frontier just cancelled our flights!!!

[Photocoz]

Hi Gang -
They have not said when they are going to be "back to normal" but as someone who has been going back & forth these pst 2 weeks, here is what I know - this only applies to what thier decisions are TODAY - we all know how quickly this changes!!!
Continental: One flight a day into (& obviously out of) Coz - ONLY ON Monday, Wednesday & Saturday. Later than previous, it leaves houston around (12:30 - 1:00PM I think) arriving in Coz at 3:30. Flight departing coz is either at 4:20 or 4:45PM depending on who you talk to.
United was suppossed to start nonstop service Dec 15th from Denver. Postponed - date to be announced
Frontier says they are starting nonstop service from Denver Dec 15th - but I beleive they have also made it 2 or 3 days a week only
American from Dallas into Coz, well, can't get an answer from them other than perhaps resuming in December.

The rapid recovery is ASTONISHING - they are working 24 hours a day!!!! VERY COOL!!! Some hotels still closed, (BUT SEVERAL ARE OPEN!!!)so I GUESS that is why limited flights.
Once agin AAAUUUGGGHHH! I am in Denver now (actually here giving u/w digitakl & photo classes!!) & Armando is coming up for Thanksgiving (our photo center is STILL closed - no electricity to the store yet - they have it restored to the poles in front of the hotel, but damage to the lines that bring it in to the hotel & us are holding us up!!) he is on Continental and I just got off the phone with them TRYING to confirm flights - even that was a challenge - I 'm not sure what it is but I think when you want to book a flight to Coz there is ascreen that comes up at the airlines that tells the agents that are talking to us to "Make this confusing & frustrating!!!" becaus it sure is!!!!!!!!!

 

[DenverDiverErin]

Ok, so now it looks like we will be able to shuffle around some scheduling here at home, so that we can fly directly into COZ on Saturday flights (Dec. 31-Jan. 7) on Frontier. I am still waiting to hear from Suites Bahia, to make sure we can shift our reservations there, and Dive Paradise already said it was no problem. Hopefully the Mexican government and Frontier will not change their minds again, and the saturday flights are still a go.

We (my husband Taylor and I) are really looking forward to going back to COZ. It's been too long (3 years with no diving anywhere)!!! I guess that serves us right for being in medical school and graduate school. Oh well.

We can't wait to get back and eat at Capi and Prima's and Guido's and El Museo. I hope Jeannie's Waffle House will reopen.

Well, thanks for all the advice and encouragement. Maybe we'll see some of you down there soon!

 

[diveborg]

We (my husband Taylor and I) are really looking forward to going back to COZ. It's been too long (3 years with no diving anywhere)!!! I guess that serves us right for being in medical school and graduate school. Oh well.

3 YEARS since your last dive? How have you managed to keep your sanity?

Seriously, after a 3 year hiatus you might want to consider a quick checkout dive before you try some place like Devils Throat.

 

[loudives]

Take the bus and pay someone a couple bucks to carry the luggage from the exit to the bus. No matter how you get to playa bus, cab, shuttle, you still have to carry your bags two blocks to the ferry! So pay another couple bucks for a porter there. That is still going to be alot cheaper than anything else. I do believe you can also book RT Cancun-Playa ground transferes only on Lomar travel thru funjet. I think its 26 bucks but you still have to get the bags to the ferry on your own.

 

[ggunn]

Ferry tickets from Playa to Coz (or the reverse) are $11 per person each way. It's best to purchase one way only. Since there are 2 ferry lines and they do not honor eachother's tickets and you never know which ferries are running at what hour.... well, you get the drift!

Enjoy!

Sally
Barefoot in Cozumel

I'm not sure what the fare is now, but $11 sounds like the round trip fare to me. As to the schedule, normally the two ferry lines run the same schedule (as silly as that sounds to me) and then race across the channel.

 

[Coz Sally]

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but $11 is the one way fare. The cost has been rising steadily over the last few years. I currently pay 60 pesos each way with my local discount card.

The schedule has varied hugely over the last year. Finally at one point they decided to cooperate and each run on alternate hours. That idea may return, but for now the ferries are on a limited schedule that changes daily.

I bicycled to the ferry pier yesterday in preparation for today's flight out of Cancun. YAY! Family and Turkey! Anyway, for today only, the Ultramar line is running ferries at 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am and more in the afternoon. The Mexico line entire schedule for today is 6am, 9am, noon, 4pm and 6pm only. That's for ferries running from Coz to Playa today, November 21st, only. This is just an example.

As more and more people come to the island, the ferry schedule will of course, expand. Hopefully we'll be back to normal soon.

 

[YellowRoseCozumel]

Transferring from Cancun to Cozumel is more of a nuisance than anything, as opposed to flying directly to Cozumel. There are several ways to go about it. One person mentioned a taxi which can be expensive, about $40 or so one way. There is a van service called Nopal which can be arranged in advance. Yet the easiest way to the Ada bus which picks up and drops off right outside the terminal. It runs just about every hour on the hour. The bus is comfortable and air-conditioned. It is $7 each way and goes directly from the airport to Playa del Carmen bus station on 5th Ave (just confirm by asking if the bus goes to Avenida Quinta- 5th Ave). There you can wheel your luggage down to the ferry or have a little guy with a tricycle take it for you for $3-5. The ferry ticket is $110 pesos each way, and now they typically only sell one way at a time since each ferry company is alternating times. The ferries are running just about every hour on the hour now too.

Of course it's not the most convenient, but it's not difficult. One advantage is that the flights coming into Cancun seem to be more reliable and regular right now. In addition, if you're making a connection to fly into Cozumel, and you can fly from your home directly into Cancun with *no* connection, there's really no difference in how long it takes to get here.

Best of luck!

 

[TCDiver1]

Here is my experience with Northwest Airlines

Certainly not optimal but Coz is worth the extra effort IMO. Especially now when they need our vacation money more than ever.

 

[ScubaKay]

I second the recommendation on taking the Bus & Ferry to get from Cancun to Coz (via Playa).

The bus is very comfortable, air-conditioned, clean (nicer than most that I have been on in the USA!). It runs pretty frequently. ANd if you have to wait a short while, the airport bar/restaurant is closeby to grab a cerveza.

There are two ferries. Clean, modern, fast. (Also nicer than most that I have been on in the USA!) They also run pretty frequently. Again - if you have to wait a short while for the next ferry, there are several waterfront bars/restaurants to grab a margarita at.

We were toting two very large suitcases (on rollers) - and had no problem. The bus station in Playa is easy walking distance to the Ferry terminal. If your luggage has rollers, than you'll be fine.

 

[DenverDiverErin]

Well, despite all the work to rearrange this trip, we are now not going. My father (in Chicago, where I grew up)has a history of heart problems, and now is getting ready to wait for a heart transplant. This could happen at any time, and we just don't feel comfortable being out of the country. We'll try to get back this summer, when we have another break. Good news: Frontier gave us a full refund, no questions asked!!! It's nice to know there's still some good businesses out there.

Hope anyone going to Coz soon has a great time!!!