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

[DandyDon]

To me, if the dive boat is tied off to a wreck and I go down the line, swim around and through the wreck for 40 minutes or so, return to the line, go back up to the dive boat and don't experience any significant current it isn't drift diving.

I don't know where all of this confusion and debate came from. No, that's not a drift. I guess all freeboat diving is, even tho there may be no noticeable current at some sites. Some dives can have strong currents and it's good to know what to expect and how to deal.

 

[Trailboss123]

(3) Does he has DAN dive insurance yet? Required.

As an FYI: One cannot get DAN dive insurance until one is actually dive certified. I tried getting my wife insured years ago in anticipation of a trip where we planned for her to do her OW cert dives and was unable until after she had a cert number. Also, whereas dive insurance is always a good idea and I certainly wouldn't dive without it, it is not necessarily required or mandatory everywhere.

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks Trailboss. The “required” was my opinion. For a trainee, very good Trip insurance, then abide by restrictions.

 

[ReefHound]

All dive ops on Coz run about the same price: roughly $85 to $90 for one two-tank trip, drops to around $80 per trip if you dive multiple days. There's very little variation in this price, mostly due to local taxes and the cost of running a dive operation. If you find someone willing to take you out for much less, there's definitely something... fishy.

That makes me wonder if you've ever been to Cozumel.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Sorry guys, I'm looking for 5 nights in cozumel..... budget around $500 to $600... total incl stay, food, scuba...(drift dive) pkg..

Boy, and I thought I traveled cheap! Seriously, $500-$600 (per person, I assume) is really, really low for 5 nights in Cozumel - and Cozumel is probably one of the cheapest dive destinations in the Caribbean. That’s not to say it can’t be done, but it will be really tough. Start with the diving. A 4-day dive package at Dive with Martin (in my opinion, the best budget operator) is going to run you about $300 per person, before tips. Add another $60 for tips to DM and captain ($15 per person per day - IMHO, pretty much minimum acceptable tip; $10 per day if you don’t mind being called a cheap-ass tightwad). Then lodging. Yeah, if you don’t mind hostel accommodations, you can get by on $10-$15 per night per person; say $75. If you want to share a room at a cheap hotel, your starting price is probably going to be $30-$35 per night. The good news is that you can eat very cheap on Cozumel by hitting the little family owned Loncherias for your main meal of the day - 85 pesos plus tip (about $6 total at current exchange rates, and you WILL need to exchange currency to pay in pesos), then get just a few tacos and a beer at night from any of several taquerias. Breakfast can be coffee and a few pastries from a local bakery. You’ll need to skimp, but you can get by on $20 a day in Cozumel without going hungry. So, say $360 for 4 days of diving, $90 (1/2 of $180) for 5 nights in a cheap hotel room for 2, and $100 for food. BUT, if you use Dive with Martin to dive and stay at a downtown hotel, you’ll need to budget for taxi rides from downtown to the International Pier for 4 days of diving - 95 pesos each way or about $5 at current exchange as long as you pay in Pesos, plus a round trip to drop off your gear the day you arrive. So that’s another $50 (but two can share the cab for the same price, so that’s $25 per person). You can save on taxi rides if you don’t mind a long walk (about 2 miles) from the International Pier back to downtown after diving, but that’s not really an option in the morning before diving unless you are up at 6:00 a.m. and start hiking. Total bare-bones budget - $575 per person. Add in Shuttle from Airport, taxi to return to Airport, say about about $15 per person, you’re at $590. And that’s without any incidentals, like bottled water, snacks at night, etc.

If you think you are going to include certification for your nephew in that budget - FORGET IT! I would Add about $200 for the certification course, but I’m no expert there - I got certified about 30 years ago and haven’t checked prices since. Check with Dive ops to see what that will cost.

 

[jonhall]

Although I'm all about the full OW course, doing Discover Scuba on a short, cost cutting trip might be an option. That would at least be an intro to scuba with actual diving for your nephew (maybe a third of what the full OW course costs.)

 

[FlashX]

New to posting on ScubaBoard and hope this is the right forum...
I'm looking for a male roommate to go to Cozumel for a week in August 2019,
Just to split the room cost.
I like to stay at the Scuba Club Cozumel, great food, all inclusive,

 

[caruso]

New to posting on ScubaBoard and hope this is the right forum...

It’s the correct subforum but it’s poor etiquette to hijack someone else’s thread to post about your own topic.

 

[DjDiverDan]

It’s the correct subforum but it’s poor etiquette to hijack someone else’s thread to post about your own topic.

AND you will better target your post if you title it “Looking for a roommate”.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Just FYI, I just checked Dive with Martin’s website and it is quoting a 4-day package of 2 tank dive trips for $265.00 ADD $2.00 per day for Marine Park Fee, and you can add a night dive for $35.00. So, for 4-days of 2-tank dive trips PLUS one single tank night dive, including Marine Park Fee, $308.00. Add $70 for tips ($15 per day for 2-tank dives, $10 for night dive), and you’re at $378.00 for diving, 8 morning dives in 4 days plus 1 night dive (DO the night dive, you won’t regret it!).

Here is DWM’s website. I have no interest in DWM, but I have used them on several occasions, and have no qualms about recommending them. Home Page