PDC or COZ ???

[jonhall]

I would choose Coz over PDC anytime, as you've read most everyone else reply. With that out of the way, a little about Dressel.

I did my AOW, just a couple of years ago, with Dressel Divers at the Playa Paraiso Iberostar which is north of the town of PDC but still considered PDC. Be careful what you read about Dressel. There was a thread started awhile back that I felt would have become very confusing to a reader as someone wrote about their experience at a specific Dressel location and someone came in later to the thread and said their experience was completely different, but they were writing about a different Dressel location, and thus other comments followed mixing up the locations..

I'll keep this short but there were positives, both in the diving and the AOW course for me, and negatives with the diving in my experience with Dressel at Playa Paraiso. One day we ferried over to Coz and did 2 dives with the Dressel at the Iberostar there (they were a part of the Dressel package.) As with the diving, Dressel in Coz, in my limited time with them, was better from my viewpoint, because they had a dock for easy entry into their boat and a larger, nicer boat which the PDC Dressel's didn't have. Dressel as an op was very organized from location to location as we did go elsewhere for cenote dives and a night dive.

So if I were given the choice of Coz or PDC for diving or Dressel, I would choose Coz for both!

 

[deepsea21]

Think were gonna skip the AOW course too for now and just enjoy the sights and get some more experience under us and enjoy. Looking at ScubaTony, Aldora, Blue XTC and Tres Pelicanos...any one better for NOVICE divers?

Good plan. All the dive ops you mentioned would be excellent (I personally dive with 3P's). It really comes down to what is most convenient for you and where you will be staying.

On another note... Others may disagree but PADI like all the others is geared to driving more and more certifications that make their affiliated dive ops more and more $. I've been diving almost 20 years on a basic PADI OW dive cert and it has never limited me in any way. The only cert I may seek some day as I age is a Nitrox cert and that is commonly required in some regions and on liveaboards.

Heck, the PADI website for the Master Scuba Diver Certification reads:

Join the best of the best in recreational scuba diving and live the dive life as a PADI Master Scuba Diver. The Master Scuba Diver rating places you in an elite group of respected divers who have earned this rating through both significant experience and scuba training. Fewer than two percent of divers ever achieve this rating. When you flash your Master Scuba Diver card, people know that you’ve spent time underwater in a variety of environments and had your share of dive adventures. Every diver, who is at least 12 years old, should aim for Master Scuba Diver. The path starts with earning a PADI Open Water Diver certification, followed by PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and PADI Rescue Diver (or qualifying certifications). You also need to earn five PADI Specialty Diver certifications and have logged a minimum of 50 dives.

So a 12 year old with 50 dives can be certified as a Master Scuba Diver? Well, 16 year old's are handed drivers licenses too but that doesn't mean they are fully prepared to drive everywhere and anywhere under varying conditions.

I'll listen to an old salt basic OW certified diver with 1000+ dives logged any day before I'll pay any mind to a kid (or anyone) who blew through PADI's certifications and achieved "Master" certification status. Master of what? Taking courses and spending $ for a cert that makes one think they are a master of something that they aren't? That can lead to over-confidence with dire consequences. If PADI qualifications demanded a Master Diver had to have 500 or 1000 dives logged that would be different. 50? Nope.

 

[VWJarhead]

looking at an Air BNB just South from the cruise ship dock. What dive ops are close by to that area??

 

[DandyDon]

looking at an Air BNB just South from the cruise ship dock. What dive ops are close by to that area??

There are three on the island: Punta Langosta Pier which is downtown, and two more 5 miles south. I guess you mean downtown. Tres Pelicans can pick you up on Melgar (front street) somewhere, Salty Endeavors can pick you up at Aqua Safari pier 200 meters north, Aldora can pick you up at Aldora pier just north of that, and many others can pick you up at one or the other.

 

[VWJarhead]

There are three on the island: Punta Langosta Pier which is downtown, and two more 5 miles south. I guess you mean downtown. Tres Pelicans can pick you up on Melgar (front street) somewhere, Salty Endeavors can pick you up at Aqua Safari pier 200 meters north, Aldora can pick you up at Aldora pier just north of that, and many others can pick you up at one or the other.

Thanks! Made reservations with Aldora so looks like I made a good choice logistically.

 

[deepsea21]

Thanks! Made reservations with Aldora so looks like I made a good choice logistically.

You made a great choice. Aldora isn't my dive op but Aldora certainly resides among the best and enjoys lots of support from those who have been diving the island for decades. Now, where do ya plan to eat for dinner?

 

[VWJarhead]

You made a great choice. Aldora isn't my dive op but Aldora certainly resides among the best and enjoys lots of support from those who have been diving the island for decades. Now, where do ya plan to eat for dinner?

GOOD TO HEAR!!! Went ahead and booked a guide for day 1 as well. Figured it couldn't hurt and It will make her feel better. As for food no idea. Any Suggestions? Looks like we are on the beach front and right across the street from Albertos

 

[horn34]

GOOD TO HEAR!!! Went ahead and booked a guide for day 1 as well. Figured it couldn't hurt and It will make her feel better. As for food no idea. Any Suggestions? Looks like we are on the beach front and right across the street from Albertos

There are a bunch of threads around here about food.

Cheap Eats

Favorite Breakfast Spots

 

[RobAlaska]

Well due to all the feed back here I think COZ (for me) it is!!! At least for 3 days then over to PDC for beach time (for her)..good compromise I guess. Think were gonna skip the AOW course too for now and just enjoy the sights and get some more experience under us and enjoy. Looking at ScubaTony, Aldora, Blue XTC and Tres Pelicanos...any one better for NOVICE divers? AKA...were not gonna drag everyone else down to our level. The last thing I want is to be the newbies on the boat with seasoned pros and have them dive our dive sites as opposed to something more technical...Or the opposite get tossed into a situation that my partner may not be ready for. I can "compartmentalize" much better and she can sometimes get anxious...

We just back from 2 weeks in Coz. Highly recommend ScubaTony. Papo is the best boat captain I’ve been around. All their DMs speak good English and are highly experienced. Our favorite DM is Charlie (aka Carlos). They will ease you into the current diving, six pack boats with low sides for back roll entries. Truly the most comfortable way to enter the water and recover you with side ladder after you take off your weight integrated BC - they haul it up, slip your fins off- pass them up and climb in. There are many reasons they are always ranked no1 or no2 in TripAdvisor.

 

[deepsea21]

ScubaTony is a good dive op from what I've heard. As far as rating #1 or #2 on TA... it all depends on where the dive op elected to be listed. ScubaTony is under "Tours in Cozumel". 3P's & Blue XT Sea are under "Outdoor Activities". Aldora is under "Boat Tours & Water Sports". As such, to say one ranks #1 or #2 is only saying where they ranked in the category they chose to be listed under. As always, I advise all to focus on and take the time to read through reviews and not to focus on TA's rating/ranking of them as they are ranked based on the category they chose.