Cozumel Vacation Do's and Don'ts (Fun)

[ggunn]

Do- go to Mescalito's.
Don't- show the pictures to your mom.

Mescalito's has a "family album", too? The ones I know about are at Coconuts.

On another Cozumel forum a few years ago there was a desperate plea from a young woman for someone, anyone, going to Cozumel to go to Coconuts and remove pictures of her from their album and demand the negatives from the management. Seems that after many tequila shots she had posed indiscreetly for some photos there, and upon her return to the States she discovered that her dad was planning a Cozumel trip. I wonder how that worked out for her.

 

[Mike]

Mescalito's has a "family album", too? The ones I know about are at Coconuts.

On another Cozumel forum a few years ago there was a desperate plea from a young woman for someone, anyone, going to Cozumel to go to Coconuts and remove pictures of her from their album and demand the negatives from the management. Seems that after many tequila shots she had posed indiscreetly for some photos there, and upon her return to the States she discovered that her dad was planning a Cozumel trip. I wonder how that worked out for her.

That's awesome!

 

[joewr]

This thread is amazing! I love Doc VikingGo's description of Cruise Ship People and repeat it here:

"In short, it's a pot-bellied, pasty-complected individual looking at their umpteenth Breitling watch at their umpteenth port-of-call not realizing they can get one cheaper back home. A lemming-geek in garish shorts & a T-shirt emblazoned with a frog wearing a sombrero & the words, "I'm so happy I could fart" or "I'm not pregnant. I just swallowed a watermelon," hassling the waiter at La Cocay about if the safety of the ice cubes & if the soup really contains cat meat. A foot-shuffling, slope-shouldered dweeb, often with sullen, muling children in tow, engaging in their twisted view of bargaining for a $30 Cuban cigar that actually was made from the foliage growing in the vacant lot next to Casa Loco and cost the store $0.05. A grinning buffoon who, when confronted with language problems in locating the miniature golf course or jungle tours office, responds by raising his voice several decibels & adding "o" to every word. A namby-pamby, nebbish-like dullard wearing Lederhosen and knee-high black socks being hectored by a souse to buy mariachis as grandmother's Chanukah gift. A goober, believing all the poppycock about the dangers of Cozumel promulgated by their cruise ship social director, who, upon finding himself a few blocks off the plaza, immediately approaches you for safety in numbers, wanting to know if you'd like to share a taxi back to the ship."

We have been to Cozumel around 50 times and consider it to be the best diving in North America. Back in the good old days it was a somewhat sleepy town for which the only source of revenue was scuba divers. Then came the cruise ships...yuck... But, in truth, the island has prospered with the advent of that bunch of "pot-bellied, pasty-complected" denizens of the non-deep. And, so, we just learned to tolerate or avoid them. Normally, if you go two blocks east of the docks, you will hardly ever see them!

A few Do's:

1. Go to Mescalito's at least once--and rent a nice old VW to do the trip. This is the only occasion for renting a car.
2. If you stay at Fiesta Americana, try the shore dive in the "lagoon" in front of the hotel--you can rent tanks at the dive shop. Some mighty fine scenary down there!
3. Dive with an outfit that uses a 6-pack. The Mantaraya (Fernando Gonzales) and Buena Ventura (Ventura Nah) are always good choices.
4. Do a night dive at Chankanab. We have done numerous night dives off Cozumel and this one has always been the best!
5. Try renting a house someday: much, much better than a hotel. You can shop at Chedraui or the new Mega Super Market and take taxis when needed. Taxis are cheap and walking is healthy...but not with a ton of groceries or scuba gear!

A few Dont's:

1. Do not rent a motorscooter or any other form of two-wheeled transport.
2. Do not buy any dive gear there unless it's an emergency...they sell at American prices +.
3. Do not drink any water but that from bottles...this includes restaurant water...trust me on this...
4. Do not be afraid to walk anywhere, anytime...Cozumel is very safe!

joewr...travel agent to rich and famous...as well as the poor and gullible...the latter are preferred if the can afford my steep fees...

 

[Mike]

2. Do not buy any dive gear there unless it's an emergency...they sell at American prices +.

I like everything else you wrote but number 2.

It's kind of weird to me to read pot shots at cruise ship passengers who are supporting local businesses by making purchases and keeping locals employed and feeding their families, and in the same post tell fellow divers to not spend money with the very people who support the activity we go to the island to undertake.

Where better to spend you money on dive equipment then supporting local business on the island ? If we love Cozumel, why not support the locals, support them and they'll support us.

 

[joewr]

I like everything else you wrote but number 2.

It's kind of weird to me to read pot shots at cruise ship passengers who are supporting local businesses by making purchases and keeping locals employed and feeding their families, and in the same post tell fellow divers to not spend money with the very people who support the activity we go to the island to undertake.

Where better to spend you money on dive equipment then supporting local business on the island ? If we love Cozumel, why not support the locals, support them and they'll support us.

Hi,

Re number 2: I did not mean that one should not spend ANY MONEY on-island! But, I would rather support a local restaurant or dive boat. So, my feelings are do another two-tank dive rather than buy a dive mask in town. Now, if your dive mask needs replacing, its a different matter!

I am not fond of the crowded sidewalks when ships dock...and the drunken teens at Senor Frogs...and the three ladies side-by-side-by-side, blocking the door of the restaurant I want to enter... But it is not life threatening!

What Doc wrote reflects the opinions of many of us who remember a quieter time on Cozumel...but life goes on and one makes adjustments...there used to be a great photo shop in town where I always took my film to be processed and prints made...it died with digital cameras...so did the Calling Station, the one place in town where you could call home cheaply-it was killed by cell phones and the internet...however, a fine coffee shop, the Coffee Bean, is still thriving--I should have added that to my TO DO List: stop by the Coffee Bean and buy some of their pasties, cookies or cakes-they are wonderful!

So, I am absolutely delighted to read that you love Cozumel...we do, too! I hope you can enjoy it as much as we have...and for as long!

joewr...an unpaid spokesman for many unpopular causes...why do you think that they cannot afford to pay me!

 

[joewr]

You're right, I am wrong. I should have added some perspective... Going back to the days that Cozumel was much less frequented by Cruise Ship the Island was a bustle and with little to no vacancy with land vacationers a regular basis. Sure, San Miguel proper was more sleepy, laid-back and authentic but resorts and hotels were chocked full of guests providing a plethora of opportunities for employment for locals. Nowadays, large desolate resorts that operate on skeleton crews only employ a fraction of what they once did and often require the few existing employees to work in a variety of different disciplines which in turn has an effect on the quality of service once provided. While the cruise industry has afforded other opportunities in free enterprise, few are very enduring to the true authentic culture of Cozumel and they pale in comparison to what was afforded to locals in terms of hotel-based tourism. Further few cruisers (pop people) venture past the mall on the pier, which I would guess the cruise lines to have a great interest and cutting in to the potential profits to be had by the locals who provide their handiwork and services. And who do you think benefits from port fees? Not the families that lives of the island.

I would know none of this for myself rather from the many good friends I have made on the island and regularly keep in touch when I'm not there. Further, all I know is that many of them that work at the resorts lost their jobs during the swine flu and to this day, continue to be unemployed on a full-time basis. That, like Wilma, or the down turn in the US economy will ultimately have an impact on places where the majority of their GDP is solely based on tourism... what else do they have to fall back on? Most of my friends I've made in Cozumel and Bonaire for that matter curse the cruise ships. The best part is that the hard-working people that live and make their livelihood on the island 365, make the best of the current situation whether it's after a devastating hurricane, the swine flue or the cruise industry.

And I'm not so sure about your last statement. I've met few people that discovered Cozumel via cruise rather reading some dive magazine or in the OW class lest you forget it's the most popular diving location in this hemisphere and ranks highly world wide. As a diver, I couldn't fathom sacrificing precious vacation time nor budget aboard a cruise that would significantly reduce my opportunities to dive. YMMV.

Divers are cheap? Who else spends $3k -$5k a couple times a year for a couple weeks abroad participating in their hobby?

Josh,

Goodness, I hate to get into Cozumel politics on this Board, but some of the statements you made truly reflect the reality of Cozumel: just a very few families completely control the economics of the island. It is typical Mexico. So, even though the cruise ships provide employment for many people, they do virtually nothing to enlarge the middle class. The prices and wages are all carefully controlled by a few "ruling families".

That said, for the locals, there is simply no question: they would rather live in the very safe environment of Cozumel than many of the places in Mexico now ruled by gangs or have the reputation of being almost like a police state.

'nuf said about politics...the scuba is still great there and we all can enjoy that...

joewr...for once there will be no clever message here...unless this, in itself, is clever....

 

[Jax]

Jeez, you guys! Forget the where they came from and how they got there.

Do

- be inquisitive, show respect, and learn the basic please, thank you, and greetings in spanish.
- show an appreciation for the hard work they do to show you a good time
- take advantage of being there to see the sights - maybe your last day before flying.
- spend a little money to take home some special memories

Don't
- expect everyone to know your language - it's their country, they are not stupid, you are!
- go to places to get the 'special' stuff -- that's how you get in trouble in a foreign land
- forget you are a guest in their home county - "A host's duty is to make their guest feel at home; A guest's duty is to remember s/he is not."

-

 

[Dan G]

Do:
Eat at Costa Brava (excellent mole) 1/2 a block east of Rafael, a bit south of downtown.
Tip
Speak Spanish when you can, even if it's just hello, goodbye and thank-you
If you bargain, do so with a smile- it's not personal

 

[joewr]

Do:
Eat at Costa Brava (excellent mole) 1/2 a block east of Rafael, a bit south of downtown.
Tip
Speak Spanish when you can, even if it's just hello, goodbye and thank-you
If you bargain, do so with a smile- it's not personal

Hola, Senor Dan!

Si puede hablar espanol usted va a ser mi amigo! Pero no es necesario.

And bargaining is a way of life in Mexico. This is especially true if you are off the beaten path of the cruise ship folks. But, as noted, do it gently and with a nice attitude.

A few nice words in Spanish: por favor = please; gracias = thank you; de nada = you're welcome; sabrosa = delicious; un buen buceo = a good dive.

With that, let me wish you buena suete y un viaje buena (good luck and a good trip).

joewr...linquist, peace maker, and meritorious diver (but only when the cameras are on)...

ps...did I forget hola (pronounced ola) = hello; and adios = good-bye??? Well, I am a senior...discount and all....

 

[Mike]

Hi,

Re number 2: I did not mean that one should not spend ANY MONEY on-island!

I realize that. But you did say not to buy dive equipment on Cozumel, and that's what I replied about. It's kind of weird to me to read pot shots at cruise ship passengers who are supporting local businesses by making purchases and keeping locals employed and feeding their families, and in the same post tell fellow divers to not spend money with the very people who support the activity we go to the island to undertake.

Where better to spend your money on dive equipment then supporting local business on the island ? If we love Cozumel, why not support the locals, support them and they'll support us.

But, I would rather support a local restaurant or dive boat. So, my feelings are do another two-tank dive rather than buy a dive mask in town. Now, if your dive mask needs replacing, its a different matter!

I am not fond of the crowded sidewalks when ships dock...and the drunken teens at Senor Frogs...and the three ladies side-by-side-by-side, blocking the door of the restaurant I want to enter... But it is not life threatening!

What Doc wrote reflects the opinions of many of us who remember a quieter time on Cozumel...but life goes on and one makes adjustments...there used to be a great photo shop in town where I always took my film to be processed and prints made...it died with digital cameras...so did the Calling Station, the one place in town where you could call home cheaply-it was killed by cell phones and the internet...however, a fine coffee shop, the Coffee Bean, is still thriving--I should have added that to my TO DO List: stop by the Coffee Bean and buy some of their pasties, cookies or cakes-they are wonderful!

So, I am absolutely delighted to read that you love Cozumel...we do, too! I hope you can enjoy it as much as we have...and for as long!

joewr...an unpaid spokesman for many unpopular causes...why do you think that they cannot afford to pay me!

With the new Sams Club opening, we will see how many of our haters of cruise ship people and lovers of Cozumel avoid the place and keep buying at the local Mega or better yet Chedraui, or even better than that a small grocery off the main strip, which would be what I would expect from everybody who wears the scarlet letter of banning cruise ship people because of how they've 'change' the island. We will see how many of you don't darken the door of Sams in the name of putting the place out of business and striking a blow in favor of keep the old Cozumel for a little longer. I know it will never happen but that's the hypocriscy of this stuff, especially people who on the one hand jab at cruise ship people on the island and in the next breath go into Sams to save $.05 per bottle of water. Every bottle of water you buy from Sams will be another blow to the old Cozumel and pushing it one step farther away from your nostalgic paradise that the cruise ships ruined.

In truth every single person who visits the island pushes the place farther from what it was, no matter if they are divers or cruise ship passengers, for one to single out the other saying yeah, we're bad, but not as bad as them is silly.

By-the-way - aren't you directly responsible for sending those cruise ship people there and don't you make a living doing it, or do you not book cruises as part of your travel agent business? If you are, you might want to start telling your customers inquiring about a cruise that includes Cozumel that they are all sold out, at least then the next time you're there you won't run the risk of recognizing one of your customers blocking the door of that restaurant you can't get to.