Time from landing to getting our feet wet?

[prosdog]

OK, son and I scheduled to land at 11:30AM in Cozumel. Trying to plan our first day. With our package deal we get All-inclusive, room and dives at Hotel Cozumel/Dive Paradise. If we touch down at 11:30, what would be a good estimate as to how long before we deplane (hopefully no checked bags thanks to newly purchased dive caddy allowing us to put everything in overhead!), clear customs, find our Expedia.com arranged transportation, arrive at Hotel Cozumel and get to the dive shop? I'm guessing 1:30pm assuming the flight's on time. Does that seem realistic to you Cozumel veterans?

 

[redacted]

Probably depends most on what seat you have on the plane and how busy the immigration inspectors are. If you are real close to the front and there are no planes immediately ahead of you, you should make that. But if there is a flight ahead of you or you are in the middle or back of the plane, it is unlikely. No checked bags may not make much difference as immigration tends to be much slower than baggage and customs. Plus you may have to deal with hotel room availability and check-in time.

It has been a while since I dove with Dive Paradise but I recall they wanted you to do a check-out dive from shore to make sure gear and weights are good to go before they put you on a boat dive. It is not a bad shore dive. Well worth a slow night dive if you can get the tanks from them.

Enjoy

 

[bbarada]

You have t include the time for paperwork and liability waiver at Dive Paradise.

 

[JG109]

Two hours might be a hair tight if you include taxi, hotel check-in, check room, dive check-in etc
Coming from NJ to Coz is always an early start. Can't go wrong hitting the shop (separate business from the hotel), waivers/check-in, then using your free gear/checkout tank to dive off the dock. The last few times I was at Hotel Coz, DP did not require the shore dive though. Then, if you are motivated, do another night dive off the dock. Check with the shop, I think they close at 10pm. We are usually too whipped for the night dive though.
Good luck, 33 days but who's counting. lol

 

[prosdog]

I think maybe it might be better to not rush things, just get to the hotel whenever, check in and do the check out/shore dive after we get settled in. Maybe take it easy for a few hours and do either a boat night dive if one is available or a night shore dive. We have 2 days after that of 3 dives and 2 dives on our second to last day, so 10 dives over 4 days is plenty.

 

[driftin' by]

Too many variables/obstacles between you and the water. I've been lucky enough to walk straight up to an immigration officer only to wait for my checked bags and get the red light through customs. Other times, waited so long for immigration that I seriously worried what may have happened to my bags running a marathon on the conveyor.

Best thing to do is just relax.... you're on vacation! Good thing is that you arrive early enough that you are sure to get some diving done before the sun sets. Enjoy!

 

[sharky60]

if everything goes smoothly, you may make 1:30. Are you trying to make a boat your first day?

I'd just plan on doing a shore dive the first day and not worry about so much about a time schedule.

 

[Christi]

I think maybe it might be better to not rush things, just get to the hotel whenever, check in and do the check out/shore dive after we get settled in. Maybe take it easy for a few hours and do either a boat night dive if one is available or a night shore dive. We have 2 days after that of 3 dives and 2 dives on our second to last day, so 10 dives over 4 days is plenty.

I recommend relaxing and maybe doing a shore dive. A night dive should not be your first dive of the trip, especially if you are new to Cozumel and have not checked your gear, etc. You will have plenty of time to get in some dives - don't rush it!

 

[BettyfromToronto]

Great advice from everyone.

For our trip in January we are arriving on a late Saturday evening flight and will only arrive at SCC after the dive shop closes and possibly the kitchen too.

We were going to race around Sunday morning to make breakfast at 7am the boat at 8am but then decided "nah" we will take it easy. Get through all the paperwork once the morning boats leave and things are quieter. Do a morning shore dive to check out equipment and get my weights right. I am also planning to do a Peak Performance Buoyancy course in the afternoon. Then we plan on spending Sunday evening in the town square enjoying the local flavour. Then we will start our 5 days of boat diving on the Monday. No problem with the 5th day being the Friday as we'll be done by lunch time and our return flight on Saturday is 8pm. Plenty of time. Now I just have to hope there is no norte and we lose a day of boat diving.

Prosdog: Take the advice of the experts here. Slow down and relax. Do a nice shore dive on your arrival day and if you want do a twilight or night shore dive after that. You're on vacation. Relax & enjoy.

 

[ggunn]

My advice? Don't plan so much. Get through the rigamarole at the airport as tranquilly as possible, take the shuttle, and get to your hotel when you get there. Then do what you have time for, but don't try to make an afternoon boat; you'll be asking to stress out, and that is the last thing you should be doing at that point. Get on Island Time as soon as you can; I start working on it as soon as it's Wheels Up on the HOU-CZM leg.