Iberostar and Dressel in Jan
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mchiapetto
Contributor
Iberostar is a nice resort. But stay away from Dressel. They are:
High priced
Rigid dive plans
Large capacity boats
Most of the other dive ops in Coz will pick you up for morning dives. They will also do afternoon and night dives if you have 4 to 6 people for them. If it is just two of you, you would have to get to their dock for an afternoon or night dive.
We dove Dressel twice just because we did not want to pay for the cab ride ($20 each way) into town to get to a dive op there. But after the dive we wished we had not gone. One of their rules we really did not like was that once someone in the group reached 500 lbs, the dive was over for everyone. And with the large size of the group you are guaranteed that someone will suck their air down quick.
Next time we go, we are planning to stay up near the other dive ops (probably at PLG). That will open up more options for diving than staying at Iberostar. But a nice thing about Iberostar is that is really close to all the good dive sites. Makes for short boat rides.
Mike and Debbie
High priced
Rigid dive plans
Large capacity boats
Most of the other dive ops in Coz will pick you up for morning dives. They will also do afternoon and night dives if you have 4 to 6 people for them. If it is just two of you, you would have to get to their dock for an afternoon or night dive.
We dove Dressel twice just because we did not want to pay for the cab ride ($20 each way) into town to get to a dive op there. But after the dive we wished we had not gone. One of their rules we really did not like was that once someone in the group reached 500 lbs, the dive was over for everyone. And with the large size of the group you are guaranteed that someone will suck their air down quick.
Next time we go, we are planning to stay up near the other dive ops (probably at PLG). That will open up more options for diving than staying at Iberostar. But a nice thing about Iberostar is that is really close to all the good dive sites. Makes for short boat rides.
Mike and Debbie
scottbeach
Contributor
Yes, Dressel does run a bigger boat, but ...
1. The packages work out nicely over the course of a week.
2. Being onsite, they're very convenient and will let you keep your gear at the shop.
3. They're a good safe outfit. Sure, for the advanced diver, I know there are more agressive outfits, but there are also some shops that push the limit too far. I can think of a couple in particular.
4. The whole big boat thing is really not a big deal in Coz. With the current, the boat drops off small groups and then has to circle back in position. You end up with such a spread between groups, you never see them.
Whether Dressel is the right fit for you really comes down to what factors are most important for you. We never ran into an issue with a dive being called as a result of a member with poor air management. My wife and I are often outlasting the DM and it was never an issue.
Most of the operators will pick up at the Iberostar, such as Dive Paradise, but many will make you fill out paperwork at their shop first, which is a $20 cab ride away.
The only outfit I've personally had a really bad experience with was Black Shark (connected to Apple Vacations). Had I done my homework, we wouldn't have tried that shop in the first place. My personal safety vs. agressive dive factor didn't quite match up with theirs....old gear, iffy boat, and an unsafe DM.
1. The packages work out nicely over the course of a week.
2. Being onsite, they're very convenient and will let you keep your gear at the shop.
3. They're a good safe outfit. Sure, for the advanced diver, I know there are more agressive outfits, but there are also some shops that push the limit too far. I can think of a couple in particular.
4. The whole big boat thing is really not a big deal in Coz. With the current, the boat drops off small groups and then has to circle back in position. You end up with such a spread between groups, you never see them.
Whether Dressel is the right fit for you really comes down to what factors are most important for you. We never ran into an issue with a dive being called as a result of a member with poor air management. My wife and I are often outlasting the DM and it was never an issue.
Most of the operators will pick up at the Iberostar, such as Dive Paradise, but many will make you fill out paperwork at their shop first, which is a $20 cab ride away.
The only outfit I've personally had a really bad experience with was Black Shark (connected to Apple Vacations). Had I done my homework, we wouldn't have tried that shop in the first place. My personal safety vs. agressive dive factor didn't quite match up with theirs....old gear, iffy boat, and an unsafe DM.
They are REALLY over priced though as mchipeatto said. I guess its OK if you don't mind paying lots
Jerryg
Contributor
My wife and I dove in the area and did not use Dressel's. Too pricey, and too impersonal. We found a dive shop in PDC, left our equipment there and took the Collectivo for $1.00 each. A little bit of an inconvenience but we wound up with an excellent group of Dive Masters.
Len
Registered
Stayed at Iberostar 2 years ago and used Dressel.
I agree with scottbeach.
Yes..Dressel has big boats with lots of divers.
Yes..they are expensive for just 1 day of diving.
We bought 9 day dive package..paid in advance (an extra 15%off) and it worked out to be a very good deal.
Surfaced in buddy pairs....had very good dive times....NEVER had to surface when the first heavy breather got to 500 psi.
I agree with scottbeach.
Yes..Dressel has big boats with lots of divers.
Yes..they are expensive for just 1 day of diving.
We bought 9 day dive package..paid in advance (an extra 15%off) and it worked out to be a very good deal.
Surfaced in buddy pairs....had very good dive times....NEVER had to surface when the first heavy breather got to 500 psi.
Does anybody do that any more? Make the whole group come up when the first person gets down to 500 psi, I mean? I'd think that that would be so incredibly bad for business that dive ops that did it would find themselves at a disadvantage.
In ten years of diving Cozumel I have never once experienced it, even on a cattle boat night dive.
make everyone surface together...due to safety factors. There is so much boat traffic, that having anyone surface away from the group can be very dangerous, depending on the dive site. This is a disadvantage to diving with big groups.
I handle this in a few different ways AND my captain is always right above us.
1. If the diver is a new diver, they NEVER surface without a divemaster. For this reason, if I have a new diver(s) on the boat with experienced divers, I have a DM just for them, regardless of whether I have 4 or 6 divers on the boat. I want everyone to enjoy their dive.
2. If the diver is experienced, I will let them surface alone IF they have a signal buoy. I provide signal buoys for each buddy team if they do not have their own.
3. If the group agrees in advance for everyone to surface, then that's what we do.
Scottbeach, regarding convenience for onsite operators. Some of the convenience reasons you stated are not exclusive to onsite operators. For example, I rinse and store gear daily for my customers and I meet them on the day of arrival at their hotel to complete paperwork, so the $20 cab ride is not an issue. With a smaller operation you are also more likely to have the option (or at least a say in) which sites you dive. With smaller operators, the dive are decided upon the morning of the dive based on conditions and diver preference, not by a preset schedule.
Dressel has a reputation of being very restricted with their dive sites and only dive the southernmost reefs, which really limits your dive site choices. They have also been known to schedule certain days for certain sites, which is a policy that I don't particularly agree with because it restricts some divers from the dive and/or it may eliminate the option of diving a certain site for those that are only diving 3 or 4 days. For example, a diver arrives on Friday morning and will be diving Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They want to dive Palanar Gardens, but Palancar Gardens is scheduled on Friday mornings and Tuesday mornings...they automatically do not get to dive that site. Just some things to consider.
Like I have said before, there are many good operators (and bad ones) in Cozumel, so do not feel like you are obligated or stuck with the onsite operator at any hotel.
Have a great trip!
I handle this in a few different ways AND my captain is always right above us.
1. If the diver is a new diver, they NEVER surface without a divemaster. For this reason, if I have a new diver(s) on the boat with experienced divers, I have a DM just for them, regardless of whether I have 4 or 6 divers on the boat. I want everyone to enjoy their dive.
2. If the diver is experienced, I will let them surface alone IF they have a signal buoy. I provide signal buoys for each buddy team if they do not have their own.
3. If the group agrees in advance for everyone to surface, then that's what we do.
Scottbeach, regarding convenience for onsite operators. Some of the convenience reasons you stated are not exclusive to onsite operators. For example, I rinse and store gear daily for my customers and I meet them on the day of arrival at their hotel to complete paperwork, so the $20 cab ride is not an issue. With a smaller operation you are also more likely to have the option (or at least a say in) which sites you dive. With smaller operators, the dive are decided upon the morning of the dive based on conditions and diver preference, not by a preset schedule.
Dressel has a reputation of being very restricted with their dive sites and only dive the southernmost reefs, which really limits your dive site choices. They have also been known to schedule certain days for certain sites, which is a policy that I don't particularly agree with because it restricts some divers from the dive and/or it may eliminate the option of diving a certain site for those that are only diving 3 or 4 days. For example, a diver arrives on Friday morning and will be diving Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They want to dive Palanar Gardens, but Palancar Gardens is scheduled on Friday mornings and Tuesday mornings...they automatically do not get to dive that site. Just some things to consider.
Like I have said before, there are many good operators (and bad ones) in Cozumel, so do not feel like you are obligated or stuck with the onsite operator at any hotel.
Have a great trip!
wetbehindtheear
Guest
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I stayed at the iberostar last feb, and called papa hogs ahead of time to set up the paperwork. took a cab to town, but they would have picked me up at the dock on the way back from the am dive, and dropped me off after the pm dive.
papa hogs was way cheaper - $250 USD for 5 days of 2 tanks dives, picked up at the pier.
you get a free dive (i can't remember 1 or 2 tank) with dressel - took a couple of night dives - fun dives, but during the day i really appreciated showing up at the dock around 9am for a pickup, and being back at 12:30 having done two great dives.
the papa hogs dms were more personable and interesting imho - they showed us swim thrus and cool spots - crazy little buggers, but still dove safe. check em out - http://www.papahogs.com/
you can still use the pier and dunk tanks at the dressel shop even if you don't dive with them. it happens a lot - they're ok with it - they get most of the intro to diving guys - their bread & butter.
i want to go back, and will try the same setup.
papa hogs was way cheaper - $250 USD for 5 days of 2 tanks dives, picked up at the pier.
you get a free dive (i can't remember 1 or 2 tank) with dressel - took a couple of night dives - fun dives, but during the day i really appreciated showing up at the dock around 9am for a pickup, and being back at 12:30 having done two great dives.
the papa hogs dms were more personable and interesting imho - they showed us swim thrus and cool spots - crazy little buggers, but still dove safe. check em out - http://www.papahogs.com/
you can still use the pier and dunk tanks at the dressel shop even if you don't dive with them. it happens a lot - they're ok with it - they get most of the intro to diving guys - their bread & butter.
i want to go back, and will try the same setup.
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I do not recommend Dressel Divers--this is a cattle boat op in the truest sense of the term.
High quality ops like Blue XT Sea, Deep Blue & Dive With Martin will pick you up at the Iberostar pier.
As for thermal protection, it's somewhat idiosyncratic. To put it in perspective, below is a piece, in part, from my June '00 "Ask RSD" column in "Rodale's Scuba Diving":
"Have you ever been out on the street in the spring or fall and noticed people wearing everything from shorts & T-shirts to full coats with hats & scarves, all apparently in comfort? Well, things are no different underwater. This comfort is highly variable among individuals depending on such factors as percentage of body fat, age & tolerance to thermal discomfort. Other determinants, like how many dives a day over how many days you are planning, are also important. When you ask "What wetsuit should I wear?, you'll get answers ranging all the way from "just a bathing suit" through "5 mm full."
The question is better asked: "What water temps can I anticipate at my destination?" You'll receive a pretty accurate answer to this, and then can decide what's best for you based on your personal thermal comfort needs.
It's always a good idea to come thermally prepared, just in case."
That having been said, expect Coz water temps in Jan of ~79 degrees plus/minus a degree. Personally, if was doing multiple dives over multiple days at that temp, I'd take a 3mm full. If you get a bit too warm during a dive, you can always let some water into the suit. Much harder to warm up.
You're going to have such a good time.
DocVikingo
High quality ops like Blue XT Sea, Deep Blue & Dive With Martin will pick you up at the Iberostar pier.
As for thermal protection, it's somewhat idiosyncratic. To put it in perspective, below is a piece, in part, from my June '00 "Ask RSD" column in "Rodale's Scuba Diving":
"Have you ever been out on the street in the spring or fall and noticed people wearing everything from shorts & T-shirts to full coats with hats & scarves, all apparently in comfort? Well, things are no different underwater. This comfort is highly variable among individuals depending on such factors as percentage of body fat, age & tolerance to thermal discomfort. Other determinants, like how many dives a day over how many days you are planning, are also important. When you ask "What wetsuit should I wear?, you'll get answers ranging all the way from "just a bathing suit" through "5 mm full."
The question is better asked: "What water temps can I anticipate at my destination?" You'll receive a pretty accurate answer to this, and then can decide what's best for you based on your personal thermal comfort needs.
It's always a good idea to come thermally prepared, just in case."
That having been said, expect Coz water temps in Jan of ~79 degrees plus/minus a degree. Personally, if was doing multiple dives over multiple days at that temp, I'd take a 3mm full. If you get a bit too warm during a dive, you can always let some water into the suit. Much harder to warm up.
You're going to have such a good time.
DocVikingo
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