mini-report Cozumel

[Iguana Don]

I've been to Coz 9 times and have never had a bad experience.

To me it seems that just too much went wrong for this to be believable. Only thing missing is a hurricane and your gear getting stolen.

JMHO

ID

 

[caymaniac]

I left out the story about when we first got to the hotel we were excited because we were the first ones in line in front of maybe 50 people, the hotel at that point - telling us that no rooms were ready, gave us a ticket for a free drink at the bar. As we went to the bar ( with our travel clothes on), the bartender asked my wife what she would like for a drink and at the same time he opened the ice box to get ice when we noticed that the box was full of rust, I immediately ordered a beer but my wife is allergic to beer, so she at that time passed on the drink. I also left out the story about when we were leaving the pool area half way through the week, my wife slipped and twisted her ankle quite badly ( try going up and down ten flights of stairs because of a broken elevator like that). Then the worst part of what I left out - I caught a cold near the end of the week (lucky it was more of a chest cold than a head cold). There was no hurricane, and the weather and the vis were great. The problem wasn't the diving or the weather it was the idiots that were working on the island.
Caymaniac
Caymaniac

 

[stevsgarage]

I found this to be a fascinating thread. Bigbergs mini report was very interesting and since I am preparing for a trip to Cozumel I am reading all threads about it. (Not that I’m not a little familiar with Coz but one morning of diving and an afternoon of exploring on a trip over from a vacation in Cancun just leaves you wanting more). A direct flight from the US to Coz could have simplified things maybe, we found a good deal with Continental and I believe US air also has directs to Coz although I know many airlines do not, including American. I have done a fair amount of traveling in Mexico and I have found they always over rate their Resorts a notch but as for the people although things are a little unorganized they are very friendly and accommodating toward tourist. Although I am not a great world traveler I have been to several Caribbean Islands, Nicaragua, and southern Europe.
Because of the Ideal conditions and the build up of the tourism industry in the Cancun-Tulum corridor and Cozumel, the prices are very competitive. However there are many fly by night operations eager to take your money, information boards like this are a good place to find information on operators, you can and should check if they belong to PADI or one of the other diving organizations. I also find that the Resort headquarters holds operators in resorts more accountable but that is no guaranty. As far as eating and drinking in Coz and almost any Resort city in Mexico the water is now purified (even in Tijauna) although you may not want to drink it, it is safe and suitable for cleaning the food. Which by the way I find well prepared although a bit bland for my taste. I prefer the cuisine of Northern Mexico that most of us in the US are more accustom to.
By the way ScubaBurt sounds like I’m following your plan to Fiesta Americana, Any tips you might give me are as always appreciated.

 

[FLdiver]

Hey Caymaniac,

I didn't even think Cozumel had a hotel taller than 10 stories. Anyway, I just got back from Cozumel last week, and had a great time diving but lousy time topside, you're right not much to do on land. The water luckily I didn't get sick, not like the Red Sea (sharm el sheikh) everybody got sick there from the water. Eventhough I liked the diving in Cozumel, I won't head back for a long time, too many other places to check out. Good luck on your next trip.

 

[scubagatorgal]

Caymaniac, did you buy your lodging etc as a cheap package?

While there are great deals out there that deliver the goods there are many others that you don't want to stay or dive with. Sometimes there is a good reason they are slashing prices...

I'm in Florida and there was a dirt cheap 3 day trip for 299. including airfare and lodging that I bought a few years back. We flew out of Orlando on an older twin commuter but when we went to return they led us out to an antique that had duct tape on it! We almost didn't get on the plane...but we did and we made it home amid audible sighs of relief from the passengers who didn't chicken out.

That plane turned around and took another group back to Mexico and had to crash land after dumping fuel. It ALMOST didn't make it back to land in Mexico. There were injuries but only one guy had to go to the hospital. (His trip was worse than yours...imagine a hospital stay in Mexico)

Needless to say I am not so quick to jump on those too good to be true deals without investigation...

 

[caymaniac]

I did not buy a cheap pkg. to Coz. The rates were good, but I tried to pick a spot that divers were using and the info I got from the local dive shop was that LaCieba would be a nice place to go.
Little did I know that this hard to come by vacation money would be spent in a way I would'nt appreciate. On the good side is that we've been to quite a number of other dive areas in the Carribean that have not treated us like we were treated in Coz. We have learned that - we like quiet, we like more remote, we go for the dive not the party ( a party could still happen but that's not what we go for ), we have learned to research our areas better than when we went to Coz. This is a good thing!
Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

 

[Bigberg50]

I will admit to being spoiled. Since I began traveling on business about 20 years ago, I won't stay or fly on vacation anywhere that I wouldn't on business. Only scheduled airlines with 2 pilots, only hotels in safe locations, only eat in restaurants I'd take a client to.
And before I choose a dive op, I spend lots of time researching the internet and dive mags for ratings and referals. I take few if any chances with my gear and fewer chances with my travel plans.

 

[ayesa]

I totally agree with Scubagatorgal! It all depends on your travel agent. The hotel you stayed his not really good caymaniac. there remodiling and it has become a Time Share hotel!!! I'm Mexican and leave in Mexico..and I really don't like people that come to Mexico and don't speak Spanish....We that know it, study your language to make your stay more confortable, but is not our obligation, in your country..Americans don't speak spanish, only the bad words. Even the tourist area don't speak spanish, and in a way it's our fault for making everything easier for you.
Now in the Island it all depends the dive shop, Like Dc. Vikingo wrote...There are many dive shops in the island, but you must know that not all of them are good. and I really loved to know which dive shop left you behind...because in the diving bussines that brakes our divers law, we need to reported to authorities.
About the hotel I've work in hotel's too; and many times we got over book, and know about it, 2 or 3 months before. We always advised the travel agency, and they didn't care, (only a few would tell the people before what was going on) So we would have to find other hotels and reward the people with another vacation paid..or something good. In a case like yours, the hotel should close that section and change you to another hotel, all this before you checked in, you would loose a day yes, but at least the rest of your vacation would been good. I'm not trying to apologize for what happen to you, I've vacation in NY, FL an others and your people haven't been really good at me either, but in their cases..I've spoke english..JAJA! I just wish you the best of your life...and that never happen anything anywhere like what happen to you here. For the rest that post.....COME BACK!!! I love it here!
PS...Sorry for my spellling....I don't have my dictionary near me.

 

[cougar]

WHoa! What a horror story!! Your sure didn't describe our experience. I found sweet peole who were delighted to help me with my rotten Spanish Ayesa makes a very good point. (This IS a Spanish speaking country after all...when in Rome) Everything worked, there was water pressure, electricities, fabulous food...and I don't drink the water in the US...too many chemicals.

I can really understand how you would be frustrated with so many things going wrong. There's obviously a lot of us who have had totally different and great experiences tehre. Maybe you planets were out of alignment or something??

 

[WolfEl]

Boy! I sure don't know what happened to some of these divers in Cozumel. I was recently there and had a GREAT time! My hotel the Costa Club was great, as was the diving service that we used. It was Dive Paradise. We had a pre-paid package that covered airfare, hotel, food and drinks (bar) and three dives a day. we spent 7 Days there. Although I didn't go to town that many times the Mexican people that I met on the dive boats and hotel were very helpful and nice to deal with. When I first got there I was worried about the food on a package deal, but it was very good and I only ate out once to get a lobster dinner. We had all the beer an local booze that we wanted as well. The diving was the greatest diving that I have ever seen. I would return to Cozumel any time I got the chance. VIVA Mexico!