Flight Costs to Coz (from US)?

[joewr]

Slight correction here... You cannot take a taxi from the Cozumel airport; ground transportation from the CZM airport is by way of the shuttle service run by the taxi union. You go out of Customs into the lobby area and bear right; there is a window there where you buy your shuttle tix, different prices for different hotel zones.

You could also schlep all your equipaje[/] 100 yards or so out to the street, if it's worth it to you to save 6 or 8 bucks (if there are two of you. If you are alone it's a wash) and 10-15 minutes. Not to me (traveling light is not in our vocabulary), but YMMV.

Oops,

That is what I meant...believe me we have done that so many times I could do it in my sleep! And I would not recommend schleping all your gear to save a few bucks--a bad way to start your dive experience on Cozumel.

Okay, you opened that door, Councelor, so I probably should be clear on transport to and from the A/P.

Basically, there will be two ways to arrange transport from the A/P...one of which I am uncertain about since we have not used it in about a decade. The first way is as described by ggunn: there is a window over to the left--at least that where it was in 2005-- as you leave Immigration that says something like "Shuttle" on it. You purchase your ticket there and go out the door with your luggage. Someone--there is a system here, but to Americans it may seem absent--will be there who looks sort of official and you ask him which minibus to board. He will direct you. They fill these minibuses and do not leave, usually, until every seat is taken. You WILL become friendly with the person(s) sitting next to you. Then you wander around until you are at your hotel/condo/etc. If you are staying at the Fiesta Americana or El Presidente, you are in for a long ride.

The second method...which may not exist anymore...was to get a voucher from your travel agent...Island Dreams used to do that. It allowed you to pass right out to the shuttles.

Okay, that is the way from. The way to is much easier: just take a cab, any cab...

And, yes, this rigamarole is due to local politics involving the owner of the cabs and HIS union.

One more thing: it is illegal for anyone on Cozumel to provide a ride for you except the taxis. There is a hefty fine involved. Most folks do not rent cars there, but if you did and were caught giving others rides, you could get in trouble...could...this goes for the residents, as well...supposedly....

And I apologize for not being more correct in my earlier post...

joewr

 

[Christi]

Basically, there will be two ways to arrange transport from the A/P...one of which I am uncertain about since we have not used it in about a decade. The first way is as described by ggunn: there is a window over to the left--at least that where it was in 2005-- as you leave Immigration that says something like "Shuttle" on it. You purchase your ticket there and go out the door with your luggage. Someone--there is a system here, but to Americans it may seem absent--will be there who looks sort of official and you ask him which minibus to board. He will direct you. They fill these minibuses and do not leave, usually, until every seat is taken. You WILL become friendly with the person(s) sitting next to you. Then you wander around until you are at your hotel/condo/etc. If you are staying at the Fiesta Americana or El Presidente, you are in for a long ride.

The second method...which may not exist anymore...was to get a voucher from your travel agent...Island Dreams used to do that. It allowed you to pass right out to the shuttles.

Okay, that is the way from. The way to is much easier: just take a cab, any cab...

And, yes, this rigamarole is due to local politics involving the owner of the cabs and HIS union.

One more thing: it is illegal for anyone on Cozumel to provide a ride for you except the taxis. There is a hefty fine involved. Most folks do not rent cars there, but if you did and were caught giving others rides, you could get in trouble...could...this goes for the residents, as well...supposedly....

And I apologize for not being more correct in my earlier post...

joewr

joewr

Joe,

I mean no offense or disrespect, but your information is a little off here as well.

If transport is included with your package, then you will simply go out to the shuttles. There are representatives from teh different charter companies to direct you.

If ground transport is not included, then you buy your shuttle ticket and go outside. You will be assigned a van based on which hotel you are in.

If you want a private taxi, it is true that you have to go out to the street. I personally never understood why people would schelp all their stuff out to the street to save a few bucks...but to each is own.

There are two rental car agencies inside the airport, Executive and Avis. Smart car is just off the airport property. Car rentals are actually vey popular on the island, too popular in my opinion.

As far as it being "illegal" for anyone to give you a ride from the airport. Not completely accurate. Tour operators, hotels, dive shops, and businesses are not permitted to provide ground transportation to their clients. However, private transportation is perfectly within the law and local taxi politics. I regularly pick-up my personal friends and family when coming into Coz. Likewise, as a tourist renting a car, you can pick up friends and family at the airport and drive them all over the island if you want.

While the taxi's get very bent out of shape and will make your (a locals, not a tourists) life miserable, there is actually no LAW on the books that prohibits locals giving rides to tourists. It's more of a liability issue and dealing with ticked off taxistas than anything else.

 

[DandyDon]

Friends, Romans, and Scuba Divers,

Let me be crystal clear on this...so no one mistakes what I write here...Dandy Don, inspite of his reputation as a Don Juan and Master Diver, is correct about this travel issue: Do not pass go and collect $100. And do not fly from Cancun to Cozumel!

Of course, if you enjoy sitting in airports...

And one more item...every once and a while the good folks in the Cancun A/P will decide that they need to separate you from some of your money. Thus, they levy a luggage surcharge.

So, repeat after me: I will not under any circumstances fly from Cancun to Cozumel!:light:
That's better...

joewr...reminding women that Dandy Don is in town...

Do I know you...? I really don't think I qualify as a Don Juan - that was years ago, more of a Don Quixote type. Oh, not a Master Diver either; seemed like a worthless way to spend dive money.

BTW, I think the van shuttle ticket window used to be off to the left. I went off that-a-way Friday on arrival, but they seemed to have moved it off to the right as you leave Customs. I finally hit the red light at customs, and he looked at hard at my baking soda boxes, cookies, breakfast rolls, but they were all still packaged. No problems.

I think there are more Time Share Lying Salesmen than ever. When asked where the shuttle tickets are sold, they'll try to get you in their offices. :light: Asked point blank: "Do you have shuttle tickets?" they don't. Last time I looked, paying for your shuttle ticket in advance with your hotel booking cost twice as much...?

ilot: Anyway, book now to go in 2 weeks for less than $400 RT taxes included. That's what I did - still there...

 

[AXL72]

I found it cheaper to got through airlines directly than through expedia

maybe u get lucky and there is a flight or flight and hotel package through Funjet!

 

[ggunn]

BTW, I think the van shuttle ticket window used to be off to the left. I went off that-a-way Friday on arrival, but they seemed to have moved it off to the right as you leave Customs.

Correctamundo. When they renovated that part of the airport, they moved the shuttle window from off to the left to off to the right as you leave Customs. And yes, the timeshare banditos will try to give you the impression that they are helping you with the shuttle service in order to ensnare you into their evil scheme.

 

[RussR]

I paid $356.00 tax included Newark to Cozumel direct and booked the hotel direct. This is for January travel. And thanks fo rthe shuttle info that should come in handy

 

[DandyDon]

I paid $356.00 tax included Newark to Cozumel direct and booked the hotel direct. This is for January travel. And thanks fo rthe shuttle info that should come in handy

I don't tip cabbies, btw - and usually not van drivers. I get the impression that they are well paid per union rules. I still don't agree with not letting cabs pick up at the airport. The van drivers I have had usually delayed everyone onboard until they could fill every seat in the van - including front seat middle that has no seat belt. Just refuse that one...!!

AND WATCH YOUR BAGS! I get out at every stop the van makes to make sure my luggage does not get off at the wrong hotel - it's almost happened. :no

I once got back to the airport for departure with all of my bags plus a few for some poor guy who'd just arrived at my hotel - loaded on my cab by mistake. It would have been easier to let the cabbie keep the wayward bags, but I took them to his arriving airline desk - who didn't really want them, and called the hotel about them. Hope he got them ok; I tried.

 

[joewr]

Do I know you...? I really don't think I qualify as a Don Juan - that was years ago, more of a Don Quixote type. Oh, not a Master Diver either; seemed like a worthless way to spend dive money.

BTW, I think the van shuttle ticket window used to be off to the left. I went off that-a-way Friday on arrival, but they seemed to have moved it off to the right as you leave Customs. I finally hit the red light at customs, and he looked at hard at my baking soda boxes, cookies, breakfast rolls, but they were all still packaged. No problems.
QUOTE]

But I do not! Hey, Don, I just looked at your profile and came away with two impressions: Dandy Don was an appropriate name and if not officially a Master Diver, you had the right stuff to be one...

At any rate, it is clear that I have not been to Cozumel since the "remodel". Thanks for the update. And I have never been red-lighted and always wondered what would happen. Actually, I have never seen anyone red-lighted and was beginning to think it was sorta like the Wizard of Oz set-up.

And finally, the first time I was approached by the Time Share Banditos, I actually considered for 30 secs. that it was the new Customs routine...it shoulda taken me 5 secs. But I am slow sometimes!

That said, the new airport is a far cry from the dingy old place we used to land...I guess we have the cruise ship business to thank for that...I do not think it was all built on the backs of divers. Lord, there ought to be something we can thank the cruise ships for...I have been trying hard to do that and the list is very short...somewhere around o, zip, nada...

joewr...I wonder if Gifford and Howard are on this site, too????

 

[joewr]

Joe,

I mean no offense or disrespect, but your information is a little off here as well.

If transport is included with your package, then you will simply go out to the shuttles. There are representatives from teh different charter companies to direct you.


As far as it being "illegal" for anyone to give you a ride from the airport. Not completely accurate. Tour operators, hotels, dive shops, and businesses are not permitted to provide ground transportation to their clients. However, private transportation is perfectly within the law and local taxi politics. I regularly pick-up my personal friends and family when coming into Coz. Likewise, as a tourist renting a car, you can pick up friends and family at the airport and drive them all over the island if you want.

QUOTE]

Hey, Christi,

No offense taken...

However, I think I mentioned the second method...travel vouchers from an agent...I just have not used it in so long, that I did not know if it still existed.:11doh:

And I sorta wiggled a little about the "illegal" issue. But family and friends do not count as complete strangers. I should leave it at that. We have rented a car and found it just one heck of a lot easier to walk or take a cab...except when we headed around the island to see the sights...

Well, let's see if I made any further gaffs...

joewr...if I leave this blank, I will not make any more errors....

 

[Torcatdog]

We purchased 4 tickets as part of an air-hotel package for around $1100. It is non-stop from Minneapolis to Cozumel and under $300 per person taxes and transfers included! 1/21 - 1/28/07

The Hotel Cozumel package includes all meals and local beverages for around $200 a night.

Expedia has a neat farewatcher tool that allows you to pick a departure city and destination, then select a price point that you would like to beat. You will recieve an e-mail when that criteria is met. Pretty neat even as an educational tool.

BTW - Worryfree MLT vacations - has always done well by me.
Happy trails!
TCD