Cozumel or Grand Cayman?

RedStang · Jan 16, 2013

We just switched our spring break plans to a cruise and are stopping at both of these ports. We can't leave the kids behind in both places so any significant advantage to diving in one location over the other? For reference we're vacation divers with dives in Jamaica, Cabo, Turks and Caicos(we're going back there in May), and Kauai. Just looking to see if one spot is more wow than the other.

TIA
Jason

ronkoplus · Jan 17, 2013

It might depend on the excursion dive sights. Both are good dive locations. If you dive in Cozumel, then you could do the Sting Ray City/Rum Point snorkel/picnic excursion on Grand Cayman. That's a good one.

RedStang · Jan 17, 2013

Thanks for the feedback. Tough decision. The dive tour in Cozumel is cheaper lol! May just go that route. From what I've read they both have good site's like you said.

Thanks

drrich2 · Jan 17, 2013

When I had this situation come up, here's what I did (on a Royal Caribbean cruise):

1.) Cozumel - private excursion with Living Underwater - 2 tank dive, each dive with a 120 cf steel tank, first on Palancar Garden, second on Santa Rosa, had a great time.

2.) Grand Cayman - did a ship excursion where we visited the Turtle Farm (and held and photographed sea turtles, and go to touch a sting ray), and did an in-water interactive dolphin encounter.

Do check whether ship time will change to match local time or not. I've seen it go either way, and it can cause problems if you don't know your arrival & departure times.

Richard.

torr8966 · Feb 3, 2013

I've dove both locations. It's a hard decision!! We just got back from Cayman yesterday!! Great trip and dives! If you want to dive with the stingrays it's a great 12 foot dive that allows you around an hour of interaction with the stingrays. Also a green morey that always hangs out there! The dive location is different from the sandbar were all the cruise ships take the snorkelers. However the sandbar is a very cool place to take the kids! Mine both loved it!! We dove the USS Kittiwake which was also very cool! Cayman also has many wall dives on the north side which are great for seeing turtles and eels! Every dive I have ever went on in Cayman has been outstanding!! The turtle farm is also cool for younger kids, mine are 6 and 9 and they loved snorkeling with the turtles. It's been several years since we have dove Cozumel but it is also a great location!! Hope this helps and enjoy your dive!!

fred3798 · Feb 3, 2013

Cozumel has the much more beautiful reefs. If you can go to the wall side of Grand Cayman, it is pretty nice too. The leeward side of Cayman has good fish but nothing like the reefs of Coz. Cayman BRaC and Little Cayman are supposed to be great, but I have never been there.

Insta-Gator · Feb 3, 2013

If you haven't done drift dives before (being a vacation diver) you may find the dives in Coz a little disconcerting. Cayman generally has little to no current to speak of. The reefs and walls are beautiful if you go the right places. Time may limit your site selection. Cayman is more expensive than Coz.

gtmurff · Feb 5, 2013

My wife and I are vacation divers like yourself and have been to both locations. I would say Cozumel had more beautiful reefs, but be prepared for drift diving. Being an air hog (6'3 225lbs) I had to share air with the DM in Cozumel until we finished the dive. In places like Cayman, my buddy and I can return to the boat while everyone else continues the dive.

CanadianTravelAgent · Feb 5, 2013

Diving in Cozumel might be something different for you to try. Drift diving is really easy and effortless in my opinion. It was the first diving that I ever did. Grand Cayman is known for the wall diving which would be similar (but perhaps better than most of what you've done already). I've never been to Coz since having kids, so not sure if it's changed over the years - but my feeling is that there would be more "family friendly" excursions in Grand Cayman - like the turtle farm and stingray city.

RedStang · Feb 10, 2013

Insta-Gator:
If you haven't done drift dives before (being a vacation diver) you may find the dives in Coz a little disconcerting. Cayman generally has little to no current to speak of. The reefs and walls are beautiful if you go the right places. Time may limit your site selection. Cayman is more expensive than Coz.

Ironically we've done far more drift dives than static boat dives so we're more than comfortable with them. We ended up choosing Cozumel for the dive and we're doing the turtle farm and stingray city snorkel in GC. We're really looking forward to it. My wife got me a GoPro Hero 3 Black for Valentine's too!

Thanks everyone for the tips, opinions, and suggestions!

Cozumel or Grand Cayman?

Please register or login

RedStang

Registered

ronkoplus

Registered

RedStang

Registered

drrich2

Contributor

torr8966

Registered

fred3798

Contributor

Insta-Gator

☀️ Endless Summer 🌤

gtmurff

Registered

CanadianTravelAgent

Contributor

RedStang

Registered

Similar threads