Will I still like Cozumel?

[Turtleguy9]

I have been diving in Cozumel over the years. Starting in 1980. Stayed at La ceiba, Barracuda, Scuba Club , others. More and more cruise ships. last trip 2003. Divers in shorts with salty hair. Now it looks like cruise ship tourists all dressed up. Will I still like it?

 

[Turtleguy9]

Does it still feel like Mexico? If it is just a fancy dressed up folk place now, I might not enjoy it. I sure am missing the chance to go to Scuba Club.

 

[Zane]

Scuba Club Cozumel closed.

Cruise ships and the Cozumel terminal have only increased their capacity since 2003.

 

[BRT]

Whether it still feels like Mexico depends on where you spend your time.

 

[scubadada]

Based on the thread title, I figured this was about the marine life and condition of the reefs.

Clearly our interests differ. I don't go on diving destinations to view the tourists. They can be wearing tuxedos and evening gowns for all I care.

That much said, having been to Coz a few times over the past few decades I've seen the conditions deteriorate to the point that it's no longer on my "to-do" list.

What locations are on your to-do list?

 

[scubadada]

At the moment, Malta, Maldives and Cyprus.

In the past year I've been to Egypt, Australia, and Truk Lagoon.

So the bar is getting higher.

Your profile says US, is that where you are diving from? Malta and Cyprus seem like more local Mediterranean. I look forward to your trip reports on these locations.

 

[lowwall]

I have been diving in Cozumel over the years. Starting in 1980. Stayed at La ceiba, Barracuda, Scuba Club , others. More and more cruise ships. last trip 2003. Divers in shorts with salty hair. Now it looks like cruise ship tourists all dressed up. Will I still like it?

My first trip to Coz around the time of your last trip. My most recent was in February. The ships themselves are annoying as they dominate the view from downtown, but I had no issues with the cruise passengers. They operate in their own bubble and it's easy enough to avoid them. In fact, the big cruise lines have built their own shopping areas at their piers which keeps the bulk of the passengers completely separate from the real Cozumel. Most of the rest get taken on excursions somewhere or congregate on the few main blocks of the waterfront, but only during the midday.

The passengers leave their ships after you've already boarded your dive boat and they are all gone by 6:30 or 7. So breakfast and dinner are always safe. For lunch, just head inland a couple of blocks and you'll be fine. The tiny percentage of passengers that are willing to walk 10 minutes past Señor Frogs aren't a problem.

 

[Rob9876]

Does it still feel like Mexico? If it is just a fancy dressed up folk place now, I might not enjoy it. I sure am missing the chance to go to Scuba Club.

Been going there since 1997 and there's really nothing fancy about it. I'll take one or two collar shirts (short sleeve fishing shirts) and one or two decent khaki-type shorts, but really even that level of dress is not needed for most places other than some of the slightly more upscale places like Buccanos At Night, Casa Mission, Azul Madera, Kondessa. There may be more fancy places I'm not aware of, but those are nice enough for my crew.

Basically the rest of the island is T-shirt and bathing suit or gym shorts. Obviously some places don't want you dripping wet, but most places are pretty casual.

As far as feeling like Mexico, the town is more touristy near the water/malecon, but as you walk inward to 30th it gets more of a local feeling, and by 65th you can still find places where a little bit of Spanish helps and you can still have a good meal under $10.

As far as reefs, they say "comparison is the thief of joy" and I think that also applies to comparing the present to the past. Some people say Cozumel reefs have declined over time. I've only been diving since 2018, snorkeled before that, and having gone multiple places in the Caribbean (Bahamas, Bonaire, Belize, Curacao, St. Croix) and elsewhere, Cozumel is still my favorite. I hear people say it doesn't compare to Asia, but it's much closer and still pretty great to me.

 

[The Chairman]

This will be fun: ScubaBoard Surge 2026: Cozumel

 

[ggunn]

Been going there since 1997 and there's really nothing fancy about it. I'll take one or two collar shirts (short sleeve fishing shirts) and one or two decent khaki-type shorts, but really even that level of dress is not needed for most places other than some of the slightly more upscale places like Buccanos At Night, Casa Mission, Azul Madera, Kondessa. There may be more fancy places I'm not aware of, but those are nice enough for my crew.

I have heard that some of the restaurants at the southern resorts require men to wear long pants, but I have never been to any of them. My dress during the day is shorts or swimsuit and a Grateful Dead Tshirt; I swap the Tshirt for a Hawaiian shirt for going to dinner in the evenings. I wear "nice" shorts when I go for more upscale dining.

What is Azul Madera? Never mind; I'm sure Google knows.