Dive Resort Deal - 19% Off the Occidental Cozumel

[flyboy08]

Going off of Barcelo’s site, the price for two without diving same dates as above is $1386.00

Diving $544x2 = $1088. So that would be $2474 vs $2540 above....

Better deal off of their site, plus repeat customers get a discount and another 5% off if your older than 55

 

[CajunDiva]

Aha - PADI Travel is listening

In terms of the pier fee, the resort does charge a $5 per diver per day fee. This is quite a common practice among resorts in Cozumel. However, most local operators absorb this fee. It's almost unheard of for operators to pass this fee on to guests, so divers rarely even know it exists.

That is certainly the case for Pro Dive International, the on-site operator at the Occidental Cozumel. Guests who book their dive resort stay with PADI Travel dive with Pro Dive International as a part of the package. So, for the packages advertised here, divers would not need to pay the pier fee. Any other applicable fees (like the extra charge for premium boat dives) are laid out on the PADI Travel page.

If you have any other concerns regarding this dive resort or any others, please let us know. We are more than happy to answer any and all questions.

In the meantime, happy bubbles!

You'd better believe we have other concerns! You are openly admitting that if divers use the on-site operation, Pro-Dive, they will not have to pay the pier fee. But if divers wish to dive with a different op, the op has to "absorb the fee". Sure, they won't pass it on to their divers. That wouldn't be competitive, would it?

This is economic subterfuge and unethical. Why can't the on-site dive operation simply compete on an even scale without other operators having to "absorb the fee" that shouldn't even be a fee? Serious divers care deeply about the business practices of those they choose to dive with. In the long run, what these pier fees will do is simply drive up the price for diving in Cozumel.

I, for one, will never support those business tactics, nor will I utilize the services of a business that promotes them. I suspect there are many other serious divers who feel the same. Your choice...promote this obscene practice if you wish.

 

[Christi]

Hi divers! We're sorry to hear about the issues you have had with the Occidental Cozumel. We've taken the time to follow up with the property regarding your concerns.

In terms of the pier fee, the resort does charge a $5 per diver per day fee. This is quite a common practice among resorts in Cozumel. However, most local operators absorb this fee. It's almost unheard of for operators to pass this fee on to guests, so divers rarely even know it exists.

That is certainly the case for Pro Dive International, the on-site operator at the Occidental Cozumel. Guests who book their dive resort stay with PADI Travel dive with Pro Dive International as a part of the package. So, for the packages advertised here, divers would not need to pay the pier fee. Any other applicable fees (like the extra charge for premium boat dives) are laid out on the PADI Travel page.

If you have any other concerns regarding this dive resort or any others, please let us know. We are more than happy to answer any and all questions.

In the meantime, happy bubbles!

PADI TRavel, first of all, I suspect that you are actually a ProDive representative. Only my suspicion of course, not proven (yet).

You are TERRIBLY mistaken. It is NOT a common practice for All-Inclusives to charge a pier fee to their guests to choose who THEY wish to dive with.

Operators are NOT absorbing this fee. Neither is ProDive International - they are actually the ones CHARGING the fee.

PADI TRAVEL, it would behoove you to get your facts straight on this.

 

[jonhall]

Taking a look at the linked offer in the original post, since I’m usually comparing it to what i can get through my timeshare, this deal is not too bad compared to what I could get it for. Of course I realize I can find better deals at different places in Coz but this is what I found if I were to book a week in Dec. at the Occidental.

PADI offer: INCLUDES 7 nights deluxe bedroom, AI, 12 dives, DAN trip insurance if trip is over $1000 (airfare would put it over that). NOT INCLUDED park fee ($2/day??), boat fee (but all ProDive does are boat dives). TOTAL COST for me and non diving spouse - $1631

Through timeshare: 7 nights studio unit $199, AI for 2 people $938, 12 dives $524 (if booked in advance). TOTAL COST - $1561. Would normally go for a 1 bedroom unit at $309.99, but the ripoff is that I would have to pay AI fees as if 4 people occupied the room.

The dives are built into the price of the package meaning that the pier fee really is a non-issue in this deal. The biggest drawback for real divers is that ProDive is a resort op so runs on a schedule (or at least they did several years ago.) I happen to have used them once when I stayed on the north side of the island and they were the only people who set transportation up for me while others told me I had to find my own (which isn’t really that big of a deal, but at the time I appreciated it.)

 

[Mr. Manfrenjensenden]

Taking a look at the linked offer in the original post, since I’m usually comparing it to what i can get through my timeshare, this deal is not too bad compared to what I could get it for. Of course I realize I can find better deals at different places in Coz but this is what I found if I were to book a week in Dec. at the Occidental.

PADI offer: INCLUDES 7 nights deluxe bedroom, AI, 12 dives, DAN trip insurance if trip is over $1000 (airfare would put it over that). NOT INCLUDED park fee ($2/day??), boat fee (but all ProDive does are boat dives). TOTAL COST for me and non diving spouse - $1631

Through timeshare: 7 nights studio unit $199, AI for 2 people $938, 12 dives $524 (if booked in advance). TOTAL COST - $1561. Would normally go for a 1 bedroom unit at $309.99, but the ripoff is that I would have to pay AI fees as if 4 people occupied the room.

The dives are built into the price of the package meaning that the pier fee really is a non-issue in this deal. The biggest drawback for real divers is that ProDive is a resort op so runs on a schedule (or at least they did several years ago.) I happen to have used them once when I stayed on the north side of the island and they were the only people who set transportation up for me while others told me I had to find my own (which isn’t really that big of a deal, but at the time I appreciated it.)

Agreed that for the original offer posted in this thread, the pier fees don't come into play since you're buying a package that locks you into the house op. But that's not what has people whipped up in a lather. People are feisty about 1) the concept of these fees in general, if you want to stay somewhere and not use their op, and 2) PADI travel claiming something about the fees that is contradicted by the experience of people on this board. I disagree with @CajunDiva that it is unethical to charge fees to use your dock -- that's the option of whomever owns the dock and isn't an issue of ethics -- but I think it's certainly fair for people to call out behavior they disagree with, especially when a business uses a public forum to promote their business.

 

[Mr. Manfrenjensenden]

What I don't get is why the Occidental/PADI travel chose to promote this deal in this forum. They should have done enough background checking to know that this fees issue made a bunch of people mad, and now their advertisement has sparked enough response that it's probably proved counterproductive to their goals.

 

[jonhall]

Neither is ProDive International - they are actually the ones CHARGING the fee.

Per a TripAdvisor response from Occidental to a guest's review:

"Gabriela G, Gerente at Occidental Cozumel, responded to this reviewResponded December 6, 2018
We are sincerely sorry to read your dissatisfaction with the new fee for use the pier, however I would like to take this opportunity to clarify that this fee is new ( from November 1 ) it is charged for the diving concession, since they are responsible for the repair and maintenance of the pier. So all the boats, (not necessarily the clients), will be charged for the use of the pier.
However although this review is already taken in our consideration, I invite you to let me an official report here in the hotel.
Do not hesitate to contact me for any additional information or clarification at the front desk or you can ask for me in any of the hotel areas.

Gabriela Gaeta
Guest Experience Manager
cozumel.guestexperience@occidentalhotels.com"

Not the right thread for this, but my interest is piqued as I have read about these fees for several years now, not just applying to divers, but for charter fishing boats and general pier use (like snorkeling from them.) Someone with more knowledge about these pier fees should make a list of these piers and their locations, and how they work the fee in. Actually someone shouldn't do that - doesn't sound like a fun thing to do. It's not often I get to go to Coz, but I know the pier I was picked up from at the resort I stayed at several years ago had no fee then, but does now - it, as I have read, is collected from each person as they walk out on the pier. Does that take the burden off of the dive op?

 

[Nitrox624]

Edited/Deleted - Saw this is about Occidental and not Allegro

 

[Sloeber]

Hi divers! We're sorry to hear about the issues you have had with the Occidental Cozumel. We've taken the time to follow up with the property regarding your concerns.

In terms of the pier fee, the resort does charge a $5 per diver per day fee. This is quite a common practice among resorts in Cozumel. However, most local operators absorb this fee. It's almost unheard of for operators to pass this fee on to guests, so divers rarely even know it exists.

That is certainly the case for Pro Dive International, the on-site operator at the Occidental Cozumel. Guests who book their dive resort stay with PADI Travel dive with Pro Dive International as a part of the package. So, for the packages advertised here, divers would not need to pay the pier fee. Any other applicable fees (like the extra charge for premium boat dives) are laid out on the PADI Travel page.

If you have any other concerns regarding this dive resort or any others, please let us know. We are more than happy to answer any and all questions.

In the meantime, happy bubbles!

 

[Shawn C]

My family stayed for 10 days in 2016 and upgraded to Royal level becasue getting reservations were a total and complete PITA (as divers). Even then, with unlimited a la carte reservations, we eat off resort 4 nights for dinner. Don't even get me started about the buffet. We did not use Pro Dive. We would not return unless they got rid of the reservation system and upgraded the food quality.