Diving Cozumel from Playa.

[Skookumchuck]

Hi all,
I'll be in Playa del Carmen for a week in July and I'm wondering about the logistics of diving Cozumel but staying in Playa. Is it possible to take the ferry over to the island in the morning, do two dives and catch the boat back in the afternoon? Are there operators that will pick up at the ferry terminal? Also while I have your attention, is advanced open water certification necessary? My son is open water certified and an active diver but not advanced certified.
Thanks, Andrew.

 

[Ron Lee]

1) Is it possible to take the ferry over to the island in the morning, do two dives and catch the boat back in the afternoon?

Yes. Only buy one way ferry tickets. Ferry schedule does change a bit. See schedule here:

Mexico Waterjets - Ferry Cozumel-Playa del Carmen, Playa del Carmen Ferry-Cozumel


2) Are there operators that will pick up at the ferry terminal?

Unknown but unlikely. You can use several dive ops at piers just about three or four blocks south of the ferry terminal: Aldora, Blue Xt Sea, Aqua Safari. Schedules vary so check their websites. Plus you are a short taxi ride from dive ops at the cruise ship pier (Dive with Martin ??) and those at the caleta further south.

Bienvenidos - Aldora Divers | Only the best of Cozumel

|

Cozumel Diving with Aqua Safari


3) Also while I have your attention, is advanced open water certification necessary?

No

You're welcome



http://bluextseadiving.com/

 

[mediumone]

1) Is it possible to take the ferry over to the island in the morning, do two dives and catch the boat back in the afternoon?

Yes. Only buy one way ferry tickets. Ferry schedule does change a bit. See schedule here:

Mxico Waterjets - Fery Cozumel-Playa del Carmen, Playa del Carmen Ferry-Cozumel


The other companies web site is;

ULTRAMAR

The ferry schedule does not change --- it leaves Playa and Cozumel every hour on the hour, which means on the hour to 10 - 15 minutes past the hour. The last ferry from the island to Playa is at 9:00 pm.

Mr. Lee is quite correct -- DO NOT buy a round trip ticket. There is no price advantage in doing so, and you may find yourself waiting an hour to use the return ticket until that company's ferry runs. Mexico Waterjets really put the hard sell on us to buy a round trip ticket; We'd go up to the window, say "Quatro, por favor", and they automatically rang up 4 round trip tickets. "No, one way." "Why ---- aren't you coming back?" "You should buy your tickets now."

I got a very good deal from some guy who had Waterjets tickets and Ultramar had the 9:00 pm run that day. He was flying home the next day, and we had 2 1/2 more trips to make. The tickets are good for 5 months, however.





2) Are there operators that will pick up at the ferry terminal?

Unknown but unlikely. You can use several dive ops at piers just about three or four blocks south of the ferry terminal: Aldora, Blue Xt Sea, Aqua Safari. Schedules vary so check their websites. Plus you are a short taxi ride from dive ops at the cruise ship pier (Dive with Martin ??) and those at the caleta further south.

Bienvenidos - Aldora Divers | Only the best of Cozumel

|

Cozumel Diving with Aqua Safari


3) Also while I have your attention, is advanced open water certification necessary?

No

You're welcome

---------- Post added May 5th, 2012 at 03:19 PM ----------

One more website

|

PS Fare is 155 Pesos for Waterjets, 156 Pesos for Ultramar

 

[Ron Lee]

There was a change in mid April. I think that the 800 AM Cozumel to PDC ferry was dropped. Not sure of other changes. Always verify the current schedule. The first website provided shows all ferry crossings IF YOU ADD ALL DEPARTURES FOR A GIVEN LOCATION ON BOTH SETS OF SCHEDULES.

IMO, if they have not pulled back from the dock by 5 after the hour, they are running late.

 

[Byte Me]

Many Playa shops can hook you up with Coz diving via the ferry. Ends up being a pretty long day though for a two tank dive. Tank Ha on Calle 10 in Playa runs a boat direct to Coz once or twice a week and gets you back around 1:00 or so. Saves a LOT of waiting around and you get input into what sites you want to dive. Dove with them for the first time last November and would again when in town!

 

[DandyDon]

The ferries do indeed change times, for various reasons - including weather and simply canceling to use the boat to take a group from a cruise ship to mainland, etc. Use the schedule, but don't be surprised if you have to wait. There is a nice cafe across from the ferry dock in Coz, and much more close by.

Ferrying over from PDC for a 2 tank boat trip will be easier than going from Coz to PDC for cenote dives, which people do every day. Just take a cab to meet your chosen operator and back - too easy. Except, with nice rooms for less than $50, you might make it a two day trip and enjoy it more.

 

[mediumone]

The ferries do indeed change times, for various reasons - including weather and simply canceling to use the boat to take a group from a cruise ship to mainland, etc. Use the schedule, but don't be surprised if you have to wait. There is a nice cafe across from the ferry dock in Coz, and much more close by.

At the risk of sounding like I'm picking the fly **** out of the pepper here, but in the interests of clarification for the OP, I am going to elaborate. Except for extreme circumstances, the ferries indeed DO NOT change their schedules. Weather? Maybe for rougher seas than most of us have ever seen outside of an approaching hurricane. Cruise ship passengers? Never heard of or seen that (read: such a spectacle).

To suggest that the ferry may or may not be running that hour paints an inaccurate picture. The probability that the ferry will depart on the hour or within 10 minutes past the hour exceeds 99.0+%.


Ferrying over from PDC for a 2 tank boat trip will be easier than going from Coz to PDC for cenote dives, which people do every day. Just take a cab to meet your chosen operator and back - too easy. Except, with nice rooms for less than $50, you might make it a two day trip and enjoy it more.

Yes, Mr. Lee is correct, again. They have dropped the 8:00 am Coz to PDC run. Likely to resume mid to late December at the beginning of high season, if not before.

 

[DandyDon]

At the risk of sounding like I'm picking the fly **** out of the pepper here, but in the interests of clarification for the OP, I am going to elaborate. Except for extreme circumstances, the ferries indeed DO NOT change their schedules. Weather? Maybe for rougher seas than most of us have ever seen outside of an approaching hurricane. Cruise ship passengers? Never heard of or seen that (read: such a spectacle).

To suggest that the ferry may or may not be running that hour paints an inaccurate picture. The probability that the ferry will depart on the hour or within 10 minutes past the hour exceeds 99.0+%.

Well, I don't guess we could prove it either way. The two ferries companies are quite competitive, reasonably dependable, and if one of them isn't running - the other should be. There are a few hours in the day that there is not an hourly departure, and one source adds from Cozumel Ferry Schedules: Cozumel and Playa del Carmen

Currently half of the times are done by one company, and the other half done by the other company, switched on odd vs. even days. That is too confusing, so we just merged the two until high season returns.

 

[kmurray719]

Yes, Mr. Lee is correct, again. They have dropped the 8:00 am Coz to PDC run. Likely to resume mid to late December at the beginning of high season, if not before.

Whether you think you know the ferry schedule or not, my advice is to ALWAYS CHECK IT BEFORE DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW!! That 8am Coz-Playa ferry was not running in early March when I thought I knew it was, making for some last minute panic and a quick reservation on the mayair flight coz-cun necessary to get home. Check it at the terminal the day before, or check it online, but take the few minute to do it so changes in the ferry schedule don't derail your plans.

 

[ggunn]

Many Playa shops can hook you up with Coz diving via the ferry. Ends up being a pretty long day though for a two tank dive. Tank Ha on Calle 10 in Playa runs a boat direct to Coz once or twice a week and gets you back around 1:00 or so. Saves a LOT of waiting around and you get input into what sites you want to dive. Dove with them for the first time last November and would again when in town!

How large is their boat? The crossing in a small boat can be pretty rough and is not possible on a lot of days.