Really confused about Kona, Hawaii vs Cozumel???

[Sideways]

As a rule of thumb, of course Coz is going to be cheaper. But amazing deals are possible for Kona. In '12, we managed to piece together a deal for $900 each(2 of us for 9 nights) that included flight from San Jose CA, a very nice large condo on a golf course (7 miles from the ocean) and POC little car. Alaska had promo flights for $259 and Orbitz had amazing coupons for booking things together for 7 nights plus to Hawaii. Timing is everything!

Awesome that you had great timing! But... it isn't good now...at least for me in LA.

 

[gopbroek]

Check out this post from Kona, I haven't heard of this in Cozumel, yet.....
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/hawaii/477999-dive-boat-operator-abandons-divers-water.html

 

[Mossman]

If you want to stay in the US, Hawaii is is fine choice (with chilly water). If you are more adventuresome, there are many fine Caribbean options, Cozumel being only one of many.

You don't have to be too adventurous to visit Cozumel. After all, about a million or so cruiseship passengers visit the island each day. All you need is a passport.

 

[scubadada]

There are many very good reasons to go to Hawaii, the opportunity to dive is one of them. I would probably not choose Hawaii as a primary dive destination but would jump at the opportunity to visit Hawaii again.

 

[mstevens]

It is cheaper to fly from western Canada than LAX! Wow!

I was just looking at Southwest Airlines' new flights to Cancun that start in the fall. There's a great round-trip fare ($395) from our regional airport that has a plane change in Baltimore. My brother lives not far from that airport, so I checked the price. It's more expensive to take the same flight without the connecting flight from my area. Perhaps it's because for me there's a connection but for him it'd be a non-stop. Perhaps it's because airfares are generally infuriating if you try to make sense of them.

 

[cvchief]

I was just looking at Southwest Airlines' new flights to Cancun that start in the fall. There's a great round-trip fare ($395) from our regional airport that has a plane change in Baltimore. My brother lives not far from that airport, so I checked the price. It's more expensive to take the same flight without the connecting flight from my area. Perhaps it's because for me there's a connection but for him it'd be a non-stop. Perhaps it's because airfares are generally infuriating if you try to make sense of them.

Ugg. SW at Baltimore. Queuing up like a Mao propaganda film. I WANNA pick my seat. I wanna buy privilege. It is the capitalist way!

That being said on the way back Airtran shafted me outta my exit row after a "Barf Incident" on the way down I guess. They were so kind as to stick me on the aisle in the worst row in the plane and refuse my request to buy an upgrade to business class for the two empty business class seats across the aisle and up one row. Must have been ugly on the way down as the stews were a little snotty too when we got on. Plane wasn't full and still I stayed in the worst seat there.

Worse the missus took the Johnny Rockets bag with her and it was a little cold and nasty till I got mine.

Oh and they wouldn't accept one of the carry ons. I made the mistake of taking advantage of the 'carry on only' line in Cancun at check in. Apparently that line is designed to harass people into checking bags. First they said it was so much bigger than the rest of ours. I tried to tell them of course, because we don't need a full sized carry on as we have a house. Then they made us carry it over to poster on a pole that was set perpendicular to the check in counter and 12 feet away. They said 'hold it in the air next to the picture' and then looking at the poster sideways from 12 feet away, she said it is too big. When I went back to the counter, I told her it was fine in Baltimore and it meets the size requirements. She said her supervisor would not allow it. I asked to talk to her and she came over and yelled at me that they have rules here and she doesn't care what happens in Baltimore and stalked off. I did take pictures when we got home so I can email Airtran about the bag being acceptable.

Then there was a LINE at the two GE kiosks at BWI. Well not really a line. More like two people using one machine and blocking the other with their crap. They said the other kiosk, which looked fine, wasn't working. I told the missus to step over their crap and try it. Worked find. Then as they left, I started on their kiosk. At which time the missus was yelling that our 'non-GE' common folk we were traveling with were about to clear the commoner line. Not wanting to be beat by the serfs, I rushed. And left my passport in the machine, a fact I noticed after I left the secure area. So then I had to run after a customs guy who was heading for a secure door. He gave me the appropriate you're an idiot look while listening to my tale of woe and again 5 minutes later when he returned it.


Made for a crappy trip home.

 

[mike_bayer]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice in this thread. This thread, by far, is the most useful one I have ever seen.

Following the advice given here, we have decided to go with Cozumel and booked our diving + stay w/ Aldora, and our interaction with them have been fantastic, so looking forward to this trip.

Having said these, it is time to ask for some nice restaurants in Cozumel... Any recommendations?

Once again, thanks a lot for all the help!

I've been to both and you have made a great choice.

A few of my favourites - El Moro, Los Otates, Blue Angel, La Perlita, Pepe's (if you want steak), La Cocina Italiana, etc., ect.

 

[Mossman]

Then there was a LINE at the two GE kiosks at BWI. Well not really a line. More like two people using one machine and blocking the other with their crap. They said the other kiosk, which looked fine, wasn't working. I told the missus to step over their crap and try it. Worked find. Then as they left, I started on their kiosk. At which time the missus was yelling that our 'non-GE' common folk we were traveling with were about to clear the commoner line. Not wanting to be beat by the serfs, I rushed. And left my passport in the machine, a fact I noticed after I left the secure area. So then I had to run after a customs guy who was heading for a secure door. He gave me the appropriate you're an idiot look while listening to my tale of woe and again 5 minutes later when he returned it.

Figures that GE travelers would be so snooty. We commoners stick together.

On my last trip, delayed two hours flying out of Coz, I almost missed my connecting flight. Fortunately some of my fellow commoners were nice enough to let me on the cart they had secured, so we had an E ticket ride to the gate. Unfortunately, they weren't allowed on the plane as their coach seats had already been given away to stand-bys. I was whisked into my comfortable first-class seat and given a cocktail

 

[Centexbear]

Whoops, I responded before i read the full thread. i see you've locked your trip down. I've never dove with Aldora but hear great things about them and Dave is a frequent poster here so you're in good hands.

You're gonna love it!

Regarding restaurants, give me a sec and I'll dig up the good restaurant threads.

Best meal
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/420085-best-meal-restaurant-cozumel.html


Favorite restaurant
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/286340-what-your-favorite-cozumel-restaurants.html


and most importantly, best margarita! http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/287879-best-margarita-cozumel.html

 

[spoolin01]

There are many very good reasons to go to Hawaii, the opportunity to dive is one of them. I would probably not choose Hawaii as a primary dive destination but would jump at the opportunity to visit Hawaii again.

I'll have to reserve assessment until I've visited Cozumel, but I can't pass up the chance to make the observation that if you've dived any or all of the other main islands but not the Big Island, odds are you really haven't seen Hawaii's best diving (notwithstanding some great spots like Lanai, Molokini, and I'm sure some others). The typical Maui, Oahu, or Kauai boat dive is just not in the same league in my (admittedly limited) experience. Shore diving comparison? - fugedabouddit!!