"Divers' Plan Local"?

[DandyDon]

As far as I can tell, that's a bad address. The Spanish page is México Waterjets - Ferry Cozumel-Playa del Carmen, Playa del Carmen Ferry-Cozumel.

I just tried to follow directions. I cannot get the discount to work on the one way there either, so maybe it is on the return?

 

[mediumone]

So, Swim For The Reef says they've arranged all sorts of discounts with Cozumel businesses for people with C-cards in hand. Some are quite decent, and one or two significantly exceed what a "real" Plan Local card would get you (50% off at Casa Mission?!?). There are quite a few hotels, dive or tour companies, jewelry shops and so on listed. There's even a 45% discount on the Mexico Waterjets ferry, though not on Ultramar.

I wonder how legit this is. It's not difficult to imagine showing up anticipating a discount only to learn that nobody there has ever heard of it.

Can anyone report on how this has worked when they've tried to use it?

It's legit.

I've had customers use the ferry discount. If I remember correctly, they have to buy the round trip ticket and the discount is taken off the return.

As far as the other discounts, never heard anything about them nor have I been approached to participate.

That's correct. Go to the "Swim for the Reef" site, and follow the instructions.

Even if you can buy a "plan local" ticket at he Kiosk, they check for the "plan local" card before you board. IF you don't have it, you don't go. I don't know about a round trip discount but don't do it. If it is at all possible, it would probably cost you an extra hour waiting for the next boat that business has. On the other hand, some businesses will give a discount if you can convince them you are a local—condo owner, friend of a friend, etc. Many times it is worth a try…Just tell them Dave or Christi sent you! Better yet, say you are the owner of Aldora Divers as that frequently works for me. Just say "Yo soy el dueno de Aldora Divers"

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

I do know about the round trip discount - do it!!! If the schedule jibes with your schedule, there's no waiting, and it is a significant (well, significant in my world), savings. Worst case scenario, stop and have a beer, which will be paid for by your savings.

 

[eab]

Here's the response from Paul:

Yes, it is legitimate and we are working to educate the participating businesses on how to use it. I think it is really going to be an important part of the diver´s experience. It has been difficult to get the word out about the plan because I am so tech challenged. Of course I am open to any help possible from readers of the forum who are more social media savvy than me. I tried without success to register on the forum this morning so I could post information about the Plan. There is more to it than just discounts. It is an attitude we are trying to create, one of family and appreciation. Cozumel wants the world´s divers to feel at home here, and the Cozumel Diver´s Local Plan does that by affording the world´s divers the same prices on goods and services that I receive as a Cozumel local resident. When the plan has matured we will be having weekly socials which will rotate through various businesses to give a chance for divers to get to know one another and share their diving experiences and photos they have taken of our reefs. There is one more important aspect of the Cozumel Diver´s Local Plan, and that involves the appreciation all divers feel for the coral reefs. It is the mission of Swim For The Reef to encourage divers to be active in support of environmental organizations dedicated to coral reef advocacy and education. We have set as our goal one million people joining an environmental organization of their choice through the encouragement of the Cozumel to Cancun swim, the resulting documentary film being presented, and the Island of Cozumel/Swim For The Reef collaboration on the Cozumel Diver´s Local Plan. There are some environmental organizations listed on my website, www.swim4thereef.org, that we know are doing good work. There are many more that we would appreciate knowing about as well. We hope that divers who participate in the local plan would offer a portion of their savings toward helping to protect and defend the living entity we all enjoy, the coral reef systems of the world.


As to the ferry discount, it is true that a round trip ticket is required, that the ticket must be purchased online, and that extra time may be required to make ones way back across the channel. But the discount that Mexico Water Jets offers is the first of its kind to non-residents. They are doing this for the reasons iterated above and their leadership in the Cozumel Diver´s Local Plan encouraged me to pursue this effort and they have my utmost respect for their offering that no other company has put forth as yet. They have put in place the procedures they need to track this program in their business. It was my intention that the money saved would provide the taxi fare to reach the dive boats from the ferry pier and help fund excursions to the mainland, or to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen.


Thank you very much for letting me know our plan is being talked about, and thanks to the divers who are inquiring. Please help us get the word out to the awesome world of scuba divers. Our tag line is "Come dive Cozumel and breathe a different atmosphere".


Love to you and all our dive buddies around the world..
Paul
www.swim4thereef.org

 

[bilboinsa]

...Better yet, say you are the owner of Aldora Divers as that frequently works for me. Just say "Yo soy el dueno de Aldora Divers"

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

I'll try that the next time I dive with Aldora!!!

 

[victorzamora]

I'll try that the next time I dive with Aldora!!!

I don't think think that'll go as well as you'd think. I think Dave had a SLIGHT benefit in that he looks a lot like the owner. If it works, though, report back!

 

[cvchief]

I think Dave had a SLIGHT benefit in that he looks a lot like the owner.

Dude, all gringos look alike....

 

[mstevens]

It's legit.

Where besides the ferry have you successfully used this program?

it is a significant (well, significant in my world), savings. Worst case scenario, stop and have a beer, which will be paid for by your savings.

Yes, 5 bucks will pay for a beer. It's not enough for me to cool my heels for an extra hour (or two, depending on time of day) to get back to Cozumel.

Edit: if a round-trip purchase is required, then it's a ten-buck saving, which is more significant. However, I'm simply not ever going to buy a round-trip ticket for a number of reasons.

 

[mediumone]

Where besides the ferry have you successfully used this program?



Yes, 5 bucks will pay for a beer. It's not enough for me to cool my heels for an extra hour (or two, depending on time of day) to get back to Cozumel.

Edit: if a round-trip purchase is required, then it's a ten-buck saving, which is more significant. However, I'm simply not ever going to buy a round-trip ticket for a number of reasons.

Haven't used it anywhere else. It worked so smoothly for the ferry, that I would anticipate trouble-free transactions elsewhere.

We stay in Playa, and take the ferry over to dive. We're (boss woman and I), going to do that again this year, which will be the 2nd year without our boys who are now in college. When we were 4, it was a chunk of change. The last year that we used the promotion, our schedule, the ferry schedule, and everything else worked perfectly. We were able to take of the promotion on every dive trip. (We did not dive every day). (Maybe next year we'll stay on Cozumel -- but we'll still do an afternoon dive trip. Not gonna set the alarm on vacation. No sir).

We were unable to take advantage of the promotion last year, as the timing was always off, for one reason or another. We'll see how the schedule plays out this year ---- . If it makes any sense, I'll certainly do it, as I am fundamentally a tightwad.