Cozumel in May (are my costs normal?)

[cuyler]

Having only dived in Thailand I'm not really sure of the costs for diving around the world and many places just seem downright overpriced.

I'm looking to head down to Cozumel for two weeks. I'd like to do my AOW and Rescue diver and of course some fun dives.

The best I've found so far for the two courses, accommodations and diving for the two weeks is about $1600 with AquaSafari (not including rental equipment, airfare and food).

Is that about as good as it gets? Has anyone been able to do better or for some reason would recommend another dive shop? What would be normal for the costs of food in Cozumel? In Thailand the costs in touristy areas could be 2-4 times that of the less touristy areas.

My other thought was to book an all-inclusive and then the diving separately - but most all inclusives are based on double occupancy and this trip I'll be traveling alone (birthday present from me to me )

 

[vlkr]

lots of variables. i never dove with aqua safari but i do use the aqua safari inn when i go solo. nice people and a good place to stay when you are watching the budget. i think they offer both a large slow boat and some small fast 6 pack boats. there are pros and cons to both but i prefer the fast boats which are a little more expensive. if you read through the threads on ops, you will find we all have our favs but there seems to be about a half dozen names which come up the most.
imo your best bet is to stay in town at a place like the aqua safari inn and enjoy the great local restaurants which have been listed on other threads. be sure to be on the square sunday eve for a party with the locals. there are not a lot of places in the world where the locals and the tourists enjoy each other as much as they do on coz.

 

[fire_diver]

All the dive ops are pretty close in price for diving. Where you can save money is in your hotel. But if you are talking about $1600 for two weeks of hotel and diving and dive training, that sounds pretty dang cheap.

 

[SeaFlea]

Hello, you can stay a one of the economy hotels in town like Suites Bahia, Suites Colonial, Hotel Plaza Cozumel, or Hotel Mary Carmen for around $40-45 per ngt. maybe less if you can work out a weekly rate. That is about 600 - 700. As for food, you can get by nicely for $30 or less a day. that puts you at around $1100. the AOW course is about $300. The Rescue Diver course, I don't know.

If you had more time you could probably work that number down some but......

Never the less, you will love Cozumel. Its full of nice folks and some really great diving. I've done the solo trip just like the one above and I really enjoyed myself and got to see alot of Coz that usually you don't get to see.

Go for it!

Good Dives, SeaFlea

 

[Sue Sue]

Shout out to the COZ forum regulars....sometime ago there was a post made by a young man who posted a review of his budget trip. I can't recall who it was ... What I do remember is that he had a fantastic time on a very low budget. This trip review may be of help to our OP... Sue

 

[cuyler]

Oh - and an add on question.

What about costs of equipment? How do the costs in Cozumel compare to Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and/or Maritimes)? There are a lot more places in Cozumel to chose from and shop around but it's possible like dive prices they might all be the same.

I'm just looking for fins, snorkel and mask - nothing too crazy.

 

[ReefHound]

Oh - and an add on question.

What about costs of equipment? How do the costs in Cozumel compare to Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and/or Maritimes)? There are a lot more places in Cozumel to chose from and shop around but it's possible like dive prices they might all be the same.

I'm just looking for fins, snorkel and mask - nothing too crazy.

Your post makes no sense. You're going to Coz to dive but you're only looking to rent fins, snorkel, and mask? I don't think I have EVER known someone who had their own BC/regulator/computer but not their own mask/fins/snorkel.

As stated, pricing is pretty competitive on the island and Aqua Safari is not known for high prices. Without knowing the details of exactly how many dive charters and what kind of lodging, it is not possible to say if you are getting a great deal or could do better.

 

[cuyler]

Your post makes no sense. You're going to Coz to dive but you're only looking to rent fins, snorkel, and mask? I don't think I have EVER known someone who had their own BC/regulator/computer but not their own mask/fins/snorkel.

As stated, pricing is pretty competitive on the island and Aqua Safari is not known for high prices. Without knowing the details of exactly how many dive charters and what kind of lodging, it is not possible to say if you are getting a great deal or could do better.

Haha...no, I'm looking to purchase fins, snorkel and mask and want to know if that's something I should do before heading south or just buy them when I'm there. Everything else I will rent.

 

[DandyDon]

Shout out to the COZ forum regulars....sometime ago there was a post made by a young man who posted a review of his budget trip. I can't recall who it was ... What I do remember is that he had a fantastic time on a very low budget. This trip review may be of help to our OP... Sue

Yeah, it was a very cheap Coz trip, half of it shore diving, dinners at the Mega deli - possible, but not my idea of fun. True, Coz prices are closer to US & Canada prices because we demand so much...

Oh - and an add on question.

What about costs of equipment? How do the costs in Cozumel compare to Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and/or Maritimes)? There are a lot more places in Cozumel to chose from and shop around but it's possible like dive prices they might all be the same.

I'm just looking for fins, snorkel and mask - nothing too crazy.

Do you not own your own gear? Coz is a bad place to try to buy gear. Basic rental gear is usually ok but you need to supply your own snorkel gear and surface signaling devices. I know serious divers in New Brunswick who dive most of the year.

 

[vlkr]

i think i remember that post. chino at found an extremely inexpensive room for the guy to rent but there was no bed so chino brought an inflatable over. was the guy a dm in training?