Would you recommend Cozumel to two young adults?

[sparky923]

No, nobody is advocating going it alone after the first few dives. All dives within the marine park in Coz are required to be led by a DM so going it alone isn't an option.

Not accusing, just trying to clarify.

I honestly didn't know all dive groups had to be led by a DM, hence the questions. I wouldn't think anyone would advocate going it alone.

End hijack

 

[BTravlin]

50USD per day is cheap, is there a disvantange to booking a private DM every day if you can afford it? Only downside I can see is you dont get to meet other people when in groups. Perhaps there are group boats that allow you to bring your private dm with you, buf that serve lunch and you get to meddle a little? That would bring the best of both worlds.

Thanks a lot for the insurance tips, 40$ a year is cheap for the peace of mind, will definitely get it from DAN.

Whether you go with a big boat or small boat you will most likely be on the boat with other divers who you'll have the opportunity to get to know before, after and in between dives. The nice thing about the private DM is that they will be there to pay special attention to you and your brother. They can fill you in on the proper protocol for boat diving. They can help get your weighting right within a couple of dives and then help you work on your buoyancy. Once back on the boat after the first dive they can provide feedback on what they saw you doing underwater and so forth. A non private DM would certainly try to do these things for you too but they have several other divers to cater too as well so a private DM will get you further down the road quicker so that you can better enjoy your week of diving.

 

[FrancisK7]

I can reading about Roatan... Whats with the buzz with that place?

After further research it seems we could save money and have an all better diving experience if we stay at diving resorts such as the Aldora, Blue Angel or Scuba Club Cozumel. According to TripAdvisor Blue Angel is best rated, but that doesnt always mean much.

Ive alrdy received a raving recommendation for the scuba club via pm, but would love to hear from you on these.

 

[Centexbear]

Hands down Cozumel over Turks for 21 year olds. Turks has zero nightlife and not much to do outside of water activities and eating dinner at a restaurant. After diving you can find a restaurant but that's it for nightlife.

Cozumel has MUCH more to offer not in terms of nightlife/partying, but at least something to do and see, walking around town, etc.

 

[driftin' by]

All very good points made and Gordon's is the best regarding dehydration with Sue's a very close second about the mopeds.... resist every urge and avoid them at all cost!

About the currents, either you love it or you hate it but you'll never know until you try it. Personally, I find them much less strenuous and the popular conception about Cozumel is that the currents make for a very relaxing dive in that you don't have to navigate or do much fining and the boat comes to you to pick you up. However, that being said, if you think you might not enjoy it, you can experience a milder version on the mainland side diving from Playa del Carmen where you can also experience much better night life. While that diving is very good across the channel, it's not world class like Cozumel. Not to make your decision anymore complex it's worth considering especially given some of your requirements and the fact that you can experience drift diving to a lesser degree being new divers. For me, my wife and I honed our drift diving skills in the Niagara River above the falls making Cozumel a walk in the park!

Also, I didn't see Scuba Club getting any recommendations here. I've never been but always thought it to be a good choice for first time visitors that are new to diving. Close to town, one stop, AI all about diving where there will be no shortage to mingling with fellow divers 24x7.

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks a lot for the insurance tips, 40$ a year is cheap for the peace of mind, will definitely get it from DAN.

$40 for the middle plan plus $35 membership, but that's the minimum need.

The top plan does offer a lot more, but I still do Trip insurance with medical coverage when I leave the country.

 

[MMM]

Im not afraid to pay extras for little comfort and pleasure. My brother is a little more restrained, but since this will be oue first trip I planned in treating him well.

In that case, DEFINITELY Cozumel Palace. Great location (waterfront, in town) and I have never heard of anyone do anything but rave about it. It's just down the street from the no-name bar at the Barracuda; a great place to meet young people from all around the world as it caters to cruise ship staff. And if you aren't afraid of spending a little extra, you might look into the 3 steel tank operators on the island. As new divers, you will probably use a bit more air than you would if you were more experienced and their larger tanks will give you some extra air and underwater time.

 

[FrancisK7]

Cozumel Palace does look very nice and the quote we received (1538$) is for an ocean view deluxe room. I assume the food will be good for breakfasts and lunches and we can go to town for dinners. We botb adore mexican food (the real kind, not the americanized version) so I imagine we'd be in for a treat. I was under the impression for Cozumel you either had to chose between location or luxury, but if the Palace us in town,it seems to bring both together.

But Im still curious about staying at a dedicated diving resort such as the Aldora Compound, Scuba Club and Blue Angel. the Blue Angel and Suba Club are both highly ranked on most trip ranking webites, both I assume that while they must cater to divers' needs better than a luxury resort, you lose on comfort and food?

Is it still possible to stay at the Palace and have great dives?

As for clubing in Playa del Carmen for a night, how far away is it?

 

[kmurray719]

Neither my son nor I enjoyed the drift diving as much as the laid back diving we experienced at Mahahual or Roatan. I know lots of people rave about Cozumel, but my son and I just didn't care for it. Our opinion will probably be in the minority, but it's just how we felt about it. By the way, we dove with Edgar from Aldora. We dove Santa Rosa and Dalila. We don't have any complaints at all about the dive op or instructor, just didn't care for the current associated with drift diving.

People have different like and dislikes, it's all good.That's one of the fabulous things about diving--there's plenty of destinations and bound to be one that suits everyone. I"ve heard people rave about the Bahamas and it just about bored me to tears. Drift diving isn't your thing and that may be useful information to you in planning future travel. I'm lazy, so the "arm chair" diving in Cozumel suits me perfectly

 

[kmurray719]

Is it still possible to stay at the Palace and have great dives?

As for clubing in Playa del Carmen for a night, how far away is it?

You can dive with any op you choose, so yes, you can stay at the Palace and have great dives! There's plenty of information and opinions on this board about dive ops in Cozumel.

The Ferry to Playa takes about 45 minutes each way (costs about 140 pesos I think?) . The "downfall" to going to Playa for teh night may be that the last ferry is earlier than you would like to return.