Thinking about Cozumel the first half of March 2013

[TallRed]

Hi All!

Have been diving since 1977, mostly in the Caribbean and Florida. Have been to Cozumel several times and it is my favorite spot because of atmosphere, value, and drift diving (lazy and like to conserve air). Haven't been since 2007 but am thinking about celebrating my 60th birthday (damn, can that really be true?) there for a week in the first half of March 2013. Looking for lodging and dive operator recommendations for 4-5 days of 2-tank dives and maybe a night dive. In the past I've mostly used Dive Paradise smaller boats and have mostly been satisfied. In 2007 I stayed at El Cantil (think it's called something else now), stayed once in a B&B back a few blocks, and stayed a few times at what I think is now called Hotel Cozumel & Resort. (It was an easy walk to town, claimed the island's largest pool at those times, and had an under-the-road walkway to the dock.) I was happy with all those choices. I'll be flying in to the Cozumel airport from the US, traveling alone, prefer a queen/king bed so my feet don't hang off, and plan to eat at various restaurants. Don't need a beach but somewhere to catch some sun would be good. The only thing I plan to do in the room is sleep and read so as long as it is clean and relatively quiet I'll be happy. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[BettyfromToronto]

Our favourite place is Scuba Club Cozumel

Cozumel Scuba Diving at Scuba Club Cozumel Dive Resort and Scuba Cozumel Dive Shop

We are headed back there in 2 weeks for our 3rd time this year plus already have one week in January booked too. Great accommodations, close to town so you can do the meal plan (which is great) or not, fabulous dive shop on site with their own fleet of boats. Big and small. We have met a lot of people who go solo and they have no problems meeting up with fellow divers. Prices are good so I suggest you check them out.

Call Karen at the reservations office. It's free and she know everything.

US Reservation Office
Aqua-Sub Tours
USA & Canada:
1-800-847-5708
or (713) 783-3305
M-F 9:00 a.m. - 5:3 p.m.
(Central time zone)

Betty

 

[MMM]

60 is a big one mentally. Or at least it was for me. El Cantil is still El Cantil and I don't know of anyone who has stayed there who disliked it. I think the Blue Angel has plenty of charm and lots to offer in terms of shore diving convenience and proximity to town plus the ability to do both northern and southern dive sites (as does El Cantil). I don't know what size the beds are though...

 

[cbm32]

I have been very very happy with my stay at El Cid La Babieca Beach resort. Nice clean rooms and optional AI. The studios and 1 bedroom units all have refrigerators, microwaves, and a two burner stove, so if you want you can save a couple of bucks by doing your own breakfast or lunch or whatever.

I have been here 4 weeks now and have been diving with Tres Pelicanos, Dive With Martin, and a couple of trips with Blue Angel. All three will pick you up at the pier right here at El Cid and all three are decent dive ops. My personal favorite is Tres Pelicanos. DM Servando Ramirez knows the reefs inside out and is fantastic at finding critters. Tres Pelicanos also lets me dive my air and computer and so I get a LOT more bottom time when I dive with them.....a LOT!!! For example, todays dives were 72 minutes and 80 minutes long. My longest dive with them has been 100 minutes. With the other ops I am lucky if I get to stay down 60 to 65 minutes.

 

[kixy1]

I second Blue Angel. Very nice, relaxed vibe. It's where I'd stay if I was on a solo trip. Of course...you do realize that the second half of March is when all the cool kids are going?

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Aldora Divers. Small, fast boats. Excellent staff. Steel 120cf tanks. What's not to like?

 

[Pelagicsal]

Aldora Divers. Small, fast boats. Excellent staff. Steel 120cf tanks. What's not to like?

Don't forget to mention all the reefs, all the time - weather, diver skill, and customer preference permitting... East side, too.
Dives yesterday: Palancar Bricks 84 minutes and Paso de Cedral 91 minutes
Pickups anywhere from Villa Aldora in the north to Iberostar, the furthest resort to the south.

Also, a vote for Villa Aldora. Queen and king sized beds, a variety of room choices. It's like staying at friends' beach house. 9 rooms, diver dedicated, boats pick up just steps from your room.

Bienvenidos - Aldora Divers | Only the best of Cozumel

 

[divingjd]

Another vote for Aldora Divers and Villa Aldora. Great service diving and at the Villa. With Aldora, you get to sites others don't go to very often, if at all. One of my favorites is a nice long dive starting at Columbia Deep and finishing up at Palancar Bricks. I've also enjoyed Maracaibo Shallows, Punta Sur, San Juan, and Barracuda with Aldora. We rarely see other dive boats at the same sites We're often diving sites on our second dives that other ops dive on their first dives.

 

[bbarada]

Another vote for Scuba Club. I had my 60th birthday there a few March's ago. My wife told the dive master. So he stopped at 60 feet and another diver took my picture. It was memorable.

 

[Tunaman68]

Of course...you do realize that the second half of March is when all the cool kids are going?

+1 For Blue Angel - end of March for us too!