My Cozumel experience only consists of taking day trips for some fun dives when I'm in Playa to do some cave dives so I can't give the level of advice to my friend that I'd like. I'm pretty out of my league in this situation so I thought I'd go to the experts.
I've got a friend who's a vegetarian, and a newer diver. She wants to do Cozumel in October for a week or two. Right now she's thinking an all-inclusive is the way to go, some place with a house dive shop that she can pay one rate for lodging and diving, and offers food she's willing to eat. I'm not sure if this will be an option for her, but told her I'd go to the experts. I have another friend who stayed at the Iberostar and dove with Dressel Divers for an extended stay on the island and had a great time, but he does cheap liveaboards and cattle boats so his frame of reference doesn't necessarily cover the whole gamut of possibilities.
Basically, the food choice is important, she wants to do a lot of diving without breaking the bank, but she's a newer diver who just wants to see cool stuff, so typical Cozumel dive quality is fine, she doesn't need the bespoke treatment and "OMG THAT WAS AMAZING" stuff that Cozumel has to offer.
Caveat, if my work schedule pans out, I may join her, so a doubles rate is an option too. If I were going alone I'd definitely find an AirBNB and use of the smaller, better shops, but this trip is for her, not me.
Any thoughts and advice you've got would be appreciated. I've got the mainland stuff covered. She WILL be doing at least one day of cenote dives.
I've got a friend who's a vegetarian, and a newer diver. She wants to do Cozumel in October for a week or two. Right now she's thinking an all-inclusive is the way to go, some place with a house dive shop that she can pay one rate for lodging and diving, and offers food she's willing to eat. I'm not sure if this will be an option for her, but told her I'd go to the experts. I have another friend who stayed at the Iberostar and dove with Dressel Divers for an extended stay on the island and had a great time, but he does cheap liveaboards and cattle boats so his frame of reference doesn't necessarily cover the whole gamut of possibilities.
Basically, the food choice is important, she wants to do a lot of diving without breaking the bank, but she's a newer diver who just wants to see cool stuff, so typical Cozumel dive quality is fine, she doesn't need the bespoke treatment and "OMG THAT WAS AMAZING" stuff that Cozumel has to offer.
Caveat, if my work schedule pans out, I may join her, so a doubles rate is an option too. If I were going alone I'd definitely find an AirBNB and use of the smaller, better shops, but this trip is for her, not me.
Any thoughts and advice you've got would be appreciated. I've got the mainland stuff covered. She WILL be doing at least one day of cenote dives.