The Dilemma

[deepsea21]

Yeah drrich2... I've been diving Coz for 20 years or something now and I remember when today's Cozumel Palace was the old Plaza Las Glorias. One could stay at the PLG for maybe $20 more per night than the Casa. Then Palace Resorts bought it and turned it into an AI and stuck those funky jetted tubs in the middle of every room and hiked the price by 400%. I've no time for that. By Palace Resort standards, their Coz property may as well reside at the bottom of their resorts. It blows me away how many people love that place on TA and such. I have to wonder if they have ever stayed at another Palace Resort because the one on Coz totally sucks compared to their others. However, there is a reason many can overlook so many shortcomings with all Cozumel AI's that compare to others elsewhere and that is because the diving is fantastic.

One can overlook many shortcomings if the diving is great. The issue is the Palace prices that sub-standard property on par with its other resorts so what is the point of paying the same price to stay at a very sub-par Palace resort on Cox when there are so many other options?

I dono... Whatever makes one happy is all that matters but I say those who stay at the Palace and pay those prices aren't crazy, they are just uneducated to other options that can be had for way less $ and they could be enjoying so much more.

 

[Grateful head]

Suggestions for Cozumel newbies...

> DAN dive insurance is essential. Explanation available.
> Do not ever rent scooters.
> Get trip insurance with at least $100K medical unless you are totally sure that your home medical insurance will cover you well in Mexico. No one expects issues, but they happen. DAN offers a pretty good deal, but Generali has better rates. Repatriation is included in DAN membership, but also included in most plans.
> Hire private DMs for each newbie or couple the first day, and remind them to explain escaping down currents.
> Everyone buy and carry SMBs and Storm whistles even if using rental gear.

I guess you know to not drink the water and negotiate cab fares before boarding. Use your debit card at BANK OWNED ATMs (not free standing cash machines that are dangerous) to get Pesos as most things are cheaper in the local currency.

This is great advice although I will say that the taxi cab drivers are really not negotiating at all right now. I was there last week, fourth time in the last year and their fares are sky high and very, very few will negotiate down. Weird, because it was and is the start of slow season. I am the king of negotiating with them (usually) but last week many simply agreed to not take a fare less than 12 dollars for a literal two mile ride. Same route was around 4 dollars in December.

 

[DandyDon]

This is great advice although I will say that the taxi cab drivers are really not negotiating at all right now. I was there last week, fourth time in the last year and their fares are sky high and very, very few will negotiate down. Weird, because it was and is the start of slow season. I am the king of negotiating with them (usually) but last week many simply agreed to not take a fare less than 12 dollars for a literal two mile ride. Same route was around 4 dollars in December.

Yeah, it's hit or miss at times. It gets more expensive if you ride first, then ask.

Here are the rates they have to charge from cruise piers, but it's in USDs: Cozumel Taxi Rates | Taxi Cozumel

Almost any trip can be looked up on their rate cards if your Spanish is good enough: Taxi rates

 

[Alpha2K4]

Counting the pier fee mentioned, you're looking at what, $225/night extra to stay at Cozumel Palace? Putting aside the question of whether it's worth the money or not, what added goods or services do you see them offering? Just a little closer to in-house restaurants?

How many dives/day do you hope to do? If it's 4, 2 2-tank trips, you may be spending lunch at the Money Bar waiting for the boat to pick you up for the afternoon trip. If you're just going in the morning, don't you figure you'll get bored hanging at the resort and head out to walk around and browse anyway?

I've never stayed at Cozumel Palace and I'm cheap, so you do you. I'm just curious what $225/night extra gets you

I think the general idea of All Inclusive (I've never been to one) is appealing because the food is available whenever and I don't have to worry about carrying cash or trying to find some where to eat. But I'm worried that the food is going to be so so and not worth the cost. If I was a drinker I could see the appeal of All Inclusive, but I am not.

Ideally I'd like to do Morning and Afternoon dives. As far as getting bored, I doubt it because I will only be there for a few days. If I was staying for a week I would probably want to venture off into Town.

I don't mind spending extra money on something that is worth it, but I also understand you are paying for convenience and location too. For instance I stayed two days at a hotel in Miami Beach that cost the same if I had got a room in Oahu for 5 nights. I'm agreeing with the majority here though, save money and use it for another trip to Cozumel.

In 2023? Surely you mean this year.

For a random week I looked at in October, Priceline is offering the Palace at $212/night vs Casa Mexicana at $57. AIs can get so boring eating at the same places day after day while you could eat at a different & enjoyable place downtown every lunch & dinner for much less.

I'll be Iceland this October, so Cozumel for Oct 2023.

 

[wgw04024]

We found ALOT of great places to eat, I'd not want to pre pay for just one kitchen.

 

[ggunn]

This is great advice although I will say that the taxi cab drivers are really not negotiating at all right now. I was there last week, fourth time in the last year and their fares are sky high and very, very few will negotiate down. Weird, because it was and is the start of slow season. I am the king of negotiating with them (usually) but last week many simply agreed to not take a fare less than 12 dollars for a literal two mile ride. Same route was around 4 dollars in December.

I just came back from two weeks on Cozumel, and I didn't find the taxi fares to be exorbitant. They were only a little higher than they were last year in pesos, so in dollars they were actually cheaper. Blue Angel to Mega used to be 80 pesos; this year it was 100 pesos each way, or about five bucks at 20:1. I don't know how much they would have charged me in USD.

 

[JFS]

Casa del Mar, like Blue Angel, would be another "splits the difference" choice. No charge for dock pick-up, but you'd be limited to dive ops that leave from downtown or the ops in the area. You'd have shore diving. It's a little more quiet than downtown. Resort feel but small grounds. Taxi for 3 to downtown would be about $4 per person round trip.

El Presidente is upscale and any/every dive op will pick you up at their dock as it's basically right next to and just south of the marina. I don't think they charge for dock pick-up. No shore diving. Pretty large grounds as far as I can tell. Taxi to downtown is probably $5-6 per person round trip.

Casa Mexicana would have no shore diving, is less convenient for all diving, but is very, very convenient restaurant/shopping wise. A short block or so walk to get on the boat of any shop leaving from downtown. Some dive ops will provide transportation to the marina to board their boat. In other cases, you'd have to take a taxi to the marina.

If I was forced to stay AI, and it would take force, I'd probably stay at a south AI for the proximity to dives sites, SI's back at the resort and I've been to all the reefs so life wouldn't end if I didn't get to dive Paradise, or Las Palmas, or Villa Blanca. (Life wouldn't end, but I would miss those reefs.) As I understand, with some of the south AIs, you could still dive those sites.

Have a great time!

Lots of dive ops will pick up at Casa Del Mar pier even if they originate out of fonatur marina.

 

[DandyDon]

I'll be Iceland this October, so Cozumel for Oct 2023.

Iceland sounds great. So this is very long-range planning. Keep in mind that the October 14 Annular Eclipse will be partial in Cozumel so not the place to be for the maximum. I'm planning on eastern New Mexico or West Texas depending on the weather forecast at sunrise.

 

[nodakdive]

Lots of dive ops will pick up at Casa Del Mar pier even if they originate out of fonatur marina.

Yes, I've seen that happen. If you want to stay at CDM, it's definitely a question you'd want to ask the dive ops you are considering.

 

[Charred]

I think you may find that a lot of people on Scuba Board like to travel cheap. There are others who place a higher value on comfortable accomodations and what passes for luxury on Cozumel. You have to decide whether cheap is the most important thing. Also be aware that the Palace has decided to place a tax on divers who use their pier but don't use their dive operation. It adds up and has to be part of your calculus. I wouldn't consider staying at the places listed thus far in this thread. Probably because at this point in my life I place a high value on comfort and relative luxury. YMMV.

Pay very close attention to this. You aren't getting recommendations as much as you are getting people looking for validation of their preferred choices. Most of the people not recommending things have never stayed at the place and just lump non-equal things together.

I stay at an AI that has great grounds, great pool and decent food. I get picked up at the dock each morning by my favorite op. We are back to the hotel by noon. Chill at the resort all day. If we feel like like eating in town we just get a taxi. I'm not even going to bother naming my favorite AI because I will get shouted down by the townies.

I am headed there in June with my whole family because my daughter as her graduation present asked to go to Cozumel and bring a friend. I can guarantee that would not be happening if we stayed in town.

Take home message: make sure you get recommendations from people that share your values and travel preferences.