I tend to agree with the EANx comment above. Why rush it. Go to Coz for the first time and enjoy it. Try and make it a 7 day trip if at all possible. It will be well worth the time. Coz is a wonderful place. We go twice a year for 10 days each trip and we still find new places to go. IMO dont do an All Inclusive. Way too many great places to eat. If you send me an IM with your email address I would be glad to send you an extensive list of Rest.. We have been staying at Fiesta Americana and an assortment of condos for 5 years. FA is the best location for us as it is close to the southern dives sites we prefer to dive. Taxis are 60 pesos to town for dinner and we enjoy that. We dive with Aldora. www.aldora.com. More expensive yes, large steel 120 tanks. Dives are between 1:05 and 1:30 depending on depth and other divers gas management. Fine operation. I understand Christi runs a fine operation as well. You cant go wrong with either. Have a wonderful time.
Suggestions: First trip to Cozumel
- Thread starter lundysd
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
sharky60
Contributor
significant other? when did we become so P.C.?
Anyway, if Christi is booked here's a couple of others to consider, Dive with Martin, www.divewithmartin.com or Raul Plates with Bottom Time Divers, www.bottomtimedivers.net
all 3 are very highly recommended and although I haven't personally dove with Christi, yet, the other two I have and know from personal experience that they are very good with novices. whoever you choose, try and make a reservation as soon as possible, it will help. I don't know what the schedule load is for May, but the week we are going to be there it seems it is going to be pretty busy as several folks on the board here are headed down over the first 2 weeks of May.
Dive site? let the DM's give you guidance there, there's really not a bad spot on the reef, the DM's know what the best conditions are that week and if you have some animals in particular you want to see they can usually take you to them and arrange the dive around your experience.
I agree to hold out on the Nitrox cert until you get some acutal bottom time, don't fall for the hype the certification folks are pushing now-a-days to just keep getting more and more advanced certifications. get some experience first and then move up if you so chose.
Where to stay? your gonna get as many opinons as there are hotels on that one.
We have stayed at the El Cid La Ceiba for many years, and although they are leaning to the time share thing, it is still where we like to stay. If you don't want to do the time share 'dog and pony show' just say no, they have never been too pushy about it.
clean rooms, most of them have been renovated, nice beach with 2 pools a spa, beach volleyball, hammocks and beach service from the restaurant/bar, good food, good service, great location by the international pier, good people watching! good shore diving, convienient pick up local for all dive ops. medium price range through funjet or other charters.
the islands only full service photo shop is located on the grounds, Island Photo and Video, in case your thinking about underwater photography, Holly rents all levels of cameras.
hope you have a great trip
Anyway, if Christi is booked here's a couple of others to consider, Dive with Martin, www.divewithmartin.com or Raul Plates with Bottom Time Divers, www.bottomtimedivers.net
all 3 are very highly recommended and although I haven't personally dove with Christi, yet, the other two I have and know from personal experience that they are very good with novices. whoever you choose, try and make a reservation as soon as possible, it will help. I don't know what the schedule load is for May, but the week we are going to be there it seems it is going to be pretty busy as several folks on the board here are headed down over the first 2 weeks of May.
Dive site? let the DM's give you guidance there, there's really not a bad spot on the reef, the DM's know what the best conditions are that week and if you have some animals in particular you want to see they can usually take you to them and arrange the dive around your experience.
I agree to hold out on the Nitrox cert until you get some acutal bottom time, don't fall for the hype the certification folks are pushing now-a-days to just keep getting more and more advanced certifications. get some experience first and then move up if you so chose.
Where to stay? your gonna get as many opinons as there are hotels on that one.
We have stayed at the El Cid La Ceiba for many years, and although they are leaning to the time share thing, it is still where we like to stay. If you don't want to do the time share 'dog and pony show' just say no, they have never been too pushy about it.
clean rooms, most of them have been renovated, nice beach with 2 pools a spa, beach volleyball, hammocks and beach service from the restaurant/bar, good food, good service, great location by the international pier, good people watching! good shore diving, convienient pick up local for all dive ops. medium price range through funjet or other charters.
the islands only full service photo shop is located on the grounds, Island Photo and Video, in case your thinking about underwater photography, Holly rents all levels of cameras.
hope you have a great trip
Hooked4Life
Guest
sharky60:
Question...Stupid question..Is it loud there because of the cruise ships?
pennypue
Contributor
I'd really just to have those ships become invisible. I don't wanna see 'em at all!!
It's a tough dilemma, I know that all the cruisers contribute to the economic health of the island but I really don't want to see them. (so selfish of me)
It's a tough dilemma, I know that all the cruisers contribute to the economic health of the island but I really don't want to see them. (so selfish of me)
MoonWrasse
Contributor
pennypue:
Just recently that Carnival mega cruiser crashed into the reef and almost cuisinarted some divers. Whatcha gonna to do.
jawfish
Club Web Master
By now you have figured out all you need for info is to read ALL the posts here. You should be able to deduce whom to dive with, where to stay, etc. Once you have narrowed it down, then contact each operator/hotelier you are interested in and see if they are running specials. As far as 5 -7 days, opt for 7 if you can. Once you get there, day 1 may be better of spent relaxing and the last day would be a no dive day due to flying. SO, if you only go for 5, you have 3 dive days and I assure you, you will want more!!!
Cozumel is beautiful, easy diving and you will surely compare it to many places abroad.
Free map at my site and a lot of links. (see below)
Cozumel is beautiful, easy diving and you will surely compare it to many places abroad.
Free map at my site and a lot of links. (see below)
pennypue
Contributor
I guess the divers were supposed to be invisible??MoonWrasse:Just recently that Carnival mega cruiser crashed into the reef and almost cuisinarted some divers. Whatcha gonna to do.
I did hear about this. From what Chrisit told us (we were there in that time frame) the divers were all, thankfully, very experienced.
MgicTwnger
Contributor
Last time I was there, an old cabbie referred to cruise ship passengers as "locusts". I wonder just how much the cruise ships really do help the local economy.MoonWrasse:Just recently that Carnival mega cruiser crashed into the reef and almost cuisinarted some divers. Whatcha gonna to do.
Wristshot
Contributor
1) As I understand it, the cruise ships point the locusts (or Pod-people) towards specific shops and stores. Those shops are typically in the high rent section of town. I have heard (unsubstantiated) rumors that some of the ships or cruise lines have interests in some of the high-end shops. Sure, those shops employ locals, but I too question how much of the pod-money spent on the island actually filters down to the locals. Of course the restaurants benefit from more visitors, but how much food gets consumed by pod-people, since there is food everywhere all the time on board!
---------------------
2) Back to the original question.
For what it is worth, my recommedation is that any of the myriad of dives sites at Palancar are wonderful. Palancar Gardens, Palancar Caverns, Palancar Bricks, Palancar Horseshoe etc. Each has some very special qualities.
Others that I know very strongly recommend Santa Rosa and San Francisco as some of the best sites.
My buddy and I loved the wreck (done it 3 times myself!) but it is not for everyone.
So far I have enjoyed every dive that I have done in Cozumel, but Palancar would be my favorite, hands down.
My opinions, and only because you asked.
Wristshot
---------------------
2) Back to the original question.
For what it is worth, my recommedation is that any of the myriad of dives sites at Palancar are wonderful. Palancar Gardens, Palancar Caverns, Palancar Bricks, Palancar Horseshoe etc. Each has some very special qualities.
Others that I know very strongly recommend Santa Rosa and San Francisco as some of the best sites.
My buddy and I loved the wreck (done it 3 times myself!) but it is not for everyone.
So far I have enjoyed every dive that I have done in Cozumel, but Palancar would be my favorite, hands down.
My opinions, and only because you asked.
Wristshot
pennypue:
Actually, I do not know what the experience level of the divers was. I think my remark was something along the lines that they must have been very well trained and comfortable divers to stay calm in a situation like that. Many divers would have panicked, which would be natural for new and even many experienced divers. The divemaster had to have very good control of the group as well to keep anyone from being injured and getting everyone back to the boat safely. All of this of course is based on what I have heard second and third hand. I was not there and I did not speak to anyone directly involved.
Similar threads
