Economy affect your dive travel plans?

[scubawife]

...do you think if you buy a ticket "sooner" that you are exempt from the extra bag fee or "first bag" fee that they might attach later for flights to Mexico? Am curious about that and not feeling real trustful of ANY airline these days, that's for sure!

With the current baggage fees (which for now, are only applicable to flight within the US or to/from Canada), the airlines have all had a specified date where tickets purchased after that date are subject to the fees.

For the newest charge with AA - $15 for the FIRST checked bag (in addition to their previous announced 2nd bag charge...) the magic day is June 15th.

I really think it's just a matter of time before the bag fees are tagged on for international travel too. All it takes is one carrier to do it and they'll all follow.

I think between the unknown in extra fees and the ticket prices going up, lots of people are already booking their winter trips. I was looking for Dec tickets earlier today. Although the price is reasonable over the weeks I want, there are already no upgrades available. I usually book my Dec trip in about Aug, sometimes even Sept and have had no issue with getting a good price and upgrades for the past few years.

 

[driftin' by]

Gosh, that's terrible! How will you ever stand it? ;^)

I know, life's a beach! Not at all complaining just my dive log is all Coz... again not a bad thing.

 

[Diver Kat]

Kat----do you think if you buy a ticket "sooner" that you are exempt from the extra bag fee or "first bag" fee that they might attach later for flights to Mexico? Am curious about that and not feeling real trustful of ANY airline these days, that's for sure!

I understand where you're coming from ... however, I don't believe they can retro back the baggage fees. As scubawife said, the new AA fee will start on tickets purchased beginning 6/15, not for travel beginning on 6/15. And so far, no one is charging them for travel into Mexico, which is why I hope to book soon, before everyone starts.

Similar thing occurred with cruises - they started charging a fuel surcharge a while back. I'd booked a trip about 18 months in advance, and some months back received notice that the fuel surcharge was being added to my booking. Apparently some legal action was taken and I've received a letter saying the fuel surcharge has been taken off since I booked my trip prior to the change. If they (airlines & cruise lines) could all alter the contract after the fact, we'd all be up the creek, and at their mercy.

 

[driftwood]

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.

A lot to agree with in your post.

First, a hot dog at Lol Ha Beach Club is now 65p. You cannot get a chicken, rice and beans dinner in Akumal for less than 220p and the guacamole is 80p. I have seen it before in Mexico where an area will have a bad season and they respond to it by going up on prices. Right now the prices in Akumal are so totally out of line that I think the restaurants have finally found a way to kill the goose that lays golden eggs. What really gets me is that I know what the basic food costs are in that area of Mexico and while they have gone up a little, it is not the big increases we saw in Akumal. Great to hear that the prices on Coz have remained stable.

Second, the reefs in Akumal are on their last legs in a losing race. About the only thing left are the morays. Really sad to see, but Akumal is still a great base to hit the area's cenotes, although for my money I will be staying in PDC from now on.

Third, the "bag drag in PDC" is only about 150 yards to get from the bus terminal to the ferry. I can live with that for a $200 savings per person.

I really love the condo's on Half Moon Bay and the beach is near perfect, but by the time I rent a car and pay for eating out, Akumal is just not worth the money anymore. On our next trip, we will put more money into a room in PDC, eat better for much less and not hassle with a car rental.

 

[jayjoans]

To answer the question put forth by the OP:
Yes, the economy has/will affect(ed) our dive travel plans. Luckily we booked our August trip to Coz a few months ago, our R/T from SFO-CZM was $365. I just checked again for kicks to see what it would be today, and it's $675. We would not have made this trip of the tickets were that much, so it is safe to say that this may be our last trip to Cozumel for quite a while. Since I'm the Dad and paying to bring 2 of my adult children, each dollar saved translates into $3. The difference in airfare would pay for half of us to dive all week.

We have yet to book our accommodation for August, we're sort of hoping that the prices come down a bit since it is the slow season coupled with a slower economy. Either way we'll obviously pay, but I'm wondering if the hotels will feel a pinch and lower their rates to try to lure tourists in spite of higher transportation costs.

Anybody think that will happen, or is it just wishful thinking on my part?

 

[kentmorrdave]

After 9 straight trips to Coz I booked Key Largo the other day for my November trip. It makes me feel like a trader!! I am looking at My January/February annual Coz trip and RT air is about $625, compared to $365 in 2008. Dammit.

 

[scubawife]

After 9 straight trips to Coz I booked Key Largo the other day for my November trip. It makes me feel like a trader!! I am looking at My January/February annual Coz trip and RT air is about $625, compared to $365 in 2008. Dammit.

I've dived in the Keys, and as much as we enjoyed it, last year when we were thinking of going there again, I compared the overall cost a week in Cozumel and 5 days in the Keys (which was the length of the last trip we did there). Air was cheaper to FL, no real surprise there. BUT, when we added on the car rental (have to get from MIA or FLL to Key Largo), the hotel (crappy place for more then we pay in Coz for a better place), diving and food & drink, our week in Cozumel was actually less.

I would like to go back to the Keys. Maybe I'm missing something in my figuring, but it hasn't added up to be any savings so I'd just as well go to Cozumel, Cayman, Belize...

I was looking for air to Cancun for anytime in July or August (much cheaper and non-stop vs Cozumel from our area). Prices were crazy. More then I paid in April and more then what I saw over Easter time. So, right now it looks like no diving for us until we go back to Curacao in October... and that air was $200 more then we paid last Sept.

 

[divemoreworkless]

Absolutely, today's higher travel costs - along with increases in most every other commodity we need/use daily such as gas, food, etc. - has affected our dive trip plans. What we are finding is that there are fewer flights available to travel to Cozumel, with higher prices. Living in NM, we always have to catch a connecting flight to Coz, and Denver (our first choice) has drastically cut back options - we miss Frontier too! - leaving Dallas (try to avoid DFW and American whenever possible due to past problems) and Houston as major hubs. Sigh.

We have only been to Coz once this year so far, compared to two or three times yearly, and we found a decent air fare to Bonaire in Oct., so we are researching that instead. Overall for us, you can't beat the quality of diving in Cozumel for the overall price compared to FL, HI, etc., but the lack of air options for us has definitely impeded our dive trip plans to Coz. Hopefully next year.....

 

[OSUcowboyinSPFD]

I've dived in the Keys, and as much as we enjoyed it, last year when we were thinking of going there again, I compared the overall cost a week in Cozumel and 5 days in the Keys (which was the length of the last trip we did there). Air was cheaper to FL, no real surprise there. BUT, when we added on the car rental (have to get from MIA or FLL to Key Largo), the hotel (crappy place for more then we pay in Coz for a better place), diving and food & drink, our week in Cozumel was actually less.

I agree...IMO, the inflationary problem is not in Cozumel. It is the cost of getting there that has ballooned. In addition, the everyday inflation we realize in the USA has caused the pinch. My observation was that inflation has not been too bad in Cozumel.

For example, in April we ate at the Wynston...I had Red Snapper and the wife had a filet. We each had a salad. We skipped wine and dessert, which is usual for us. Our bill was $55, last year it probably would have been about $50.. That same meal in Springfield, MO, would be $75, and last year it would have been $60. Just one example. (I can't remember the exact prices, but these are very close estimates).

 

[HoustonDiver8]

Yes, we priced out the entire total trip costs to fly direct to Hawaii, Miami, car rental, hotel, gas, etc... vs. an all inclusive trip to Cozumel, Belize, with air, hotel, taxes, & transfered factored in, Luckily, from Houston it's much cheaper to Cozumel. With one all inclusive price, we can easily compare.