November in Cozumel - where to stay?

[WaterDance]

I've spent the morning reading about the diving in Cozumel and the various Dive operations everyone is recommending. I completely understand it is about what is important to the diver, so it's not a simple answer of "What is your favorite Dive Operation?"

There was some talk about a Matrix being created that compared the various operators, but I imagine that would be a rather daunting if not impossible task. My personal preferences are the following:

Let me dive my computer. Not having to drag my gear back to the room. The option for diving 3 dives a day (possibly 4 if a night dive is allowed). Swim-throughs (very important). Nitrox. Safety. Water on the SI. Drift Diving. Not being bored (ok, I dove Galapagos in in 2014 and found T&C Liveaboard a few weeks back nice, but boring). Not a cattle boat. 6 to 8 is fine. NEED a boat that offers shade (redhead).

I have 200+ dives, and my dive buddy has 250+ dives. I'd consider us Advanced Divers.

Location to stay at - No idea. We don't like large hotels, lots of people, children, bad food. Not the most expensive on the island.

Dive operations I believe will be recommended based upon my research:

Blue Angel. Blue XTSea. Tres Pelicanos, Living Underwater, Liquid Blue, Dive Paradise. Scuba with Alison

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Waterdance

 

[krbailey]

+1 for Blue Angel. IMO, they meet all of your criteria.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I've not dove with most of the ops you have listed, but I know that Living Underwater meets all of your dive needs. I would also add bottomtimedivers to your list, I've dove with Raul a lot and he also meets all your requirements.

As for the hotel... I'd look into El Cid, Blue Angel or maybe Park Royal. I've stayed at all three and all have different strong points. Park Royal might be bigger than what you are after. PR is also an AI, but the other two are not. They are all in the same general area and close enough to down town to make easy trips I for meals or shopping.

PH

 

[cbm32]

El Cid and Tres Pelincanos would be very easy choices for me.

 

[DjDiverDan]

I've stayed at Casa Del Mar the last several years during trips in early December, and I found it very convenient. It is a bit of a hike to Restaurants downtown, but taxis are not bad if you pay in Pesos. And most Dive Ops can and will puck up and drop of at the pier immediately across the road - just walk past the pool, over the pedestrian bridge over Melgar. Personally, I go for the deluxe pool side rooms - the Standard rooms are at the back, overlooking the parking lot, and are not as nice. Downside - Casa Del Mar does not have in room mini-fridges to keep your beer or bottled water. But it's very convenient to Ernesto's for lunch between dives.

BTW, just wondering why Aldora didn't make your list? Any particular reason?

 

[WaterDance]

EL Cid we would need a car, correct? Blue Angel's resort looks like our type of place. Park Royal looks huge...

A friend just recommended Casa Del Mar (DJDiverDan we cross posted). But who do you dive with if you stay there?

Aldora didn't make the list because I read on one of the boards you have to schlep your gear back to the room.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Aldora will take of all your gear between dives. Just drop of your gear at Aldora's office at the beginning of the trip, pick it up at the end. I don't think Aldora takes care of wetsuits, but that's never bothered me. If that is a deal breaker, I think Liquid Blue takes care of wetsuits as well as other gear. When I've stayed at Casa Del Mar, I've been diving with Dive with Martin. Not my first choice, but a fine Dive Op, and excellent DMs - I really like Miguel Estrella who is a DM with Dive with Martin. I would have preferred Aldora, but these were all group trips, and I wasn't in charge of choosing the Dive Op. DWM offers only Aluminum tanks, you'll pay extra for an AL 100, and Nitrox is only available with AL 80s.

 

[Skittl1321]

Tres Pelicanos would meet your needs for sure. Servando has never met a swim through he won't go through. (To the point that my husband would see holes the size of my fist, point at them and make the sign for "swim through") (Edit: I've been told Servando isn't with TP anymore. But Jorge was a great DM too, and he did a lot of swimthroughs as well, just not quite so many. Of course- you can always do them on your own, they give you a lot of free reign if you are a strong diver.)

We loved staying at Suites Bahia. We got a balcony, although with TP taking our wetsuits we didn't need a place to dry them We didn't pay for "ocean view" but we could see it. The room was large, and we liked that it had a microwave and fridge. Inexpensive so we had plenty of money to go out to eat wherever we wanted. Great location- close to everything downtown, super close to TP to walk over and take a truck to the marina in the morning. A great breakfast buffet is included, 2 blocks down at Casa Mexicana.

 

[cbm32]

Needing a car from El Cid is a personal choice I guess. My wife and I find the taxi rates to be cheap enough that it makes a lot more sense to do that than rent a car, and Tres Pelicanos will pick you up from the El Cid pier.

 

[ColoDale]

Sounds like you want a boutique style dive op. Smaller boats, less divers, and usually having divers choice of dive sites. Most or all of them will have bottled water on board - maybe snacks too. Divers choice of sites may not guarantee you sites you want to see as other divers have their wants but over a many days you should get to many of them. This is something you should ask the dive op you choose. There are quite a few dive sites with swim-throughs. Many dive ops go these sites anyway.

For 4 dives a day over many days is something to talk to the dive op about. Single boat dive ops or smaller ones may not have enough divers for afternoon dives. Larger ops may mean larger boats and more people. Many of the boutique dive ops know each other and can organize getting you on boats for dives if they can't take you on a particular day.

Many of these smaller dive ops will take care of your gear for you. Mine washes it and sets ups daily.

Nitrox is not really a problem for any dive op.

Almost all of the 6 pack boats have a cover though a few don't. I like the shade as well. Check the dive op for the boat.

I use Bottom Time Divers which has all of the things you want. There are similar dive ops to it which are listed in the thread already. You'll spend more money over a bigger no frills dive op but I think you are aware of that.

The hotels to the south are All inclusive and large(r). Sounds like you need to be nearer to town. We stay south for better beaches and to be closer to dive sites. That means car rental or taxi to town.