Cozumel in May (are my costs normal?)

[cuyler]

To make the airport decision (CUN vs. CZM), you need to consider the ground transportation cost to Coz, total travel time, and make-ability of your return flight.

Both the ADO bus & the ferry companies have raised prices -- now it's about $28US each way if you carry your own bags between the Playa bus terminal & ferry pier and off the Coz ferry pier. Add tricycle guys to carry your bags and you add a few dollars.

The transfer from Cancun airport to Coz usually adds between 2 & 4 hours to your travel time depending on bus & ferry schedules. If lessening travel time is important to you, compare this to connection times for flights into CZM.

Also, due to the bus schedule, early departures from CUN are difficult to make unless you stay on the mainland for the last night of your trip or hire a taxi from Playa to CUN, which is expensive IMO.

Ground transportation for 1 person from CZM (shared van) or the Coz ferry (taxi) to a hotel would be just about equal, so I don't think you need to worry about that when making your decision.

I have my search set up to show costs both to Cancun and Cozumel. If I went through Cancun I would definitely add a day staying in Cancun. I likely won't go that way since prices right now are around $480 for Cancun, $550 for Cozumel. That $70 really isn't worth the $60 in transfer costs and 8 hours of total travel (that's valuing my time at $1.25/hour).

Now, if a flight into Cancun comes in at $300 or so then I'll be tempted.

 

[kmurray719]

Well, you chose to fly from Boston to Cozumel. They present alternative airports for you to fly into (in this case Cancun) where you could bus/ferry to your final destination. Your search is still for a trip to Cozumel so they assume you want to stay in Cozumel, not Cancun or you would have searched that to begin with.

I was referring to this comment:

Call Orbitz on their free number, tell them you want to fly to Cancun but use 200entertain discount on a hotel in Cozumel. See what they can do...?

and wondering why someone would need to call to arrange that as it comes up as an option automatically for me.

 

[fire_diver]

Early this month, weather cancelled our flight that was going into Coz. Rather than lose a day we opted to change to a flight that landed in Cancun. It took about 5 hours to get to our hotel on Coz. The ADO bus took just over an hour to get to the ferry terminal, but it only cost $10 per person. The Ferry was $13 per person (one way), and then the cab charged us $8 each from the pier to the hotel (I think we got robbed on that cost). So, if you go that route, make sure you plan for the cost and time.

One more thing... convert your money into pesos! Yes, the shops take $US but you lose out. They typically charge 10-1 pesos for $US, when the true exchange rate was 12.5 - 1. Most all prices are in Pesos, so don't get sticker shock.

 

[ggunn]

I didn't notice that wide of prices when I was looking. All the dive ops I saw were about $65-70. But there are a lot of dive op in Coz.

There are indeed, and the numbers I gave (a $50-$90 range) may be a little out of date. See Dive With Martin and Aldora. There are of course, differences in amenities between ops as well.

 

[DandyDon]

I was assuming that you would use Moncton, NB or Charlottetown, PEI for departure/return airports, right? You didn't say but it looks like your only logical ones...?

You can fly into Cancun for $100 less than into Coz and do it in 8 hrs each way instead of 31 hrs! :shocked2:

No, the $100 difference is not enough for going thru Cancun. A lot of Coz regulars do go thru CUN for various reasons but it's always nicer to fly to & from Coz if reasonable overall. I was thinking about a combination of travel time from original airport and cost combined. It looks like...

You can fly Moncton to Cancun in 8.5 hours, return in 8, 1 connection each way, for $481.

If I restrict to Cozumel only, the travel time from Moncton jumps to over 31 hours each way at $582 - or if I restrict to no overnight travel, then the price jumps to $930 based on my findings.

From Charlottetown, West Jet can fly you to Cancun for $652 RT, overnight travel with 20-26 hours travel time just between airports.

From Charlottetown to Cozumel only jumps to $925 still with overnight travel, or $1307 without overnight and with too many connections.​

But then I don't know how much of a challenge it is for you to get to Moncton for a 6am plane or from a 10pm return. The distance is less than I travel for 5am departures and 10pm returns but I don't have to cross a channel at home. Maybe I should have asked for more info and preferences from you before suggesting.

I have my search set up to show costs both to Cancun and Cozumel. If I went through Cancun I would definitely add a day staying in Cancun. I likely won't go that way since prices right now are around $480 for Cancun, $550 for Cozumel. That $70 really isn't worth the $60 in transfer costs and 8 hours of total travel (that's valuing my time at $1.25/hour).

Now, if a flight into Cancun comes in at $300 or so then I'll be tempted.

Which origin airport are you using?

I was referring to this comment:

and wondering why someone would need to call to arrange that as it comes up as an option automatically for me.

Good internet shopping. Some have difficulties with that and the Orbitz agents are very helpful, but if you can make it work online with the $200 discount, cool.

Early this month, weather cancelled our flight that was going into Coz. Rather than lose a day we opted to change to a flight that landed in Cancun. It took about 5 hours to get to our hotel on Coz. The ADO bus took just over an hour to get to the ferry terminal, but it only cost $10 per person. The Ferry was $13 per person (one way), and then the cab charged us $8 each from the pier to the hotel (I think we got robbed on that cost). So, if you go that route, make sure you plan for the cost and time.

One more thing... convert your money into pesos! Yes, the shops take $US but you lose out. They typically charge 10-1 pesos for $US, when the true exchange rate was 12.5 - 1. Most all prices are in Pesos, so don't get sticker shock.

If you have more than one person, the cost of a cab becomes more appealing. depending on what you can negotiate. I've heard $25 to $60 one way. Yeah, I always fly in and out of Coz if I can.

He's coming from Prince Edwards Is so I don't think he will be carrying a lot of USD.

There are indeed, and the numbers I gave (a $50-$90 range) may be a little out of date. See Dive With Martin and Aldora. There are of course, differences in amenities between ops as well.

I don't know of anyone charging $50 for a 2 tank boat trip, but with your personal loyalties you might be getting a discount?

 

[ggunn]

I don't know of anyone charging $50 for a 2 tank boat trip, but with your personal loyalties you might be getting a discount?

I wouldn't be talking about any special arrangements on a public forum. IIRC, DWM was charging US$52 for a two tank dive the last I heard, but that was a couple of years ago. Aldora was US$87.

 

[DandyDon]

I wouldn't be talking about any special arrangements on a public forum. IIRC, DWM was charging US$52 for a two tank dive the last I heard, but that was a couple of years ago. Aldora was US$87.

Of course you wouldn't; just thot it might have slipped. There may be some offering less than $60 which I don't know of. DWM's site says $60 with these notes...

# All prices are in US$
# All prices are cash discount prices. Payments must be made in cash or travelers checks
# All prices include FREE rental gear (based on availability). Wetsuits (shorty) and dive lights are available for rent
# Prices do NOT include $2 per day per diver Marine Park fee
# We offer extended bottom times within computer limits
# Between dive days we will rinse and store your dive gear for you​

 

[cuyler]

The time on the flight is definitely under consideration. Right now I see the following (through Kayak):
Halifax -> Cozumel $574 (10.5hr down/11.5 back)
Halifax -> Cancun $484 (7.5/11.5)
Moncton -> Cozumel $594 (31/32)
Moncton -> Cancun $475 (8.5/8)

Expedia does show a flight from Halifax to Cozumel for $550 (a whole $24 cheaper) but it's 21 hours each way - in that case I'd splurge and go for the extra $24. Budget travelling has it's limits for me.

So, while I could drive to Moncton instead (closer by about 1.5 hours), save $100 on the ticket and 2-3 hours in flying time it would mean having to deal with travelling from Cancun to Cozumel which I think would negate nearly all the ticket and time savings.

I do live in PEI but for long distance flights a lot of the time I'll drive over to Halifax, past the Charlottetown and Moncton airports. When it comes to dealing with cancelled/delayed flights I find Halifax has more options. Flying out of Charlottetown to Ottawa back in Decemeber my flight got cancelled and the next one I could be booked on was two days away. Some folks on my flight (who don't have AirCanada cancellations in their phonebook) didn't get to fly out for another 5 days.

I even looked at combining another visit with friends in Ottawa and then taking a road trip down to Syracuse and flying out of there but I was shocked to see airfare out of SYR was't really any cheaper. I'd always read about Canadian heading south to catch the cheap airfare - I guess that only really applies is flying within the US.

 

[DandyDon]

Halifax! I missed that. Yeah, I got to start asking people for their preferred airports before additional work & typing.

Halifax -> Cozumel $574 (10.5hr down/11.5 back) looks nice. I've paid that much and traveled that long from here. Have a great trip. ilot:

 

[cuyler]

Thanks for all the help - very much appreciated.