Advice for a newbie : buying tank packages ahead

[2airishuman]

Thanks for your reply. It's quite helpful. The number of operators and (sometimes) lack of information on the websites make it a bit challenging though. I'll continue my research.

I think everyone on SB has a favorite operator on Cozumel. I like Aldora, and would encourage you to consider them also. There are, as I noted, many excellent operators on the island.

 

[deepsea21]

Christi said it all. Steer clear of on-site Pro Dive in my opinion. Go with an off-site smaller/boutique dive op that delivers far superior service and experiences and will pick you up and drop you off at the Occidental's pier. Watch your fellow vacationers board the Pro Dive cattle boat while you wait for your boutique dive op's boat to arrive just for you (or perhaps they'll be watching you depart on your boutique dive op's boat). Arrange for a personal DM for your first day and if you don't feel comfortable after the 1st day hire a personal DM for the second day or however long it takes until you are comfortable. Heck, a private DM is only $55 or something plus whatever you decide to tip and they really do enjoy a break from the daily routine of watching over multiple divers and getting to be with just one diver or their own little group of divers that hired him. So $55 + a tip if you were pleased with the experience he provided and everyone's more than happy and it cost you no more than a fancy meal out at home. I'd take a private DM any day over a fancy meal out and I'd hire one every day if I had the $ but 14 days of private DM's adds up. A personal DM isn't just "training wheels" but like having your own limo driver. He has the opportunity to display his skills of not only making you 100% comfortable with diving but also pointing out all the cool critters he may not have the time to when they he's serving as a DM for their regular boat groups.

I personally dive with Tres Pelicanos (3P's) but I can't say 3P's is the best as I've not been diving with every dive op the island. A year or more ago there was a thread started here that went I don't know how many posts long but at the end of the day a "Top 10" list came about based on the responses. This list does exclude some other great dive ops but they were excluded because we had to limit it to 10 and it was based on the # of responses touting each dive op. Here it is in alphabetical order (as someone said if we didn't put in alphabetical order others may think they were rated 1-10):

Aldora
Blue Angel
Blue Magic
Blue XT Sea
Bottom Time Divers
Dive with Allison
Dive with Martin
Liquid Blue
Living Underwater
Tres Pelicanos

Have fun but be warned, Cozumel is going to ruin you for lots of future dives and destinations as you're starting out at one of the very best (if not the best) dive destination for the price in close proximity to Canada and the states in my opinion.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Christi said it all. Steer clear of on-site Pro Dive in my opinion. Go with an off-site smaller/boutique dive op that delivers far superior service and experiences and will pick you up and drop you off at the Occidental's pier. Watch your fellow vacationers board the Pro Dive cattle boat while you wait for your boutique dive op's boat to arrive just for you (or perhaps they'll be watching you depart on your boutique dive op's boat).

Interesting..I'm not sure if things have changed but when I dived with Pro Dive at Occidental a few years ago, their concierge diving was quite good and I did not feel like we were on a cattle boat at all. It was quite a small group. At most, there were 2-3 groups total of 4 and we staggered the entry for the dives so that we were "on our own" for each dive. Most dives it was just 2 groups. A few times it was just us. I had a really great experience. The crew and deckhands were great, our DM was very good. We basically didn't have to do anything but show up and dive. All the gear was taken care of. It may have had something to do with us going during shoulder season in mid to late September?

 

[Divingblueberry]

Christi said it all. Steer clear of on-site Pro Dive in my opinion. Go with an off-site smaller/boutique dive op that delivers far superior service and experiences and will pick you up and drop you off at the Occidental's pier. Watch your fellow vacationers board the Pro Dive cattle boat while you wait for your boutique dive op's boat to arrive just for you (or perhaps they'll be watching you depart on your boutique dive op's boat). Arrange for a personal DM for your first day and if you don't feel comfortable after the 1st day hire a personal DM for the second day or however long it takes until you are comfortable. Heck, a private DM is only $55 or something plus whatever you decide to tip and they really do enjoy a break from the daily routine of watching over multiple divers and getting to be with just one diver or their own little group of divers that hired him. So $55 + a tip if you were pleased with the experience he provided and everyone's more than happy and it cost you no more than a fancy meal out at home. I'd take a private DM any day over a fancy meal out and I'd hire one every day if I had the $ but 14 days of private DM's adds up. A personal DM isn't just "training wheels" but like having your own limo driver. He has the opportunity to display his skills of not only making you 100% comfortable with diving but also pointing out all the cool critters he may not have the time to when they he's serving as a DM for their regular boat groups.

I personally dive with Tres Pelicanos (3P's) but I can't say 3P's is the best as I've not been diving with every dive op the island. A year or more ago there was a thread started here that went I don't know how many posts long but at the end of the day a "Top 10" list came about based on the responses. This list does exclude some other great dive ops but they were excluded because we had to limit it to 10 and it was based on the # of responses touting each dive op. Here it is in alphabetical order (as someone said if we didn't put in alphabetical order others may think they were rated 1-10):

Aldora
Blue Angel
Blue Magic
Blue XT Sea
Bottom Time Divers
Dive with Allison
Dive with Martin
Liquid Blue
Living Underwater
Tres Pelicanos

Have fun but be warned, Cozumel is going to ruin you for lots of future dives and destinations as you're starting out at one of the very best (if not the best) dive destination for the price in close proximity to Canada and the states in my opinion.

That is a great list ; I saw many of them here and there, but it's great to have them grouped. Thanks !

Your warning made me smile : I said to one of my friend that starting with Cozumel is like buying a Porshe after getting your driver's licence.

 

[BertStevens]

As a new diver, I would HIGHLY encourage you to start with a shop that runs smaller groups AND hire a private DM for at least your first day. ProDive is a high volume resort operation - so larger groups, more people on the boat and less personal attention - which is no bueno for a brand new diver, particularly for a brand new diver who has never been on a dive boat or logged an ocean drift dive.

It's no less convenient if you go with a shop that doesn't require you to come to town for check-in and it will be a MUCH safer and more enjoyable experience for you to be in a smaller group with more personalized attention. In fact, one of these valet shops will be more convenient because not only will they pick you up at the hotel pier, they will keep your gear for you instead of you having to haul it back and forth, wash it and shove it in a stinky dive locker.

Christi is giving you great advice! Book with one of the smaller outfits and get picked up at the dock. You will have a much better time!

That said, I will be diving with ProDive the week of 6/17 because I have some credit to use from being rained out last year in Playa del Carmen.

But once that’s used up, I’m going to one of the boutique outfits for the next week.

 

[Dogbowl]

That is a great list ; I saw many of them here and there, but it's great to have them grouped. Thanks !

Your warning made me smile : I said to one of my friend that starting with Cozumel is like buying a Porshe after getting your driver's licence.

No no no, it’s like buying a Mercedes...Raja Ampat is the Porsche, which I’ve been advised in another thread I shouldn’t do until after several other less impressive places (Caribbean, Red Sea, Philippines, etc). If you go to Raja, you can never go back (to the Caribbean). LOL.

 

[2airishuman]

Interesting..I'm not sure if things have changed but when I dived with Pro Dive at Occidental a few years ago, their concierge diving was quite good and I did not feel like we were on a cattle boat at all. It was quite a small group. At most, there were 2-3 groups total of 4 and we staggered the entry for the dives so that we were "on our own" for each dive. Most dives it was just 2 groups. A few times it was just us. I had a really great experience. The crew and deckhands were great, our DM was very good. We basically didn't have to do anything but show up and dive. All the gear was taken care of. It may have had something to do with us going during shoulder season in mid to late September?

The diving in Cozumel is close enough to shore that it is practical to run smaller boats with a capacity of 4-6 paying customers plus captain and DM. The best operators in Cozumel do this. Operations that run larger boats may do fine on a slow day, but can't provide the same level of service when they are at capacity. The best dives in Cozumel are drift dives, and it is difficult to conduct a drift dive with a large boat and large group of divers.

The situation varies from one place to the next. Places other than Cozumel where the dives are a greater distance from shore, and where 2-3 foot seas are common, are better served by larger boats, and so even the best operations run them.

 

[Divingblueberry]

No no no, it’s like buying a Mercedes...Raja Ampat is the Porsche, which I’ve been advised in another thread I shouldn’t do until after several other less impressive places (Caribbean, Red Sea, Philippines, etc). If you go to Raja, you can never go back (to the Caribbean). LOL.

Holly molly !!!!!!!!

I just googled it... I totally agree with you. That is one for much later. This place is amazing...

 

[Dogbowl]

Holly molly !!!!!!!!

I just googled it... I totally agree with you. That is one for much later. This place is amazing...

Here’s post #26 from this thread: Questions about choosing a Raja Ampat liveaboard

Plan A:
1 learn somewhere cold “brrr”
2 Caribbean “Wow, amazing!!”
3 Cozumel “Wow, amazing!”
4 Red Sea, “Wow!”
5 Bali, “Amazing!”
6 Komodo “OMG!”
7 RA “!!!!!”

Plan B
1 learn somewhere cold
2 RA “!!!!!”
3 Komodo, “nice dragon”
4 Bali, “hmmm, ok, nice water gardens”
5 Red Sea, “not bad”
6 Cozumel, “where is the golf course?”

The world is full of excellent diving. Starting with the “best” may lead to future disappointment.

Personally I am off to St Kilda, weather permitting, latter this week. I expect it to be more fun than any of the above.

 

[Christi]

At most, there were 2-3 groups total of 4 and we staggered the entry for the dives so that we were "on our own" for each dive.

Haha - that is still 8 - 12 divers on the boat! That can be really overwhelming for a new diver.