ATTN: Cozumel Veterans - need your help please

[Tamas]

I need to get out! Wet my fins so to speak and I was wondering if any of you Cozumel veterans could help me out with suggestions and recommendations on hotels/dive operators etc.

Not looking for anything fancy or overly ritzy, but something nice off the beaten path but still with access to the "main strip".

Found this little gem HERE but I haven't got the foggiest to where it is or how good it is.

So I ask you to help me get my fins wet and suggest based on your experience(s).

BTW -- are the reefs back to normal?

 

[Ice9]

I dunno... I think I'll only stay at the Cozumel Palace when I go back down there. The service was That Good!

 

[DandyDon]

BTW -- are the reefs back to normal?

[c]:lol:[/c]
Uh, there is lots of goooood reading already here on this forum, about the living reefs there that are in constant change with nature as well as the unfortunate impact of mankind - and the Coz reefs are protected from the later more than most, DMs required on all dives in the park that covers almost all reefs.

Lots of reading already here on who likes which hotels, Dive Ops, etc. The feature should work well with the hotel you linked.

Now if you stated what you preferred, it could be that some could offer suggestions with your tastes in mind?
> Would you prefer a large, easy riding but slower boat with a head and a mix of 12 or more divers, or a small, faster 8-pack with essentials?
> Would you prefer a all-you-can-eat package or a cheaper hotel cost with cheap trips to some of the best places to eat in town?
> Would you prefer to be close to town or close to the reefs - with the latter mean not-cheap trips to town if desired.
> How experienced are you, specifically with ocean diving, reef diving, drift dives?
> How long you going to be there and how many dives would you like for that period, or would you like to try other activities with some of your time?
> Wanta try the Cenotes?

 

[cicopo]

That's the Iberostar and the in house dive op is Dressel Divers who I have used before and was happy with them, BUT other smaller dive ops can & do pick up there so your choices are great. As for the resort it's the farthest one from town, and it's to the south of town making it short boat rides to the reefs. The in house op actually returns to the pier between the 8:00 AM dive and 10:30 AM dive so those who missed breakfast have a second chance, & the rest of us had a second breakfast. My on line album for the resort is in this set of albums & it was shot last Sept so is current.
Picasa Web Albums - Larry
PS the food there is quite good.

 

[Tamas]

Now if you stated what you preferred, it could be that some could offer suggestions with your tastes in mind?
> Would you prefer a large, easy riding but slower boat with a head and a mix of 12 or more divers, or a small, faster 8-pack with essentials?
> Would you prefer a all-you-can-eat package or a cheaper hotel cost with cheap trips to some of the best places to eat in town?
> Would you prefer to be close to town or close to the reefs - with the latter mean not-cheap trips to town if desired.
> How experienced are you, specifically with ocean diving, reef diving, drift dives?
> How long you going to be there and how many dives would you like for that period, or would you like to try other activities with some of your time?
> Wanta try the Cenotes?

1 >> smaller boat, don't like cattle boats or herds of people
2 >> a bit of both, when I travel I like to sample local cuisine but having the backup of the all inclusive never hurts -- either way, the trip to town would happen
3 >> plenty of dives under my belt - no worries there
4 >> looking at 1 week and as many as I can -- there to dive, but would mind doing some sightseeing if there is something to look at (being an island I am guessing that is somewhat limited unless we ferry it to the main land)
5 >> sure cenotes are nice

 

[cicopo]

Re the Signature Vacations web page. They don't fly to Cozumel (or haven't since Wilma to the best of my knowledge but used to) so that package may be to Cancun & then do the bus & ferry thing which eats up some vacation time. Air Canada also sells the Iberostar & has direct flights to Coz from TO.

 

[ggunn]

Not looking for anything fancy or overly ritzy, but something nice off the beaten path but still with access to the "main strip".

Found this little gem HERE but I haven't got the foggiest to where it is or how good it is.

That's the Iberostar and it's quite a ways (10-15 miles, I'm guessing) from town. It's about a US$20 cab ride each way for 1 or 2 people. It's a big full-service resort. For something completely different, check out Caribe Blu (Caribe Blue Hotel & Diving Resort). It's small, economical but clean and comfortable, close to town but far enough out to not be bothered by day trippers, and it has a great dive op, Blue Angel, on the premises. I've been staying there at least once a year for more than 20 years.

 

[DandyDon]

1 >> smaller boat, don't like cattle boats or herds of people

The on-site Ops at the larger hotels are usually cattle boats. Most smaller Ops will pick you up at most places, but there are drawbacks to that approach.

2 >> a bit of both, when I travel I like to sample local cuisine but having the backup of the all inclusive never hurts -- either way, the trip to town would happen

You could do the room & breakfast special at Casa del Mar, then go to town for dinners. Many of the town's restaurants are very good.

3 >> plenty of dives under my belt - no worries there

I know you post a lot, but I didn't memorize your experience level. You could put that in profile.

4 >> looking at 1 week and as many as I can -- there to dive, but would mind doing some sightseeing if there is something to look at (being an island I am guessing that is somewhat limited unless we ferry it to the main land)

The south end has a park I was going to tour last time, but had to escape before a hurricane hit. The ocean side is interesting, and the temple to the Mayan fertility goddess once drew the natives coming by canoe from all of the Yucatan.

5 >> sure cenotes are nice

There are renown dives on the mainland.

Mostly, you're going to get personal choices here. I usually stay at Caribe Blu with spacious rooms, dive with their on-site Op Blue Angel with a great room & dive package, take my own coffee maker, buy breakfast and/or lunch if I feel like it at the cafe next door or store food in the mini-fridge, go to town evenings for dinners. Hire a cab one afternoon to tour the south end, oceanside, and temple.

 

[rossandmaureen]

The trade offs between hotels are that the nicer beaches and more deluxe all-inclusives are to the south and, yes the cab ride needs to be factored in. We were at the Grand Occidental in November and a cab was $17.00 U.S. each way. We have stayed at the El Cid which was fine...not fancy but clean and convenient to town (about $5.00 each way) and it is now all inclusive. I have heard good things about Scuba Club Cozumel and it is very close to town so walkable. The flip side is that the closer to town that you are means more time spent in the boat headed to the reefs to the south (with the exception of a select number of dives to the north that only a few operators do). Most dive ops pick up from hotel piers so you are not locked into the hotel dive operators which do tend to run cattle boats and have shorter dives. I have dove with Living Underwater and think that they are great but have heard great things about Aldora and Blue Xctasy. All of them run smaller groups and max out your bottom time and spend the surface intervals on the beach rather than bouncing around in the boat.

 

[jlyle]

Scuba Club Cozumel. Click on "Webpage" below.