Cozumel and Mahahual in January

[aliltexgal]

Going on a cruise in early January. I am to understand setting up diving with ship - Celebrity - is iffy at best. Also I am shocked at how much they want to charge for 2 tank dive. I need advise for good dive company at those locations. I tried looking up a few places and I am not having much luck. Don't know if some have gone out of business since storms. If we do not go with cruise - how do we get to dive shops, costs, etc..?

 

[Fin59]

For Cozumel try Dive With Martin http://www.divewithmartin.com/
Great dive op and crew.

 

[Doc]

I am to understand setting up diving with ship - Celebrity - is iffy at best.

That applies to any cruise ship in most any port. Where cruise ships dock, diving has previously degraded. Cruise ships require terrestrial infrastructure to amuse the guests, that causes the degradation. Cruising and diving are pretty much so mutually exclusive.

Also I am shocked at how much they want to charge for 2 tank dive.

The real question must be prefaced by asking: Exactly how much does it cost to shock you?

I say this, only 1/2 in jest... you do the logistics of moving you from the confusion of the cruise ship dock, getting you suited-up, oriented, buoyancy checked and ready to roll. The places that the cruise ships have pre-arranged are geared up for what they are about to get.

If you are worried about "seeing the better dives/advanced dives", it is simply not going to happen. Dive ops usually check a guest out for a few dives before they risk taking an unknown diver to a more difficult dive.

So, exactly waht was offered and what was the $$$ amount that "shocked you".

I need advise for good dive company at those locations. I tried looking up a few places and I am not having much luck. Don't know if some have gone out of business since storms. If we do not go with cruise - how do we get to dive shops, costs, etc..?

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty much so unshockable at this late stage.

 

[cowjazz]

We are arriving in Cozumel on a cruise 1/6/06, and have booked with Pappa Hog's. They have been very accomodating in arranging a trip around our ship's schedule. Two tank dive 1 Pm departure is $59 pp, and a $2 pp marine park fee.

You can visit Papa Hog's at http://www.papahogs.com/site/index2.php

Our cruise ship wanted to double that for a two tanker.

 

[aliltexgal]

Thanks for reply..... Ship wants to charge $135pp for two tank dive. Last I was there several years back - it was about $60. I believe twice the price + is pretty bad.

 

[diverdiver]

I dove Chinchorro Banks a couple of years ago. We stayed at the Maya Ha Resort which had a dive shop on site. Seemed to be a good shop to dive with...we paid $125 for a three tank dive which is a little pricey for the carribean if you ask me. Boat ride to the dive site was about 1 1/2 hours. Not sure where the ship is docking so I don't know if they will be close to them or not, but at the time the hotel offered a shuttle pick up at the Cancun airport (about 3 hours north) so I would imagine that they would pick up from the ship terminal as well. Enjoy the diving!!

 

[henrywl]

Cozumel options are endless: Del Mar Aquatics and Aqua Safari are good. Aqua Safari has two tank quick afternoon trips.

Try DreamTime Diving (WWW.DREAMTIMEDIVING.COM) is Costa May. They are terrific and at $75 for a two tank trip it is just fine.

Banarama in Roatan is great. They are much better than Anthony's Key Resort where the operation has poor equipment and it takes forever to get done with two tanks.

Don Foster's Diving in Cayman is fine. The Carnival price is $99 and that isn't terrible.

Have a great trip.

 

[dartref]

We are arriving in Cozumel on a cruise 1/6/06, and have booked with Pappa Hog's. They have been very accomodating in arranging a trip around our ship's schedule. Two tank dive 1 Pm departure is $59 pp, and a $2 pp marine park fee.

You can visit Papa Hog's at http://www.papahogs.com/site/index2.php

Our cruise ship wanted to double that for a two tanker.

I'm diving with Papa Hogs for the first time starting this weekend for 4 days. I hear about all these other dive shops you should use in Cozumel, but haven't heard anything bad about Papa Hogs. Hopefully, it will go well.

 

[diveborg]

Try DreamTime Diving (WWW.DREAMTIMEDIVING.COM) is Costa May. They are terrific and at $75 for a two tank trip it is just fine.

Unfortunately, Dreamtime seems to be contracted by the cruiselines to provide the ship's dive excursions. They won't let cruisers book directly with them.

Maya Palms seems to be the lower cost alternative at this point.

 

[lisa_j]

I just got back from a cruise that stopped at Coz and Costa Maya. If you do a search, you'll see some of my threads asking who's dived (dove?) where. I wasn't interested in paying the ship's high prices and we decided to venture off on our own.
Here is how it all panned out, if you're interested: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=122609

Good luck!