Cozumel Dive Op Recommendations?

[Christi]

I've done dives on the east side with Living Underwater and dives at Barracuda and San Juan with Liquid Blue. No matter how experienced you are or what certifications you have, Cozumel dive operators will usually not take you to the most advanced sites until they do a couple dives with you and asses your skills and air consumption. It's difficult to guarantee a dive to any of those sites unless you come with at least 4 divers who are all experienced. Otherwise it will depend on the skill and desire of the other divers on the boat.

Although some shops attract more experienced divers then others, I don't know of any who will turn away a less experienced diver. And even if you do get a good group it won't mean that everyone on the boat will want to dive a site like Barracuda.

You're hired! I couldn't have explained that better myself

 

[Mawg]

Thanks for the information. I think I'll try Aldora and/or Liquid Blue this time.

Unless you go with a dive shop, I guess, it's hard to insure that you'll have a group of divers big enough and advanced to confirm the advanced dives. That's why I had hoped there were some dive shops that catered to the more advanced dives.

My trip will not, unfortunately, have a large group of advanced divers. But, who knows, maybe Aldora or Liquid Blue will have a group already.

By the way, how was the windward side? Bigger pelagics? Nice reefs?

Real swamped at work right now. Will respond fully later. Done 2 dives on the other side. Short answer is yes and yes.

 

[peterbj7]

I visited Coz for a day last year and went out with Dive Paradise. Four of us, all instructors. We asked for an "interesting" dive, and were taken on an aquatic trudge that I couldn't even find here in Belize, and that I would refund for and be very apologetic about. We all decided to forego the night dive we had booked for that evening, but DP declined to give us a refund. All we got was a "rain check" that I have never bothered to go back to use. From my sole experience I really can't recommend them.

I did dive with other centres on subsequent visits and found them to be cheese to DP's chalk.

 

[ggunn]

I visited Coz for a day last year and went out with Dive Paradise. Four of us, all instructors. We asked for an "interesting" dive, and were taken on an aquatic trudge that I couldn't even find here in Belize, and that I would refund for and be very apologetic about. We all decided to forego the night dive we had booked for that evening, but DP declined to give us a refund. All we got was a "rain check" that I have never bothered to go back to use. From my sole experience I really can't recommend them.

I did dive with other centres on subsequent visits and found them to be cheese to DP's chalk.

FWIW, most ops on Cozumel won't give you a refund unless you cancel more than some reasonable time before the dive.