Dive Paradise in Cozumel

[South4Scuba]

Sorry,

I hope I didn't mislead anybody about the air hogs. Dive Paradise divemasters will send anyone to the surface with a dive buddy that gets below 700 psi. However, the rest of the group continues the dive until more people start to reach 1000 psi or below and then the group slowly follows the reef back to a shallow area for a group safety stop. What I intended is that they don't push the limits and try to make divers feel uncomfortable with their remaining air.

They do not prematurely stop the dive. We did several 40+ minute dives to 70 to 80 feet and then people stared to drop off. We had an average of 8 to 9 people in each group and we did just fine on air.

On another issue, I don't know if all the name changes at Hotel Cozumel Resort are the result of new ownership.

 

[Scuba_Signer]

What's a cattle boat? I dove with DP out of Hotel Cozumel with a large group during the last week of February (Cozumel Carnival). We had the Atlantis and once I split off to Renigado<sp?>. These were big boats with flying wheelhouses or whatever they're called. Great boat!

Now I gotta laugh. Every day I ate lunch at the hotel's beach cafe. I ordered the buffet cuz the guacamole was right there. I also had them make up a burger too. But, for $3, I coulda scarfed guacamole and chips! Doh!

Steve

 

[parrotheaddiver]

What's a cattle boat? I dove with DP out of Hotel Cozumel with a large group during the last week of February (Cozumel Carnival). We had the Atlantis and once I split off to Renigado<sp?>. These were big boats with flying wheelhouses or whatever they're called. Great boat!

Now I gotta laugh. Every day I ate lunch at the hotel's beach cafe. I ordered the buffet cuz the guacamole was right there. I also had them make up a burger too. But, for $3, I coulda scarfed guacamole and chips! Doh!

Steve

A boat with with as many divers as they can fit on it.

 

[ggunn]

What's a cattle boat?

Steve

Larger boats with lots of divers aboard, like DP's Saggitario (that spelling doesn't look right). Defined in opposition to a "six pack", which is a smaller, usually faster, boat that carries a max of six or eight divers.

 

[South4Scuba]

We dove one day on the Renegado and then switched to the Aries for the next two days. We were with a dive group of 18 divers so we were all on one boat by choice. It was a little tight with 18 divers and 2 DM's, but I would not call Dive Paradise a Cattle Boat operation.

The main thing is that although we had 18 divers they made it very easy to exit and enter the boat by helping every diver with their gear. They did not rush us to enter or exit the water.

Our divemasters were Gollo (pronounced "GoYo") and Gato. I would highly recommend them. They were interested, funny and safe.

 

[Moodiejeff]

Hmmm, 19 Divers - 2 DMs... sounds like a cattle boat to me!

Granted you were a group. Am wondering how many divers per DM on a normal basis.

 

[ggunn]

We dove one day on the Renegado and then switched to the Aries for the next two days. We were with a dive group of 18 divers so we were all on one boat by choice. It was a little tight with 18 divers and 2 DM's, but I would not call Dive Paradise a Cattle Boat operation.

Eighteen divers on a boat is, in the general diving vernacular, by definition a cattle boat dive. It sounds unflattering, I know, but the term comes from those who prefer (in some cases adamantly so) not to go out on a boat which carries more than 6-8 divers. YMMV.

I can see where if you were on a trip with 17 other folks it would be nice to travel together on a large boat to and from the dive site. When I go to Cozumel, it's in a mixed group in which 3-5 of us dive. We prefer to go out on a small boat and not spend too much time in transit to and from the dive sites.

 

[Scuba_Signer]

We dove one day on the Renegado and then switched to the Aries for the next two days. We were with a dive group of 18 divers so we were all on one boat by choice. It was a little tight with 18 divers and 2 DM's, but I would not call Dive Paradise a Cattle Boat operation.

The main thing is that although we had 18 divers they made it very easy to exit and enter the boat by helping every diver with their gear. They did not rush us to enter or exit the water.

Our divemasters were Gollo (pronounced "GoYo") and Gato. I would highly recommend them. They were interested, funny and safe.

We had the same situation: group trip. I met Gollo, but we dove with Jose. Excellent divemasters! We had some OWSIs and DMs in our group, so we were comfortable with the level of experience had by all. All we need is a lead! We split up into two groups.

Is there a head onboard the small boats? I'm much more comfortable with the bigger boats. We weren't cramped for space at all, good sunning during surface intervals! They have good pictures of their boats on their webpage. Cattle Boat sounds derogatory and describe DP's Op appropriately.

Steve

 

[Asweptwing]

We've used Dive Paradise off and on for the last ten years and stayed at Las Brisas (a/k/a Costa Club, Fiesta Inn, etc.) for most of our visits. The food is not high on our list of favourites but when you're in a hurry in the morning to catch a boat or want a quick lunch between dives it helps to have something on the premises. The cost of an all inclusive is not that much more and it doesn't stop you from going into San Miguel to eat a more leisurely meal. The funny thing about this hotel is how often it has changed names and the attempts the owners make to provide "entertainment?" to the guests. The reasons we like this hotel are the open patio and lobby and the consistent cleanliness and proximity to town.

If you like to be 'on' the water the Dive Paradise boats are OK, but most of their fleet is awkward for the number of divers they carry. Seems we're always struggling for room to maneuver on the boat while gearing up. DP apparently likes to have at least twelve divers onboard prior to dispatching a boat. Aries, Paradise Diver, Sagatario and a few others are not our favourites. We've asked to be on others but have never been able to avoid the ones we don't like.....so we just use other operators, who have more favourable boats. Just $.02 worth.

 

[Natasha]

Is there a head onboard the small boats?
Steve

No. None of the small fast boats have a head.