staying in iberostar : using onsite op vs other boutique op ?

[regina55]

Hi all,

As for an accommodation this time I was looking for a beach resort rather than a hotel in town for hassle-free relaxation, so initially I thought staying in iberostar and diving with dressel (onsite dive op) could be a good combination for me. the best thing about the resort / op I think is that it is very close to interesting dive sites such as Palancar, Columbia, Cedral etc., which are easily accessible just within 5-10 mins boat ride from the resort.

however I have also read a few (a very few!) negative comments regarding dressel ; 1) although they try to keep 8 people max as a group, the op is likely to put lots of divers from affiliated resorts or cruises into a big boat aka a cattle boat 2) so sometimes they might not be able to divide diver groups by level of experience 3) since they come back to the resort after every dive, diving time is limited to 45-50mins. I actually don't like +60mins dive much unlike many divers, so the fact they dive a schedule wouldn't be a problem for me. the other comments on the other hand get me to have a second thought of using the onsite op.

then I have also thought of diving with other boutique operators that keep diver groups small and take care of each diver more thoroughly. but I am not sure how the transportation would be like and how much time it would take from iberostar... would they pick me up from the resort dock and drop me off at marina where a boat departs to dive sites ? or just pick me up on the way out to dive sites ?

does anyone have experience of diving with Dressel cozumel OR staying in iberostar but diving with other operators? I'd appreciate any advice or comments !!

 

[Streydog]

I don't think Iberostar lets other dive ops use their pier. I have been on small boats a couple times picking up a diver there and they had to wade out to the boat to get picked up, wasn't a big deal. Watching the big dive boat get loaded up with divers in the morning doesn't look fun. I have never stayed there but have heard only positive things about the resort.

 

[imoto]

I've stayed at the Iberostar six times and mostly have used Dressel, but have also tried Dive with Martin and Tres Pelicanos. Dive with Martin did pick me up on the dock. I had to wade out to the boat for Tres Pelicanos.

There were two groups diving on the Dive with Martin boat and one group diving with Tres Pelicanos. However, 3 P's boat is fairly small compared to the boats used by Dressel. Harder to get back into as well.

Dressel takes up to three groups per boat and I haven't figured out how they determine the groups yet, other than trying to keep nitrox divers together. You will probably dive with several dive masters throughout you stay. While there is enough space on the boat to fit the groups, they all dive the same sites which can mean running into each other during the dive (in addition to whomever else is diving the site).

As a repeat customer I've dived the same sites each time I've gone. They keep to their schedule of dive sites and in fact this July I dived Paso de Cedral three of my eighteen dives, due to not being able to get to Cedral Wall because of current.

Nitrox is free and there's a 20% reduction with equipment and dives if booked and paid ahead of time. This usually means you can get a pretty good deal with Dressel. I found Dive with Martin to be a bit cheaper but didn't use nitrox though so they may have been a little bit more expensive.

I've managed mostly 55-65 minutes with Dressel and usually have enough air to surface with the dive master. (They usually have people with similar amount of air surface together, but not always.)

Surface intervals are back at their dock which is convenient.

Hope this helps.

 

[Charred]

I just got back from Iberostar and their negative reputation is not well deserved. They have tons of repeat divers. They do run several groups on a boat but the individual groups decended and ascend seperately. You are no more likely to see another group from your boat as from another dive op. Almost all of my dives were 60 mins.

They are also cheaper than most dive ops, free nitrox, SI back at the resort and you can dive four times a day spending maybe 30 min total traveling to the sites. I had an ice cream cone every day between my third and fourth dives. Vacation, remember?

If you will get all pissy you are on a boat with 16 ppl, then yea its not for you.

I did see a few ppl get picked up from shore by other boats. Half the time we went the the same site as them.

To each his own.

 

[ggunn]

If you will get all pissy you are on a boat with 16 ppl, then yea its not for you.

I would not characterize preferring not to dive with large groups as "getting all pissy". DSFDF.

 

[ReefHound]

Good to hear. My gf and I have stayed at Iberostar and really enjoyed it. Although we normally do not do AI, it is nice not to deal with the time and logistics of where to eat and drink every meal and keeping track of cash on hand. We used an outside op and waded to the boat. It wasn't a big deal but loading at the dock would be nicer and the return for surface interval at the dock would be great for running to the room to get the sunscreen or extra camera battery you forgot.

 

[flyboy08]

deleted....brain fart

 

[Carlos Diver]

I liked the Iberostar, but didnt care for Dressels. I would pay the dock fee and use another op. Living Underwater and Scuba with Alison are both superior to Dressel.

Yes, they dive the same sites, but the service and experience are much, much different.

Dressel uses big, slower boats. 16-20 divers on the boat. Different guides each day. All giant stride entries.
I prefer fast, small boats with back-roll entry, and having the same dive guide (Jeremy) every day, time after time. I also like my gear set up and waiting for me every morning. Not carrying it back and forth every day.

The smaller ops would just pick you up from the Iberostar dock, take you diving, then drop you back off at the dock. Most of the sites are down past or around the Iberostar anyway. They wont have to shuttle you around.

If you have a preferred entry, that might make a difference as well.

 

[ReefHound]

Maybe things have changed but I don't think you could just pay a per-person dock fee and be picked up by another op. I thought they were charging ops a monthly fee and it wasn't cheap.

 

[Charles2]

We stayed at Iberostar and went diving with Dressel back in July. One of the best parts is the convenient access to dive sites as well as the low pricing including free nitrox. It did seem as if the divers were grouped according to skill level, but I can't be sure about that. Our dives averaged around 55 minutes with one at 48 minutes and three at 62 minutes. There were never more than 6 divers in our group; however, there were usually at least two groups on the boat. The boats are big and slow, but they don't have to go that far; so, most trips were less than ten minutes - and they were comfortable. I did find Dressel to be very attentive and safety conscious. We were paired with a different guide every day and all of them were great and very attentive (tips were appreciated). You will have to carry your own gear (except for tank and weights) to and from the boat and you will have to rinse and store your own equipment in the drying room (be sure to bring a padlock for your storage basket). All surface intervals went back to the resort where you could get a soft drink, fresh fruit, or ice-cream and take care of anything else. I would go back in a heartbeat.

The beach at the Iberostar is very nice for Cozumel with plenty of shade and sand although the sand stops at the ocean's edge. The food is good to above average. We only had one margarita while we were there and it was awful so we poured it out and switched to Dos Equis for the remainder of the week.