Another Cozumel noob looking for advice from the regulars

[Mike]

I know you probably hate seeing yet another one of these "tell me where to go!" threads, but I'm in a crunch and just don't have time to do a full search of the vast amounts of information in this forum. And it is VAST! I have done at least some cursory searching, and I will take the trouble to tell you exactly what I'm looking for, so hopefully you won't be too annoyed at another one of these threads to offer to help me.

I'm considering taking a trip to Cozumel during the week of July 4. (I suddenly found myself with that week open, and want to get in some diving.) So I'm trying to figure out where to stay, and what dive op to use. (Sound familiar so far?)

Here's where hopefully my thread differs - I've got some specific needs and desires:

Hotel Criteria

1. I am going to take my senior-citizen mother with me, who will just relax at the pool/beach while I dive. So I need to stay some place where she will be comfortable, treated well and not bored to tears. Hence, a larger resort will probably work better than a tiny hotel. And a place with activities and an onsite spa would be terrific.

2. I ain't broke so I'm willing to spend if it's truly worth it - but don't want to blow cash on a so-called five-star resort if it will leave me disappointed. I've stayed at some awesome high-end resorts around the world, but have enjoyed myself equally at quaint boutique hotels and well-run budget inns. I'd rather spend less at a decent place with fab service and amenities and feel like I got my money's worth, if the high-end resorts are not a good value for the spend. I've looked at the Presidente InterContinental - I stayed at the InterContinental in Tahiti, and loved it! - but I'm not sure this one is up to the same standards. Thoughts?

3. An all-inclusive would be great - took a peek at Cozumel Palace Resort - but not if the food is cruise-ship-buffet quality and the booze is cheap crap poured into name-brand bottles. I've never actually stayed at an AI, but would definitely be willing to try it, especially with Mom along - it would be nice not to have to worry about meals. But I tend to be a foodie, so if the food sucks I'd rather just deal with the meals separately.

Dive Op Criteria

1. Just to set the stage: I am a reasonably advanced diver - 200+ dives, PADI AOW & GUE-Fundies trained, have dived in some very challenging locations around the world, and will be bringing my own gear. Want to dive steel & Nitrox, if possible.

2. Since I will be alone, I will need a dive op that will either insta-buddy me with another diver, or a DM. I'm from SoCal where, on our boats, the DMs don't generally even get in the water and divers are expected to bring their own buddies and dive on their own...but I assume that Cozumel is a typical resort-diving destination where you are expected to dive in a herd with a DM. Normally I detest this, but since I'm solo I need an op that will dive with me.

3. No cattle boats! Small boat, small group would be great, and I don't want to be forced to end my dive cuz of noobie hoovers. Would love a dive op that is willing and able to work with a mix of skills (assuming there will be noobs on the boat) and won't force-fit to the lowest common denominator.

4. Now for the real complication: I had major back surgery a few months ago, and while I've been doing physical therapy and am doing great, I have to be careful with the gear on my back - no shore dives for me, and I will need some help gearing up and stepping off, and getting back on the boat. So I need a dive op that is full-service and willing to pamper, and willing to work with me given my special needs.

5. While it would be awesome to use a dive op onsite at the resort, I strongly suspect this is a fantasy. I have yet to find an onsite dive op that didn't violate most of the criteria I listed above. BUT hey, maybe I'll be surprised - if y'all come back and tell me a particular onsite dive op is the bomb, I would consider staying there. (One can dream, right?)

So I hope I gave enough details to elicit some real advice...and thank you all in advance! I know Coz is a much loved dive location, and I look forward to experiencing it myself.

Sounds like you need to consider combining a stay at the Presidente and diving with Aldora.

The local dive op Scuba Du of the Presidente would take good care of you also, however while the service between them and Aldora would be comparible, the difference would be the diving. Aldora is going to provide you with a more advanced dive site experience because of the quality of the divers you would be with, where as Scuba Du has to cater to the richer/less skilled divers that stay at a place like the Presidente. (If you've been around, you know what I'm referring to.)

 

[Mossman]

I'm curious why anyone stays at the Presidente. I did a while back and was not impressed. What do you get for the $310 king-size ocean view that you wouldn't get in the $358 ocean view at the Cozumel Palace?

Aldora makes the entire group surface together. That can be a negative.

 

[desert diver 71]

And another 2 cents. We went to Cozumel in September 2008 with about 15 dives under our belt. We dove with Living Underwater, Jeremy is the best DM I've seen, not that I have lots of experience but he will take care of you. He told us he had 4000 dives logged until hurricane Wilma wiped out his records. We went with our friends who had already dove with him on 4 previous trips. Plus, he'll stop by the hotel & pick up your gear if your flight isn't too late. We also stayed at the Cozumel Palace. The service & food is great but it doesn't have a beach, that was my only complaint. We are scheduled to go back to Cozumel this September, we can't wait since our diving skills have improved since 2008!

 

[Leejnd]

Sounds like you need to consider combining a stay at the Presidente and diving with Aldora.

The local dive op Scuba Du of the Presidente would take good care of you also, however while the service between them and Aldora would be comparible, the difference would be the diving. Aldora is going to provide you with a more advanced dive site experience because of the quality of the divers you would be with, where as Scuba Du has to cater to the richer/less skilled divers that stay at a place like the Presidente. (If you've been around, you know what I'm referring to.)

I totally know what you're referring to. I made the mistake of using the onsite dive up at the Intercontinental in Tahiti once - and it was exactly as you describe. I'll take your advice and do my research on private dive ops.

I'm curious why anyone stays at the Presidente. I did a while back and was not impressed. What do you get for the $310 king-size ocean view that you wouldn't get in the $358 ocean view at the Cozumel Palace?

Aldora makes the entire group surface together. That can be a negative.

I hear you about the Presidente. After doing further researching, reading online reviews etc., I've ruled them out...for exactly the reason you mention. Like I said before, I don't mind paying more if I feel like I'm really getting something extra for the extra spend. But, while it's a lovely place and I'm sure we'd have a great time, I'm just not getting the feeling that it's worth that premium price. I also don't like that it's further away from town. I'm pretty well sold on the Cozumel Palace at this point.

Is it true that Aldora limits your dive time to the biggest hoover? That's not cool. I rule dive ops out for that reason - in fact, that's often the first questions I ask. Well I'm still doing my research on dive ops - I'll post when I've picked one.

I want to say a big THANK YOU for all the advice! This was a truly awesome thread. I normally plan my vacations looong in advance (a year or more) so I have time to read, research and learn all the ins and outs, but this is a month away and I didn't even know where to begin. All your help allowed me to cut to the chase and focus my search, and it saved me a LOT of time. I once posted similar questions in the Hawaii forum before a sudden trip to Maui, and all I got was "read the stickies" and "ya know, the search function works". So I really appreciate your kindness.

 

[cvchief]

I wouldn't be too quick on crossing out Aldora. I have never dove with them, but they do have the larger steel tanks, so IF they surface as a group, it still could be quite a long dive compared to an 80AL. While I am an Alison devotee, I have on my list to try to get on one of Aldora's eastside trips when the west side is closed for a Norte. I wouldn't want to dive on a 80 if we came up as a group but on a 120 steel maybe another story. I am sure an Aldora fan might jump in here on their policy on surfacing.

 

[blue steal]

LeeAnne, Aldora uses the big steel tanks and BT with them is long. You would not be disappointed using them.
A plus is that they will be at the Scuba show next week, so you talk to them.
I like the Blue angel, but that's me.

 

[Mike]

I totally know what you're referring to. I made the mistake of using the onsite dive up at the Intercontinental in Tahiti once - and it was exactly as you describe. I'll take your advice and do my research on private dive ops.



I hear you about the Presidente. After doing further researching, reading online reviews etc., I've ruled them out...for exactly the reason you mention. Like I said before, I don't mind paying more if I feel like I'm really getting something extra for the extra spend. But, while it's a lovely place and I'm sure we'd have a great time, I'm just not getting the feeling that it's worth that premium price. I also don't like that it's further away from town. I'm pretty well sold on the Cozumel Palace at this point.

Is it true that Aldora limits your dive time to the biggest hoover? That's not cool. I rule dive ops out for that reason - in fact, that's often the first questions I ask. Well I'm still doing my research on dive ops - I'll post when I've picked one.

I want to say a big THANK YOU for all the advice! This was a truly awesome thread. I normally plan my vacations looong in advance (a year or more) so I have time to read, research and learn all the ins and outs, but this is a month away and I didn't even know where to begin. All your help allowed me to cut to the chase and focus my search, and it saved me a LOT of time. I once posted similar questions in the Hawaii forum before a sudden trip to Maui, and all I got was "read the stickies" and "ya know, the search function works". So I really appreciate your kindness.

You're getting some crossed wires responses here.

Aldora is one of the top 3 dive ops on Cozumel, the President of Mexico just did a dive vacation with them.

They are one of the very few dive ops who dive with steel 120s, you know what that means for bottom times? Do you like 90 minute dives? They put the first diver who hits 1000psi on the dive masters long hose to extend the dives for everyone else. They are the only dive op that dives the east side of the island... the list goes on and on about them. Somebody saying they make everybody surface at the same time likes it's a negative is like somebody saying they make everybody dive in at the same time as a negative, it simply has no bearing on the bottom times. Their dive masters are all instructors and some of them have over 10,000 dives.

As for the Presidente - the biggest difference between them and the Palace is the location and the resulting expeience as a result. Away from town, isn't a problem for some people, it's actually a plus because it puts you on a large reserve of well groomed grounds, it gives you an actual beach. The place is quiet and offers a very different experience, no views of cruise ships docked in front of you. Being away from town also puts you closer to the Money Bar, right down the street. Service is top notch, as it should be with a hotel like this, their simply are no excuses or compromises to be made when you stay there. Plus the rooms with the outside showers... well you've gotta try one to know what that's all about.

I'm not saying the Presidente is the ultimate place to stay on Cozumel with no other place in the running, but lets point out some of the reasons it does as well as it does.

But I will say that anybody who can come up with a negative about Aldora, my guess woud be they have never actually dived with them. Fast boats, divided by experience, surface intervals on the beach, steel 120s, valet dive service, east side diving, access to all the advanced sites, instructors for DMs.... come on now.

The one thing you'll find on these forums is everybody has certain dive ops or hotels they rah rah about. When they put up negatives about other places, its almost always a given that they've never even used the other op or stayed at the other hotel and are just voicing bias.

 

[cvchief]

Of course when the President dives with them, I am sure they surface when HE is low on air. Everyone else, hold your breath.....

 

[Mossman]

But I will say that anybody who can come up with a negative about Aldora, my guess woud be they have never actually dived with them. Fast boats, divided by experience, surface intervals on the beach, steel 120s, valet dive service, east side diving, access to all the advanced sites, instructors for DMs.... come on now.

The one thing you'll find on these forums is everybody has certain dive ops or hotels they rah rah about. When they put up negatives about other places, its almost always a given that they've never even used the other op or stayed at the other hotel and are just voicing bias.

Maybe it's "almost always a given" but not for me. I've stayed at the Presidente and I've dove with Aldora. Granted, both these experiences were over 10 years ago (in March 2001) so things might have changed, but I have my reasons for not repeating either.

Yes, the Presidente was practically rebuilt after Wilma (I was on the island a few months after and it still looked like a war zone), and yes, Dave Dillehay is running Aldora again, so perhaps I should try them both again one day. However, in the meantime, there are now plenty of dive ops on the island that offer larger tanks and longer dives. Jeremy wasn't running Living Underwater back in 2001. Cozumel Palace was still the Plaza Las Glorias in 2001. Lots of things have changed.

My experience with the Presidente back then was good to be sure, but I didn't (and today, still don't) see the value in the overpriced rooms. The location is a pain, unless you don't want to leave the grounds (no Money Bar back in 2001), and if you don't leave the grounds, I felt the food and drink offerings were overpriced as well. On the other hand, Cozumel Palace to me offers more convenience, a two-person hot tub in the room and hammock on the balcony, exceptional service, and most of all, tremendous value. If money were absolutely no object, a suite at the Presidente and dining out every night at the best spots might be in order. However, when I spend a larger sum in an otherwise budget locale like Cozumel, I expect to get a lot for my money. IMO Cozumel Palace delivers, el Presidente does not. Obviously this is subjective, and experiences can vary.

Likewise, dive op preference is subjective and experiences can vary. My experiences with Aldora back in 2001 were decidely different from the hype delivered by Aldora cheerleaders today (Aldora had plenty of cheerleaders back then too, which is one reason why I chose to dive with them). We were stuck with a newbie lady air hog (air sow?) who managed to suck down a 120 in record time. Our bottom times, limited by the group which was limited by the air sow, were 47 min and 57 min for the first day. I asked to be put on a different boat the next day and they agreed. The next day, who did we see on the boat that picked us up? The air sow again. First dive, bottom time was only 45 min before the entire group had to ascend, much of this was kicking over sand. Second dive was really ridiculous, a bad drop at Tormentos that had us kicking against an impossible current to reach the reef - the DM actually wanted the entire group to hold hands! Instead, my wife and I aborted the dive. Bottom time 29 min. Air sow's buddy left her below and surfaced with us. DM and the rest of the group surfaced a couple minutes later. So much for Aldora. We retrieved our gear, moved on.

 

[DandyDon]

Of course when the President dives with them, I am sure they surface when HE is low on air. Everyone else, hold your breath.....

They'll do that for you when you charter a private boat too.