First time diving Cozumel- Need Help!

[JamieMc5280]

I am planning a trip to Cozumel this summer and I believe I am setting up a tall order for what I am looking for when it comes to my stay & dive shop I choose. I'm considering 2 different dive operations, however, one of them does not have the room availability I need and their dive prices are $111 per dive (ouch). The 2nd operation has really great reviews but I am concerned with the whole "cattle call" potential they may have as they seem to be close to the cruise ship dock. So, with all of that being said, I am reaching out to all of you fabulous, informative, smart, opinionated Scuba peeps!

1. Hotel- nothing fancy, we are not looking for AI. We would like a coffee maker in our room at most and a mini fridge. A nice view would be appreciated, we are land-locked here in Colorado and would like to enjoy a view of the ocean if possible. We'd like to be off the beaten path a bit as well- not with all the mega resorts. Definitely low-key and local feel.

2. Proximity- we would like to be within walking distance to the dive shop and/or a short bike ride (do people ride bikes there?) - this comes from our experience in Belize. We loved waking up, riding our bikes to grab some food to take to the boat and all the dive masters for breakfast each morning.

3. Dive Op/ Diving- Again, to reiterate, we are not looking for a dive op that is a cattle call op. We are not beginner divers and do not want to be forced into dive groups where the beginners dictate our dives. We'd like a shop that takes into account dive experience and separates divers accordingly (as much as possible). We would also like smaller group dives.

* Speaking with the $111/day dive op- she said their dives, as well as most dives in Coz, are in the 40-60 ft. depth- is this typical?

We would like a variety of dives that include depth, drift, walls, reef, critters etc. Any advice on shops that go to these types of sites would be appreciated.

4. General questions: If we choose a dive op that is not close to our hotel, do dive shops typically pick you up from your hotel/resort? OR will cab rides be necessary?

Thank you so much for any advice you can give me- or at least getting me started in the right direction. I feel like I've relied on TripAdvisor a bit too much up to this point & thought I would reach out for some additional / honest info. (Not that TA isn't honest, I just know not all reviews are always from people who actually stayed- call me a skeptic )

 

[jbjclj]

1. Casa Mexicana would be perfect. Walking distance to all the good restaurants. Rooms from $63-120 (oceanview). Fridge. Coffee in the lobby. Fabulous breakfast included. Great beds.

2. Good walks along the oceanfront on non dive days. Bycicle rental around the corner.

3. Our shop is Tres Pelicanos right around the corner from the hotel. ( about $70 for 2 tanks) We pay cash and get a discount. 2 Boats. They transport you to and from the Caleta. Aldora is also right around the corner. They pick up from the pier across the street. Great op also, but about $107. They use steel tanks and have multiple boats.
We typically do a deep dive first (100 ft) and then a shallower dive (60) after the surface interval. Both have snacks and water on the boat.

Other wonderful shops we have used, Living Underwater, BlueXTSea,

Good luck You will have a wonderful time

 

[DjDiverDan]

I'm not aware of any Dive Op that charges $111 a day for a two-tank dive trip - that has got to be at the very top end of Cozumel Dive Ops. Aldora is close, over $100 a day for two-tank dive, but Aldora offers a lot of extras, like HP Steel oversized tanks, 100s and 120s, for no extra charge, Nitrox in any sized tank (there is an extra charge for Nitrox, but with most Dive Ops, if you want Nitrox, your only option is an AL 80 tank), very long bottom times, long SI at a beach club (allowing more time to outgas allows a longer second dive), and multiple small group boats, meaning better pairing of divers with similar skills and experience. If I am going high-end on the diving, I'm definitely going with Aldora. On great budget ops, check out Dive with Martin, an excellent budget operator. You won't get the big tanks or long bottom times you will with Aldora, but DWM is no cattle boat operator either, and has some excellent DMs. But, as DWM is located at the International Pier, it does not pick up downtown, so you'll need to budget for taxi rides both ways if you stay downtown (it's very convenient if you stay farther south, like at Casa Del Mar or Le Cieba/El Cid).

As for accomodations, I'm a fan of staying downtown, where most of the many great restaurants are in easy walking distance. Casa Mexicana is nice, but no real pool (just an oversized kiddie pool). You can also stay at Suites Bahia, and still get the Casa Mexicana breakfast buffet. Aldora's downtown pier is just over a block from Casa Mexicana, an easy 5 minute walk.

 

[DjDiverDan]

As to typical diving in Cozumel, there is a wide range, from very advanced deep dives, like Punta Sur Devil's Throat, that can take you down to 135', to easy but beautiful shallow dives, like Columbia Shallows and Palancar Gardens, where the hard bottom rarely exceeds 40'. A typical two-tank day would be a deep dive first, anywhere from 80'-100', surface interval, on the boat, on a beach, at a beach club, all depending on Dive Op, then a shallower second dive, typically no more than 60', even shallower depending on the dive site.

 

[kmurray719]

I'd suggest Blue Angel. The hotel is on the water, and every room has a balcony to enjoy the view. It's not luxurious, but very clean and a great place to stay. The on site restaurant serves breakfast (usually included in their room packages I believe), the lobby has coffee made however early you ask for it, and there's fridges in the rooms. The dive op has multiple boats, so they can split groups by experience. They do have a few large boats, but I've seen those used primarily for groups diving together, and their mid day mixed dive/snorkel trip.

The typical profile for a 2 tank dive in Coz is a deeper first dive (70-90 feet) to a wall or large reef where the topography is the main feature, and a shallower second dive (40-60 feet) where the marine life is more of a feature. Obviously that isn't true of every dive trip, or every op, but it's what seems to happen most often.

 

[JamieMc5280]

Aldora is the op that quoted $111/day- $93 + tax & park fee. I really want to dive with them but am not sure I can afford it. I looked at staying with them as well- but again, super pricey and overkill for what I need. I don't need a 2 bedroom suite for my husband and I alone- pretty much all they have available for the times we are traveling. They do offer unlimited shore dives if you stay with them so that is a bonus. Maybe we don't dive as many days- take advantage of the longer bottom times and make use of the free shore diving? I know they have big tanks- but Aldora is the one that says they don't dive past 40-60 ft. this alone would account for longer bottom times correct?

 

[kmurray719]

Aldora is the op that quoted $111/day- $93 + tax & park fee. I really want to dive with them but am not sure I can afford it. I looked at staying with them as well- but again, super pricey and overkill for what I need. I don't need a 2 bedroom suite for my husband and I alone- pretty much all they have available for the times we are traveling. They do offer unlimited shore dives if you stay with them so that is a bonus. Maybe we don't dive as many days- take advantage of the longer bottom times and make use of the free shore diving? I know they have big tanks- but Aldora is the one that says they don't dive past 40-60 ft. this alone would account for longer bottom times correct?

I have no idea why anyone at Aldora would have told you that. I know many people who dive with them regularly and that is not true at all. My own experience with them (albeit limited) has been that our dives (with a known group of divers) were always deeper than that. The longer bottom times can be attributed to larger tanks, and most people using nitrox, not to shallower dives than most ops.

I have nothing against Aldora, but it sounds like since money is a factor, they may not be the best choice for you. Unless what they provide is really important to your diving enjoyment, another op and lodging that won't stress your bank account sounds like it might make for a more enjoyable vacation. There are other hotels/ops that also provide unlimited shore diving that could increase your bottom time overall without increasing your costs.

 

[JamieMc5280]

I have no idea why anyone at Aldora would have told you that. I know many people who dive with them regularly and that is not true at all. My own experience with them (albeit limited) has been that our dives (with a known group of divers) were always deeper than that. The longer bottom times can be attributed to larger tanks, and most people using nitrox, not to shallower dives than most ops.

I have nothing against Aldora, but it sounds like since money is a factor, they may not be the best choice for you. Unless what they provide is really important to your diving enjoyment, another op and lodging that won't stress your bank account sounds like it might make for a more enjoyable vacation. There are other hotels/ops that also provide unlimited shore diving that could increase your bottom time overall without increasing your costs.

Money isn't a HUGE factor, I just like to get the most bang for my buck. I'm sure as most people do. As far as the person who I spoke with at Aldora- her name is Kate. She is the one that gave me the rundown of rooms available, the typical dives as well as all the information pertaining to the SI at the Palancar Beach Club. From what she said, this is the only place Aldora does SI- if you want to eat or drink you do it here. Is this the case? Or misinformation as well?

 

[gr8jab]

I vote for Scuba Club Cozumel. It is on the water, and diving is a short stroll from the room. Furthermore, it is a short walk to downtown, where you can shop and dine. It does include breakfast and lunch, which are good, but not fancy. You can eat dinner in or out, and even upgrade to a full meal plan.

For example, 5 nights + 4 diving days is $599.

 

[kmurray719]

Money isn't a HUGE factor, I just like to get the most bang for my buck. I'm sure as most people do. As far as the person who I spoke with at Aldora- her name is Kate. She is the one that gave me the rundown of rooms available, the typical dives as well as all the information pertaining to the SI at the Palancar Beach Club. From what she said, this is the only place Aldora does SI- if you want to eat or drink you do it here. Is this the case? Or misinformation as well?

On the trips I've been on, we've done our SI's on the boat or at the pier at Palancar. The SI on the boat was our choice since we wanted to stay far south for our second dive. I know they also do SI's at Playa Azul when they're up north, and used to do SI's at Mr. Sanchos, which is South. It is possible that they only do SI's at Palancar now when they're down south, I'm not really sure about that.