Going to Iberostar Cozumel 2/23 - 3/2 2006

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UnixSage

Contributor
Messages
159
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0
Location
Alexandria, VA
# of dives
25 - 49
My first dive trip (only been scuba diving in a quary to date). Wife does not dive so I am on my own for the dives. Booked with the resort's dive shop (Dressel) have read varying reports so I will have to hope for the best, because it would seem like a waste to go and NOT dive. Any any rate anyone going to be there that week? Also feel free to pass along any advice if it bears repeating. Done a few searches and read most of the stuff. One thing I have not found is what the average depth is. I would guess pretty shallow but have not really seen a definate opinion.
 
UnixSage:
My first dive trip (only been scuba diving in a quary to date). Wife does not dive so I am on my own for the dives. Booked with the resort's dive shop (Dressel) have read varying reports so I will have to hope for the best, because it would seem like a waste to go and NOT dive. Any any rate anyone going to be there that week? Also feel free to pass along any advice if it bears repeating. Done a few searches and read most of the stuff. One thing I have not found is what the average depth is. I would guess pretty shallow but have not really seen a definate opinion.


As a new diver with no other experience to compare to, you'll probably find Dressel to be just fine. They are the standard cookie cutter resort divers operation with big boats, big groups and your typical 80 foot, multi-level, 40 minute dive. They do very short surface interval's (less than 30 minutes) from what I've heard from Instructors who actually worked for them.

I have no idea who is working there now since they let everyone go after the hurricane. I imagine they have an entire ew group of divemasters and instructors now with the reopening.

Just a note though, you do not HAVE to dive with Dressel just because they are onsite. However, there are many operators who will not pick upat Iberostar due to the unreasonable conditions and documentation required by management to have outside operators pick-up there. They are the ONLY hotel requiring this "safety" documentation. Since when is financial information part of diving safety? Only my banker, my accountant and the tax man have a right to see this stuff!
 
My wife and I have stayed at the Iberostar many times and have gone out with Dressel for most of the diving we do there. They do change people often but there seems to always be instructors that have been there a long time. I hope Mike and Isabella are still there. Dressel does group the advanced divers together and we have had quite a few dives over one hour with them. We do the two morning dives and they return to the resort for the surface interval so you can get snacks and drinks. The surface interval between the morning dives is always more than an hour. Dressel’s boats are well maintained and carry oxygen and a first aid kit. Dressel also does not use divemasters you have to be at least an instructor to take groups out. We have never had any trouble being picked up by other dive operators we have used Aldora and Deep Blue for the advanced dives that Dressel does not do such as Devils Throat and Maracaibo. I must say I was not aware of the draconian rules they impose on the other dive operators.
We like the AI for the convenience and the equipment they have. It is great to be able to grab a sailboat whenever you want go back in for a snack do some snorkeling more sailing a walk on the beach or just lay in the sun. Quite often we never get out of our swim suits until dinner.
 
Draconian is a good word for them. They try to deny this when customers complain, but I have several written memos from Iberostar management proving otherwise.

Problems picking people up at the dock is inconsistent at best. Sometimes we have no trouble, other times we do. I just choose not to take the chance of causing my divers any hassles like there have been in the past.
 
the Iberostar is 12 mi from down town, I like being walking distance to the local culture, even when I stayed at an all-inclusive we went to town nightly and the non divers in our group all went to town daily
If considering an "all-inclusive" resort, remember that to fully take advantage of your dollar you should never leave the resort. Unfortunately, with the convenience of one price comes the lack of exposure to the many wonders (entertainment, restaurants, shopping, and culture) that Cozumel has to offer. With the location of each resort being roughly a $15-$20 cab ride away from town, your dollar might be better served by staying closer to the heart of Cozumel if you truly want to experience the island culture.


The hotels of the northern and southern districts face the same issue as the resorts. With a variety of accommodations available, you are still a $15-$20 cab ride away from any form of cultural activity in town. In addition, with the best beaches located on the southern end of the island, plan on renting a car if staying in a hotel in the northern zone.
 
The Iberostar is very nice. I have stayed there. It has everything you want and it is one of the top all-inclusives on the island. My time spent there was one of the best vacations I ever had! I WILL NEVER STAY THERE AGAIN!!
I don't like the way they treat the small dive opps. It's a big corporation trying to run off the small guy. Their stupid policy of dive opps having to register is assinine. I don't believe they had any locals in their dive shop the time we stayed there.
If a search were done on Dressell Divers I think there would be a lot of unfavorable comments.
Me not going there again will not make them change their policy but it's just my little way of STICKING IT TO THE MAN!
 
Our Cinco de Mayo group likes the Iberostar because it has a lot to offer non-divers (or it did). Please post pictures of the resort after you go especially the area down by the beach. Regarding the Dressel, I've never dove with them because they run big crowded boats and thats not my style. We always charter a six pack and have seen the unfriendly behavior. In fact one of our guys tried to sign up for a night dive with Dressel after diving a six pack and was told he couldn't go because we weren't doing all of our diving with them. How stupid is that???
 
If you dive with Dressell count how many locals are Dive Masters. When I stayed there that number was a big fat 0! Stay at Fiesta Americana or anyone of the other all-inclusives. I understand with a non-diving spouse, but stay away from Iberostar. It could be your way of "STICKING IT TO THE MAN!"
 
Nevis Diver:
What about parking in town?

If you're staying in town, you really don't need a car. I can walk just about anywhere in town. Sometimes, I get a cab back from the Chedraui if I have packages. Cost: about $3-4.

The only time we rented a car was to tour the island and drive to the windward side. I think now I would even take a cab to the east beaches because I find driving in Cozumel nerve-wracking with all the little scooters darting around. It would be so easy to kill an entire family on one of those little scooters.
 
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