Trip Report (The Trip that Almost Wasn't)

[ljwillia]

Got back from our 7th trip to Cozumel on July 6. We go to Coz for two reasons; to dive and to eat. Neither disappointed. The flights, on the other hand were mostly horrific.

Booked tickets on Southwest in Feb into Cancun. We prefer to fly into Coz but couldn't justify the added expense. Tickets to CUN were $500 round trip, or so I thought. 24 hours in advance of our trip I check in on the Southwest app. 1 Adult ticket confirmed. Hmmm. Must be two boarding passes. Nope. Call Southwest. I booked two tickets, you billed me for two tickets. SW "Yes. You booked one ticket out and one back for 1 adult". Who counts each leg as 1 ticket? I'm sure this was my error but I have no idea how I missed this.

Please tell me there is room on the flight for my husband? "We can get him there but we can't get him home". CRAP!! Hubby was actually ok with that arrangement Fortunately, United had round trip seats available into Coz from Richmond through Houston. Had to pay a premium for last minute booking Thank goodness SW gives full refunds. After several delays of the flight to Houston we eventually made our connecting fligh and on to the island. I wasn't sure we'd actually get there. For a while it looked like we would have to spend the night in Houston.

Dove with Alex Salas of Alex Adventures Cozumel. Been diving with him since our first trip to Coz and thoroughly enjoy it. Currents were down and dives were wonderful. No sargasso on the west side although I hear there is quite a bit on the East. Sites: Palancar Caves (twice), Palancar Gardens, Santa Rosa, Columbia, Dehlila, Cedral, The Mountains. The only complaint was the day Alex had to go to the mainland and we dove with another guide. He took us on a swim thru in Palancar Caves that was so narrow I thought I might get stuck not to mention the fact that it was impossible to keep from hitting and doing damage. Never again!

Dining - El Moro (twice) I can't say enough good things about Ray. He is such a sweet man! Guidos, Kondessa (really hot), Los Otates, Buccanos at Night (service was amazing, food was good,preferred Guidos), Los Otates.

Stayed at an AirBnb called Las Iguanas on the North end of Centro not far from Las Ventanas. We like to be able to walk to town. We also usually go to Coz in October. July was our only window this year. Better hot than not but still prefer October. Our condo was on the 4th floor 1 block from Melgar. Great views of the ocean but no elevator or AC in the stairway. Thought we would all have buns 'o steel by the time the week was up.

Love Coz. Can't wait to return....preferably in the fall or winter

P.S. We had filled in the immigration forms on line. I thought we might have an issue when we got to the immigration desk since our on-line submission showed us on SW into CUN. Nope. I don't think they had any record of us at all. Also, on the way back, my husband lost his form. I always wondered what would happen. Now I know. Pay $46.00 and fill out a new one.

 

[CajunDiva]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write a trip report! It's always nice to hear how things went Airlines are impossible, but glad you had a great time otherwise!

 

[Karloss]

Got back from our 7th trip to Cozumel on July 6. We go to Coz for two reasons; to dive and to eat. Neither disappointed. The flights, on the other hand were mostly horrific.

Sounds like my wife and I.

 

[GameChanger]

The only complaint was the day Alex had to go to the mainland and we dove with another guide. He took us on a swim thru in Palancar Caves that was so narrow I thought I might get stuck not to mention the fact that it was impossible to keep from hitting and doing damage. Never again!

I was just thinking about this the other day. I think I know the swim-thru you mention here. I agree...I do not see the purpose. My experience has been that with most swim-thru's there is little to see when you take into account the silt that is kicked-up from the other diver's ahead of you and the minimal ambient light. I always carry a flashlight but I have noticed that most diver's do not or if they do, they are not using them. I have seen more reef collisions in these swim-thru's and with the exception of an eel or a lobster/crab, my experience has been that there is very minimal marine life. I would much rather spend more of my dive-time on top of the reefs.
JMHO/YMMV

 

[ggunn]

Got back from our 7th trip to Cozumel on July 6. We go to Coz for two reasons; to dive and to eat. Neither disappointed. The flights, on the other hand were mostly horrific.

Booked tickets on Southwest in Feb into Cancun. We prefer to fly into Coz but couldn't justify the added expense. Tickets to CUN were $500 round trip, or so I thought. 24 hours in advance of our trip I check in on the Southwest app. 1 Adult ticket confirmed. Hmmm. Must be two boarding passes. Nope. Call Southwest. I booked two tickets, you billed me for two tickets. SW "Yes. You booked one ticket out and one back for 1 adult". Who counts each leg as 1 ticket? I'm sure this was my error but I have no idea how I missed this.

Yeah, that's the thing about using SWA; you book flights to and from separately. It makes it look like the flights are crazy cheap until you see what's going on.

 

[ccannon707]

Thanks for posting your report. +1 on the swim thrus... getting sand kicked in my face in a small dark space is not my idea of fun. My long time DM knows I don't like them so he points me up while the rest go thru. I follow the bubbles and meet them on the other side.

Re: Southwest. I've never played the mileage game but recently signed up for the SW Rapid Rewards card & got 50K free miles, mainly because they fly into Cancun. Then it turns out the only flight from SFO leaves at 6AM As I'm a 2 hr bus ride from SFO this is not going to work. I ended up taking a 1 way via Interjet to Cancun (cheap & non-stop) and then used my SW miles home. Sorry you didn't get the hang of how they book... now you know. IMHO they are one of the best run airlines around. And bags fly free - yay!

 

[AdivingBel]

Don't really understand about the swim throughs. Sounds like you need to dive with better divers. I understand if it's your first trip, don't know the dive op, don't know the divers etc.. At some point you zero in on the dive op that fits your likes and groups like divers. Swim throughs aren't necessarily my fav, but I'm diving with folks that don't kick up sand etc. either because I know the divers or I know the dive op won't put me on a boat with divers that can't handle a swim through. Not really that hard in Coz if you've been there a few times. It's one of the things that sets Coz apart from other dive locales. All IMHO, YMMV.

My long time DM knows I don't like them so he points me up while the rest go thru. I follow the bubbles and meet them on the other side.

+1 Do this...

 

[ljwillia]

I was just thinking about this the other day. I think I know the swim-thru you mention here. I agree...I do not see the purpose. My experience has been that with most swim-thru's there is little to see when you take into account the silt that is kicked-up from the other diver's ahead of you and the minimal ambient light. I always carry a flashlight but I have noticed that most diver's do not or if they do, they are not using them. I have seen more reef collisions in these swim-thru's and with the exception of an eel or a lobster/crab, my experience has been that there is very minimal marine life. I would much rather spend more of my dive-time on top of the reefs.
JMHO/YMMV

Completely agree! I've never gotten the enticement of swim thru's. I much prefer the top of the reef where light still penetrates. This particular swim thru had beautiful fans on each side as you entered. It was impossible to maneuver between them and too late to back out. When we got back on the boat my husband discovered that his wrist lanyard on his light was sliced through. We check our BC's and hoses well to make sure nothing else had been damaged. Unfortunately, I am sure that there was damage to the reef.

 

[ljwillia]

Yeah, that's the thing about using SWA; you book flights to and from separately. It makes it look like the flights are crazy cheap until you see what's going on.

That's exactly what happened. When I saw the flight was $500.00 I jumped on it. Previously we've been able to get flights directly into Coz for that price. This year flights were $1K and up. I was resigned to doing the bag drag for save that much money. Had I realized there was no savings I would have bitten the bullet and booked the flight to Coz.

I was thankful for SW's cash refund policy. You don't see that on any other airlines these days.

 

[The Chairman]

Also, on the way back, my husband lost his form.

I stuff mine into my passport.