Cozumel Plan for Critique

[ScottNY]

Hello Cozumel Experts... I'm wondering about thoughts on this plan after checking various travel guides and doing a bunch of searches here.

Me: 60 dives, AOW/Rescue Certified. Comfortable at 100', perfectly happy at 20' if that's where the stuff to see is.

Her: She's really cute, but her PADI card still smells of freshly cut plastic. A few issues equalizing in classes, but got the hang of it. (Going to practice at Dutch Springs a bit this summer.)

The situation. Honeymoon time! So while diving is a part of trip, so is golf, other fun activities, decent food, relaxing, etc. Since this is a big deal trip we want high end place. (Not the private gated thing, but nice.) So... we're looking at AI's like Occidental Grande and the Melia. Thing is, my understanding is that Occidental may be best for diving, but the rooms at the Melia seem a bit higher end and it's near the golf course. (OG does look nice, just similarly priced Melia look bigger, have jacuzzi porch, etc.)

Plan might be to stay 4 - 5 days at OG and mostly dive, then 4 days at Melia.

So... my now long winded question gets down to: Is it really a hassle to dive from Melia? Are most of the best dive sites really south by OG and a quick boat ride vs. an hour on boat from Melia or a cab ride to other dock? I'm actually liking Dive Palancar's easy profiles for the first few dives of a relative newbie. Is there some other place that's maybe better for balance of scuba/golf, etc.?

Thanks for any advice.

Scott

 

[Hockeynut]

Any advice? Don't get married!

 

[Noboundaries]

Me: 60 dives, AOW/Rescue Certified. Comfortable at 100', perfectly happy at 20' if that's where the stuff to see is.

Her: She's really cute, but her PADI card still smells of freshly cut plastic. A few issues equalizing in classes, but got the hang of it. (Going to practice at Dutch Springs a bit this summer.)

The situation. Honeymoon time! So while diving is a part of trip, so is golf, other fun activities, decent food, relaxing, etc. Since this is a big deal trip we want high end place. (Not the private gated thing, but nice.) So... we're looking at AI's like Occidental Grande and the Melia. Thing is, my understanding is that Occidental may be best for diving, but the rooms at the Melia seem a bit higher end and it's near the golf course. (OG does look nice, just similarly priced Melia look bigger, have jacuzzi porch, etc.)

Plan might be to stay 4 - 5 days at OG and mostly dive, then 4 days at Melia.

So... my now long winded question gets down to: Is it really a hassle to dive from Melia? Are most of the best dive sites really south by OG and a quick boat ride vs. an hour on boat from Melia or a cab ride to other dock? I'm actually liking Dive Palancar's easy profiles for the first few dives of a relative newbie. Is there some other place that's maybe better for balance of scuba/golf, etc.?

Thanks for any advice.

Scott

Yes, most of the better dives sites are south by the OG.

Yes, the golf is closer to the Melia.

My wife and I use 12 hour generic Sudafed to eliminate the equalization problems. We won't dive without it. You have to ask for it from the pharmacist but no prescription is required.

Is there another high end place for a better balance of scuba/golf? The only other high end room/resort place I know of is Cozumel Palace. We've been twice. You give up the beach and expansive property, but you have easy walking access to town and a quick cab ride for golf.

Aqua Safari is the onsite dive op. They have regular boats that take anywhere from 60-90 minutes to get to the first morning dive site. A two tank dive day usually goes from 8:30 AM to 1-1:30 PM. Or you can pay $5 or $10 more and book on their fast boat and get there in about 30-45 minutes. A fast boat two tank dive day runs from 8AM to about 11:30-12 noon.

Your original plan sounds pretty good though. Congratulations and enjoy your Honeymoon. My dive buddy wife and me have been on ours for almost 28 years. We came to scuba when our nest emptied. We're still debating if kids were cheaper.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Any advice? Don't get married!

I am taking you off my friends list :mooner:...Be nice:no

 

[deborahdelamar]

For a honeymoon, I'd look at either the Palace (can't beat an in-room jacuzzi for two!) or the Grand (for the beach.) Don't choose the Grand based solely on Dive Palancar because I heard that they lost their contract with the hotel -- may only be rumor but needs checking.

Any Coz DM will be happy to help your fiance/wife with newbie problems & doubts and, of course, all dive plans are based on skills & comfort for the customers.

Re Melia: Unless you're diving with Scuba Du from the El Coz dock next door (sometimes they take their divers by cab to El Presidente which shortens the boat run considerably), diving from there would entail a cab ride to & from an intown pier.

Congratulations & good luck.

 

[Hockeynut]

I am taking you off my friends list :mooner:...Be nice:no

NOOOOOOO!

OK Scott, listen to everyone but me.

 

[OSUcowboyinSPFD]

If you want to play golf, how many rounds are you wanting to play? If you want to play every afternoon, stay at the Melia or Playa Azul. I know Playa Azul has a contract with the Cozumel Country Club that allows for free greens fees (you have to pay $25 or so for the cart). The Melia, I believe, has reduced greens fees. Otherwise, you will be paying about $100-$125 for twilight golf per round.

If you want to play one round. Stay at you hotel of choice (we prefer Cozumel Palace) and just eat the high cost. If you want multiple rounds, stay somewhere that offers a discount.

If you want to play a couple of full days, you might consider the Cozumel Palace and playing the Palace courses on the mainland. They are notch better than the Cozumel Country Club (IMO). You can find a member to sell you an unlimited golf week and you will save a little money over two rounds at the Coz Country Club (trust me, I have run the numbers a hundred times). However, you do have the hassle of ferries, etc. I have never done this, but I think they will let you get an early tee time and then play the course again during twilight. Food for thought, anyway.

Staying at Playa Azul will require a cab ride to town (or the Celeta in some circumstances) to meet your op. That is certainly a consideration as well.

Good luck! The planning can drive you batty if you let it.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Zman96]

Is there another high end place for a better balance of scuba/golf? The only other high end room/resort place I know of is Cozumel Palace. We've been twice. You give up the beach and expansive property, but you have easy walking access to town and a quick cab ride for golf.

Aqua Safari is the onsite dive op. They have regular boats that take anywhere from 60-90 minutes to get to the first morning dive site. A two tank dive day usually goes from 8:30 AM to 1-1:30 PM. Or you can pay $5 or $10 more and book on their fast boat and get there in about 30-45 minutes. A fast boat two tank dive day runs from 8AM to about 11:30-12 noon.
.

We stayed at the Palace and dove with Aqua safari in May. No complaints, great hotel lots of amenities and the diving was great. Do the fast boat like he said its $10 more but saves you 1 -2 hours of boat time. I was a new diver and they were great with me while most others had some experience. I have never stayed anywhere else in Coz so take my recommendation with that in mind, but I would stay here again.

 

[scubawife]

My wife and I use 12 hour generic Sudafed to eliminate the equalization problems. We won't dive without it. You have to ask for it from the pharmacist but no prescription is required.

I used to do that too... until I had a severe sinus barotrauma and if I thought the bruised face and pain were bad, the photos the dive doc in Cozumel showed me of what could have happened if my sinus actually ruptured (it came as close as possible), well, now if I can't equalize going down really slow and sometimes with several attempts, then I just don't dive.

Please don't recommend self medicating. Anyone who is experiencing problems equalizing should get checked out by a dive medicine specialist ENT and first make sure that they are ok to dive. The doctor can suggest medications, dosage and proper usage if that is an appropriate resolution to the problem. For a new diver it's most often just a matter of slowing down and learning a technique that works best for them. No meds needed, just practice and patience.

My dive buddy wife and me have been on ours for almost 28 years. We came to scuba when our nest emptied. We're still debating if kids were cheaper.

You did this in the right order. Getting addicted to diving BEFORE having kids leads to never finding the right time to have them... being out for a year really interferes with the dive trip plans.

 

[Mawg]

Hello Cozumel Experts... I'm wondering about thoughts on this plan after checking various travel guides and doing a bunch of searches here.

Me: 60 dives, AOW/Rescue Certified. Comfortable at 100', perfectly happy at 20' if that's where the stuff to see is.

Her: She's really cute, but her PADI card still smells of freshly cut plastic. A few issues equalizing in classes, but got the hang of it. (Going to practice at Dutch Springs a bit this summer.)

The situation. Honeymoon time! So while diving is a part of trip, so is golf, other fun activities, decent food, relaxing, etc. Since this is a big deal trip we want high end place. (Not the private gated thing, but nice.) So... we're looking at AI's like Occidental Grande and the Melia. Thing is, my understanding is that Occidental may be best for diving, but the rooms at the Melia seem a bit higher end and it's near the golf course. (OG does look nice, just similarly priced Melia look bigger, have jacuzzi porch, etc.)

Plan might be to stay 4 - 5 days at OG and mostly dive, then 4 days at Melia.

So... my now long winded question gets down to: Is it really a hassle to dive from Melia? Are most of the best dive sites really south by OG and a quick boat ride vs. an hour on boat from Melia or a cab ride to other dock? I'm actually liking Dive Palancar's easy profiles for the first few dives of a relative newbie. Is there some other place that's maybe better for balance of scuba/golf, etc.?

Thanks for any advice.

Scott

Scott, let me address first your not so long winded question. YES, it is a hassle.And yes, not most but ALL of the dive sites are way south. For better balance of scuba/golf/location etc. stay at the El Presidente. It is right in the middle of the things you want to do. Very nice beach, unlike the O.G.,incredible service,excellent onsite dive op, I dove with them last month,get a beachfront room with hammock,porch and private outside shower. I've been gong to Cozumel since 1992, stayed in several hotels there and I believe the Presidente is the best piece of property on the island.Been to Cozumel 26 times now. Stayed at the Presidente 20 times. It is nicer than the O.G. or Melia.

Play your golf at the Cozumel C.C. You dont want to schlep your clubs onto the ferry over to Playa just to play golf there. HUGE pain in the A$$. You'll spend an entire day and a lot of money to play 18 holes. As far as the diving goes, dont worry about being a newbie. I took 2 newbies with me last month and they had an absolute blast. Cozumel is the safest place for divers in all of the Caribbean.