HELP!! Cruise Line Cancelled Tour!! Need Coz Diving

[trekkindave]

Wife and I got an email this morning that the operator of the cruise excursion we booked through royal caribbean has cancelled the scuba excursions for our port of call in Cozumel next friday. We are still booked (without equipment) in Grand Caymen, and now need to bring out equipment with us for that one... we would REALLY like to dive in Coz.

Can anyone please recommend a good charter for a lesser experienced couple to dive with (it can be a "party" boat with a group of people) which will give us a good experience? Reef, Drift, Wreck, shore... whatever! I don't want to haul BC, Mask, Fins, Snorkel, etc x2 on a cruise if we are only doing 2 tanks at one port of call.

The other option for us it to do a catamaran sail and snorkel excursion... but we are really looking forward to diving in Coz.

Thanks folk!

 

[willmann_nc]

Checkout Dive With Martin, their prices include all equipment except computer. Make sure you tell them you are on a cruise and tell them your departure time.

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[cbm32]

I am on Coz right now and staying right next to where the cruise ships dock. Tres Pelicanos picks me up right here and would be perfect for you. I will still be here at that time and would be diving with you if you choose to go with Tres Pelicanos. It is a new shop but all of the people involved have been working and/or diving Coz for a long time. The DM, Servanto, has been a DM for 17 years and knows the reefs here so well it amazes me. Since they are a new shop they are running a special until Jan 1st of $55.00 for a two tank dive.

Dont give up on diving Coz....I have done 6 two tank trips here so far and you really dont want to miss diving here. One of the best dives is Paradise. A very very easy dive that gives you a lot of bottom time and there are critters all over the place. Even seahorses are usually seen on this one. Contact Tres Pelicanos or PM me if you are interested. (I do NOT work for Tres Pelicanos. I just happen to be spending the month of Oct in Coz and diving with them and have found them to be a really good dive op).

 

[mjatkins]

There are several very good shops here on the island, and we can all cater to your needs. I would suggest that you contact several and get a feel for who will best meet your expectations. The ones that leap to mind are BlueXTC, Scuba Tony, Dive with Alison, and a shameless plug for my employer Blue Angel. These are just my recommendations, I'm sure others will chime in with their favourites.

 

[prosdog]

I dove with Blue Angel back in August for a week, I can give them a hearty recommendation. Despite my discovering Matt and his fellow Canadian's fiendish plot for world domination, they were great to dive with. Just curious, any idea of why Royal Caribbean cancelled the dive excursion?

 

[xspect]

I had an excellent experience with Aldora divers.

 

[trekkindave]

When I called Royal Guest Services they said that the tour was cancelled at the request of the operator... So Im just guessing that maybe they didn't have enough folks from the ship diving with them to make it worth their time? I don't know. But they were the only cruise excursion that was offered for diving through the boat. I am a little worried about booking on my own though, I know its supposed to be a "better" experience, but I like the piece of mind that if the charter sinks or the weather stinks, that if I miss boarding that the cruise ship has to hold for us, or pay to transfer us to the next port. If its not booked through them.. they can just leave..... But I am pretty sure that I can accomplish a 2 tank day just fine with the 12 hours that they have scheduled at port that day.

 

[prosdog]

12 hours is plenty of time. When I went on my cruise 2 years ago, I booked the boat's shore excursion for probably 40% more money than I would have paid if I'd paid directly. The reputable dive ops are very good about getting you back on time.

 

[trekkindave]

Ive got info requests on there now, and hopefully will be able to book something tomorrow provided that everything works out. What a pain in the tail this was, but thankfully the SB community came through. Thank you all for your help and recommendations. Will post a trip report when we get back, hopefully with some high quality gopro video's too.

 

[Scoober]

Some good recommends here. Plenty if time--you could even easily do 3 tanks. Do it. Don't miss the reefs if coz!