Dive Operators in Cozumel

[scubawife]

You'll likely get as many different answers as you get responses, mostly cheerleading. What kind of experience are you looking for? A big slow boat with a head and opportunities to socialize or small fast one with a small group? One that caters to advanced divers or newbies? Do you care if the op keeps your gear every day and returns it to you rinsed and dried? Do you want snacks between dives or is water enough? Do you want to have your SIT at a beach club with waiters and refreshments, or is a deserted pier fine with you? Do you need large tanks, or can you get an hour out of an AL80? Do you want to be the first one out at the site, or would you rather sleep in?

Different combinations of all the above, and more, are available. There is no "best" dive op for everyone, and that's a good thing.

Gordon, this is the point I made above in my post. My dive op of choice is Living Underwater, but I don't recommend them to everyone who asks for a "good dive operator" in Cozumel, unless they are looking for the services and price range that Living Underwater offers.

In alot of destinations you've pretty much got to pick the hotel/on-site dive shop combo that comes closest to what you like and want to spend. In Cozumel there's accommodations and dive shops for every taste and budget. It's just a matter of deciding what you want and then finding the ones that meet your needs.

 

[5615mike]

I'm partial to Aldora as I have used them for almost 10 years. BUT, everyone has an opinion on this as they should. We all have our own comfort zone once we find it. There are many good operations on the island with different points of focus on just exactly what customer services they provide. Many good threads throughout the Cozumel blog so I would suggest reading many of them and pay attention to WHY the person likes a certain operator. That can give you an idea as to who provides what YOU are looking for in a DO. Have a great time and safe diving.

 

[driftin' by]

lol... You can almost count on this topic being started each and every week! I present following as evidence....

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=189907 5/4 Oh, that's TODAY!
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=187768 4/18
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=186514 4/10
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=186280 4/8
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=185971 4/6
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=183475&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 3/21
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=178214&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/15
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=177635&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/11
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=176539&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/4
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=176097&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/31
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=174848&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/21
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173932&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/15
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173991&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/15 Same day as the one above!!!!
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173894&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/14
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=172960&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/7
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=171095&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 12/22
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=169938&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 12/11
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=168309&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 11/28
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=165816&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 11/8
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=157226&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 9/5

Relatively speaking, this Cozumel sub-forum has few sticky threads. I'll second the motion for some sticky threads.... Weather, Temps, What to Bring, Hotels/Resorts, Dive Ops

 

[scubawife]

lol... You can almost count on this topic being started each and every week! I present following as evidence....

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=189907 5/4 Oh, that's TODAY!
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=187768 4/18
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=186514 4/10
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=186280 4/8
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=185971 4/6
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=183475&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 3/21
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=178214&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/15
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=177635&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/11
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=176539&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/4
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=176097&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/31
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=174848&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/21
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173932&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/15
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173991&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/15 Same day as the one above!!!!
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173894&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/14
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=172960&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/7
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=171095&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 12/22
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=169938&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 12/11
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=168309&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 11/28
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=165816&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 11/8
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=157226&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 9/5

Relatively speaking, this Cozumel sub-forum has few sticky threads. I'll second the motion for some sticky threads.... Weather, Temps, What to Bring, Hotels/Resorts, Dive Ops

Or just one on how to use the SEARCH feature...

 

[driftin' by]

Or just one on how to use the SEARCH feature...

:no I didn't want to say it but my thoughts exactaly.

 

[ggunn]

:no I didn't want to say it but my thoughts exactaly.

Yeah, what we don't want is a forum where the first page is loaded up with stickies. A couple of fora I frequent are like that, and it's a PITA to have to go to the second page (or way down on the first) every time you exit a thread.

 

[mamanan]

another vote for Raul at www.bottomtimedivers.net

 

[Rich_95492]

It would be great if there were indidivual threads for the different ops. I'm trying to find a Dive Op and am finding it difficult to find reviews of each Op. I am not interesrted in location so much, and the difference in price really isn't that great...so for me, being able ot look up the experiences people have at each of the Ops makes my decision that much easier.

Customer Service. No cattle boats. Allowance to dive your tank and not cut the dive short because the novice next to you blew through his tank. And of course the freedom to take pictures/video.

My top wants in a Dive Operator.

 

[Martha]

It would be great if there were indidivual threads for the different ops. I'm trying to find a Dive Op and am finding it difficult to find reviews of each Op. I am not interesrted in location so much, and the difference in price really isn't that great...so for me, being able ot look up the experiences people have at each of the Ops makes my decision that much easier.

Customer Service. No cattle boats. Allowance to dive your tank and not cut the dive short because the novice next to you blew through his tank. And of course the freedom to take pictures/video.

My top wants in a Dive Operator.

Sounds like Blue XT~Sea would be a nice fit for you. My husband and I use them exclusively when we're in Cozumel and we just love them.

 

[DandyDon]

There are about 100 shops to choose from. Most people will tell you that their dive operator of choice is the one you should dive with. That's only going to be the case if you are looking for the same things that they are.

In Cozumel there are big boats and small fast boats. Dive ops that provide the basics - a ride to the dive site and a DM in the water with the group, to those who provide lots of extras - water, soft drinks, towels, fruit, snacks, beach SIs, gear storage, etc. Prices for a 2-tank dive trip will range from about $50 to about $100.

Just about everyone will pick up divers at all the hotel piers south of town and several will pick up at the pier in town. Where you stay shouldn't be a deciding factor on who you dive with.

Once you decide on what you want and how much you're comfortable spending, then you can narrow down your choices of dive operator from the 100 or so to the few that will give you what you want.

You'll likely get as many different answers as you get responses, mostly cheerleading. What kind of experience are you looking for? A big slow boat with a head and opportunities to socialize or small fast one with a small group? One that caters to advanced divers or newbies? Do you care if the op keeps your gear every day and returns it to you rinsed and dried? Do you want snacks between dives or is water enough? Do you want to have your SIT at a beach club with waiters and refreshments, or is a deserted pier fine with you? Do you need large tanks, or can you get an hour out of an AL80? Do you want to be the first one out at the site, or would you rather sleep in?

Different combinations of all the above, and more, are available. There is no "best" dive op for everyone, and that's a good thing.

As to where you dive, it's all good. Make sure whichever op you go with has true and accurate info on your experience and skills level, and then go where they recommend.

Great answers. Maybe we should require similar threads on this forum to be a 12 choice poll?

lol... You can almost count on this topic being started each and every week! I present following as evidence....

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=189907 5/4 Oh, that's TODAY!
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=187768 4/18
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=186514 4/10
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=186280 4/8
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=185971 4/6
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=183475&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 3/21
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=178214&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/15
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=177635&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/11
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=176539&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 2/4
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=176097&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/31
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=174848&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/21
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173932&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/15
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173991&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/15 Same day as the one above!!!!
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=173894&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/14
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=172960&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 1/7
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=171095&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 12/22
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=169938&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 12/11
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=168309&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 11/28
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=165816&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 11/8
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=157226&highlight=dive+op+cozumel 9/5

Relatively speaking, this Cozumel sub-forum has few sticky threads. I'll second the motion for some sticky threads.... Weather, Temps, What to Bring, Hotels/Resorts, Dive Ops

:medal:​

:no I didn't want to say it but my thoughts exactaly.

Use the smilie: