Scuba - Cozumel or Grand Cayman?

[dimama]

We will be in Cozumel and Grand Cayman in December and I am trying to decide which port to dive in, as we have decided to dive one place and take the kids to the beach in the other. My dh and I are both experienced OW divers, with about 50 dives logged in the pacific northwest (brrrr). We are really looking forward to warm water (our first!). However, it has been about 5 years since our last dive, as we now live in Montana. We do plan to take a refresher course and dive a couple of times before our trip. We have heard great things about both ports. Which would you divers recommend? Also, would you suggest a boat excursion or book with an independent? This is also our first cruise. Thank you for the help!:D

[budaman]

We dove both locations last month on our Rhapsody cruise and if I had to pick one location it would be Cozumel. The reef right now is in better shape than Grand Cayman and if your going to spend one day at the beach with the kids it would be hard to beat 7 Mile Beach in GC.

 

We arranged a private charter in Cozumel through Dive w/Martin and they were excellent and affordable and are located right at the Intl. Pier. Dive with Allison has also been highly recommended.

 

www.homepage.mac.com/csealove/

[bruce-r]

What other ports will you be visiting? Perhaps you could do a beach day some place else as both Grand Cayman and Cozumel are great places to dive. What are the kids going to do the day you do dive? In any case, I would make my own arrangements for diving in either port. It isn't that there is anything wrong with the cruise excursion's dive operators, it is just that I like smaller boats and more advance diving than the typical cruise diver.

 

If you decide to dive in Grand Cayman, I recommend http://www.neptunesdivers.com Or I would do a shore dive right off shore from the http://www.divetec.com shop. It isn't as close to where the tenders dock in Georgetown as is Eden Rock, but the side is in better condition and will be much less crowded. I think if you do a shore dive here, you would still have plenty of time left for the beach.

 

If you decide to dive in Cozumel, which would probably be my first choice too, I'd go with http://www.bluextseadiving.com. Christi runs an excellent operation.

 

I've read many positive reports from divers using Dive with Martin. They are probably the low price leader for a 2 tank boat dive in Cozumel.

 

I too have read only good things about scubawithallison.

 

Other cruise friendly dive operators are:

Blue Angel which offers a scuba/snorkel combo trip

Papa Hogs

Caribbean divers

Eagleray divers which also offers a scuba/snorkel combo trip

[BullinOhio]

I don't know where else you are stopping on your cruise. I would try to do both if at all possible. Do a beach day somewhere else. Both Cayman and Cozumel are two of the best diving spots around. Bruce's idea about the combo beach and shore diving from Divetec sounds pretty good. You'll have to head north from Georgetown anyway to get to a beach in Cayman. You'll find the Seven Mile public beachfront in between Georgetown and Divetec across from the Courtyard by Marriott if I recall correctly.

[dimama]

Thanks for the information everyone. Our other stops are Labadee and Ocho Rios. Obviously Labadee will be a beach day, and I had thought to do the same in Ocho Rios. Maybe we will dive both Grand Cayman and Cozumel then, as long as we are there! It will be so nice to be in warm water. :D

 

Planning on taking the kids to adventure ocean, but have to pick them up by 5:00. But if that is going to limit our dives, I might line up an in-cabin babysitter. Our hours are 8-5 in Grand Cayman and 10-7 in Cozumel, so Cozumel may end up being an afternoon dive.

 

Bruce-r, how long is the taxi ride to divetec?

 

Thanks for all of the information. Happy bubbles! - Diana

[bruce-r]

Bruce-r, how long is the taxi ride to divetec?

I'm afraid that I don't know for certain. It partly depends on how many other ships are there that day. If there only a few ships, and you go there as early as you can, then the traffic won't be bad, maybe 20 minute taxi ride.

 

If there are 6 ships, traffic in Georgetown is bad and only gets worse in the afternoon. I would allow at least an hour for the return trip from divetech, just to be on the safe side.

 

The alternative is to do the shore dive at eden rock which is right there in Georgetown, or at Sunset House just a couple of blocks past Eden rock.