Need advice on cozumel drift dive op and a cheap pkg !

[DandyDon]

I'll be eating in local hole in wall places where locals eat that's what i enjoy. I don't drink....

I'll eat breakfast at hotel for free (casa)...
How much do meals cost for dinner etc?
Around $10 at most?

You'll want to tip a buck or two a the free breakfast, maybe a buck to the chef cooking eggs to order.

Lunch & dinner prices can vary greatly. There is a hole in the wall cafe just around the corner from Suites Colonial called Caribe Burger 30 Peso ($1.50 USD if you drew Pesos as suggested) Tacos that are generally great, and it'd be a challenge to eat three. Their burgers are huge & tasy. They were out of shrimp last month when I dropped in tho, and the fish taco they fixed me has fried fish; I was disappointed. Try it at least as it was a great place to eat in February.

Los Otates is only three or four blocks back, in the process of a name change but easy to find by the old name, with great, cheap eats. But you can spend $20 to $100 on dinner if you went for fancier. Christi keeps a restaurant list with expected price ranges on her web site.

La Cucina Italiana at 6th street north & 15 Ave is a delightful place for late lunch or early supper. Open from 1-5 pm weekdays only. I loved their lobster & Alfredo sauce linguine. Not pricey at all.

 

[divingjd]

If I go to El Pique and stuff myself, which means guacamole shared with the table, frijoles charros especial, three tacos, and a beer, it’s ten bucks or less. I’ve walked out of there fat, dumb, and happy for seven bucks when I’ve skipped the frijoles charros. Los Otates is a similar price range and very good. I have my favorites at both. Tacos Diaz is pretty good and cheap, also. I know there are lots of other taquerias I haven’t tried that are reported to be good. Yeah, you can eat dinner for ten bucks, lunch probably cheaper. Get somebody to recommend a comida económica. My dive schedule doesn’t work well with going out for lunch, so we get a room with a a kitchen and stock up at Mega for breakfast and lunch. They take credit cards, do it’s really no more expensive than eating at home.

 

[ggunn]

I'll be eating in local hole in wall places where locals eat that's what i enjoy. I don't drink....

I'll eat breakfast at hotel for free (casa)...
How much do meals cost for dinner etc?
Around $10 at most?

You can spend the same for a meal on Cozumel as you can in most US cities - from very cheap to very pricey.

 

[miserkris]

Finally... does Starbucks in cozumel serve decaf coffee? I only drink decaf so i am bringing some decaf ground coffee.

 

[DandyDon]

Finally... does Starbucks in cozumel serve decaf coffee? I only drink decaf so i am bringing some decaf ground coffee.

I wouldn't have any idea. I never drink decaf, strictly real thing - but more into quantity than quality. What are you going to do with ground coffee? I usually buy a cheap coffee maker at Mega, then give it to someone when I leave, except last time - my dive op had one to loan me.

You got there today didn't you? Find your way around okay?

 

[ggunn]

Finally... does Starbucks in cozumel serve decaf coffee? I only drink decaf so i am bringing some decaf ground coffee.

I don't know for sure, but a Starbuck's is a Starbuck's, after all. I don't know why they wouldn't have it on Cozumel if they have it everywhere else.

 

[miserkris]

I wouldn't have any idea. I never drink decaf, strictly real thing - but more into quantity than quality. What are you going to do with ground coffee? I usually buy a cheap coffee maker at Mega, then give it to someone when I leave, except last time - my dive op had one to loan me.

You got there today didn't you? Find your way around okay?

I'm here , arrived ok. 2 dives today. Boy the island is empty...

Christy had to hook me up with another OP... since i was her only customer ! i did the pvt DM today only. I dove in shorts, tshirt. It was great.

How much was the coffee maker, the cheap one? Btw i get decaf in Starbucks here and casa. Thx

 

[DandyDon]

Boy the island is empty.

Yeah, it's slow season there. Who did you dive with? Today is Mexican Independence Day which is well celebrated with public gatherings. The mayor should re-enact the Grito with the crowd. I was in Hotel Coz for that one year, and it was noisy in the halls. See Cry of Dolores - Wikipedia

How much was the coffee maker, the cheap one?

They used be $10 or so, but have doubled in price. You don't have enough time left to mess with it.

 

[miserkris]

Yeah, it's slow season there. Who did you dive with? Today is Mexican Independence Day which is well celebrated with public gatherings. The mayor should re-enact the Grito with the crowd. I was in Hotel Coz for that one year, and it was noisy in the halls. See Cry of Dolores - Wikipedia


They used be $10 or so, but have doubled in price. You don't have enough time left to mess with it.

The guy at ozzo knows me now lol.... he said i can get a cup and hot water, sugar, creme for my decaf anytime... just 5 pesos. So I'll do that daily twice !

Can't remember name of the op, was blue connection or similar name.

Christy said she'd pay pvt DM $60 , do I tip him too? Since there's not many people he's going to be my DM no matter what..

I tipped the boat 200 pesos today

 

[DandyDon]

he said i can get a cup and hot water, sugar, creme for my decaf anytime... just 5 pesos.

Oh gawd, instant?! If you're pleased, great. A 5 Peso/26¢ fee is chicken feed. Good that everyone is happy. I'd tip him something before I left. Ozzo? I guess you mean the Oxxo convenience store at the corner of 5th Ave & Salas near your hotel. Doesn't your hotel have a microwave in the lobby?

Christy said she'd pay pvt DM $60 , do I tip him too?

I would. $5 USD isn't going to hurt. If he was helpful getting you used to Coz drift diving, $10.

I tipped the boat 200 pesos today

About $10 USD. That's nice. Some insist that $15 or $20 is their minimum for good service, while some don't tip at all. BTW, I've always tipped in USD, but whichever is convenient.

Since it's so slow, if you go on the other Op's boat more days, with the captain, the boat DM, and Christi's DM as well, and your/her DM is the one who takes care of you, I think you'd be fine to tip that DM $5 or more and the captain $5 or more. You said you were on a tight budget, but try to tip at least $10/trip. It'd be nice if you tipped your/her DM more as he's not making a living wage with just you, but if you can't - that's fine, not really your responsibility. Christi is still paying him his base pay, while she is losing on your business, but that's just how tourist business works sometimes.

I really not a big fan of tipping everyone for everything, but I try to be decent about it.