Accomodations near Fonatur?

[arew+4]

We are staying at El Cantil Condos and diving with tres pelicanos, they will pick us every day on the way to the Marina.

 

[ggunn]

Just curious - the distance from Presidente to the marina is just over ½ mile because you have to go out to the main road and around a wooded area.

I just said it was the closest, not that it was all that close.

 

[ReefHound]

We are staying at El Cantil Condos and diving with tres pelicanos, they will pick us every day on the way to the Marina.

You mean they will have a taxi pick you up?

 

[arew+4]

No they are in town and will pick us up on the way to the Marina, I guess they have a van or bus or something because that's are five of us.

 

[ReefHound]

No they are in town and will pick us up on the way to the Marina, I guess they have a van or bus or something because that's are five of us.

Did you see the recent thread on the canceled flight and ensuing standoff with taxis and shuttles when returning passengers to the airport? That is against the local rules and you might well find yourself at the center of another dispute. Businesses are not supposed to be transporting their customers on the island.

 

[cozcharlie]

Just curious - the distance from Presidente to the marina is just over ½ mile because you have to go out to the main road and around a wooded area. On a map, it looks like one could walk to the end of the property beside the hotel (maybe a part of the hotel) and be right at Caleta marina. Is there a secret path that someone could take to get into and then walk around Caleta to Fonotur or is the marina fenced off and/or does it have restricted access? Looks like a shortcut with a comfortable (if you didn't have a lot of heavy gear too carry) walking distance to me.

Hopefully someone who has stayed at Presidente will chime in, but if there is a "shortcut" to Marina Cozumel/Fonatur, I suspect it would still be a decent trek. You have to get around Caleta and then through around Marina/Cozumel Fonatur. If you did decide to stay at Presidente, one question for DWM is if they will pick you up at Presidente if you want to be in that general area. I used to be on boats that stopped there fairly often years back to pick up/drop off divers but that hasn't happened in years. Might be just coincidence that hasn't happened in a while or they may be charging a fee or only allowing their on-site op to pick up now.

If you like DWM, you may be best off just sticking with them. As many have noted, taxis are pretty prevalent and painless aside from Covid risks (which are definitely material if you haven't been vaccinated--I knew 3 employees of one business who got it last week). Round-trip taxis to marina will be a lot cheaper than the cost difference of Presidente versus Casa Mexicana or an Air Bnb/VRBO in town. Until the cruise ships really come back in force, I suspect there will be plenty of taxis to go around. There are usually several lined up waiting at the marina every day, but I suspect there will be a few less with cruise ships gradually returning (but probably not zero)

 

[jonhall]

The key words right now are “will pick us up.” We will wait for the @arew+4 post after they have been picked up to see what they were picked up in.

 

[noj3333]

No they are in town and will pick us up on the way to the Marina, I guess they have a van or bus or something because that's are five of us.

The have 2 or 3 trucks that'll stop and pick you up. I was given a ride every day from the shop to the marina. We'd pick up divers along the way. If our truck was full, or is someone was on the way, but slightly out of the way, another truck would grab them. Most of the time we'd get a ride back in the shop truck, however a few times they paid our taxi fare back to the shop.

Businesses are not supposed to be transporting their customers on the island.

Several shops make pick up's on various piers (I know you know this), and it's overlooked/ allowed.

I also know of a few other shops that transport their divers to and from the marina. The taxi's must know 3P is doing this... we'd load up and drive past a few waiting taxis every day after our dives, every time without issue. Along these lines I appreciate a shop who's looking out for THEIR customers, and thumbing their nose to the taxi mafia....

 

[noj3333]

The key words right now are “will pick us up.” We will wait for the @arew+4 post after they have been picked up to see what they were picked up in.

Rides were given in shop trucks... I'm pretty tall, so I almost always got the front seat. 3 in the back happened, but it was not common... once or twice we had 5 in the cab (the shop employee/ driver, and 4 customers), and a DM jumped in the bed of the truck. It wasn't uncommon for them to use 2 trucks... a red one and white one to make the pick ups...

A few times they used a taxi for the return trip. They covered the tab for that...

This isn't a secret... they 'advertise' it on their website.

 

[ReefHound]

Several shops make pick up's on various piers (I know you know this), and it's overlooked/ allowed.

I also know of a few other shops that transport their divers to and from the marina. The taxi's must know 3P is doing this... we'd load up and drive past a few waiting taxis every day after our dives, every time without issue. Along these lines I appreciate a shop who's looking out for THEIR customers, and thumbing their nose to the taxi mafia....

The taxi union rules do not extend to the water. Boats can pick up and drop off their customers at any pier all they want, with the pier owner's permission.