Dive Paradise pier charges question

[scubawife]

I stayed at Villablanca for a week and was not diving with Dive Paradise. There's a $2 per diver/day charge for other boats to pick up and drop off. Not a big deal, so whatever. What I'm wondering is does Diver Paradise own their piers at Hotel Barracuda and Hotel Cozumel, or are those piers owned by the hotels? If they're DP piers, are hotel guests (or walk-ups) who use other dive ops charged to use the pier?

Was the old pier at Villablanca owned by the hotel or DP?

Reason I'm asking is that if I rent a house and all it takes to use one of these piers is to pay $2 a day then it's a better option and more convenient then Caleta.

 

[cowboyneal]

Isn't that the normal $2 marine park fee everyone charges and collects (and what you get the wrist-band for)?

 

[Christi]

I stayed at Villablanca for a week and was not diving with Dive Paradise. There's a $2 per diver/day charge for other boats to pick up and drop off. Not a big deal, so whatever. What I'm wondering is does Diver Paradise own their piers at Hotel Barracuda and Hotel Cozumel, or are those piers owned by the hotels? If they're DP piers, are hotel guests (or walk-ups) who use other dive ops charged to use the pier?

Was the old pier at Villablanca owned by the hotel or DP?

Reason I'm asking is that if I rent a house and all it takes to use one of these piers is to pay $2 a day then it's a better option and more convenient then Caleta.

I can't honestly say, but I am fairly certain that the piers at Barracuda and HC were built by the hotels. I do know that Dive Paradise paid for the reconstruction of VillaBlanca pier which is why the $2 fee applies...although the collection of this fee has been inconsistent.

No Cowboy, she is not talking about the marine park fee.

 

[CharlieSierra]

(Sorry for hijacking the thread)
I'm supposed to meet my dive operator in the mornings at Caleta. Where is it?

Chris

 

[Christi]

(Sorry for hijacking the thread)
I'm supposed to meet my dive operator in the mornings at Caleta. Where is it?

Chris

Just tell the taxi driver, he'll know.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

(Sorry for hijacking the thread)
I'm supposed to meet my dive operator in the mornings at Caleta. Where is it?

Chris

Next to The Presidente Hotel in case you are walking or in a car

 

[scubawife]

I can't honestly say, but I am fairly certain that the piers at Barracuda and HC were built by the hotels. I do know that Dive Paradise paid for the reconstruction of VillaBlanca pier which is why the $2 fee applies...although the collection of this fee has been inconsistent.

It was very consistent the 7 days we were there. The whole thing was actually kinda comical. There was a very cheerful guy sitting on the pier in the morning when we arrived who insisted on helping us with our stuff as we got on the boat. As soon as we were all onboard he took one of the lines and started talking to the DM. He then took out his receipt book and wrote down the info. (We started calling him the pier police, in a humorous way amongst ourselves). When we came back from our dives he was there again, all smiles, welcoming us back and insisting on helping us with out bags. Then pulling out the receipt book and collecting the money from the DM and throw the boat their line. Our dive op wouldn't let us pay and didn't add it to our bill. We made sure it was covered when we settled our bill. I don't think the dive op should have to pay for our convenience.

Knowing that there's a pier that we could use for $2/day regardless of where we stay is a good convenience. When there wasn't a pier here we paid $4 or 5 each way for a taxi to Caleta.

 

[scubawife]

Isn't that the normal $2 marine park fee everyone charges and collects (and what you get the wrist-band for)?

Nothing to do with the park fee. This is a $2 per person fee that Dive Paradise is charging dive ops to pick up/drop off their divers at the Dive Paradise pier across the street from Villablanca.

 

[ronski101]

Anyone can do a pick up at the hotel cozumel pier.

 

[scubawife]

Anyone can do a pick up at the hotel cozumel pier.

If you're a Hotel Coz guest but not if you aren't. The Dive Paradise pier across the street from Villablanca is now available to anyone, regardless of where they are staying, as long as they pay the $2 per person user fee.