planning advice from cozumel experts!

[work4mike]

hello,
we are planning a trip to cozumel, and hope someone can give us some ideas in trip planning and suggestions, but the situation is unusual:
-10 days
-single diver only (planning 2 dives per day, 5 days total)
-wife and pet dog (yes, dog is the unknown factor- she's a 2yr old spaniel 20 pounds)
-hotel with private beach for snorkelling
-prefer to only fly AA (or UA) since AA/UA has good reputation with pets in cargo, prefer larger planes like Airbus(738 or 757), since cargo has better pet protection

So, based on current research, we came up with "Intercontinental El Presidente" or "Fiesta Americana" hotels. We know that Presidente allows pets. Not sure about Americana. Are there other hotels with direct private beach access, and allow pets in Cozumel?

Also, any advice from folks on this forum who have travelled with pets to Cozumel is much appreciated. We've already researched that we will need some shots and paperwork for the dog, but not sure if there is a Vet on the island.

Thanks in advance...

 

[akbpilot]

Can't answer any questions about pets, and never stay in a beach front hotel, but the best snorkeling will be along a shoreline of ironstone. The sandy beaches don't hold as much cover for fish and critters, and the water usually has more suspended particles and less vis. I have done drinks and lunch at some of the northern area hotels, and the area looks better for snorkeling then the southern area. Most of the hotels up there just truck sand in and make a beach. There are some areas to the south that offer good snorkeling, but all the shoreline got pounded pretty hard during Wilma. I haven't been there since Feb/06, and the snorkeling was pretty dismal to the south, but maybe some more recent visitors can comment on what it's like now.

When shopping for a hotel, check which dive op is used, or if you can be picked up at your hotel by the op of your choice. A good hotel may have a less then extensive selection of choices when it comes to dive ops, so you may have to travel in the morning to get to who you want to dive with. Also, decide if an AI thing is what you want, or if you like doing the food and drinks on your own. We don't do AIs, but some folks like that sort of thing. When you get down to the nitty-gritty point of choosing, use www.tripadvisor.com or post your questions here to get a feel on how well the hotel rates. I don't use it as gospel, but I've got a pretty good idea how to take a read on the reveiws, and we've never been surprised yet.

 

[betsyinczm]

Work4Mike------------I had a feeling your question would be on more than one forum............pretty sly aren't I?.......hahaha.......so just in case you missed the OTHER answer, here it is on this forum..........pasted and copied*********


Me4tux----------I'm just going to go out on a limb here and ask you why you would want to bring your dog in the cargo hold for just ten days here on the island. I can see you have read the past posts and done your homework very well (since you KNOW not to use Continental!!...........hahaaah)................I was and still am a big part of that previous post and in fact took my sweet pooch outta here after Wilma because I didn't want her to be without me here...........it was really traumatic for her ..........and yeah, for me too.......(see "Me, My Dog and Wilma" on cozumelmycozumel.com).......we ended up staying almost three months in the USA, both of us healing, (but the loss of fur issues were mostly hers)---what the heck, there was no work since no one was coming here...............Fast forward to fall 2006..............another VERY stressful time with very few divers..............I decided to do it again................bought us a ticket for 60 (SIXTY=two months!!) days on AA, the GODS of doggie travel in my opinion.............I came back in the middle of that time to take care of clients and the pooch stayed with dear friends in the USA while I zipped back..............in a million years I would not have brought her back and forth with me for a SHORT trip-----it's just too stressful for HER......although she is the queen of every airport.......(besides the money...but she's my kid and money was NOT the issue--even though I don't have any anymore.............hahhaha)

So I want to just tell you that, and this is JUST my opinion so please don't shoot me, you really should rethink bringing your dog on a vacation...........not to mention that you are nowhere near an airport that does direct flights, and that adds even more stress to the poor critter since you'll have to change at airports who knows where.

YES, you DO have to redo all the vet certificates here for your return.

(I can also tell that you don't need to hear how inconvenient it will be to do ANYTHING on the island with a dog..........moot point-----I'd rather spend time with my dog than doing most anything else........pitiful huh!.........so you might be prepared for that I'm guessing?)

I am begging you.......for ten days, find some friends who love your pup and who you trust and leave her/him home..........he or she will be safe and sound and you'll be fine........hahhaa...........I get to say that because my little buddy means more than the world to me, but I would never subject her to such a short trip for maybe the wrong reasons..............please please rethink this...........

PM me if you want......and I hope I haven't offended you in any way................Betsy

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Great place to go...if you need help call me at the store and I can have my travel agent get all of the info for you.....let me know

 

[Christi]

hello,
we are planning a trip to cozumel, and hope someone can give us some ideas in trip planning and suggestions, but the situation is unusual:
-10 days
-single diver only (planning 2 dives per day, 5 days total)
-wife and pet dog (yes, dog is the unknown factor- she's a 2yr old spaniel 20 pounds)
-hotel with private beach for snorkelling
-prefer to only fly AA (or UA) since AA/UA has good reputation with pets in cargo, prefer larger planes like Airbus(738 or 757), since cargo has better pet protection

So, based on current research, we came up with "Intercontinental El Presidente" or "Fiesta Americana" hotels. We know that Presidente allows pets. Not sure about Americana. Are there other hotels with direct private beach access, and allow pets in Cozumel?

Also, any advice from folks on this forum who have travelled with pets to Cozumel is much appreciated. We've already researched that we will need some shots and paperwork for the dog, but not sure if there is a Vet on the island.

Thanks in advance...

Not only do we have running water and electricity, but we even have about a half a dozen vets on the island

The Humane Society Or Watch Dog (Maria and Omar) are my vets of choice.

I brought my pet to Cozumel 6 years ago, but he was a carry-on (and he passed away 3 years ago . I have 2 dogs and 2 cats currently that I found in various palces on the ilsand .

Make sure the rabies vaccination is within one year, but older than 30 days old and make sure he is current on heartoworm meds and flea and tick preventative. Fleas and ticks can be very bad here for our furry friends. You will also need a current helth certificate from your vet stating that he is in good health.

I doubt you will find too many options for beachfront hotels that accept dogs. I'm surprised that Presidente does in fact.

Just FYI, snorkeling from the shore here is pretty barren, so don't set your expectations too high and I definitely wouldn't let that be a deal breaker for your hotel choices.

I do have to ask though...why would you bring your dog for such a short trip? Do you realize what stress that is going toplace on the dog...and everything you'll have to do to get the dog back into the states after being here? You'll have to send a good chunk of one day, maybe more than one day going to the vet here to get paperwork done again.

 

[caseybird]

I've done a lot of snorkeling right off the wall in front of Fiesta Americana, lots of small life to be seen, if you don't mind getting really close to the rocks. I've also seen rays, barracuda and lots of other stuff close to the beach.

 

[betsyinczm]

Hey Christi..........maybe you and I were typing at the same time........I have the very same questions........and I think there are even more vets than that!!..............but am so hoping these folks opt for a dogsitter!!...........AND while I'm here, I did forget to menton that dogs are not allowed on any hotel beach or any resort beach..........(yeah----I hate that but it's true=recent law)...........I can think of about 40 more reasons for them to not do this, but I'll save it.........let's get together sometime soon..............I think we just came back on the same day...............Betsy

 

[halocline]

I was under the impression that there is a quarantine bringing animals across the U.S./Mexico border, in which case your nice doggie would spend the entire vacation, as well as some time after it, in a customs facility. I'm sure Christi and others have better information than I do about it, but I would definitely agree that bringing your dog is not a good idea.

I travel frequently and am a dog owner. Every time I leave my dog at the kennel (or friend's house) I realize that the separation anxiety is much more difficult on me than on the dog, despite the academy award level performance of misery and gloom dogs put on when you leave them.

 

[Lead_carrier]

I agree with what has been said here so far. It's less that 2 weeks. Find someone that will care for you pet properly. It will be very stressful on you dog to haul it to Cozumel for such a short period. They do have phones there, you can always call and talk to it.

Food for thought. Would you consider leaving your 2 year old child with Grandma and Grandpa for 2 weeks? I'll bet you would.. I know I did.

 

[betsyinczm]

Mattboy-----good thought but there is actually no quarantine time at all between Mexico and the USA for dogs............(and since last night, I've thought of about another ten reasons NOT to bring a dog here in a short term situation, but I'll save 'em for later........heh heh)

Betsy