I knew the cattle boat would be bad...

[ggunn]

As a side note, I asked every English-speaking person I met on my various travels (almost all Americans of course ;-) whether they were on Scubaboard. From newly qualified divers, to a cave instructor I met on the PDC ferry, the unanimous reply was, "What's Scubaboard?"

I meet a few Scubaboarders every time I go to Cozumel, but they are a small percentage of the divers I meet. It's like we have a secret club or something. Maybe we should have a handshake and sign/countersign.

 

[sealskin98]

The op was Aquaworld, booked through an in-resort "rep" doing try dives in the pool, that sort of thing.

Several months ago a guy on another message board, not a diving forum, was going to Cancun and wanted to do a Discover Scuba course. The in-house shop at his resort was Aquaworld, so I did a little looking around for him. ALL reviews I found on multiple sites were TERRIBLE. Every thing from unsafe practices, dives canceled by the dive op. that weren't any fault of the divers and the money was not refunded, VERY rude employees, to second hand stories of a diver being lost. I sent him the links to the reviews and he decided he was going to use an op. just down from his resort that would pick him up at the hotel dock. I didn't hear how his trip went but apparently he made it back okay.

I've been on a few cattle boats in Coz. (I almost always use the 6 packs though), Caymans, and Florida. Some were a little "loose" on their operation but nothing like the reviews I saw, and your experience sounds like it coincides.

I would never use them. Next time you go to Coz. use one of the small local shops instead of the multi-country mega resort ops. like that one. I'm always sorry to hear reports like yours. A REAL Coz. trip is wonderful.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Just back from Coz myself. Several times, as our little boat sped toward the next dive site, we would pass a bigger boat that seemed to be bristling with tanks, and we'd wave to all the divers, feeling smug about our decision to avoid such boats at all costs. For all the reasons you mention.

 

[cvchief]

I meet a few Scubaboarders every time I go to Cozumel, but they are a small percentage of the divers I meet. It's like we have a secret club or something. Maybe we should have a handshake and sign/countersign.

Weird. I thought someone might have taught you that, friend to friend and all. We all exchange it at the Scubaboard dinners.

 

[Brules]

Man sorry to hear about your experience! It toally backs up my previous warning of this OP.

The second I started reading this story - I knew immediately who the OP was lol......they are the only ones who run their own boats across the channel I think (big boats - nice boats too).

Next time just do what i do - go to Cozumel and find a nice AI for your non diving wife to stay at and enjoy while you get to dive every morning! Works great for me for the last 20 years lol!

 

[jmdive]

I realize that you were doing your dives in Cozumel, but checking on the PADI website, Aquaworld in Cancun is a suspended member as of February 2015 and I wonder if the operation in Cozumel is the same outfit? I like to check the credentials of dive centers and instructors before I commit diving with them. My eleven year old son also dives and this is why I am cautious and always checking reviews as well. Cozumel is a great place to dive with some of the best instructors and dive operations I have encountered. Dives are always better when you are with professional, responsible dive operators.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Glad to hear that PADI revoked them, now if the National Park would you'd have something. iF you think they are hard on diver's just think about the Reefs! Also, beware of name changes ( a common practice with bad reputations). How many of you know that Aqua World is also the ferry company Ultramar. next thing you know the will be "Ultramar Divers"

 

[sharky60]

I didn't even know Aquaworld was still around! I thought they had been absorbed by Scuba Shack or someone else in that area.

 

[DandyDon]

Glad to hear that PADI revoked them, now if the National Park would you'd have something. iF you think they are hard on diver's just think about the Reefs! Also, beware of name changes ( a common practice with bad reputations). How many of you know that Aqua World is also the ferry company Ultramar. next thing you know the will be "Ultramar Divers"

When you break up their name, it makes them difficult to search. It's a one word name isn't it? Aquaworld. As two words you get different search results.

I suppose it'd be a good idea to search both forms.

Tripadvisor ranks them as #115 of 153 Boat tours & water sports in Cozumel for what it may be worth. I do read their reviews some on other subjects. That list is a bit varied.

 

[gopbroek]

Wasn't it Ultramar / Aquaworld that used the government to take over someone’s pier a while back?