Young Kids, Diving Parents

[HoustonDiver8]

I've been to Cozumel over 20 times now. Twice without wife & kids. 3 times with wife, but without the kids.
Personally, this should be a quick scuba diving "Vacation", so we're trying to keep it fun & simple, without hassles.
The two times were just w/ scuba diving crazies with the guys, no wife, no kids.
Three times were dive trips with just my wife, when the kids were just babies. We left them at home with family, so we can truly relax & enjoy ourselves.
However, the last 15 + trips to Cozumel, we've always traveled as a family, after our 2 kids turned 3 - 4 yrs old or so. We went diving while the kids enjoy the hotel's kids club activities, when they were 3 - 10 yrs old.
Now that they're both teenagers, both are PADI OW Jr diver cert, we all travel & dive together.
We love kids, however, we just personally think that bringing an 8 month old out of the country, getting passports, shots, etc & trying to find BABYsitters while you're diving ... is just too much hassle.
Would recommend that you wait until the Babies are a little older, so everyone can enjoy the "vacation" is little bit more.
But that's just our 2 cents...

 

[xqqqme29]

Thanks for the great suggestions everyone. I am going to check out the dive shops mentioned. I'll let you know what I find out.

 

[texdives]

You might consider Grand Cayman. Ocean Frontiers/Compass Point - Great diving and pretty reasonable with their combo packages. Typically very quick trips on the boat and back by noon for lunch. They offer baby sitting and very safe island for the family. The two bedroom condo is awesome - we have stayed there twice and absolutely love rolling out of bed and going diving. The only negative for you is their is no kid's program.

 

[Speargirl]

Might I offer a suggestion.:blinking: If you have a good sitter bring him or her with. Maybe with the cost of daycare and day camps. It would be feasible to bring your sitter along. I'm srue he or she would love to go and you wont have to worry about the kids. Way the costs and see may work out.

 

[pinotscubajack]

I'd also check out Blue Magic Scuba. Contact Joyce at Diving in Cozumel - Blue Magic Scuba. I think you'll love what she can arrange for your hotel and her diving operation is second to none. I know she will take snorkelers and divers together. I'm coming back to dive with Blue Magic in July - it will be my third time this year. The divemasters Pumba and Sandro as well as Blue Magic's instructor Gabriel are all first class.

 

[WicketsMom]

We're going in September with our 2-year old son and are looking at either Allegro or Occidental. We took him to Grand Cayman when he was six weeks old, and took my parents as sitters (didn't trust anyone I didn't know when he was that young). Went to Turks & Caicos at five months and used a friend's family member (that lived on the island) and her personal nanny while we were diving. We also did a cruise and he stayed in Camp Carnival, although it took awhile for him to warm up to the idea of staying there without Mommy.

I talked to the Occidental/Allegro reservations department and their Kids' Club is only for ages 4-12, but we can get a personal sitter for $10/hour and they will keep him in the club with the older kids. I'm going to call the resort directly and confirm, but that's what we'll probably do. I don't think I'm comfortable with leaving him in one-on-one care in the room with someone I don't know, but like the idea that he could participate in some of the activities with the older kids, but yet still have a single person that was responsible for him.

 

[LetsDive]

My wife and I have observed thier one on one sitters with kids that are too young for the program and thought that did a great job and would let them watch our 3 yr old for a couple hours if we were to go.

We have been to Allegro on 3 trips and enjoyed ourselves, not facny but they have clean rooms and good service. It's expectations on a lot of negetive reviews so you have to take them with a grain of salt, it's pretty simple be nice to folks that are serving you and they give extra effort in servicing you.

 

[ScubaJS]

We've been 6 times to Cozumel, 4 with our son who is now 5. Whenever we've brought him we've brought other family members like my mom to watch him. Its been challenging... and expensive, but its the only way we felt we could enjoy the diving. Not too many places advertise for baby sitting.