Certification Vacation Opinions

[Whi_Tan]

Good afternoon board dwellers. I’m here willfully seeking some opinions on a number of things. This is the situation:

I am a novice, but certified, OW diver. My wife is not, however, she, along with another couple, has agreed to head South and get certified. Our original plan was to go to Nassau, as I discussed in (can't link...) a thread over on the Bahamas board, but plans have since changed. We think we can do better elsewhere.

First and foremost, everyone agrees that we want to go to an All Inclusive. (Next trip I’ll introduce my wife to the joys of boutique divers hotels a la Cozumel, but one step at a time.) Keep in mind that the three of them will be doing a full OW cert (3-4 day) while at our destination. There is NO possibility of doing ‘home study / pool’ and completing only referral dives on vacation. Based on that criteria, I’ve been looking at both Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. That being said, I’m also open to other destinations.

This is where you come in. I’ve dove Cozumel, but not PDC. Of the two, which one would more make a new diver go “WOW!!”?

Any suggestions on other destinations offering AI and local certification that would better serve new divers?

I’m most interested in finding online booking for air and hotel combined, then arranging diving after. Additionally, my wife and I fly out of Toronto, our friends will fly out of Detroit. We’re really tying to keep it around $1700 pp, diving included, which is why I’ve mostly been looking at Mexico, but there may be other gems that you would like to share.

I should mention that I’ll be doing my own diving while my wife is getting her cert. I don’t want to be ‘that guy’ during her first dives, but I would like the 4th or 5th days to include all of us.

Other considerations I’ve been given: nice beaches, a fun excursion or two, no multi-hour drives from the airport.

Edit: I should mention that we're looking at the dates of April 30th to May 7th, +/- 2 or 3 days

Hoping you can help... let ‘er rip!

 

[robint]

PDC is similar to Cozumel only not as much "wow" as there aren't the swimthroughs or dramatic walls. I would recommend Cozumel for that reason. Also, most dive ops in PDC have you wade in and carry gear to boats, no pier pickups. Cozumel is also better for that reason.

Our favorite place in Cozumel is Scuba Club. It is all-inclusive but not the typical buffet type, it is sit down, restaurant type, more elegant meals (except breakfast). The resort does not have TV or entertainment, no kids, very adult diver oriented place.
Cozumel Scuba Diving at Scuba Club Cozumel Dive Resort and Scuba Cozumel Dive Shop
you can book it through any of the Dive Travel agencies, we like Island Dreams and Caradonna best.

We have seen the OW students doing their cert there at Scuba Club and I can say I would recommend them to anyone. The instructors are really good, the resort has a nice little shore dive area set up for the cert dives, too. It is a really good place to have your first dive experience.

check out my shore diving area video:
[vimeo]11565537[/vimeo]

shore diving there is unlimited and free, lockers down by the enty point. We did the 2 morning boat dives each day, then either shore dives or additional boat dives after lunch. Love that place! It is also walking distance to town, if you want to go, but you never really have to leave the gates.

robin

 

[cardzard]

Too bad you can't wait until June. You could join the Scubaboard Invasion to Cozumel.
Hard to beat this deal and Dive paradise could get everyone certified.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/in...61018-scubaboard-invades-cozumel-package.html

 

[diver 85]

Anthony's Key Resort, Roatan........Easy and pretty good diving for the newcomers post certification..

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Cozumel has better diving than Playa del Carmen. We stayed at the Iberostar Cozumel in June and really enjoyed it. I dove with ScubaTony Scuba Tony Dive Instruction, Cozumel Mexico

Have a look at All Inclusive Vacation Packages and other Last Minute Travel Deals at itravel2000 They are a Canadian company and prices are in Canadian dollars

 

[Peter Guy]

Coz probably has better "wow" diving than PDC BUT PDC has much better after-diving interests, IMO. For the certification dives, it probably doesn't make any significant difference whether they are done from the Mainland or from Coz -- and then, if you want, you could do some dives on Coz AFTER they are certified and get the "Wow" factor.

I've stayed at the Wyndham Maya in Playacar and I found it to be comfortable -- nothing spectacular, but comfortable (and when I was there it was CHEAP!). There is also at least one nice all-inclusive in Puerto Aventuras which is about 20 minutes south of PDC -- about 1 hour from the Cancun airport. The Dive op in PA is quite good.

BTW, any thoughts about doing the "academics" online and at least getting that out of the way before you leave?

 

[ColoDale]

Cozumel is the Wow destination compared to PDC.

We met our Canadien friends last November in Cozumel and they flew out of Toronto on a direct flight to Cozumel. I believe the company was WestJet. It was cheaper and shorter (time) than our direct flight from Denver. I hear WestJet may be adding another flight on a different day but I have not confirmed it. That same company primarily sells packages which, if you haven't checked into it, would be worth a try.

I really like Cozumel in April and early May. Not too hot or humid for me.

Honduras or Belize are in the same price range and have good diving. Transfer times could be longer. Our same Canadien friends have been to both and liked the diving and hotels - a big change from diving the St. Lawrence. They take the shortest and cheapest flights so there must be flights out of Toronto or Detroit.

 

[DandyDon]

An AI resort would be simpler for your trip I suppose, if you like the house Operator.

I’m most interested in finding online booking for air and hotel combined, then arranging diving after. Additionally, my wife and I fly out of Toronto, our friends will fly out of Detroit. We’re really tying to keep it around $1700 pp, diving included, which is why I’ve mostly been looking at Mexico, but there may be other gems that you would like to share.

Edit: I should mention that we're looking at the dates of April 30th to May 7th, +/- 2 or 3 days

One nice tool available to Mexico trips is the Orbitz 200entertain discount for $200 off on an air & hotel package per room - single or shared. Keep that in mind to help you economize as you compare.

Looking at Coz flights for those dates...

I don't know about charter flights but real airlines seem cheapest $458 RT from Toronto only on a few odd date pairs; guess that's why you have the charters flying to Coz there. But you can get $530 or so RT on Thu, Fri, Sat, or Mon - not Sunday at all! Unless that changes like it often does.

Your Detroit friends can fly for $429-469 RT any of the same dates.

Then looking at air & hotel packages...

Funny thing happens when I try to save money that way: FAIL! Sometimes it's not the best? Like Toronto to Czm and Hotel Cozumel including taxes after discount is almost $800 each with breakfasts only. That's like $77/night for the room, which is easy to do or beat. Sometimes it's better to explore air separately and see what the Dive Op can do helping with room & board? And check on the charter flights with packages too.

From Detroit, using Continental with 1 stop only, air & Hotel Coz after unchecking the overpriced ground transfers is less than $700 each with discount which gets room down to $63/night but not AI. Not bad, but not impressed.

Well, hope that helps you organize your hunting. Have a great trip. ilot:

 

[CanadianTravelAgent]

Cozumel will always have a soft spot in my heart! It was my first real dive vacation and also where I met my husband! I'd love to help you with the trip. I'll reply to the PM you sent me!

 

[moneysavr]

Dude thats no way to treat your wife having to burn several days,maybe one day a blow out 2 -half days doing skill's? wow thats a vacation idea, while your out diving and havin a blast!
tell her take a pass on a major dive trip cert, do a esy trip like maybe a Florida spring trip, blast into ORD RT $390USART cert,relax you still dive then you can do your trip all with cert's