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

[Snoweman]

True but the spread in Coz dive ops does not necessarily entail a change in level of service or quality.

But, there are differences. I'm thinking about spending extra to go with Living Underwater on my next trip to get the 120 tanks with no restrictions on dive time (other than the computer). I can't pay extra for 120's at 3P. I could get it with Dave, but I might be upsetting other divers for being the first one that needs to go up (air hog). Also, the SI snacks can be a bonus. Worth an extra $100? No, but it does take some of the edge off the extra cost. Now, I would be fairly annoyed if I paid extra and got saltines for a SI snack.

 

[ReefHound]

But the differences are dependent on your individual preferences not level of service. Sometiems lower cost ops offer services higher cost ops do not. For instance, 3P will rinse and hang your wetsuits. You can get 100cf tanks for $4 at DWM. In any case, it's clear that the person to whom I responded that said prices are "all about the same" is incorrect.

 

[miserkris]

I like to stay in town, short walk to the dock, short walk to economical eateries, not one to splurge. You can go the hostel route and there are several. I use Hotels.com for hotel shopping as I like their rewards & guarantees. I like Hotel Mary Carmen @ $38/night with their on site $4 breakfasts, or Suites Bahia is showing $39/night with free breakfast at Casa Mexicana.

Competition is tough in Coz so picking a dive op is a matter of taste maybe. My go to shop is Salty Endeavors. Henry is an old friend, but I also like his commitment to service. My first trip with him, he repaired both regs with problems after servicing. His rates are competitive, discounts for multiple days, worth looking at.
Good luck. I once found a trip using minimum miles, without wasting miles at higher levels.
Henry and his main DM dive that way. I like full body protection.
Different views of the same big ocean, along with some species only found there like the Splendid Toad.
It's a significant ride, but most Ops use fast boats. I've done much longer rides in NC. The second dive is often closer to town so breaks up the return ride, or some dives are done north of town - closer in.

Thanks Don very good info! I like Mary carmen great reviews and right in san miguel near shore...

I'll check AA for lowest mileage trips direct to cozumel and check hotel availability and book air, hotel first. ... THEN I'll shop for Dive Op.... good plan?

I def need a bigger tank IIRC it's a 100cf .

Dumb one but does it matter what day i arrive and leave if staying 5 nights by myself?.... any good dive op should have spots i guess...? Main factor is the AA award availability.

Am I correct by avoiding mid sep to Oct for hurricane season? Is August or nov-dec ok? Any advice? Is water cooler in dec. I like it balmy.

Is cozumel safe for just walking around and eating local food? I love Mexican food, been there years ago but only a day trip from playa.

Planning on eating out daily for 5 days.

Thx all, I've decided to do my cozumel dive trip as a-la-carte !

 

[jonhall]

Seriously? So you can get a buffet breakfast and lunch along with post-dive drinks for the price of a dive trip?

???? Not sure I understand. Only saying (expounding on previous post) that on 1 day of diving on Coz from the mainland out of the 11 dive package we had, Dressel provided the transportation over to Coz, boat ride to Iberostar/Dressel, lunch (not a biggie to me since I don't eat before diving), 2 afternoon boat dives, about 10 minutes to grab something else from the buffet and drinks after the dives, a cooler of beer on the boat for the ride back to the ferry pier, and transportation back to the resort we were staying at - all built in to the 11 dive pkg which included 2 cenote dives and a night dive on the mainland.

Only offered the OP an option for cheap diving package not a whole dive trip. The food and drink really had nothing to do with the diving package. I came across Dressel a couple of years ago while in Playa Del Carmen - about 25 minutes south of town. We didn't have a car rental and Dressel provided free pickup/dropoff from where we were staying. Seemed like a no brainer. I wouldn't dive with them again from that particular location but their op in Coz seemed fine for a resort op.

I've yet to plan a true dive trip since I've been certified so couldn't offer advice on that. Even though I've stayed at a few dive resorts, I consider myself a vacation diver who's lucky enough to go places where I can dive and once I know where I'm going, I research the dive ops in the area.

 

[Snoweman]

Dumb one but does it matter what day i arrive and leave if staying 5 nights by myself?.... any good dive op should have spots i guess...? Main factor is the AA award availability.

I look at this a little different. I am also looking to book a FF trip in August. If I paid cash for the ticket, I have 24 hours to get a refund at no charge. In that time, I can check with the hotels and dive ops. I don't think I have the same leeway with a FF mile ticket (someone please correct me if I am wrong). I am not Platinum or Diamond Medallion, so I would pay to refund the miles to my account and rebook. I will be checking with the dive op to see what's available. It's low season, so I don't think it will be much of a problem. But, I am going to check first before booking a ticket.

I'm sure you know that American doesn't have the 24 hour rule once you have paid for the ticket with cash. Their 24 hour "hold" feature replaces it. I don't know how they work with FF mile tickets, though.

 

[DandyDon]

I can't pay extra for 120's at 3P.

3Ps has 100 cf tanks for a few bucks extra.

Thanks Don very good info! I like Mary carmen great reviews and right in san miguel near shore...

I like it. The beds are tough, and the hot water is iffy at times, but I deal with it. The free breakfast with Suites Bahia is a better deal if you don't mind the short walk to Casa Mexicana, but I pay $4/day for plenty of food at Mary Carmen, then take cantaloupe to feed the courtyard turtles. The turtles will actually beg for handouts in their own way, and they can bite if you hold the melon bits too long.

I'll check AA for lowest mileage trips direct to cozumel and check hotel availability and book air, hotel first. ... THEN I'll shop for Dive Op.... good plan?

That's my approach. Hotels & dive ops are easier to find than affordable plane seats. I like to go for my birthday in August most years, but am having challenges find plane tickets for less than $600. I may given in soon.

Dumb one but does it matter what day i arrive and leave if staying 5 nights by myself?.... any good dive op should have spots i guess...? Main factor is the AA award availability.

Yep on the award ticket. Some ops may fill up at times, but there are so many good ones. Just make sure it's one that picks up in town, or provides transportation to the southern marina.

Am I correct by avoiding mid sep to Oct for hurricane season? Is August or nov-dec ok? Any advice? Is water cooler in dec. I like it balmy.

Hurricanes are rare in Cozumel, and even if one is expected - you get plenty of notice if you check, and airlines & hotels usually don't charge for changes if there is a warning.

Is cozumel safe for just walking around and eating local food? I love Mexican food, been there years ago but only a day trip from playa.

Genereally yes, although less certain year by year. Use common sense, and get to bed by midnight.

 

[Snoweman]

3Ps has 100 cf tanks for a few bucks extra.

But not 120's.

 

[ReefHound]

Airfare is always the primary factor for me. The dates that I can get the lowest fare or least miles is what I pick. There are dozens and dozens of hotels and dive ops, there are much more limited airline options.

It is as safe to walk around Coz as anywhere, often safer. Of course, all bets are off if you're stumbling drunk at 2am. I think August is as likely for hurricanes as Sept/Oct. December is safer from hurricanes but greater chance of nortes blowing out diving. Water will be cooler but high 70's. Air will be cooler but not cold. You might want a boat coat for the ride home.

 

[ggunn]

Am I correct by avoiding mid sep to Oct for hurricane season? Is August or nov-dec ok?

I wouldn't let that be much of a factor. Look up the history of hurricane hits on Cozumel; it doesn't happen all that often.

 

[miserkris]

I don't know how they work with FF mile tickets, though.

Last Award ticket i booked to Nassau, the was a protection plan option idk the amount but took it since i went to aqua cat Bahamas in sep(hurricane season)...

But got lucky, i felt like Jeff Bezos for a week, what a trip! Washing machine was great.... thus got interested in drift dive lol