Quick Ideas on Coz

[Dave Dillehay]

Just so you will know:


I sincerely believe that Cozumel is the wrong island and time for an all inclusive resort. So that is where I come from to start.

But put that aside and I really get upset with operations that do dumb things to get BAD reputations, then change the name to avoid further marketing problems. I have been here since 1992 and have seen so many places and dive shops just change names to overcome a bad reputation. That goes for hotels, restaurants, and dive ops.

The Reef Club,then Wyndham, then Aura is no different. Good luck no matter where you end up.


Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[Willar]

I sincerely believe that Cozumel is the wrong island and time for an all inclusive resort. So that is where I come from to start.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

True. After staying at Scuba Club Cozumel and visiting from cruise ships, Cozumel is a great place to NOT do all-inclusive. Quality food choices are many, the prices are great, the people are hardworking and friendly so it's a great place to go hotel only and dine at a different restaurant for each meal. When my son and I return we plan to stay local and eat local. But it just depends on what features a person wants in their resort.

 

[fishi]

95% of Cozumel's hotels are just a concrete slab with a sandbox and a pool. It's nice to have a few places to choose from that have a real beach with palm trees. The fact that they provide food and are conveniently located minutes from diving doesn't hurt either.

 

[Keith.M]

I just returned from staying at Scuba Club Cozumel and can't speak highly enough about them. The staff was great and the grounds are very nice and the place is set-up for diving. Everyone I met while I was there were repeat customers and I am sure to be one too. I thought the food was excellent and I selected the "special" for every meal. I did get some comments from others that the food was better than in the past, but I have no guage on that. I just know I enjoyed everything about the place.

As the newbie diver, I was that diver who ran low on air first. I was quite relieved that the DM allowed me to deploy my SMB, ascend slowly to 15' and do my 3 minute safety stop while the other divers were able to continue their dive. The boat was quick to come and pick me up. I then learned I could get a 100 tank for an extra $5 a tank and I took advantage of that so that I now more closely matched the other divers.

The resort is close to town and very accessible by foot.

All in all, a fantastic time and I can't wait to go back!

 

[tkscuba]

Wow, thanks for all the replies! We ended up booking the Aura for better or worse. We will go into town a few times, but the AI is just convenient for us if we just want to sit around and have everything right there for us.

Alright, let the debating begin.....dive ops. I've done some checking and there are so many it just gets confusing. Generally prefer smaller boats with a DM. This will be our first drift diving experience, so any input on what to be ready for there is appreciated. We plan on two tanks a day, but would like to have the option for a 3rd in the afternoon or evening.

Bring on the opinions!

 

[fishi]

The Aura section hasn't infected anybody with legionnaires disease, and it hasn't changed its name either so don't worry about that. The problem was with Regency Club, and Wyndham.

The most important thing is to pick a op that will keep your gear so you don't have to drag it on and off the boat day after day. Dive with Martin and Opals Dream both do 2 tank afternoon dives. Aldora Divers and Living Underwater have larger steel 120's for long bottom times that would be equal to 3 dives. Then there's two ops I've notice when they pick up because their customers are so happy they are Blue XT Sea Diving and Diving with Alison. they both have a vibe on the boat that looks like fun . I think you would be happy with any of them and they all pick up in front of Aura.

 

[nodakdive]

Wow, thanks for all the replies! We ended up booking the Aura for better or worse. We will go into town a few times, but the AI is just convenient for us if we just want to sit around and have everything right there for us.

Alright, let the debating begin.....dive ops. I've done some checking and there are so many it just gets confusing. Generally prefer smaller boats with a DM. This will be our first drift diving experience, so any input on what to be ready for there is appreciated. We plan on two tanks a day, but would like to have the option for a 3rd in the afternoon or evening.

Bring on the opinions!

Whichever op you choose, get a private DM for the first 2 tanks/dives. As drift diving will be new to you, it'll help you relax and get in the flow with how things work with whichever op you dive with. It's usually somewhere around $50 for a two tank trip and it's money well spent, even if you're confident divers, imho. Also, don't forget to tip your DM's, and do make it into town a couple nights to try the food. If you decide to come back, and many do, it could be another factor you might want to consider when deciding where to stay next time.

Though I'm a fan of small boats and a big fan of many of the non-resort based ops on the island, if you're looking for the easiest path, diving with the resort's op might be a fit. Don't know about the Aura or who their house op is, but I think lots of the resorts are set up for diving, meaning lockers right down by the boat dock, etc. Also, there can be a consideration for which sites you dive if you're with an op that is based out of the caletta (marina). For instance, you probably wouldn't dive palancar and then go to paradise for the 2nd tank with a dive op based out of the caletta. Paradise is right in front of the caletta. The op would have to go all the way back south to drop you off, and then come all the way back to the caletta. That said, I don't think I'd let that be a big consideration for a first trip. Even if you dive with an op based out of the caletta, you'll see beautiful reefs on every dive. If you don't dive Paradise, or Chankanaab, or Villa Blanca Wall, etc., (the more northern of the southern reefs) you won't miss it. I've done just a little bit of diving with "resort ops" in my diving, and personally, I like diving with non-resort ops better, or maybe more specifically, I like small boats, and I can't deny....

-Blair

 

[cicopo]

Several good dive ops mentioned in Fishi's post. The in house op at the Aura is Dive Palancar and I suspect they'd make you do timed dives rather than let you dive your air. Partly because they tend to do that with divers who haven't hit the 100 (or so) tank count & partly because they run on a schedule. A good op but you may want more for your money. I don't think anyone's mentioned that Dive With Martin supplies the rental gear at no charge so if you need gear that might be of value in planning your trip. Living Underwater & Aldora supply larger tanks, meaning more bottom time so don't just compare prices for 2 tank trips thinking they are all the same when it comes to bottom time. Bottom time is what you're after, not just two short boat rides & 2 timed dives where everyone MUST surface because 1 diver is low on air or because the boat needs to be back for another group by noon.

 

[dougr52]

tkscuba, fyi Welcome to Sand Dollar Sports Cozumel México, Scuba Diving, Fishing Charters, Parasailing, Harley Davidson, Snuba, Snorkel. is also located at the Aura, Sabor, Regency Club ( complex )..they are on the north side of the complex at the concrete pier, called the San Clamantie Pier, about 50 yds off property, about 300 yds from the Aura...
they were the on site op before Dive Palancar came in & started operating from the wooden pier next to the Aura..i have dove with Sand Dollar Sports also....if you do a google view of the resort you can see the concrete pier !!

 

[Ron Lee]

Also note that some dive ops like Aldora and BluXTSea make surface interval stops at a beach club. You have time to eat a meal, relax, etc prior to your second dive.