Bahamas or Cozumel??

[divergirl50]

Definatley Cozumel and not Nassau. If you want to do the Bahamas I would suggest a liveaboard. The diving around Nassau is not nearly as great as Cozumel. I think Cozumel is now better with more big stuff than before hurricane Wilma. Prices are better in Cozumel and you have great hotels to chose from too. One of my favorites is all inclusive also, Park Royal.
If you are looking for a real budget place but nice and clean, then Casa Del Mar is good. Upgrade to an oceanview room so you have a place to hang your gear...you get a patio with an oceanview room. They have hangers out on the balcony for you so you dont have to leave your wet stuff in the shower. I am a dive travel agent and go to cozumel alot and love it!
IF you really want to do the Bahamas, I would suggest the Juliet from Miami to the Bimini chain of islands or Explorer Ventures from Georgetown. These are both good not real expensive liveaboard that will give you lots of diving, good food and great service.

 

[tzeilstra]

Definatley Cozumel and not Nassau. If you want to do the Bahamas I would suggest a liveaboard. The diving around Nassau is not nearly as great as Cozumel. I think Cozumel is now better with more big stuff than before hurricane Wilma. Prices are better in Cozumel and you have great hotels to chose from too. One of my favorites is all inclusive also, Park Royal.
If you are looking for a real budget place but nice and clean, then Casa Del Mar is good. Upgrade to an oceanview room so you have a place to hang your gear...you get a patio with an oceanview room. They have hangers out on the balcony for you so you dont have to leave your wet stuff in the shower. I am a dive travel agent and go to cozumel alot and love it!
IF you really want to do the Bahamas, I would suggest the Juliet from Miami to the Bimini chain of islands or Explorer Ventures from Georgetown. These are both good not real expensive liveaboard that will give you lots of diving, good food and great service.

I'm going to the Cancun/Cozumel area in November so I'm glad to hear you think its better now post-Wilma. I'm curious what you mean though by more big stuff...shipwrecks, etc?

 

[Teamcasa]

I was waffleing between Coz and Hawaii, Hawaii won. I may revisit the Coz plan next year. I'm on the West Coast and Hawaii is one plane ride, Coz is an all day affair to reach.

Dave

 

[Natasha]

Definatley Cozumel and not Nassau. Prices are better in Cozumel and you have great hotels to chose from too. One of my favorites is all inclusive also, Park Royal.

I'll second Park Royal. I used to stay either there or Plaza Las Glorias. Coz over Nassau~~ I also agree.

 

[jimdiverman]

I have been to Bahamas and Cozumel both in the last year. I definitely recommend Cozumel. Cozumel has abundant life, better water, better reefs and its still pretty cheap. You can find cheap fares, and now is a good time of year to go there. I went to Cozumel in July, Turks and Caicos in March, and Bahamas last summer. I think the reefs in the Bahamas are starting to deteriorate because of all the people buying islands and spreading into previously uninhabitated areas causing new runoff into the ocean. It's a shame.

Regards,

 

[jimdiverman]

IF you really want to do the Bahamas, I would suggest the Juliet from Miami to the Bimini chain of islands or Explorer Ventures from Georgetown. These are both good not real expensive liveaboard that will give you lots of diving, good food and great service.

I did the Juliet twice; once to the Bahamas and once to the Turks. I definitely think Capt John runs a great ship. It is well worth the price, and you will be well fed and well cared for.

Checkout sailjuliet.com

Regards,

 

[CAPT HOOK]

I love the Bahamas but not a fan of Nassau, try Grand Bahama for diving instead.

 

[deepstops]

They both have great diving but Nassau is very expensive IMO. It's $85 for a 2-tank dive in Nassau and the hotels are twice the price comapred to CZM. Of course, the shark encounters in Nassau are nice but CZM is just so much more affordable.

 

[archman]

I know many divers that have done both Cozumel and Nassau.

From that, there are many that liked Cozumel enough to be repeat customers.

I don't know anybody that does repeat trips to Nassau. Not for the diving, anyhoo.:11:

Personally, I only use Nassau as a stopover to somewhere better in the Bahamas, like Andros, San Salvador... even Eleuthera.

 

[deepstops]

Well,,,,, I've gone to Nassau for two day trips every year for the past three years. There are spectacular walls in Nassau that rival anything that San Salvador (Riding Rock) or CZM has to offer (except there's little current in Nassau so you have to swim).

That being said, I'm a repeat CZM customer as well and have actually been there more times in the last ten years than Nassau.