 36-hour Tampa-Mexico route four times a week through April 23, 2003, and will take automobiles, buses, trucks and the like. It can accommodate up to 1130 passengers, 220 cars. On board you'll find a casino, unisex beauty salon, hot tubs, live entertainment, shopping and a good restaurant.
The line is certainly experienced in northern waters, having carried more than five million passengers since 1970. If the Tampa-Mexico run proves successful financially, the line says it will make the Yucatan Express a year-round operation, not just in winter. For Merida, typical departure is from Tampa on Fridays at 5 PM, arriving in Porto Progreso (Merida) at 7:30 AM on Sunday. You could return Sunday night from there at 5 PM, arriving early Tuesday morning in Florida. For Cancun (Morelos), you depart from Tampa on Tuesdays at 11 AM, arriving in Cancun Wednesdays at 5:30 PM. You depart Cancun at 11:59 PM the same day, arriving in Tampa Friday mornings at 9.
Fares mentioned above do not include port charges of $67, taxes of $22 or any meals. If you want to take along a car, van or SUV, the fare is $198 roundtrip, plus port charges and taxes. For a motorcycle, it's $198 plus.
For reservations and more information, contact the line at 866/466-3935 or at www.yucatanexpress.com.