Should I try a cruise or a hotel in Cozumel?

[scubafan99]

My 14yr old son (PADI jr open water, 8 dives) and I (PADI advanced open water, 30+ dives) want to go someplace warm to dive for his winter Break this January 17-24, 2010.

I've given up on live aboard, couldn't afford them except for maybe Nekton, but they're no go, they're on private charter during my son's winter break.
Someone suggested to me that we might do OK with a cruise ship, probably Carnival. The 4 and 5 day ships I've found for that week of January go to Nassau, Bahamas; CocoCay, Bahamas, or another is Freeport, Bahamas; Nassau, Bahamas; Great Stirrup Cay, or Miami, Florida; Key West, Florida; Cozumel, Mexico Miami. A Disney cruise going Cape Canaveral, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; Castaway Cay, Bahamas; Cape Canaveral, Florida, or A Carnival Cape Canaveral, Florida; Freeport, Bahamas; Nassau, Bahamas; Cape Canaveral cruise.

I don't have to have advice on the ships themselves, as whatever they are will be fine (I hope!). I'd been told I DEFINITELY want to somehow arrange the dives myself (advice please?). What I really wanted to know is whether any of these itineraries would provide good diving compared to getting a hotel in Cozumel & arranging dives there.

I'm told CZM will be about 75 to 78 degree water and anywhere from 60 to 80 air temp. If we went there we'd get him his advanced OW and we'd both learn to drift dive. We'd get to do a lot more diving, BUT, the total cost for hotel & diving seems like it'll be a good bit more $$$.

I also have heard that Bahamas in Jan is more like 72 degrees (Brrr!) and other than that I don't know which area have more cool things to see at that time of the year....

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[Scott]

If I was offered the itinerary's above or given a week on Coz, I would take the week in Coz any day.
Here's my .02 why.
Cruises I consider a sampler of locations. Your time there is limited so you really don't get to see much. Where if you stay on Coz you actually experience the culture and other attractions. Dive in the morning explore, shop, eat, relax in the afternoon or do some shore dives.

Many if not all cruise lines have contracts with dive operators at the various ports, while this may be a good thing as far as getting back to the boat on time. Those operators cater to the cruise crowd. Meaning you're not going to see the best the location/reef has to offer. That's why it is suggested that you arrange your own. You just need to make sure their schedule will get you back to the ship on time.

If you stay in Coz, depending on your skills, in a couple of days you're diving some of the best walls and reefs they offer.

We looked last year at a cruise for our family of 5 and it was cheaper to stay at Scuba Club Cozumel (all inclusive) than it was for a cruise the same duration.

 

[bcaderunr]

http://www.applevacations.com

Don't know if this link will transfer, but from Salt Lake on those dates you can get air/hotel thru Apple Vacations in Coz starting in the $500 range per/person. Diving will run you around $70/day pp with tips. I took my son to the Fiesta Americana for our first dive trip when he was 14 and we had a blast. Good first time destination and the AI option is cost effective if you're just there to relax and keep a starving teen fed.

Hotel Cozumel might be an even better alternative since it is coming up at $702/pp with airfare from Salt Lake AND includes the AI option. I've stayed at both and the Hotel Coz is within walking distance of town. Cheap and easy, Dad.

Blue Angel (1/2 mile south of Hotel Coz) is my favorite place, but you'll need to book your airfare separately.

 

[Centexbear]

Go stay at Blue Angel Resort and dive with them.

great staff, comfortable rooms, breakfast and lunch included, onsite restaurant you can eat dinner if you wish, good gear and just easy. It's a dive hotel for divers with good food.

I was there in July dove a lot with a man and his 14 y.o. son and they had a blast.

 

[USFishin]

My wife and I do a cruise about once a year. We like to dive in a couple of the ports and do other things in the other ports. It really depends on if you want to see more than one place or not. We like the cruises because we get to sample diving in several different places on one trip. Then if we really like it somewhere we keep that in mind for a dive vacation destination.

As far as booking the dives through the cruise... we never do. They're a complete ripoff. Most dive shops in cruise port cities get probably 1/2 their business from cruise ship patrons. So they know the timing of when to get you back. Sometimes we'll be on a dive charter and talk to some of the other people on the charter and realize that they booked the through the ship. Usually they paid 40-50% more than we did for the same exact trip. They're not happy to hear all the money they wasted.

 

[robint]

your 14yr old son would probably enjoy the cruise more than a week in Cozumel. More things to do geared for him. BUT the diving wouldn't be as good. So it all depends what you are looking for....
If you just want to dive, I would go to the Florida Keys instead, easy diving for your son and lots of fish. It would cost quite a bit less and you could save the money to put towards that Nekton Bahamas liveaboard trip during the summer!

 

[scubafan99]

your 14yr old son would probably enjoy the cruise more than a week in Cozumel. More things to do geared for him. BUT the diving wouldn't be as good. So it all depends what you are looking for....
If you just want to dive, I would go to the Florida Keys instead, easy diving for your son and lots of fish. It would cost quite a bit less and you could save the money to put towards that Nekton Bahamas liveaboard trip during the summer!

Robint, I agree about the cost savings of the Keys, we were just hoping that the water would be warmer in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen or the Bahamas....

We enjoyed the diving in Key West in January, we just didn't like the temps!

 

[robint]

Robint, I agree about the cost savings of the Keys, we were just hoping that the water would be warmer in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen or the Bahamas....

We enjoyed the diving in Key West in January, we just didn't like the temps!

When I recommend going to Keys, I mean Key Largo... that is where the best dives are and also the dives are all shallower. Also, shallower dives tend to be warmer.

Diving temps are going to be chilly EVERYWHERE in Caribbean during January. The Keys, the Bahamas, Cozumel, PDC, all of them. It is winter. Mid 70s are the norm for that time of year at all of them.

If you really want water 80+ degrees in January, you need to go to the South Pacific, where it is summer. If you want water in the upper 70s, you might can find that is the FAR south Caribbean, like Bonaire or Curacao. January is not a time to find really warm water. If that is your priority, then wait a few months. Jan-Feb are the coldest water months. July-Sept are the warmest water months but that also means hurricane season.
(for example - I was just in Cozumel in late March, water was 77-79degrees and rough some days but boats could still go out, over in PDC the harbor was closed -no ocean diving- for 4 days in a row due to the rough water)

 

[scubafan99]

When I recommend going to Keys, I mean Key Largo... that is where the best dives are and also the dives are all shallower. Also, shallower dives tend to be warmer.

Diving temps are going to be chilly EVERYWHERE in Caribbean during January. The Keys, the Bahamas, Cozumel, PDC, all of them. It is winter. Mid 70s are the norm for that time of year at all of them.

If you really want water 80+ degrees in January, you need to go to the South Pacific, where it is summer. If you want water in the upper 70s, you might can find that is the FAR south Caribbean, like Bonaire or Curacao. January is not a time to find really warm water. If that is your priority, then wait a few months. Jan-Feb are the coldest water months. July-Sept are the warmest water months but that also means hurricane season.
(for example - I was just in Cozumel in late March, water was 77-79degrees and rough some days but boats could still go out, over in PDC the harbor was closed -no ocean diving- for 4 days in a row due to the rough water)

I wish we COULD wait a few months! The problem is, that's the only time he has off! Then he's back to a 7AM-4PM & 7PM-9PM schoolday until mid June! I wanted to give the guy a break he can enjoy. I just wish the wallet could STAND Bionaire or So. Pacific...

So of the choices I have, which at least might be in the MID 70's vs much lower??

Thanks!

 

[robint]

I wish we COULD wait a few months! The problem is, that's the only time he has off! Then he's back to a 7AM-4PM & 7PM-9PM schoolday until mid June! I wanted to give the guy a break he can enjoy. I just wish the wallet could STAND Bionaire or So. Pacific...

So of the choices I have, which at least might be in the MID 70's vs much lower??

Thanks!

Cozumel is going to be warmer than Bahamas or Keys (well, Key Largo might be the same) during that timeframe. I would guess 76-78 degrees water temps on most dives. Shallower dives are going to be warmer, deeper dives colder, especially in Cozumel where the current tends to move the water more.
why don't you e-mail a couple of dive ops and see what water temps they say:
in Key Largo
http://www.rainbowreef.us/
http://www.horizondivers.com/
http://www.itsadive.com/