Economy affect your dive travel plans?

[dimitrik]

The lack of flight options from Denver has really hurt. Still planning on "stimulating" the Mexican economy by going for a week in June, but staying at the Wyndham instead of the Grand where we usually stay. Paying $800 more for the Wyndham per couple than we did at the Grand for the same time last year. Grand would have been $1400 more. All of a sudden, Coz isn't the affordable trip it used to be.

 

[HoustonDiver8]

Dimi:

You're right. Our family of 4 got a great deal last yr, flying out of Houston on a package deal to Iberostar all inclusive for less than $1500 for 3 nights (no dive pkg). Cheapest this yr is $2000, still relatively cheap, but definitely much higher than last yr.

Wonder if the hotels & dive ops feel the downturn (or maybe an increase in business maybe from Europe or other destinations being much more expensive)?

 

[deborahdelamar]

I spent most of the day looking for a reasonable fare to Coz for mid-July -- yes, we waited too long to book but really need to get there. Unbelievably high fares and no half FF tix to be had. Ended up with Spirit to Cancun midweek plus $10 for each checked bag -- total $370pp with travel insurance -- definitely worth the bag drag. Since we don't use AI's, we'll stay in town for around $50/night. A vacation scraped together. But a vacation nontheless!

 

[scubawife]

The lack of flight options from Denver has really hurt. Still planning on "stimulating" the Mexican economy by going for a week in June, but staying at the Wyndham instead of the Grand where we usually stay. Paying $800 more for the Wyndham per couple than we did at the Grand for the same time last year. Grand would have been $1400 more. All of a sudden, Coz isn't the affordable trip it used to be.

I've gotten relatively the same hotel prices in Cozumel for the past 3 yrs, regardless of what month we go. Depending on the hotel, it's usually $60-85/nt. These are hotel not too far south or town and not AI. Unless you are a big drinker or have teens with you, I just don't see the AI's being worth the price or an affordable option for a Cozumel trip. Too many great places to eat in town at all price ranges and kinds of food.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

In this bad US economy, housing slump, high gas prices, slumping stock market, higher food costs, & ever increasing airline fees. Has/will this affect anyone's dive travel plans?

And has this affect the dive operators down in Cozumel? Must assume that gas prices for the boats are also increasing there. Higher food costs probably means no more sandwiches, & hopefully not bottled water service.

Wonder if most airlines will also follow American Air's adding surcharges for now even 1st checked in baggage, in addition to their 2nd bag & fuel surcharges...

Comments?

I know that fuel prices are going up daily. Donna drives a VW Jetta Diesel and we made a road trip to Cozumel during Easter break. I couldn't dive and we had a bunch of things that we just couldn't put on a plane. At the time diesel was about $3.50 a gallon. When we crossed the border we found fuel prices considerably lower.

We stopped a number of times and kept the car topped off. We never paid more than $2.40 a gallon, 57 to 60 pesos a liter, for fuel. On our 2,400 mile road trip we averaged 43 MPG and it cost about $325 for fuel. Since the diesel pumps were at the back or side of the stations I never even looked at the gas prices. I assume that they were also lower.

Last week I booked air from Monroe to Grand Cayman for July 5 -13. From Sat to Sat it was $1,255.00. I added an extra day and it dropped to $650 which I still thought was high.

 

[HoustonDiver8]

Thinking of trading in our SUV so we can book another dive trip later in the summer....

 

[driftwood]

One other thing to watch out for is a big increase in the cost of eating out. We just got back from a trip to Akumal and PDC and found that the cost of meals in restaurants had gone up by about 33%. We didn't go to Coz, so I cannot tell if prices have gone up as much there but I would not surprise me if they did.

For those who can fly out of Austin, Viva Aerobus still has some great fares to Cancun (around $100rt plus taxes) if you plan a couple months in advance. BTW, if you are thinking of flying into Austin, Viva Aerobus uses a different terminal forcing you to take a $20 cab ride between the two terminals. Getting from Cancun to Coz is a breeze. Catch the ADO bus at Terminal 2 and it will drop you off at the main bus station in PDC right by the ferry pier to Coz. Cost for the bus and ferry is around $16 a person.

 

[georoc01]

The lack of flight options from Denver has really hurt. Still planning on "stimulating" the Mexican economy by going for a week in June, but staying at the Wyndham instead of the Grand where we usually stay. Paying $800 more for the Wyndham per couple than we did at the Grand for the same time last year. Grand would have been $1400 more. All of a sudden, Coz isn't the affordable trip it used to be.

What I am doing for my next long weekend in Cozy is doing a charter out of Dallas. Was able to get a cheap flight down to Dallas there and have a dive buddy who lives there. Cost of the trip out of Dallas was $440 pp through Apple Vacations. charter air on Sun Country, staying at the Hotel Cozumel AI.

 

[scubawife]

One other thing to watch out for is a big increase in the cost of eating out. We just got back from a trip to Akumal and PDC and found that the cost of meals in restaurants had gone up by about 33%. We didn't go to Coz, so I cannot tell if prices have gone up as much there but I would not surprise me if they did.

For those who can fly out of Austin, Viva Aerobus still has some great fares to Cancun (around $100rt plus taxes) if you plan a couple months in advance. BTW, if you are thinking of flying into Austin, Viva Aerobus uses a different terminal forcing you to take a $20 cab ride between the two terminals. Getting from Cancun to Coz is a breeze. Catch the ADO bus at Terminal 2 and it will drop you off at the main bus station in PDC right by the ferry pier to Coz. Cost for the bus and ferry is around $16 a person.

We've been going to Akumal for years and after our last couple trips (Sept and Dec '07) we're not sure if we're going to go this year... I know Akumal is laid-back luxury, but we were paying more for food and drinks there then we do in the NYC area. Spent much more time eating-in this past Dec trip then we usually do. We always rent a condo and if we do go back this year it will be for fewer days and we'll be spending more evenings in.

Cozumel, on the other hand, is still about the same once we get there. Our hotel prices haven't changed really over the last couple years, and we haven't seen much change in our restaurant bills either. (And the diving and "water quality" is far better then Akumal. Akumal just saddens me in that respect. No longer a place we'll go specifically for a dive vacations... just a place to do a few dives while on vacation.)

I get much cheaper flights to CUN then CZM, and they're non-stop. Given paying an extra $150-200pp and connection in Houston, or the "bag drag" through Playa, I'll take the ground connection. Grab a cold cervesa or margarita and enjoy the warm breeze and blue ocean. Goes much quicker that way and much nicer then spending the couple hours in a US airport wondering if your bags are also making the connection.

 

[driftin' by]

For the first time, we had to purchase an airline ticket for our daughter for our trip next week. Hotel and 3 R/T tickets were cheaper this time than hotel and 2 R/T tickets for last September.

However gas prices have affected our plans... Were were going to drive to So Cal or the Keys for our second vacation this summer but it'll be cheaper to fly to Coz for a week making it difficult to justify going to Cal or the Keys when Coz is oh so much more better. YMMV.