First Time To Cozumel This Year

[Lizard Leg]

Any special considerations we should know? Looking at the customs page it says personal items "in addition to clothing, personal effects may include one camera, one personal computer, one CD player, 5 DVDs, 20 music CDs, and one cellular phone."

With the underwater camera gear we'll have at least 3 camera setups with us. Any issues here?

 

[cvchief]

Doubtful you will have a problem. We travel with 5 cell phones. 2 US, 2 MX and the house cell.

 

[DandyDon]

I take 3 cameras usually. I just don't talk about them.

 

[Lizard Leg]

The cameras are spread across two carry on Pelican cases.. hard to miss.

 

[DandyDon]

The cameras are spread across two carry on Pelican cases.. hard to miss.

Their focus is watching for multiple cameras being imported to sell. Yours are for personal use and will leave when you do, unless you lose one to the sea. Many divers travel with extra cameras.

 

[Lizard Leg]

Thanks!

 

[dberry]

Dive knives and gloves are forbidden on the reefs, so the customs folks at the Coz airport seem to look for them. They picked my (very thin) gloves out of my checked luggage, said a few things in Spanish to each other, shrugged, then tossed them back into my bag. Not sure if they actually confiscate stuff, but they seemed to be thinking about it.

 

[cvchief]

I can't imagine they would care about gloves or knives. Those prohibition only apply in the park. On the other I had the Aduana guy try on and model some sunglasses I was muling down before giving them back.

 

[DandyDon]

Dive knives and gloves are forbidden on the reefs

In the park. Gloves are good to wear on the wreck, and both are good up north.

They picked my (very thin) gloves out of my checked luggage, said a few things in Spanish to each other

Whatever he was thinking & saying, that'd be a big jump. So you got gloves.

I think it helps that I carry a big backpack with laptop & cameras, a roll-on, and 2 - 50# of gear and clothes. No one really wants to inspect all my stuff. I just have to remember to pack all batteries in checked bags leaving.

 

[cvchief]

We are always bringing house stuff and who knows what. Last time 2 huge motor extensions and a coffee grinder among other stuff. sailed through. I though for sure I would have some 'splainin to do. No rhyme or reason.

So far I only had to pay duty twice. Once for a wash down pump for a boat. The guy said ANYTHING for a boat has duty. He said car GPS no duty. Boat GPS duty. Of course later they let the extensions though.

The other time was bringing someone Ecigs. (Back before everyone was worried about them exploding and all) They taxed them in the equivalent to pack of regular cigs. Like one pack was a carton of regular cigs.

Last trip we got inspected and I had a box of Cascade pods for the dishwasher. The wife was distracted dealing with the guy modeling the sunglasses and I was on my own trying to explain the pods to the lady digging through my bag. My Spanish could use a little work. I am winging out Dishwasher Automatica and such and she is giving me the blank look. As it left my brain on the way to my mouth, I KNEW it was wrong, but I was under stress. Still I couldn't pull it back. It came out. I said "Sopa." And the ENTIRE inspection line in Cancun stopped. EVERYONE turned to look at the Gringo Idiota.

The wife gave me the "You're an idiot," look and told the nice lady, "He's an idiot." Anyway, I provided a nice laugh to all Aduana at the Cancun Airport and we were on our way....