Just landed in Cozumel....now what?

[DandyDon]

Should I feel guilty for not cheering & advertising my Op? I pay $60, paid in US bills, for multiple days diving, 100 cf tanks free on request, and they rinse & store my gear for tips. I enjoy them very much - but I am not one to push them over other ops as almost all of them are great, some charging more and maybe doing more...

 

[cvchief]

Should I feel guilty for not cheering & advertising my Op?

Yes....

 

[Mossman]

Should I feel guilty for not cheering & advertising my Op? I pay $60, paid in US bills, for multiple days diving, 100 cf tanks free on request, and they rinse & store my gear for tips. I enjoy them very much - but I am not one to push them over other ops as almost all of them are great, some charging more and maybe doing more...

Actually, I was cheering and advertising the boutique dive ops that use 120s for only $10 more than the cattleboats of SCC. You'll note Aldora is the only one I mentioned by name and I'm hardly an Aldora cheerleader. I just think it's a far better bang for one's buck whether priced per minute of bottom time or services rendered.

$60 tax-inclusive, on the other hand, is a significant difference IMO, especially if they offer 100s. The bottom time advantage may not be worth the extra $25 and tax and the services sound similar enough. I'd much rather pay $60 to your op for a 100 and gear storage than $75 to SCC for an 80 and no gear storage.

Honestly there is one annoying thing about my preferred dive op: no discount for multiple days of diving unless you have a group.

 

[DandyDon]

Actually, I was cheering and advertising the boutique dive ops that use 120s for only $10 more than the cattleboats of SCC. You'll note Aldora is the only one I mentioned by name and I'm hardly an Aldora cheerleader. I just think it's a far better bang for one's buck whether priced per minute of bottom time or services rendered.

$60 tax-inclusive, on the other hand, is a significant difference IMO, especially if they offer 100s. The bottom time advantage may not be worth the extra $25 and tax and the services sound similar enough. I'd much rather pay $60 to your op for a 100 and gear storage than $75 to SCC for an 80 and no gear storage.

Honestly there is one annoying thing about my preferred dive op: no discount for multiple days of diving unless you have a group.

Spooky! We agreed twice in a week.

I tell ya, if I had someone to share the rental car with - I'd be tempted to go with Chief's favorite, but I am cheap & lazy. So nice to get picked up at the breakfast dock and dropped off at the lunch dock.

 

[Mossman]

Big camera tank, that's another plus about my preferred dive op but obviously people with small cameras or no cameras could care less about that particular amenity. If I spoil my camera, it takes better pictures for me.

Dock service is a must. Getting picked up at the dock is one of the nicest things about diving Cozumel IMO, since it can be a real hassle getting to the boat in so many other dive locales unless you're actually staying at a dive resort. (And even that's no guarantee as I found out at Cobalt Coast in Grand Cayman, where the tide often gets too low for the boat to pick up at the hotel dock and they have to shuttle you to an alternate dock.)

---------- Post added June 3rd, 2013 at 05:56 PM ----------

Spooky! We agreed twice in a week.

I must be getting more agreeable as my Coz trip nears. Only 10 more days until I leave for the airport.

 

[Ripple in still water]

Do Aldora's quoted prices include tax?

$30 more than $75? I'm not aware of any dive op on the island that charges $105 for a 2 tank dive. I pay $85 plus tax. Aldora's website quotes $89.

 

[Brules]

I don't think I hardly ever recommend my op (Papa Hogs) due to the fact that they are not a high end boutique op - and I just know if I did, and someone used them, they would meet Mike and come back and be life "WTF Brules!" lololol. They are the....Wal Mart? of coz dive ops hehe. Low prices and short on hand holding hehe.

I recommend Christie and Aldora all day though as they are helpful and active here on SB and that interaction and support speaks to how well they run their operations.

 

[Mossman]

I recommend Christie and Aldora all day though as they are helpful and active here on SB and that interaction and support speaks to how well they run their operations.

We must agree to disagree. Personally, I see it as free advertising that I'm sure has "paid" off very well. But that's just my opinion. I've already been chastised for voicing it so I'll stop while I'm ahead

 

[cvchief]

We must agree to disagree. Personally, I see it as free advertising that I'm sure has "paid" off very well. But that's just my opinion. I've already been chastised for voicing it so I'll stop while I'm ahead

1. Cow out.


2. Close barn door.

 

[Tunaman68]

It's like herding cats in here some times.....