Please Save Me From Certain Death: Need Dive Ops Recommendations FAST

[Scuba_Grrll]

You won't believe this one. I drew the short straw and have been elected to chaperone my elderly parents on a cruise to Mexico in February. I already called in a prescription for Valium. I love my mom & dad dearly, but do not think I can survive for a week on a cruise ship with bingo, bad lounge acts, and midnight buffets without a few 2-tank dives.

Therefore, I am desparately seeking recommendations for high quality dive shops in Cabo San Lucas (Feb 6), Mazatlan (Feb 7), and Puerto Vallarta (Feb 8). Ideally, I am look for small, non-cattle-boat operators who might be able to pick me up at the cruise ship. (I know, I'm asking for the world. I'm sure I can get myself to a central location to meet the dive boat, but it never hurts to ask.) I will be diving alone, so if any locals need a buddy, I'm your girl!!

P.S. -- My dive experience in Mexico has been limited to Cozumel, which of course I loved.

 

[Web Monkey]

Unless you signed up on one of the "old folks" cruises, you'll probably actually like it a lot. Carnival and Princess both have all sorts of music and dancing and bars, clubs, a casino, etc. I beleive many of the others are similar.

What ship are you on?

Terry

You won't believe this one. I drew the short straw and have been elected to chaperone my elderly parents on a cruise to Mexico in February. I already called in a prescription for Valium. I love my mom & dad dearly, but do not think I can survive for a week on a cruise ship with bingo, bad lounge acts, and midnight buffets without a few 2-tank dives.

Therefore, I am desparately seeking recommendations for high quality dive shops in Cabo San Lucas (Feb 6), Mazatlan (Feb 7), and Puerto Vallarta (Feb 8). Ideally, I am look for small, non-cattle-boat operators who might be able to pick me up at the cruise ship. (I know, I'm asking for the world. I'm sure I can get myself to a central location to meet the dive boat, but it never hurts to ask.) I will be diving alone, so if any locals need a buddy, I'm your girl!!

P.S. -- My dive experience in Mexico has been limited to Cozumel, which of course I loved.

 

[H2Andy]

Scuba Grrll, you know, there's great potential in this trip. you could hustle
the other passengers at bingo and bridge, and then withhold their medications
until they pay up, plus interest...

oh, the possibilitities are endless...

just wanted to say best of luck... don't know nothing about Mexico diving,
but i am sure you will have a blast (just remember, if they don't pay,
overboard goes Fifi the Poodle)

 

[ItsBruce]

My family (the whole family tree) just got back from essentially that trip and I've done the exact trip about 5 other times.

Most ships have done away with the midnight buffet. The shows are not lounge acts, but rather Broadway quality shows. Bingo is now automated and electronic. I can just about guarantee that unless your parents are complete basket cases, you will have a great time. And, even if they are crotchety old folks, you will probably have a great time anyway.

As for diving...
In Cabo, I've gone with Manta Divers and Land's End divers. Both are great.
In Puerto Vallarta, go with Vallarta Adventurss. While it uses a large boat with snorkelers and kayakers, it is a very good operation. (I've done around 10 dives with them. Tell them the guy who found the gold ring on the dive around Christmas sent you.)
Mazatlan: I can find no diving worth doing.

Subject to the foregoing, I try to arrange my dives through the ship. It reduces the chances of problems like late arrivals. There are lots of threads on cruising and diving with lots of tips. (E.g. don't bring a dive knife, order two lobsters on lobster night, bring your own large beverage cup as the ones in the buffets are too small to actually enjoy.)

 

[ItsBruce]

An additional warning: Consider bringing your own wetsuit or at least a hooded vest. Mexican dive operators will supply wetsuits, but these are generally 3mm or 5mm. People on my dive were a bit cold. PV was 68 degrees. Due to an injury, I had 7mm farmer-john pants plus a 5mm hooded vest, all covered with a 2mm shorty, and was quite toasty.

 

[scubajcf]

Cabo San Lucas:

I have dove with Cabo Pro Dive a few years ago. They were very good. Also dove with Underwater Diversions (more recently). They were very good. Both operations had smaller boats.

Most likely, you will be diving locally: Neptune's Finger, Pelican Rock or Sand Falls. Sand Falls is cool, but doesn't certainly meet the hype. I have seen Barracuda and White Tip Sharks at Neptune's Finger. All three of these sites are right next to each other and within ten minutes of the Marina. Another cool dive (which is about 45 minutes away) is Chilleno Reef. A lot of Cruise Lines offer snorkeling tours at Chilleno Reef and Santa Maria Beach. Both are decent dive spots too. Time is the biggest issue - thus it depends on your time in port.

Outside of Cabo, in Cabo Pulmo there is some GREAT diving, but I doubt you will have time to get out there (2 hours each direction). Other than that, I would tell you that I love diving in Cabo. Usually lots of sea life, decent visibility and the shops, while small, are usually very professional.

Lastly, I would highly recommend the Tequila Tour at Panchos Restaurant (400 Tequilas) -- try the rattlesnake tequila in the pickle jar on the bar. I am sure that is offered as an excursion. As for Cabo Wabo -- It's an over-rated Applebees.

Puerto Vallarta

It's been a few years and I've only been twice. But, my advice is unless you can get an excursion to the south side of town (down by the Hotel Isla de Mismaloya) it isn't worth diving. Bad visibility and not a whole lot to see -- you may get differing opinions and as mentioned and qualified - I've only been twice (once when there was a hurricane off shore).

Shopping is better in P.V. and they have an Submarine tour that is supposed to be pretty neat. Also, the most fun we had in P.V. was the Dolphin Experience in Nuevo Vallarta about 20 Miles north. You actually get in and swim with the dolphins. Very much worth the trek out there. Lastly, one of the best Hamburgers I had in Mexico was at the Cheeseburger in Paradise in town. So, if you get tired of Cruise Ship food, you can find a good burger there.

Never been to Mazatlan ...

 

[Iruka]

I'm not familiar with diving in that part of the world, but I really liked how you phrased your question So much, in fact, that I'm considering renaming my shop to "Certain Death Diving." Be sure to get customers with a sense of humor, at least!

 

[ItsBruce]

Underwater Diversions in Cabo is also good. I dove with them last year.

 

[Scuba_Grrll]

Okay everyone -- great, great suggestions. Thank you. Based on your valuable feedback, I think that I actually may survive this trip after all. I'm going on a Holland America cruise by the way -- the Oosterdam. Don't mean to sound like a snob, but I'm just not into organized activities. I find it much more interesting to get off the beaten track and go the locals route. However, this trip is about Mom & Dad, so I am going to be the good sport dutiful daughter and go along for the ride (cruise?). I may hustle a few senior citizens at bingo and bridge -- thank you Andy! That way I can afford the $110 2-tank dive offered by the cruise ship. JEEZ! Highway robbery!

 

[Dermochelys]

I will be going on the same cruise from Jan. 7-14 on the Oosterdam. I have signed up for the dives in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta. If I remember I'll come back and tell you how they went. By the way, this is my first post, and I just got certified this last Halloween, so I really don't know that much about SCUBA diving, but I will at least be able to tell you if I had fun.