Can I get a lot of dives in Cozumel affordably?

[brez]

My wife and I are taking an 8-day trip to Cozumel at the end of September, and my head is spinning with all of the information on here.

The main question that I'm trying to figure out is how to get the most bottom time for our buck. Our main goal is to get in the water diving as much as we can. We'd like to roll out of bed, have some breakfast with other divers, and then get in 3-4 tanks per day. The last place that we dove in Belize had 3 single-tank boat trips per day, plus shore diving, night dives, etc. plus gear rental, plus meals for one price.

Is there anything equivalent in Cozumel? A lot of the places that I've been looking seem to try to "nickle-and-dime" you for anything beyond the standard 5 2-tank trips in a week (e.g., Scuba Club). Should I be looking for a dive resort package or getting a hotel and booking the operator seperately?

Any help will be appreciated.

-Mike

 

[HammerNoMore]

brez once bubbled...
My wife and I are taking an 8-day trip to Cozumel at the end of September, and my head is spinning with all of the information on here.

The main question that I'm trying to figure out is how to get the most bottom time for our buck. Our main goal is to get in the water diving as much as we can. We'd like to roll out of bed, have some breakfast with other divers, and then get in 3-4 tanks per day. The last place that we dove in Belize had 3 single-tank boat trips per day, plus shore diving, night dives, etc. plus gear rental, plus meals for one price.

Is there anything equivalent in Cozumel? A lot of the places that I've been looking seem to try to "nickle-and-dime" you for anything beyond the standard 5 2-tank trips in a week (e.g., Scuba Club). Should I be looking for a dive resort package or getting a hotel and booking the operator seperately?

Any help will be appreciated.

-Mike

Hmm, Scuba Club nickle and dime you? I did up to 5 dives a day with Scuba club (2 boat/3 shore) and the only thing I paid extra for was nitrox when I used it and an afternoon trip to C-53.

James

 

[Juls64]

to Las Brisas. We will get 5 2-tank morning dives and 4 1-tank afternoon dives. It includes all meals and drink. I think Plaza Las Glorias offrs similar deals.

Juls

 

[ronrosa]

If you want bottom time, don't limit yourself to 45-60 minute dives. You could go with:

Aldora
Living Underwater
Liquid Blue

do two 75-90 minute dives in the afternoon plus a few night dives. They use 120cu tanks for plenty of bottom time.

 

[5615mike]

ronrosa once bubbled...
If you want bottom time, don't limit yourself to 45-60 minute dives. You could go with:

Aldora
Living Underwater
Liquid Blue

do two 75-90 minute dives in the afternoon plus a few night dives. They use 120cu tanks for plenty of bottom time.

ronrosa....couldn't agree more. Yes it is more expensive but if you take into account your price pm of diving, its less. You also don't have as much time in the boat traveling back and forth and you spend more time at depth. I dive exclusively with Alodora for that reason.

brez, you owe it to yourself to check them out......IMO

 

[blawler1]

Aqua Safari runs a 3 tank special for $64, 2 morning and one afternoon.

Tanks and weights for shore dives are $6. Villablanca in front of Papa Hogs/Dive Paradise is a nice shore dive that can be fun. There are a number of only decent shore dives that can done for a $3 cab ride each way.

 

[raviepoo]

Dive With Martin charges 50$ per two tank boat dive if you do a multi day package. There is a 10% discount for paying with cash or a check. He also throws in a free night dive and a video of one of your dives.

So, for a three day package of 2 tanks per day plus one night dive (total 7 tanks) you pay $150. THat works out to less than 22$ per tank.

DWM has small, fast boats, flexible scheduling and some excellent divemasters. They will allow you to dive your computer if you have one. 95 cu ft tanks are available on request, but the price goes up if you ask for them.

 

[Otter]

and with the 120s, we averaging 90 min dives....several times we ran out of reef before we ran out of air.

Another approach we did was with Dive Paradise. Did the morning 2 tank and then did a 2 tank twilight / night and still had time to have lunch and develop film.

The price for diving so cheap, especially compared to other places around the world that they are more likely to penny and nickel you then nickel and dime you.

I think most would agree, $ for $ there is no better value than Cozumel.

 

[Tekkie]

Well,
I just got back form Brisas and I did a total of 14 dives. 2 shore, 10 fast boat dives and one night dive (very cool). I was there 7 days. Using my SSI tables for air I found out that I got bent every morning. The morning dives are usually 80-90ft max for 30-40 min, 50 min surface interval, 60ft max for 45-50min. On almost any tables these numbers are in the red after a dive. Soo after looking at my nitrogen the most i did after the morning was a shore dive of a max 20ft. The most I saw people doing was 3 dives a day, first 80ft ish, second 60ft max, 3 to 4 hour interval then another dive to a max of 60ft. Any more then that I wouldn't do without EANx.

 

[Tekkie]

Oops, I didn't mean I took a ride to the chamber every day, but after my two morning dives my nitrogen level was very high, on the edge of decompression according to the SSI Air tables. According to US Navy tables I was fine