100's, maybe 1000's of new divers come to Coz every year.
In fact many people choose Coz as the place to do thier certification dives over a lake back home. It is routine for many Texas dive shops to make certification trips to Coz on a regular basis.
So quite simply, yes, Cozumel is a great place for new divers...but be warned, you will be spoiled for life
Also, most dive ops deal with new divers every day, so hiring a private DM is really just a personal choice.
I don't want to step on anybody's toes here, but with all due repect to Mike, I don't know what logistical problems he's talking about...the boat comes to your hotel dock and picks you up, takes you to a dive site and the DM sets up your equipment along the way (a service not always done in Florida or the Bahamas), you splash with a DM as a guide(something that a lot of Florida ops don't do, quite often the DM stays on the boat as a 'safety diver'), after the safety stop the boat comes to you and picks you up...where's the problem?
I have dove many, many conditions over the past 29 years, and drift diving is some of the easiest diving there is. You drop down, aquire boyancy and float with the current...what could be easier. Of course there are those times when currents are very strong and can change directions on you in mid-dive, but this is by far not the norm and if you let which ever dive op you choose know any concerns you have and that you are a novice diver, they will take great care of you and make sure you have fun and safe dives.
Sharky's top dive ops recos:
1.) Blue Angel - my current dive op & Cozumel home, fast boats & great DM's, Matt (Mateo), Jorge and Jose all do an excellent job. Matt is the head instructor and is one of the most comfortable divers in the water I've ever seen, he simply loves to dive and it wears off on his clients. Jose is good at finding those little critters and Jorge is great at taking you "off the beaten path" a little, all are very pleasent to be around also.
the new owner's have purchased new motors for most of the boats, maybe all of them by now, and are continuing to make nice upgrades and changes to both the dive op and hotel, now all under the 'Blue Angel Resort' name.
2.) Dive with Martin - a long time favorite of ours and many a diver on Cozumel. again, fast boats & really good DM's. David and Orlando will take great care of you, get David to do his air ring thing.
3.) BlueXTSea - Boutique diving at it's best, if you are looking for some extra pampering. Christi and crew will do you right. This is pretty close to "private diving".
4.) Last and certainly not least is my 'ol pal, Raul at Bottom Time Divers, Raul is one of my all time favorite dive masters...anywhere...period. He would be an excellent choice for a private DM or a "mixed boat" if you will, with him it's pretty much the same, he's that good. He is EXTREAMLY safety minded and is one of the best I ever seen at finding critters, especially the little one's.
All these dive ops will pick up at your hotel, in fact, almost all dive ops on the island provide this service.
Welcome to the family, remember a trip report when you get back is manditory
...have a great trip.
