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CozumelWorld Class Marine Park drift diving, renown cuisine and great hospitality. The island with a Mexican heart and a Caribbean soul! You’ve seen the Corona commercials, come experience the reality.
This is my 3rd time in Cozumel and I think I've wrote a report or two on it already. Besides, there are so many Cozumel trip reports I'm not sure I can add much, but I'll give a little review about the operator I used that I don't think gets enough attention here on SB.
We planned this trip way in advanced. I think I bought the vacation in April for a trip in November. This was a trip with a medium sized group so I wanted to find a good dive operator. After doing a lot of research I decided to go with Scuba with Alison.
One thing that caught my attention is she's originally from the SF Bay Area, where I live, and got certified at a dive shop that I frequent.
She was super prompt about replying to emails which is my preferred way of doing this type of stuff. She usually replied the next day.
She has a small, fast boat. She maxes at 6-8 divers, so no cattle boats. Her boat has 2 really fast engines on it and we were speeding past most other boats. However, it was a smooth ride. It didn't stink like exhaust either.
She and another dive master goes down with the group. Some of the people in my group just got certified and they were really helpful watching them, helping them descend, taking them up on their safety stops. They were all top-notch on safety which really took a load off me from all the novice divers in my group so I could enjoy my dive a lot more. Actually, one of the divers in our group was doing the referral certification. The cool thing is they did all the dives with us so the group could go out together. Most other dive ops I called did their certifications separately in the afternoon, on a shore dive which isn't very good in Coz.
She lets you dive your computer and doesn't have preset time limits.
She picks up pretty early, 8am, and gets us back to the hotel a little earlier than some of the other guys. We had some non-divers waiting for us so we wanted to have some day left to do stuff with them.
Although I didn't rent gear some people in my group did. Her gear was actually pretty nice stuff. The wetsuits were all pretty new. Nice Seaquest BCDs that were in really good shape. Sherwood regs, etc... That sort of thing says a lot about an op to me that they don't just rent out junky, beat-up gear. And her rental prices were really reasonable. $5 a piece.
Although this wasn't the deciding factor it was a huge bonus - her prices are really good. $60 for a 2-tank.
Next time I'm in Cozumel I'll definitely dive with her again.
These 4 members have said "Thank you." to polyester1970 for this useful post:
I dove with Alison in June and have another trip planned for January. Alison and her divemasters (Orlando and Carlos) are awesome. Safety is high on their list of concerns. I really liked that we got to dive our computers - one of my dives was 80 minutes. We were a group of 8 so we filled up her boat with our group but it didn't seem crowded at all.
My only other experience with dive operators in Cozumel was Dive Palancar at the Occidental Grand. They limit the dive to 40 minutes and had about 15 people on the boat. The others were dropped off at one location and then we were taken to a different location. Had we not experienced diving with Alison prior to this dive I might not have though anything of it but it was so hard to not compare the two operators and Alison clearly won.
Glad to hear you had a good trip! I did a weeks diving with Alison last January and had a great time. I will be going back in April and would be diving with her Op again only I am a single diver staying at the Palace so I needed to take a cab to the caleta each day which cut into the time spent with my non-diving spouse. I will be diving with an op that will pick me up at the Palace dock.
Alison is based out of the Caleta marina. And it is not economically feasible for them to travel north for one diver and then head back south past the marina to the southern resorts to pick up the rest of the group. Very understandable.
I love Alison. We'll be out with her on 12/15. I keeping trying to get her to sign me on as a deck hand, bilge clearer or something. When I read reports of some of the cattle boats, it scares me to take chance diving in another location. We did certs in Antigua and the first operator was scary, knowing what I know now. The second who unscrewed what the first had done was alot more like Alison. I feel like she takes YOU diving, rather than you pay to go on THEIR dive service. Catered to, I guess. It does sound like there are a bunch like that in Coz, though as long as Alison is around, I doubt I'll get the chance to try them.
And she is freakin' funny! If I could just learn spanish, I think the banter between her and Carlos would have me ROFL. If you go, ask her about the rojo guy...
I love Alison. We'll be out with her on 12/15. I keeping trying to get her to sign me on as a deck hand, bilge clearer or something. When I read reports of some of the cattle boats, it scares me to take chance diving in another location. We did certs in Antigua and the first operator was scary, knowing what I know now. The second who unscrewed what the first had done was alot more like Alison. I feel like she takes YOU diving, rather than you pay to go on THEIR dive service. Catered to, I guess. It does sound like there are a bunch like that in Coz, though as long as Alison is around, I doubt I'll get the chance to try them.
And she is freakin' funny! If I could just learn spanish, I think the banter between her and Carlos would have me ROFL. If you go, ask her about the rojo guy...
Had to laugh ... I've thought the same thing about some of the banter going on. I know a bit of Spanish, so sometimes I can catch a bit. They are a great pair!!
I too love Alison - can't say enough good things about her ... started diving with her 5 years ago on Thanksgiving Day (she asked for turkey, so we brought her turkey!) These days we only book with her. And you hit it right on the nose when you said "she takes YOU diving, rather than you pay to go on THEIR dive service." It's like diving with a good friend. I've noticed I'm always more relaxed with her, my air consumption is much better, and it's just overall a great bit of fun. And these days I do consider her a good friend. It says a lot (to me anyway!) that our next 3 trips are all diving with her ....
Oh ... hubby has considered trying to sign on as a DM, and I was going to do her bookkeeping ... LOL!! Makes me wonder how many of us have tried to go to work for her!!
I just read this and we will be there when you are in March as well!
Also Chace (who we met last trip down) will be there.
Where are you guys staying? We get in on the 11th....shall we meet at La Mission for dinner?
Can't wait to dive with you again.
OMG!!! We were talking about you guys when we were just there in November, and I was wondering how you all were!! It's so good to hear from you!!
We're staying at Fiesta Americana again ... can't beat the Orbitz coupon deals. Where are you guys staying? Who all is coming? And how long are you there? We haven't met Chace yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. Small world, isn't it!!
We will seriously have to do La Mission ... last trip we ate there almost every other night. (I am so addicted to the Chuletas!!)
Just Charlie and me. LONG stories over margaritas on the other parties involved.
You'll love Chace. Not sure where we are staying yet. We're looking for an apt with her. The important part is airfare is booked and Alison is booked. This is gonna be FUUUUUNNNNN!!!!!
If you go, ask her about the rojo guy...
) These days we only book with her. And you hit it right on the nose when you said "she takes YOU diving, rather than you pay to go on THEIR dive service." It's like diving with a good friend. I've noticed I'm always more relaxed with her, my air consumption is much better, and it's just overall a great bit of fun. And these days I do consider her a good friend. It says a lot (to me anyway!) that our next 3 trips are all diving with her .... 
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