June Honeymoon in Coz

[Brules]

Are you seriously asking why Aquaworld sucks? Cattle boats, 40min max bottom times, horrible DM's, horrible service, losing divers on dives, VERY horrible with new divers etc etc. I stay at the Park Royal, and I could make a list a mile long of horror stories I hear daily from people diving with Aqua World there.....Last July I convinced no less than 4-5 people to walk across the street and use Roberta's due to issues with Aqua World. One couple we met in the pool, the wife had a near drowning experience due to a bad DM.

Avoid. Them. At. All. Costs.

 

[mike_dippert]

I fly into Cancun and take the bus/ferry option but flying into Cozumel is mo better. Do not buy transfers as a package for the airport to Coz Palace.

Transfers? Like transportation to/from the airport?

 

[RonFrank]

My suggestion is that you pick a dive op that stops at a beach club between dives. Whether that is Aldora or another dive op is your choice.

Also consider whether you want a boat with shade. I do since I burn if not careful.

Most boats have shade. If they break on a southern beach depends on where your diving. Palancar sure, break on a beach south. Yucab wall, you may not go south for a beach break. I let the Ops worry about this stuff, but we did not do all our SI's wth Blue XT Sea on a beach.

 

[mike_dippert]

Sounds like I'll be avoiding aquaworld for sure. I attempted diving with a cattle op in St Thomas, I was 13, and my buoyancy was all messed up. They told me just to go to shore instead of fixing the problem.
I honestly wouldn't mind a 5 hour day of diving. The 3 discover scuba dives (once in key west - shore and boat dive, second time in grand Caymen with my fiance @ Divers Down - shore dive only) I have done seemed short and I wished they lasted longer.
In Key West, my jaw got sore from clenching the mouth piece, but other than that I haven't been uncomfortable underwater. I wouldn't mind diving doubles. If I find the scenery getting boring I'll focus on fine tuning my technique.

 

[Jackie]

I have stayed at the Palace twice. Great place. Terrific rooms, big jacuzzis, balconies, spacious marble baths.
Avoid aqua world. Too many better ops that are more personalized.
Check out prices and options on airfare. Unless you are saving hundreds of dollars, try and see about flying into Cozumel. That said, it is not hard to get to cozumel from Cancun.
I did it on the "fly" as i missed a connection from Miami to Cozumel. I was by myself, took the flight to cancun so as not to loose the day and figured out how to get the bus to the ferry. Did this as a single middle aged woman, so i am sure that you can do it, if circumstances warrant it!!

 

[Ron Lee]

Transfers? Like transportation to/from the airport?

Exactly Mike. Read this to understand why:

"Packaged" ground transfers may not be the cheapest option - Cozumel Forum - TripAdvisor

See if Coz Palace offers transportation. I do not know but it never hurts to ask. Even if they do not, that cost is minor compared to airfare, hotel, diving, etc.

As far as flying into Cancun, here is the bus/ferry process:

www.tinyurl.com/7m3r6

There is also a smaller plane that flies between Cancun and Cozumel

www.mayair.com.mx

If you have to do the bus/ferry, avoid early morning flights from Cancun to home.

Only buy one way ferry tickets!!

Read Jackies post. I had to fly into Cancun when a mechanical issue resulted in me missing the one flight from DFW into Cozumel. No problem....I just flew into Cancun and took the familiar bus and ferry. If I had waited for the next flight to Cozumel, I would have missed a minimum of one day diving.

Know your options. Stuff happens. Smile...be happy.

 

[kendallpg]

We stayed at the Palace for our honeymoon also. I would also recommend using some of the credit to get an Ocean-view room.
What part of Indiana are you from? Have you signed up for your Open Water classes yet? I know some really good instructors in the Central Indiana area if you are still looking.
Pat

 

[mike_dippert]

We stayed at the Palace for our honeymoon also. I would also recommend using some of the credit to get an Ocean-view room.
What part of Indiana are you from? Have you signed up for your Open Water classes yet? I know some really good instructors in the Central Indiana area if you are still looking.
Pat

I'm in Columbus. I've talked to the owners at Southern Indiana Scuba, in Bloomington. I've planned on using them for training and final dives. I haven't signed up for anything yet so I'm open to suggestions. Biggest thing for us, we prefer 'classroom' learning b/c we feel the instructors have more to offer me than what E-learning does. S.I.S. offers weekend training too, which we will probably do to minimize driving (1 hour each way). I'd rather have 3 long days of training than 2 weeks of short sessions. I haven't really investigated places in Indy. I lived in Bloomington when we got serious about wanting to certify so it was just convenient going to the one down the street.

 

[cvchief]

I am a bit confused about what you are looking for? What is the $1500 credit you are talking about?
Is that with a particular hotel chain or a gift or ???

By all means, fly directly into Cozumel. I would not recommend the bag-drag from Cancun to a first-timer. It is a long day, airports, buses, ferry, and then taxi to your hotel once you get to the island. Make it simple... fly INTO Cozumel.

robin

Depends how cheap and fast you can get into Cancun. $50 one way will get you on the puddle jumper planes of Mayair if you don't want to mess with the ferry. For us, a non-stop to Cancun and the ferry and transfer is faster than flying to Texas and then back to CZM. I like the ferry, so we have taken to using the ferry on the way down, but mayair back to Cancun.

 

[mike_dippert]

Exactly Mike. Read this to understand why:

"Packaged" ground transfers may not be the cheapest option - Cozumel Forum - TripAdvisor

See if Coz Palace offers transportation. I do not know but it never hurts to ask. Even if they do not, that cost is minor compared to airfare, hotel, diving, etc.

As far as flying into Cancun, here is the bus/ferry process:

www.tinyurl.com/7m3r6

There is also a smaller plane that flies between Cancun and Cozumel

www.mayair.com.mx

If you have to do the bus/ferry, avoid early morning flights from Cancun to home.

Only buy one way ferry tickets!!

Read Jackies post. I had to fly into Cancun when a mechanical issue resulted in me missing the one flight from DFW into Cozumel. No problem....I just flew into Cancun and took the familiar bus and ferry. If I had waited for the next flight to Cozumel, I would have missed a minimum of one day diving.

Know your options. Stuff happens. Smile...be happy.

Thanks for the info! This is the first time I've tried to organize a trip like this myself. The transportation arrangements have been my biggest struggle thus far, considering it's critical to the trip. Hotels and dive shops don't have the cost swings that airfare does.