Open water referral and week stay in october

[DjDiverDan]

Has anyone used dive paradise or stayed at hotel cozemel all inclusive? I got a pretty decent price quoted for the dive and stay package

Yes, but it was several years ago, on the ScubaBoard Cozumel Invasion, July 2012. Here are my thoughts: Hotel - I liked Hotel Coz, nice place, big, comfortable rooms, great pool area, convenient location - not a bad walk into Downtown. BUT I would never again do the All-Inclusive option -- in my opinion, the food was TERRIBLE. Monotonous, bland, without either flavor or variety. I am a foody, and my standards are higher than a lot of folks, but I have no problem finding food that I really like at a great many Cozumel Restaurants. Dive Paradise as a Dive Op - not my cup of tea, but acceptable. BUT be very careful to know exactly what you are getting with any "stay and dive" package with Dive Paradise. It is my understanding (from other posts, not personal experience) that Dive Paradise has two different levels of service - the "new diver" service, on big slow boats, that only go to the shallower reefs toward the northern end of the Marine Park, and the "experienced diver" service, with faster boats that go to all of the southern reefs. If you do a "stay and dive" package with a very good price, chances are that you'll get the newbie dives and miss a lot of the better dive sites, and if you want to get on the better boats, they'll upcharge you for the privilege. Personally, I'd happily stay at Hotel Cozumel again, but NO on the AI option, and I'd use my own favorite Dive Op, Aldora, which will happily pick you up at the Dive Paradise pier. Or go with Blue XTSea, Tres Pelicanos, Living Underwater, or any of the other highly recommended Dive Ops.

 

[redacted]

I would forgo the trips to the ruins or do one trip on the last day if you want 24 hrs to fly. I would also suggest you look at Scuba Club Cozumel for your package. They are next to Hotel Cozumel and provide free tanks for their easy but good 20 - 25 ft shore dive.

 

[diverokc]

Your understanding is wrong. Dive paradise will go to any site the divers choose. Besides Punta sur- but alot of places charge more to go there. The thing with slow boats is people that don't do research and then end up on slow boat and want to complain the whole time. I have gone to Colombia on fast and slow boats they just tell everyone is 1.5 to get there on the slow boats.

 

[diverokc]

Fyi the Ai at hotel Cozumel is only $10-15 dollars more per day. So even just eating breakfast and a few drinks its still worth it.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Your understanding is wrong. Dive paradise will go to any site the divers choose. Besides Punta sur- but alot of places charge more to go there. The thing with slow boats is people that don't do research and then end up on slow boat and want to complain the whole time. I have gone to Colombia on fast and slow boats they just tell everyone is 1.5 to get there on the slow boats.

I stand corrected. Still, I much prefer about 3-4 other Ops over Dive Paradise.

 

[deepsea21]

Hey Reef... I'll toss my 2 cents in here as I see this thread is growing old but my wife and I were married on Coz (12 years ago mabye?) and have been diving coz for the past 14 years. If you only have a week to play on the island and you've never been to coz you really need to stay in-town and steer clear of those distant AI's that are pretty much over-priced land-based cruise ships (in my opinion) that serve lousy food and any trip to town is gonna cost a fortune thanks to the cab mafia. With $3K for a 1-week budget for 2, all the best coz has to offer is more than attainable. Also great to see you got the class training out of the way and will get your PADI cert card from a dive op in Coz (we did the same and took our classes in Boston and got cert cards from a dive op in Key West where we did our checkout dives).

I would recommend you stay in town at our favorite hotel, the Casa Mexicana (highly rated and everyone here will say the same) and I would recommend you contact Tres Pelicanos Dive Center which we found 3 years ago after our prior dive op was sold to new management and went down hill for us. Read my and other's reviews of the Casa and 3P's on tripadvisor and I think you'll like what you see. Both also show up here over and over again in the various threads.

With regard to the Myan ruins, everyone needs to see them once as we did and once you've seen one set of Mayan ruins you've seen all there is to see regardless of where you travel throughout the entire region.

I say go to Tres Pelicano's website and contact Jeannie through the website... grab a dive-and-stay package at the Casa with your 1st 2-days booked for your OW check-out dives with a private DM. You'll do them at the greatest dive sites others won't get you to and each check-out dive will just take a little time so you get to use the rest of your air enjoying a great dive with your dedicated DM!

If you're going to Coz, spend your time diving as it is WORLD CLASS diving on a budget! Everyone knows it and that's why you can meet divers from all over the world on your dive boat.

As far as food goes, the asa is known for the best breakfast buffet on the island and when dinner comes, there are so many great restaurants in walking distance you'll have a hard time figuring out which ones to visit.

Have fun!

 

[ggunn]

...any trip to town is gonna cost a fortune thanks to the cab mafia.

It's about 10 miles to the southernmost resorts from town and a one-way cab ride will cost you about US$20. How much does a 10 mile cab ride cost in your town?

 

[deepsea21]

It's about 10 miles to the southernmost resorts from town and a one-way cab ride will cost you about US$20. How much does a 10 mile cab ride cost in your town?

I'd bet 10 miles here is probably around $20 also (don't have a need to take cabs here much) but I also don't live in a country where the average HOUSEHOLD monthly income is $840 for 3.8 people. Taxi Mafia - $20 for a 15 minute drive? At that rate the mafia is charging $640 for an 8 hour day of driving back and forth from the AI's to town. I've no problem with the mafia charging me $3 to shuttle me to a distant restaurant in town when it's hot but $40 round trip from an AI to town? Heck, I can eat and drink like a king on $20 in town for dinner.

 

[ggunn]

I'd bet 10 miles here is probably around $20 also (don't have a need to take cabs here much) but I also don't live in a country where the average HOUSEHOLD monthly income is $840 for 3.8 people. Taxi Mafia - $20 for a 15 minute drive? At that rate the mafia is charging $640 for an 8 hour day of driving back and forth from the AI's to town. I've no problem with the mafia charging me $3 to shuttle me to a distant restaurant in town when it's hot but $40 round trip from an AI to town? Heck, I can eat and drink like a king on $20 in town for dinner.

You realize that the locals don't pay the same rates we do, right? To call the taxi drivers "mafia" is, IMO, laughable and an insult to the Mafia.

 

[Newdiv]

To celebrate my 25th year in Cozumel this October 8th I am opening up the VILLA ALDORA for FREE every night in October. All single rooms will be free for every day you dive with Aldora. The luxury 2 bedroom condos/suites will be half price for every day you dive with Aldora. This will probably fill up quickly so make your reservation asap for your choice of rooms. This is only offered to Scubaboard members.

Dave Dillehay

Aldora Divers

Not sure if he's full or not.