Scuba with Allison?

[chace_nicol]

Hi Jeff-

I travel solo to Cozumel all of the time & dive with Alison. Orbitz prices always end up being the best deal for ME with the discount code. I'm headed down June 28th for 11 days & Orbitz had a great deal for Casa Del Mar hotel & air. Alison picks up at Casa Del Mar, so its perfect. Some people take a day off of diving & take the ferry to Playa Del Carmen.

 

[DiverG]

You guys are the best!!! Thanks again!

Your welcome Jeff. Choose your dates, and you hotel. Contact Allison to see if she can accomadate your dates, and ask her if she picks up at your hotel. You might want to have a couple of other dive ops as back ups in case Allison doesn't work out. Everyone here has their favorites shops. Bluextsea is well reviewed and has a big fan club on SB. Aldoras - uses hp steel 120's. There is my personal favorite Scubamau, and many more great ones. From what you have posted, it looks like you may have already done the research though. Anyway, I think you will enjoy whichever dive op you choose because you will have done the work to choose the one that fits your style. Have fun.

 

[jlt3b]

Thanks Chace! Ya sure you don't want to move your trip to Cozumel up a week so we can hang out? Ha ha! Just kidding! Have fun though!! I'll try to leave some rays of sun for you!

DiverG - thanks for your input as well. You give me too much credit, however - i've actually done relatively little research so far on the topic - just stumbled across a couple of SB posts, including this one. So, recognizing the need to be 'PC' and not offend any one dive op, can you (or anyone else following this thread) compare and contrast (eg, list some other pros/cons) the dive ops that DiverG listed? (Scuba with Allison, Bluextsea, Scubamau, etc)? Thanks a million, everyone!

Jeff

 

[DiverG]

Thanks Chace! Ya sure you don't want to move your trip to Cozumel up a week so we can hang out? Ha ha! Just kidding! Have fun though!! I'll try to leave some rays of sun for you!

DiverG - thanks for your input as well. You give me too much credit, however - i've actually done relatively little research so far on the topic - just stumbled across a couple of SB posts, including this one. So, recognizing the need to be 'PC' and not offend any one dive op, can you (or anyone else following this thread) compare and contrast (eg, list some other pros/cons) the dive ops that DiverG listed? (Scuba with Allison, Bluextsea, Scubamau, etc)? Thanks a million, everyone!

Jeff

Out of the operations I listed, I have used Bluextsea once, and Scubamau once. I will be using Scubamau when I go back. I have nothing bad to say about bluextsea, but the time I used them I didn't make the connection that so many on here have. As far as the diving operations went they were fine. I never met Christin that week I was there, but that was because she was on a dive vacation somewhere else if I remember correctly. At that time I chose her operation because of the great reviews she recieved on scubaboard plus her helpfulness n all thing related to Cozumel. I wanted to support a business that part of the scubaboard community.

3 years later I am planning a return to Cozumel. I am looking for a specific divemaster that I have dove with in the past. I contact Scubmau because I knew that this dm once worked for papa hogs. so for about 2 weeks we have many email exchanges about a particular dm they have, and eventually we figure out he is the one I was looking for. At that point I have been sold on SM because of the correspondence. Opal, always responded quickly, and I would have used her operation no matter what at that point. I like their divmasters, and I love the flexibility they provide. At this point I am satidfied with SM and have no reason to look elsewhere.

If for whatever reason, I was in search of another dive operation I would seriously consider Aldora's. They also get great reviews on SB, and they use HP steel 120's. They also have Villa Aldora for their clients to rent. Other then that I have no personal experience with them.

 

[jlt3b]

Thanks for your message(s), DiverG! I appreciate each of them! Opal and SM certainly sound like a winning dive op!!! Will check them out!

Best,
Jeff

 

[DiverG]

Thanks for your message(s), DiverG! I appreciate each of them! Opal and SM certainly sound like a winning dive op!!! Will check them out!

Best,
Jeff

Yes I considerd SM to be a winning op, but I also think all the dive operations mention in this thread are good. Check them and others out and choose the one that is the best fit for you.

I would suggest that if you have anymore questions about dive ops, hotels, Cozumel etc you start your own thread since this specific thread was about Scuba with Allison. Also remember some of these operations are hard to book because they are popular so you might want to choose the one you want and book it ASAP.

 

[curryfrog]

Alison is good. Nice boat and not over-crowded.
We dived with Alison early this year, and we also dived with Scubatony. Both of these guys are very good. You've chosen well. If Alison can't make the dates and you need another boat to dive with, Scubatony's your man. None of our dives was less than an hour in time, and you get to debate where to dive.