furym
Registered
It's long, but feel free to skip to the dive section.
I am certified from 20 years ago but had not dove in nearly 20 years. My son (13) expressed an interest last year so we began saving and got him and my wife certified this summer and a refresher for me with Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City, NC. They were wonderful but our last dive was supposed to be a half day 1 tank charter in the ocean but was called due to small craft advisory. We finished up certifications in the quarry at Fantasy Lake Scuba Park in Rolesville, NC. I was still itching for an ocean dive.
Quick background: My wife works for an airline so we fly for "free" (pay taxes only and only if seats are available) and collects hotel points through the year with Wyndham.
We watched flights and seat availability for a couple of weeks and decided finally on Cancun for our first international family travel destination. My wife and I have both travelled years ago individually but never as a family. Seats allowed for a Monday to CUN and a Wednesday return.
Round Trip Flights from RDU to CUN ($227 total for 3 people)
La Quinta by Wyndham (free with points plus $4 USD for taxes when we arrived)
USA Transfers for the ride to and from the airport ($55)
Scuba Cancun ($166 for 3 divers, 1 tank on the reef with DM and gear, $8 each for wetsuits extra; plus $3 each for the park fees)
Arrival and Hotel:
We arrived in CUN with no issues, had no problems getting on our flights. USA Transfers was fairly easy to find once you got out of the airport, there are a lot of ride services hanging outside the exit. Everything with USA Transfers was as expected from their communications before our trip. You pay the driver in USD once you get to the hotel and that covers your return trip later as well. I will certainly use them again.
La Quinta is in the real downtown area. There is construction in the area and it is typical of downtown urban with associated shops of all varieties in the immediate area. There is security on site, a coffee shop attached on the corner, an OXXO (convenience store) one door down and a bank next door on the other side. The hotel is undergoing some renovations but the AC works and there is a small pool and fitness room. Hot breakfast is included and was very good.
First afternoon we checked into the hotel and walked up the street a few blocks to see what was there. We were only slightly tasseled coming out of the hotel by the taxi services but once we said no, they left us alone. We never felt unsafe walking around but as with any city, keep your wits about you. We ended up at El Poblano for a meal. Very good food and typical of what we would pay going out to Mexican food here in NC, about $40 USD. We walked about a mile to Mercado 28 (giant flea market) for some souvenir shopping. We bought a case of bottled water there and took a taxi back to the hotel. There was a larger supermarket near the hotel that we could have bought some water from but we were tired by this point and ready to go back to the hotel. An evening trip next door to OXXO yielded some treats and I felt very safe walking the short distance after dark.
Diving:
Breakfast the next morning was very good. Buffet style Mexican food, waffle maker, cereals, fresh fruit, and pastries. This is the hotel that the locals use when in town for business so the food is more authentic than catering to American tastes. We left the hotel and walked two blocks away from he front door and hailed a taxi. Offered $100 MXN for a ride to Scuba Cancun and he accepted so off we went. Definitely negotiate your ride prices before getting into the cab, the driver the night before from the market had quoted us $200 MXN when we asked what it would cost. We arrived at Scuba Cancun a few hours early but we were able to store our bag behind the counter (took out our wallets and passports) and adventured down the Hotel Zone. We walked across the street to Playa Lagusta, checked out the beach, got a family picture at the Cancun sign, then got on a bus and went down to the Museo Maya de Cancun. This is a museum of Mayan culture and history with some artifacts to view and a garden walk through that has some archeological sights on the grounds including a small pyramid and lots of iguanas. Museum entrance fees were $225 MXN for 3 people. We spent about an hour here and then headed back to the scuba shop. They have a snacker upstairs that makes fresh hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and has water and candies. Excellent food and we had some sandwiches before going out for the dive.
Scuba Cancun handled all of our questions and were very friendly and professional in all of our dealings. I had let them know about our travel circumstances and that we may not even be able to get on the flight. They assured me that cancelation would not be an issue if I let them know as soon as we did not get on, if that happened. Reservations were made by email and a PayPal invoice was sent for payment. Additional fees once we arrived included $8 USD each for shorty wetsuits, $3 USD each for national park fees, and $10 USD for me because I wanted to dive Nitrox. Once we were checked in, I let our DM Luis know that my wife and son were newly certified and that my wife was still a bit nervous. During the dive he spent most of his attention on her and made sure she was comfortable. Once the paperwork was filled out and gear issued, we didn't touch our equipment until we suited up for the dive. Everything was carried and set up for us and waiting on the boat. A short boat ride 20-30 minutes and we were at Chitales, a shallow reef area off the coast. We saw plenty of small fish, a green sea turtle, and several reef structures. Total dive time was 55 minutes. My wife had an ear issue at one point and Luis was very helpful taking her back to the surface and bringing her back down once things were sorted out. I had my son and was not concerned as visibility was easily 50+ feet and we could see them the entire time. Once back on the boat, my wife said if all diving could be like that then she would dive all the time. I would have liked to have done one of their multi-tank dives but with only a short trip available and flying back the next day we decided that a 1 tank dive would be safer. We took the city bus back to the hotel and walked across the street to A La Burger for some dinner. Again, excellent food and comparable prices to eating out here in NC, about $40 USD again.
Departure:
The next morning, we woke, packed, and went down to another authentic Mexican breakfast. We went do the coffee shop while eating for our driver and found him there in the coffee shop as well, about 20 minutes early. A short drive back to the airport and flights back home. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the trip and agreed that we would do it all again. La Quinta was an affordable option especially since a meal was included. Scuba Cancun was comparable in price to any other that I researched and was very quick to reply to my emails before the trip. The boat was clean, safe, and while it could have been considered a cattle boat, it was not crowded. All of our food options were affordable as we stayed out of the hotel zone and we as local as we could get without going to someone's home.
Total cost for everything for 3 people, 3 days, 2 nights, all food, travel, gas, etc was just under $1000 USD. This of course because we fly essentially for free but perhaps the other tips could help others save some money. Use the bus in town, negotiate taxi fares, get out of the hotel zone for eating and shopping.
I am certified from 20 years ago but had not dove in nearly 20 years. My son (13) expressed an interest last year so we began saving and got him and my wife certified this summer and a refresher for me with Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City, NC. They were wonderful but our last dive was supposed to be a half day 1 tank charter in the ocean but was called due to small craft advisory. We finished up certifications in the quarry at Fantasy Lake Scuba Park in Rolesville, NC. I was still itching for an ocean dive.
Quick background: My wife works for an airline so we fly for "free" (pay taxes only and only if seats are available) and collects hotel points through the year with Wyndham.
We watched flights and seat availability for a couple of weeks and decided finally on Cancun for our first international family travel destination. My wife and I have both travelled years ago individually but never as a family. Seats allowed for a Monday to CUN and a Wednesday return.
Round Trip Flights from RDU to CUN ($227 total for 3 people)
La Quinta by Wyndham (free with points plus $4 USD for taxes when we arrived)
USA Transfers for the ride to and from the airport ($55)
Scuba Cancun ($166 for 3 divers, 1 tank on the reef with DM and gear, $8 each for wetsuits extra; plus $3 each for the park fees)
Arrival and Hotel:
We arrived in CUN with no issues, had no problems getting on our flights. USA Transfers was fairly easy to find once you got out of the airport, there are a lot of ride services hanging outside the exit. Everything with USA Transfers was as expected from their communications before our trip. You pay the driver in USD once you get to the hotel and that covers your return trip later as well. I will certainly use them again.
La Quinta is in the real downtown area. There is construction in the area and it is typical of downtown urban with associated shops of all varieties in the immediate area. There is security on site, a coffee shop attached on the corner, an OXXO (convenience store) one door down and a bank next door on the other side. The hotel is undergoing some renovations but the AC works and there is a small pool and fitness room. Hot breakfast is included and was very good.
First afternoon we checked into the hotel and walked up the street a few blocks to see what was there. We were only slightly tasseled coming out of the hotel by the taxi services but once we said no, they left us alone. We never felt unsafe walking around but as with any city, keep your wits about you. We ended up at El Poblano for a meal. Very good food and typical of what we would pay going out to Mexican food here in NC, about $40 USD. We walked about a mile to Mercado 28 (giant flea market) for some souvenir shopping. We bought a case of bottled water there and took a taxi back to the hotel. There was a larger supermarket near the hotel that we could have bought some water from but we were tired by this point and ready to go back to the hotel. An evening trip next door to OXXO yielded some treats and I felt very safe walking the short distance after dark.
Diving:
Breakfast the next morning was very good. Buffet style Mexican food, waffle maker, cereals, fresh fruit, and pastries. This is the hotel that the locals use when in town for business so the food is more authentic than catering to American tastes. We left the hotel and walked two blocks away from he front door and hailed a taxi. Offered $100 MXN for a ride to Scuba Cancun and he accepted so off we went. Definitely negotiate your ride prices before getting into the cab, the driver the night before from the market had quoted us $200 MXN when we asked what it would cost. We arrived at Scuba Cancun a few hours early but we were able to store our bag behind the counter (took out our wallets and passports) and adventured down the Hotel Zone. We walked across the street to Playa Lagusta, checked out the beach, got a family picture at the Cancun sign, then got on a bus and went down to the Museo Maya de Cancun. This is a museum of Mayan culture and history with some artifacts to view and a garden walk through that has some archeological sights on the grounds including a small pyramid and lots of iguanas. Museum entrance fees were $225 MXN for 3 people. We spent about an hour here and then headed back to the scuba shop. They have a snacker upstairs that makes fresh hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and has water and candies. Excellent food and we had some sandwiches before going out for the dive.
Scuba Cancun handled all of our questions and were very friendly and professional in all of our dealings. I had let them know about our travel circumstances and that we may not even be able to get on the flight. They assured me that cancelation would not be an issue if I let them know as soon as we did not get on, if that happened. Reservations were made by email and a PayPal invoice was sent for payment. Additional fees once we arrived included $8 USD each for shorty wetsuits, $3 USD each for national park fees, and $10 USD for me because I wanted to dive Nitrox. Once we were checked in, I let our DM Luis know that my wife and son were newly certified and that my wife was still a bit nervous. During the dive he spent most of his attention on her and made sure she was comfortable. Once the paperwork was filled out and gear issued, we didn't touch our equipment until we suited up for the dive. Everything was carried and set up for us and waiting on the boat. A short boat ride 20-30 minutes and we were at Chitales, a shallow reef area off the coast. We saw plenty of small fish, a green sea turtle, and several reef structures. Total dive time was 55 minutes. My wife had an ear issue at one point and Luis was very helpful taking her back to the surface and bringing her back down once things were sorted out. I had my son and was not concerned as visibility was easily 50+ feet and we could see them the entire time. Once back on the boat, my wife said if all diving could be like that then she would dive all the time. I would have liked to have done one of their multi-tank dives but with only a short trip available and flying back the next day we decided that a 1 tank dive would be safer. We took the city bus back to the hotel and walked across the street to A La Burger for some dinner. Again, excellent food and comparable prices to eating out here in NC, about $40 USD again.
Departure:
The next morning, we woke, packed, and went down to another authentic Mexican breakfast. We went do the coffee shop while eating for our driver and found him there in the coffee shop as well, about 20 minutes early. A short drive back to the airport and flights back home. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the trip and agreed that we would do it all again. La Quinta was an affordable option especially since a meal was included. Scuba Cancun was comparable in price to any other that I researched and was very quick to reply to my emails before the trip. The boat was clean, safe, and while it could have been considered a cattle boat, it was not crowded. All of our food options were affordable as we stayed out of the hotel zone and we as local as we could get without going to someone's home.
Total cost for everything for 3 people, 3 days, 2 nights, all food, travel, gas, etc was just under $1000 USD. This of course because we fly essentially for free but perhaps the other tips could help others save some money. Use the bus in town, negotiate taxi fares, get out of the hotel zone for eating and shopping.
