Cozumel resort/dive centre for new Open Water divers?

[Flipper Chick]

[h=2]Can someone please recommend an all-inclusive resort and dive operator in Cozumel for my buddy to do her open water check-out dive cert at? She has done her class and pool here in Canada and has a referral to do her check out dives abroad. We were thinking Cozumel might be a good place for her to do her open water dives and for me (a more experienced diver) to do some good diving as well. We want to be close to town and the ferry for an excursion over to Chichen Itza.[/h]

 

[shardison]

Check out Scuba Club Cozumel. It's close to town, All inclusive (except drinks), and they are great with new divers. Ask for "Chockey" for your friends DM. He had an entire class of soon to be certified divers when I was there. They all seemed to be very happy with him. One other destination you might consider: Roatan, Honduras? Your friend wont have to worry about the currents that are in COZ. Roatan is much more like an Aquarium with regards to currents.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[cicopo]

Before a lot of people give you answers based on travel from the US can I ask if you are looking for a vacation package based on travel from Toronto? And if so during our main travel season, which usually ends sometimes in May depending on airline / charter company. There are direct flights up to then but after that it gets more difficult. OR are you going to book your air & hotel separately, which may open up more lodging choices but also may cost a bit more. Time of year can make a big difference in travel cost & the time it will take to get there & back because most of our carriers drop their direct flights when we stop heading south in droves.

 

[Mossman]

The only other AI that's close to town is Cozumel Palace. I personally wouldn't use their on-site dive op, but they do have a deep "scuba pool" on the premises so they likely do training there. Otherwise, the AIs are a cab ride from town. Chichen Itza involves much more than a ferry to the mainland, so proximity to the ferry dock shouldn't be a concern. Most people that stay close to town do so because of the restaurants in walking distance, but that's obviated with an AI. The downside about being close to town is noise, congestion, cruise ships and their thousands and thousands of passengers, and more noise.

shardison makes a good point about Cozumel, sometimes the currents can be wicked and downright scary even to experienced divers. There are lots of places more suited to beginner divers in my opinion, yet plenty of beginners make their first ocean dives in Cozumel without a hitch.

 

[robint]

I am a Scuba Club fan.... heading back for our 3rd trip there in a few weeks.
check out my videos and trip reports.

We saw a family with a teen getting certified there last trip... he was getting excellent instruction as viewed by me and my husband (who is an instructor himself). I would recommend them highly.

robin

 

[Flipper Chick]

Before a lot of people give you answers based on travel from the US can I ask if you are looking for a vacation package based on travel from Toronto? And if so during our main travel season, which usually ends sometimes in May depending on airline / charter company. There are direct flights up to then but after that it gets more difficult. OR are you going to book your air & hotel separately, which may open up more lodging choices but also may cost a bit more. Time of year can make a big difference in travel cost & the time it will take to get there & back because most of our carriers drop their direct flights when we stop heading south in droves.

We are going in April 2012 and flying out of Toronto, Ontario (unless we can find a better deal flying out of the USA, Buffalo or Detroit for example). Direct flight preferable. We would like to book our air and hotel together to keep it cheap. We are going in order that my buddy can get her Open Water certification done down south (she has done her class and pool here in Canada). If Cozumel is not the best place for a new diver to learn, due to the currents/drifts, I need to know ASAP and what other destinations would be suitable. I've been to Roatan Honduras so I don't want to go there again. I didn't like it, had a ****ty dive buddy at the time and the sand fleas did me in. lol

 

[Dirty-Dog]

We are going in April 2012 and flying out of Toronto, Ontario (unless we can find a better deal flying out of the USA, Buffalo or Detroit for example). Direct flight preferable. We would like to book our air and hotel together to keep it cheap. We are going in order that my buddy can get her Open Water certification done down south (she has done her class and pool here in Canada). If Cozumel is not the best place for a new diver to learn, due to the currents/drifts, I need to know ASAP and what other destinations would be suitable. I've been to Roatan Honduras so I don't want to go there again. I didn't like it, had a ****ty dive buddy at the time and the sand fleas did me in. lol

In the same area is Cancun. It's generally easier to find direct flights (at least from Colorado, I've never flown out of Toronto...). There are tons of great AI resorts. The diving is excellent. The sites are generally 40-60FSW, with little or no current, which makes them ideal for new OW divers. The two shipwrecks are both in 80FSW with moderate to strong current, but those are the only new OW diver unfriendly sites I can think of there. The water is warm and clear, the reefs and sealife are healthy and far less crowded than a place like Cozumel, and there's more night life in Cancun than San Miguel (go to CocoBongo...).

If you choose Cancun, drop a note to Alvaro at AlwaysDiving.com. He's an outstanding instructor and will take good care of you and your buddy.

 

[Mossman]

The Cayman Islands can be excellent and are sort of easy to get to. Bonaire would be an excellent place to certify, but it's a relative PITA to get there.

 

[Christi]

Hundreds of divers are certified here on a weekly basis. Yes, there are certain sites notorious for currents and known as more advanced sites, but the reputable shops and instructors know which sites to take their student and new divers to - there are several very good options.

I would encourage you to consider non inclusive properties as well. There are many wonderful options that are non-AI, closer to town, and provide you more opportunity and flexibility with regards to diving out. We have a surprisingly large menu of options for every budget and taste - and truly, the AI's here are ot to the same standards as you are probably imagining. Some destinations warrant AI stays, but not Cozumel.

AS far as the diving and certification, again - regardless of where you stay - you are never obligate to dive with the onsite operation and it is not necessarily any more convenient depending on the operation you choose. Some operations will rinse and store your gear so you do not have to carry it back and forth, most all will pick you up at your hotel pier (unless staying in the north hotel zone). Onsite dive shop should not be a factor in which hotel you choose, nor should your hotel choice dictate which dive shop you use. Most AI packages do not include the diving anyway - although some dive shops have agreements with various hotels and can offer hotel/diving packages and you book your airfare separately.

Have fun and dive safe!

 

[cicopo]

Now that I know what you're looking for maybe I can help since I go via Toronto almost yearly. You have several direct flight options there, but I don't think you have any from Buffalo or Detroit but I may be wrong on that. Air Canada, Westjet, Sunwing, Sunquest & Signature should all be selling packaged vacation trips to Cozumel for this winter's travel season, and you might even hit a last minute deal or 2. I don't know all of their packages so I'll just say what I can about which AI's are where & how I rate them and I don't think any of our tour companies sell non AI's. If you do decide to go non AI you'll need to do air only & book a hotel separately by phone or through the internet etc. Also note that I won't be recommending any north of town primarily because I've never been up there primarily for the reasons Christi mentioned. Starting from downtown & working south the AI's are the
Palace, best AI on the island, only about 6 blocks from the centre of town.
Hotel Cozumel, a solid 3 star and about 3 blocks further from the square downtown. I stay there regularly.
Park Royal, nice looking place and maybe about 3 1/2 stars by Canadian standards and about 2 miles (3.4 kms) or so from the main square.
Once you get south of the Park Royal there isn't much within walking distance so cabs or a rental car becomes necessary.
Fiesta Americana, likely a 3 star that hasn't been an AI all that long and it's about 2 miles past the Park Royal.
After that you end up well south of town in the southern hotel zone where they are all AI's because they need to be because there aren't any restaurants near them. There are beach clubs, but they have short hours compared to the resort restaurants. They are the Sabor / Aura, then the Allegro, the Grand & finally the Iberostar, which is about 18 kms from town

Now as I have mentioned I stay at Hotel Cozumel & it used to be sold by Air Canada but I don't think it is now nor do I think Westjet sells it, but I do stay there & buy the AI package BUT we still eat out at several places we've made a part of each trip. Cozumel is a safe place to explore on foot which is why we stay in town & it has an endless list of very good restaurants, but walking or using taxi's to have all your meals away from your lodging eats up a good part of your non dive time.

I have photo tours of several of the properties I've mentioned & several more here.

Picasa Web Albums - Larry