Downtown pier pick up or taxi to the marina?

[keepdivin]

HI just back on Scubaboard and planing a solo trip to Cozumel in June.

I've always enjoyed staying downtown and booked diving with a downtown pier pickup. I'm considering using a company that leaves from the marina and provides transportation to and from.

My question is to the divers that have done both what do you prefer? Is the marina well organized and have facilities to use before and after diving? What is the typical time it takes for the transfers? Most importantly is beer available at the marina for the taxi ride back to town

Thanks in advance,
Keepdivin

 

[gopbroek]

The new marina runs pretty well and has nice restroom facilities and exterior showers. There is a small bodega which sells tortas and sandwiches in the morning but most importantly Cervesa for after the dive and at prices that are competitive with the in town mini markets.
When in town I am usually driving back and forth to the Marina and the typical drive time is under 10 minutes. If you dive with 3P they take care of the transportation but if you are with another operator and take a cab the fare, from downtown to the Marina for up to 4 persons was $110 MXN, as of last month

 

[Christi]

Morning traffic to the marina can be congested with the cruise ship traffic and all of the taxis and everyone trying to get to work in the south in the morning. It took me over 30 minutes to get from centro to the marina a few days ago at 7:30am and is regularly taking about 20-25 these days. Coming back in the afternoon, traffic is often backed up all the way to the marina - it took my crew 45 minutes to get back a few days ago. Why not book with a shop that departs from downtown to make it easier on yourself. You're on vacation!

 

[uncfnp]

As with most choices it comes down to personal preference. I have done both. I preferred the marina. We meet at the shop downtown and they arranged transport to marina where there are good restroom facilities. This means less time in the boat on the waves and sooner bathroom breaks. And this may also be important to anyone prone to seasickness.

But it certainly would not be my primary consideration in choosing a dive op.

 

[MMM]

I have had in-town pick-up and have made my own way to the marina (usually someone else picks me up or I have a rented car). I'm about 3 blocks back from the water and about 5 blocks south of the pier. So it's a bit of a hike. I really prefer an in-town pick up since I get to sleep a bit later. But I would really NOT like it if I was having to schlepp my 5 mm wetsuit and hooded vest each way. Fortunately, I dive with an op that takes care of it. When I have driven to the caleta, I don't find the morning drive very onerous as it's before the cruisers have disembarked. Coming back is another story and I would take the car ferry road east and cut across a bit further into town in order to avoid Melgar which, by that time, is a gong show.

 

[mstevens]

I've always personally been a marina guy. We started out staying at the Presidente every time, and the old Caleta marina is actually on their property. When we started staying in town we enjoyed the drive, stopping for breakfast on the way, etc.

We've never ended up using the old FONATUR marina, so I can't really comment on facilities there. The Caleta has, essentially, none. There was a tiny snack shop and purported toilet facilities. Parking was always a bit of a nightmare until most boats moved to the FONATUR marina, since when it's been amazing.

I'll also note that we always had either a rented car or our own car, so never took a taxi to the Caleta. I really think part of why we like it involves the fact that we drive ourselves there and back and have the freedom to plan a breakfast stop or to do something on the way home (such as track down that guy for a refreshing posole de coco).

I'll further note that we normally get breakfast in the Centro even though our house is south of there. It's not unusual that as we head towards the Caleta we see our boat loading at the Aldora pier. If we didn't have the car and weren't in the habit, it would certainly be better to meet the boat at the Aldora pier.

 

[keepdivin]

Thanks for the info,

It seems that the morning transfer is reasonable, but to have bumper to bumper traffic or a 45 minute return trip back in to town would be something to consider. I'm surprised this topic doesn't get covered more often when I find "Aldora and 3 P's" reviews that are 10 pages long?

This may even make me question staying in town versus farther south, where I have even more options for a pier pick up and dive ops?

Regards,
Keepdivin

 

[Brules]

Downtown pier all day.......sitting in a taxi for 30-45 each way daily is not how I want to spend my precious vacation time. On a boat racing along the coast passing all the sweaty taxis is the way to go.

 

[uncfnp]

I'm surprised this topic doesn't get covered more often...

Probably because it is not a primary consideration for most divers when choosing a dive op.

The transfer from shop to marina, and back, during peak season for us was a non issue and certainly nothing close to 45 or even 30 minutes. And it was minutes that I used to dry off and relax. My back also appreciated not having the pounding that it gets on a speeding boat over swells much less waves. And not dragging our wetsuits back and forth to the pier was a bonus.

Now if its the middle of summer I might have a different opinion. I'll let you know after my next trip.

 

[Christi]

My crew headed to the marina at 7:30 this morning and it took them 30 minutes to get there. Normally they go earlier, but we had a later departure today due to divers request.

I drove to the marina at 8:30 to deliver something to the boat, I went the back way down 65 and up the southern road that comes out by the cruise ship pier thinking I would evade the waterfront traffic. It was backed up well past the planetarium - around where the entrance to the humane society is. It took me 35 minutes to get from my house to the marina, most of that was sitting in traffic.

Coming back, heading back into town the traffic was backed up to Discover Mexico. And heading south, it was backed up all the way to Casa del Mar.

If you're staying in town, I would choose a fast boat op that departs from downtown. The boat ride from town to the marina is 15 minutes - so it's not that much more time on the boat and often faster because of traffic on land.

If you're staying south of town, then getting into town is going to be more expensive for you, but just about any op can pick you up.

Have fun regardless of who you choose!