Trip Report Short trip to Cozumel—Presidente

[Catito]

Stayed Saturday to today (Wednesday) at Presidente Intercontinental. A PADI package. Dove two in the morning with the operation here, Scuba Du, and one dive each afternoon with Aldora.

The sea front tower room was like an apartment. Very spacious. The whole resort is very clean. Food is good…but, somehow, Monday night I had a terrible bout of food poisoning which kept me from diving on Tuesday.

First, our afternoon dive (1tank) with Aldora Divers with DM Berenice and Cpt Enrique was fantastic. Our first dive with them had two other divers for a total of four and Berenice. We had a beautiful long dive at Palancar Gardens. The 100 steel tanks filled almost to 4000 let you stay under forever. Several spotted Eagle rays, a small school of trunkfish, morays, hamlets, and the usual reef fish. Both afternoon dives with Aldora and DM Berenice were fantastic. With Aldora, all divers were very experienced with no buoyancy issues and hence no banging up the reef. Our second Aldora dive (the next afternoon) was a fantastic dive on Palancar Bricks with only one other diver for a total of three divers (luxurious). The sweeping white sand channels and pinnacles were spectacular. The viz was about 80ft on all dives. Several huge Spotted Eagle rays, rays, nurse shark, spotted moray, and the usual reef fish. Berenice was a great DM, not intrusive, pointed out animals, and let us stay under for 80 minutes.

With Scuba Du, the experience of the divers was much more varied with some that should have taken a refresher course. We lucked out on two dives with very experienced divers—and only 4 per group. Tough current at Santa Rosa Wall. High point for me was the two Splendid Toadfish. The shallow dive (Paradise) was so-so with the exception of the two huge octopus eating conch, found by my dive buddy. The next day our two morning dives were better. We dove Palancar horseshoe and Yucab Reef. On Yucab we had a ripping current and flew over the reef. Still, we found a Longsnout Seahorse, octopus in a hole, squid, and a Splendid Toadfish.

While I was ill with food poisoning on Tuesday, my dive buddy went out and unfortunately paired with three guys who did not have a clue. One asked the DM to remind him how to inflate his BCD. She said another asked for 18lbs and was walking tippy toes on the reef. Many more stories. My point is that Scuba Du seems to be used by inexperienced divers while the smaller ops such as Aldora are used by more experienced. Do others find this to be true?

Bottom line for me: Presidente—loved the sea view (Cozumel Channel), huge room (small apt), cleanliness of the resort, friendly staff, and the incredible fresh breakfast (included in the PADI booking). Dive op = so-so. Dive op charged us more nitrox. Food poisoning from one of the restaurants cost me a lot of grief and missed two dives.

Aldora: will use them in the future. Great operation.

 

[BLee88]

Thanks for posting, @Catito. Was hoping to hear of your experiences; thanks very much. Sorry to hear about your food poisoning but hopefully the rest of the trip was enjoyable.

I really appreciate your sharing about the on-site op. We were close to booking with them but went a different direction... your input solidifies our decision. I once had a lady seriously ask a DM, on a non-guided Cali coast dive boat no less, if she can hop in without fins... the story becomes worse after this but I'll just say that we are very weary of being patched in with beginners after this situation.

If I may, would love a few additional insights into your dives with Aldora... was your dive time an average of 80 mins? And did you come up as a group (ie, can't bail out and ascend early with our own SMB if we are so inclined)?

Also, it seems like you did get enough folks to do the afternoons... any issues or last-min scrambles to get enough to go out?

Lastly, did you happen to see their lionfish trip go out during your time there?

Thanks!

 

[drrich2]

Enjoyed your report. When I read trip reports, I aim to be mindful of how people from different perspectives look at offerings. When traveling alone, I'm cheap and stayed at a hotel, not a resort, but someone with family to entertain would see it differently - I see the Presidente Intercontinental has nursery service, and parents wanting to get away to dive might be happy about that. There's also a Planet Trekkers for kids aged 5-12.

One issue I don't know about one way or another; your report suggests seasoned divers would prefer Aldora, which draws more seasoned divers, over Scuba Do, what has a mixed lot including some who need a refresher. I wonder what would be the best option for fairly new divers who, while not bouncing off the reef, aren't seasoned?

Judging from the website photos, they have some sloping sandy beach people could wade into (as little kids like to do), and some iron shore (which would be more apt to have better snorkeling). Anyone care to comment on the snorkeling at the resort?

 

[Kimela]

My point is that Scuba Du seems to be used by inexperienced divers while the smaller ops such as Aldora are used by more experienced. Do others find this to be true?

I wonder if this is because they are the on-site dive op for a clientele that may not be avid divers, rather vacation divers, therefore not very experienced?

 

[ggunn]

I wonder if this is because they are the on-site dive op for a clientele that may not be avid divers, rather vacation divers, therefore not very experienced?

This vacation diver is pretty experienced, thank you very much.

 

[Catito]

Thanks for posting, @Catito. Was hoping to hear of your experiences; thanks very much. Sorry to hear about your food poisoning but hopefully the rest of the trip was enjoyable.

I really appreciate your sharing about the on-site op. We were close to booking with them but went a different direction... your input solidifies our decision. I once had a lady seriously ask a DM, on a non-guided Cali coast dive boat no less, if she can hop in without fins... the story becomes worse after this but I'll just say that we are very weary of being patched in with beginners after this situation.

If I may, would love a few additional insights into your dives with Aldora... was your dive time an average of 80 mins? And did you come up as a group (ie, can't bail out and ascend early with our own SMB if we are so inclined)?

Also, it seems like you did get enough folks to do the afternoons... any issues or last-min scrambles to get enough to go out?

Lastly, did you happen to see their lionfish trip go out during your time there?

Thanks!

Hi. Loved Aldora. I understand your weariness of being grouped with those who really need more lessons and practice.

As to your questions, yes, if we had wanted to go up separately (early), we could have done so with our surface device. In fact, we called it at 80 mins because it was our third dive of the day and my mask was killing me. But yes, the DM would have let us go up earlier. However, the 100 steel tanks give you so much bottom time. We dove nitrox.

I reserved Aldora in advance (prior to the trip) for the two of us—1 tank dive in the afternoon. I highly recommend making a reservation. I think I had to put $100 down for two divers. They told me that they need 4 to go out (no more than 6) and that they did not expect to have an issue with divers signing up. They did not have an issue. Their boat picked us up at our hotel’s pier. On our second trip with them, they arrived to our pier a bit late and with only one other diver. They said they waited 30 mins for two customers who had a reservation and never showed up. So, we had a great dive with a young drysuit diver who dives Calif, specifically Monterey Bay (so she was good).

No, I did not pay attention to their lionfish dive.

The afternoon dives were great. The crowds were gone. It was very peaceful.

One last tip…the taxi drivers have a schedule that they must follow (in terms of the fare from site to site). Two of ours tried to charge us more (we knew the rate) and we asked to see the fare card. They would not show us the fare card but agreed to our fare. We had asked the hotel in advance. My dive buddy is Spanish so she had the discussion with the two drivers.

Hope that you have a great trip.

 

[Catito]

This vacation diver is pretty experienced, thank you very much.

Wish you were on our boat!

 

[ggunn]

Wish you were on our boat!

Me, too, but I must wait until April.

 

[Catito]

Enjoyed your report. When I read trip reports, I aim to be mindful of how people from different perspectives look at offerings. When traveling alone, I'm cheap and stayed at a hotel, not a resort, but someone with family to entertain would see it differently - I see the Presidente Intercontinental has nursery service, and parents wanting to get away to dive might be happy about that. There's also a Planet Trekkers for kids aged 5-12.

One issue I don't know about one way or another; your report suggests seasoned divers would prefer Aldora, which draws more seasoned divers, over Scuba Do, what has a mixed lot including some who need a refresher. I wonder what would be the best option for fairly new divers who, while not bouncing off the reef, aren't seasoned?

Judging from the website photos, they have some sloping sandy beach people could wade into (as little kids like to do), and some iron shore (which would be more apt to have better snorkeling). Anyone care to comment on the snorkeling at the resort?

Hi. We snorkeled there this morning because we are flying now. Meh! Pools for the kids and a roped off “reef” but it was pretty void of life except Sargent Majors and some juvenile reef fish.

 

[Catito]

We really only st

Enjoyed your report. When I read trip reports, I aim to be mindful of how people from different perspectives look at offerings. When traveling alone, I'm cheap and stayed at a hotel, not a resort, but someone with family to entertain would see it differently - I see the Presidente Intercontinental has nursery service, and parents wanting to get away to dive might be happy about that. There's also a Planet Trekkers for kids aged 5-12.

One issue I don't know about one way or another; your report suggests seasoned divers would prefer Aldora, which draws more seasoned divers, over Scuba Do, what has a mixed lot including some who need a refresher. I wonder what would be the best option for fairly new divers who, while not bouncing off the reef, aren't seasoned?

Judging from the website photos, they have some sloping sandy beach people could wade into (as little kids like to do), and some iron shore (which would be more apt to have better snorkeling). Anyone care to comment on the snorkeling at the resort?

We really only stayed there because of the PADI package. The room was fabulous. Other than the great b-fast and one night at a restaurant, we did not use resort amenities. Yes, seems to be a nice place for divers who travel with kids and who want to keep the kids happy while they dive. Not my situation.