Dive company recommendation for Cozumel in August

[ggunn]

You have seemed very defensive in this thread. You don't have to defend your preferences, nor do the rest of us. We all have different requirements and standards. To each, their own.

Different, yes. Higher, not necessarily. When you say "...some of us have very high standards...", what does that say about the rest of us?

 

[scubadada]

Different, yes. Higher, not necessarily. When you say "...some of us have very high standards...", what does that say about the rest of us?

We all have different requirements and standards...you don't have to defend yours

 

[FFEMTDiver16]

Check out SCUBA Cancun. I had an amazing experience with them and being a professional diver I got to buddy up with one of the DM's and dive spots the group didn't go

 

[Andy Ralph]

Andy... Quite frankly, if this will be your first time diving Coz with about 50 dives logged elsewhere, depending on where you've been diving I think coz is going to blow you away. You, like many others who discovered coz diving or snorkeling from a cruise ship will probably decide to return to coz and stay on the island for a dive vaca. Cruise ships do offer the oppty to dive multiple places in the Carribean to see what kind of diving various destinations have to offer.

There is a reason coz has been a dive mecca for decades and it is because the diving is absolutely world class offering a sampling of everything and everything with beautiful, healthy reefs thanks to the constant current that flows south to north always feeding and flushing the reef with fresh water from the Carribean sea. To match or surpass cozumel diving you'll need to travel one heck of alot further and spend one heck of alot more money.

In my opinion, don't let a bunch of us knit picking coz perfectionists make you think you may have anything less than a spectacular experience underwater. I'd prefer to dive with the worst dive op in coz than the best dive op in some other locations I've been (assuming safety practices are the same). I think regardless of which dive op you select and which sites you dive you will have a fantastic dive experience and I bet you will start planning a dedicated dive trip back to coz as soon as you get home!

Thanks so much for the info. Coz was my first intro to diving - got hooked on one of those intro dives nearly 30 yrs ago. So I'm excited to go back and actually dive it, even if it is for just a day. This is a tune up dive for a GC trip we are taking in Dec for our 20th wedding anniv. Got my 12 yo certified this summer and he will be my dive buddy for the week! I'm running the GC marathon on Sun and then straight to the boat for 6 days of diving. Can't wait!

 

[Snoweman]

I can't believe the cheapskates that dive in Cozumel. You spend a bundle on airfare, lodging, and then nickel and dime the dive ops. Go figure

I am the opposite. I don't fly directly into CZM because the price is usually very high. I tend to only travel when the airfare is cheap into CUN. Then I take the bus and the ferry. I don't stay at the nicest places, but I don't stay at the roach motels, either. The next time I go, I will be trying to stay at the Hotel Mexicana (sounds like a great value). I chose to dive with 3P bases upon Jeanie's communication. I then read some reviews to make sure they were safe. I always tip between $5 and $10 per dive (typically $10, unless I thought it was a crappy dive), and I always try to tip in front of the other divers to let them know it's good practice. The price of 3P did not factor into my decision process.

 

[ggunn]

Scubadda said: I can't believe the cheapskates that dive in Cozumel. You spend a bundle on airfare, lodging, and then nickel and dime the dive ops. Go figure.

I am the opposite. I don't fly directly into CZM because the price is usually very high. I tend to only travel when the airfare is cheap into CUN. Then I take the bus and the ferry. I don't stay at the nicest places, but I don't stay at the roach motels, either. The next time I go, I will be trying to stay at the Hotel Mexicana (sounds like a great value). I chose to dive with 3P bases upon Jeanie's communication. I then read some reviews to make sure they were safe. I always tip between $5 and $10 per dive (typically $10, unless I thought it was a crappy dive), and I always try to tip in front of the other divers to let them know it's good practice. The price of 3P did not factor into my decision process.

I hear you. One man's cheapness is another's frugality. I don't have a lot of bucks in my vacation budget and I have to save where I can. I eat peanut butter and jelly toast for breakfast and sandwiches in the room for lunch, I pay in pesos for most transactions, and I dive with "no frills" ops. I still manage to have a great time.

 

[mediumone]

I hear you. One man's cheapness is another's frugality. I don't have a lot of bucks in my vacation budget and I have to save where I can. I eat peanut butter and jelly toast for breakfast and sandwiches in the room for lunch, I pay in pesos for most transactions, and I dive with "no frills" ops. I still manage to have a great time.

You have company. We get to our rented condo, unpack a bit, and head for Mega. Our shopping list would include cold cereal, milk, fruit, bread, sliced lunchmeat, chips, fruit bars, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, eggs. and sodas. There's a bit more, but that's the bulk of it.

Coffee, fruit and cereal for breakfast. Picnic lunch that goes into wife's knapsack, and dinner out as she cooks every stinkin night at home. Usually one, maybe two "fancy" dinners out, and the rest of the time from carts, holes in the wall and their ilk, that we've discovered and traveled to via our hooves.

Thinking about it, I wouldn't call us cheap or frugal. It's what brings us the most pleasure.

 

[deepsea21]

You have company. We get to our rented condo, unpack a bit, and head for Mega. Our shopping list would include cold cereal, milk, fruit, bread, sliced lunchmeat, chips, fruit bars, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, eggs. and sodas. There's a bit more, but that's the bulk of it.

Coffee, fruit and cereal for breakfast. Picnic lunch that goes into wife's knapsack, and dinner out as she cooks every stinkin night at home. Usually one, maybe two "fancy" dinners out, and the rest of the time from carts, holes in the wall and their ilk, that we've discovered and traveled to via our hooves.

Thinking about it, I wouldn't call us cheap or frugal. It's what brings us the most pleasure.

Couldn't have said it any better and with regard to eating at those carts and the holes in the wall... Well, what the big $ spenders who stay at the A.I. land-based cruise ships will never understand is virtually none of all that money they spent to stay there makes it to the locals who live on the island other than the poverty level wage those who work there are paid (no tipping necessary at those AI's and believe me they don't tip!)

There's a big difference between the smile a server greets a guest at an A.I. and the smile a local owner of a hole in the wall restaurant off the beaten path greets you with... One is fake, the other is genuine. It's just that simple. Not that those big money big shots would ever experience the difference as they wouldn't feel "safe" walking the back streets where the locals eat. They equate poverty with crime and gangs and rape and robbery instead of understanding poverty is a financial condition that has nothing to do with character. Local businesses off the beaten path are thrilled to see us "cheap/frugal" divers who make the walk and are supporting local family businesses instead of mainland-based corporations.

 

[DFDubb]

I've only ever stayed at an AI once in my life, it was for a wedding. We made it a point to leave the grounds for almost all of our meals as the food at the resort was meh. I did get my $'s worth in booze though. Anyways, you're painting with some pretty broad strokes there. How is staying at an AI any different than staying locked in your hotel room eating food you got from Mega? That $ isn't making it's way to the locals in any other form than a low wage either. I'm not into AI's or cruises, and I know the cool thing to do here is to knock the people who are, but get over it already. Do you realize how much money we spend to breathe underwater and look at fish? Most people think THAT is crazy. It takes all types.

 

[deepsea21]

Anyways, you're painting with some pretty broad strokes there... It takes all types.

I paint with broad strokes because having been diving with numerous AI and cruise ship divers over the years I find the vast majority of them to be less than a pleasure to dive with to put it nicely (your mileage may vary of course). Perhaps they find me to be an equal displeasure to dive with? I'm not sure why they would think that though because I generally try to stay as far away from them as possible. Watching them cling to, stand on, and kick the reef over and over again while leaving a 0 vis sand storm in their wake wherever they go with an attitude that resonates as "I'm here, I paid, I'm entitled, I'm gonna be the first one down (usually the first to surface as well so I'm not sure what the hurry is all about!), I want my selfie stick video holding that turtle, I want my pic of that little critter and screw everyone else in the group or who may want to dive this reef in the future" is not the type of diver I enjoy being around. These are the same type of tourons who shove little kids out of the way as they run to cut into yet another line at Disney attractions - Good Lord... Disney Parks... what God awful places they are these days and in which I'll never set another foot as long as I live!

For those who share that general attitude, there are the AI's with their in-house dive ops and there are dive ops with schedules designed to cater to the cruise ship crowd where that type of diver can dive with other like-minded. Thankfully, for those of us who don't share that attitude, there are the smaller independent shops that have been mentioned on this thread and focus on catering to and attracting a different type of diver. It's certainly no secret I dive with little 3P's and I say Kudos to the AI and cruise ship folks who know the difference and seek out the quality dive ops that cater to courteous, "quality divers" (if I may be so bold). And, rest assured, a "quality diver" in my book has absolutely nothing to do with one's level of experience.