Question cozumel with newbie junior diver and car Qs

[Homunculus]

Hi all

im going to Cozumel in April 2023 with my wife (amateur diver) and my 13 yo daughter who will be newly certified by then. We'll be staying there for 3 days. We will have a car. Does anyone have any suggestions for a dive operator that is in particularly good with new young divers. Looking for experienced people prioritizing safety who can calm down a new diver in case she feels uneasy. We will be staying ~1 mile south of the port (forgot the name of the place). Thank you!!!

Also, how easy is it to get to cozumel by ferry with a rental car? is it a regular wait or long one, do you recommend booking tix in advance? How long in advance should we get there prior to the departure?

 

[MMM]

Are you staying on the mainland? It is highly recommended to book your car ferry in advance but it can only be done one or two days in advance, as I recall. It has been a year since we took a trip to the mainland. There are two ferry ops that cross and times vary. About twice a day, however, and figure on a few hours total...a couple of hours to load and less to disembark. And over one hour to cross

As for the diving...all dive ops are skilled with novice divers but they have other divers to attend to as well. I would strongly encourage you to hire a private DM to accompany your family on the boat to attend to your guys only...at least for the first day, given the inexperience and youth. Costs about an additional $50 plus tips and your dive op can set this up for you.

 

[lionfish-eater]

What Marg said is good advise

The car ferry is different than the passenger ferry.

The passenger ferry is in Playa and the car ferry is south of there about 20 minutes.
Last time I used it there were two companies running car ferries. Trans Caribe and Ultamar. Check Online

 

[Homunculus]

thanks for the advise. I believe getting a pribate DM is a good idea! we will be staying in cozumel for 3 days with the car that we rent in Cancun airport 1-2 days prior to arrival to Cozumel, the rest of the trip will be mainland.

 

[MMM]

thanks for the advise. I believe getting a pribate DM is a good idea! we will be staying in cozumel for 3 days with the car that we rent in Cancun airport 1-2 days prior to arrival to Cozumel, the rest of the trip will be mainland.

Enjoy your trip! I thought of one other thing, since it is often a bone of contention among dive staff, and that is tips. Your private DM is most likely freelancing. So you need to tip him separately from the rest of the crew or tip them all together and explain that it is for the entire crew. A DM once told me that this is a HUGE source of friction. Of course you can't possibly know who is who at the zoo so I offer you this advice in advance. Again, best to discuss with your selected dive op in advance...they will appreciate your efforts to prevent friction...and especially if you have a different contract dive master on ensuing days.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Skip the car in cancun
Relax and enjoy your trip as soon as you step out of the airport.
Use a private van to take the family to the passenger ferry in Playa.
Stop along the way at an OXXO for your favorite refreshments.
Ask for a drop off by the Tricycleros.
Tricycle porters who will take you and your family directly to the ferry entrance and the correct booth to buy one way tickets for the Next Departure.
When you get to Coz, take a taxi to your accommodation and get a rent a car for your time on the island.
While on the Island make reservations for a rental in Playa that you can return in Cancun if that was your plan.
This will be easier on you than the car ferry for your first time.
It takes all of the hassle out of your arrival.
However, if you want the simplicity of getting the car one time and settling in for the duration of your trip, the car ferry works just fine.

 

[Homunculus]

Skip the car in cancun
Relax and enjoy your trip as soon as you step out of the airport.
Use a private van to take the family to the passenger ferry in Playa.
Stop along the way at an OXXO for your favorite refreshments.
Ask for a drop off by the Tricycleros.
Tricycle porters who will take you and your family directly to the ferry entrance and the correct booth to buy one way tickets for the Next Departure.
When you get to Coz, take a taxi to your accommodation and get a rent a car for your time on the island.
While on the Island make reservations for a rental in Playa that you can return in Cancun if that was your plan.
This will be easier on you than the car ferry for your first time.
It takes all of the hassle out of your arrival.
However, if you want the simplicity of getting the car one time and settling in for the duration of your trip, the car ferry works just fine.

i don't enjoy any trips if i don't have a car and depend on the kindness of strangers. we're only staying in cancun one night thankfully (place has parking lot) and going to cozumel the following day. we will be exploring mainland afterwards (tulum and vallodalid). i know it's possible to get with rental on ferry but haven't figured out details/logistics of it.

 

[divingjd]

The contract for the rental car may prohibit taking it to Cozumel on the ferry. Check in advance to find out if it is allowed. If not, your best bet will likely be to hire a van to get to Playa.

 

[BRT]

The car ferry doesn't work as well as it did pre covid, but we still use it.

Route Punta Venado – Cozumel – Ultramar Carga

ultramarcarga.com

Schedules Transcaribe

Schedules Schedules Buy online Forget about setbacks and long lines, get your crossing tickets through our online purchase. Get your tickets

transcaribe.net

 

[ggunn]

i don't enjoy any trips if i don't have a car and depend on the kindness of strangers. we're only staying in cancun one night thankfully (place has parking lot) and going to cozumel the following day. we will be exploring mainland afterwards (tulum and vallodalid). i know it's possible to get with rental on ferry but haven't figured out details/logistics of it.

Getting a car back and forth across the channel may prove to be more of a problem to you than not having a car. The people ferries are fast, cheap, and leave every hour from central Playa del Carmen. The car ferry is slow, expensive, and makes only two or three trips a day from a point several miles south of Playa. Also, as someone else has said, a car rental place in Playa may not allow you to take their car across. From what you say it looks like it is your first trip to that part of Mexico; is that the case? If you don't know where anything is, navigation will be another challenge.

You don't need to rely on "the kindness of strangers" if you don't have a car; personal transportation on Cozumel in taxis is easy and cheap. I have been going to Cozumel for over 30 years and I have never rented a car except to go to the other side of the island from the hotel zone, and I don't even do that any more. I do not miss having a car at all when I am there.

Of course, YMMV and DSFDF.

EDIT: The new car ferry might be cheaper and/or faster.