Scuba in Cozumel Info?

[joeb49]

Looking forward to diving in Cozumel this year! With the length of time we will be in port have decided to book a dive but not with the ship.

 

Would greatly appreciate fellow divers input into their experiences and thoughts of different dive operators in Coz!!!

 

For now Carnival is playing havoc with the Miracle's schedule- have no clue even what day with will be in what port- let alone what time!! But will love to have different options that people have recommended!!

 

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

Sue and Joe

[WesW]

sue and joe, went with http://www.eagleraydivers.com last december, but next year we are going with http://www.scubawithalison.com She (gets rave reviews) gives you personal attn...r/wes

[bruce-r]

Gosh, there are over 70 difference scuba operators in Cozumel, with no certain one being the "best" for everyone. Picking a dive OP that will meet your specific needs is the best way to go, but in order for me to make a good recommendation for a match for what you are looking for, you have to give some details about you. What is your experience level, what size boat do you want, do you want a guided dive with predetermined dive sites and bottom time, or do you want to pick the site and do your own dive? Some operators are a better choice for advanced divers while other operators are better for novice divers.

 

I do agree with the Colonel about scubawithalison getting excellent reviews.

I have gone out with http://www.bluextseadiving.com , http://www.liquidbluediving.com and Caribbean divers and had a good time with each one.

[cboyle]

I would consider myself an "advanced novice" diver. I have about 40 logged dives, but only do about 4 a year (generally on cruises). My family has a wonderful divemaster that we always use in Cozumel, Ventura Nah. He is just perfect for people who don't dive that often --- thorough dive briefing and very safety conscious. He is also amazing at finding and pointing out sea life. I am sure that more experienced divers would be very happy with him as well. This is his website: http://gocozumel.com/ventura/

[KaC-Cruiser]

Looking forward to diving in Cozumel this year! With the length of time we will be in port have decided to book a dive but not with the ship.

 

Would greatly appreciate fellow divers input into their experiences and thoughts of different dive operators in Coz!!!

 

For now Carnival is playing havoc with the Miracle's schedule- have no clue even what day with will be in what port- let alone what time!! But will love to have different options that people have recommended!!

 

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

Sue and Joe

We've dove with Alison (of Scuba with Alison) a number of times, and are booked with her again in November. She's always done a terrific job, and done her best to accomodate our odd cruise schedules when she can. Besides being a very knowledgeable and great DM, she's a really fun person to hang out with ....

[captainron]

Sue and Joe,

Ya gotta go with "Sand Dollar". Laura's boats and dive masters are super. We did Santa Rosa reef and The Wall. Caves, cudas, angels blue tangs, coral and a beautiful drop over the edge to about 100 ft. Depth of dives depends n your experience and comfort level. Mostly drift dives down the SW side of the island (Santa Rosa, Playancar etc.) Current at about 1-2 knots. Website is:

 

http://www.sanddollarsports.net

 

If you dock at the Intl pier south of town (RCCL and Carnivale I know use this for sure) they have a booth right on the pier. Send Laura an email, tell her when the ship gets in and they might even take you there, as it's only about a 5-10 minute drive down the road.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Laura,

If you're still reading these threads, keep up the good work and give my regards to Viktor. No heavy breathing here girl!!! Cheers.

 

Ciao for now!!!

 

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[osufhorn]

Definitely Scuba With Alison! Dove with her when I was in Cozumel with the Carnival Glory and she was great. I'm going back to spend a week just diving with her later year.

[jetskier]

I also concur with scubawithalison. We dove with her Sept 6th. Always willing to go out of her way to accommadate you. We will be diving with her again in 3 weeks.

Dave

[Bubble Blower]

I have only been to Cozumel for diveing one time. I asked my dive master back home who he dives with. He says http://www.aquasafari.com/ cuse they are the only 5star padi shop on cozumel. So emailed them. They have a boat that is their fast boat. Only holds up to 8 max, and we were able to beat most of the other dive boats out in the morning to the reefs, able to get diveing and then droped off like 1 block from the dock on the way back. They also provied a 2 tank afternoon dive with this boat. I am heading back in Oct, 2005 and have them book for the afternoon with 2 Nitrox tanks. I can hardly wait.

GL on your choice.

Steve.

[KaC-Cruiser]

I also concur with scubawithalison. We dove with her Sept 6th. Always willing to go out of her way to accommadate you. We will be diving with her again in 3 weeks.

Dave

Dave ... tell Alison that Kathy (and Alan!) say Hi when you see her! We won't see her again till November 26th when we have a 3-tank dive booked with her! She's the best!!

[phaelon56]

Lots of good ops in Coz. I got my PADI AOW certification with them and thought they were great but there are many others. Good rule of thumb is to avoid at all costs any cattle boat operators - the ones that take large numbers of divers, often inexperienced ones, all on a single boat. he one hat I have personally seen something scary from is Parad*** D*wn. I was out with Blue Angel and two divers flagged us down = they were floating in the water after having gotten separated from their group. Our captain flagged down their captain (who was already leaving the area) and the boat insisted they already had picked up all their divers. They they did a head count and surprise - admitted that they'd "missed" these two people when they did their head count.

 

Look for an op with small fats boats that caryy no more than ten divers.

[bruce-r]

Lots of good ops in Coz. I got my PADI AOW certification with them and thought they were great but there are many others. Good rule of thumb is to avoid at all costs any cattle boat operators - the ones that take large numbers of divers.....

This might be true for most divers, but there is still a small population of diver that do prefer a larger boat. Another exception to this "rule" is when there is a Norte blowing and only the larger boats are allowed out of the harbor. Either you'd be on a larger boat, or you wouldn't dive. Usually if the conditions are such that the harbor is closed, shore diving isn't a good option.

[jetskier]

Dave ... tell Alison that Kathy (and Alan!) say Hi when you see her! We won't see her again till November 26th when we have a 3-tank dive booked with her! She's the best!!

 

Will do Kathy. Alison says to tell everyone, "Please NO MORE cookies". It turns out she did not have the heart to tell them no when they brought her cookies from the ship. She is actually on a diet.

 

We will be seeing her on Oct 26 at 2pm.

Dave

[bruce-r]

Will do Kathy. Alison says to tell everyone, "Please NO MORE cookies". It turns out she did not have the heart to tell them no when they brought her cookies from the ship. She is actually on a diet.

That is funny. Hope you'll post some photos from your trip.

[DiveCruiser]

Scuba with Alison is tops on my list. They were willing to hold the boat when we were a late arrival and they are very accommindating. ;)

Have dove with them many times and will each time I go

 

Bob

[Woodsmaster]

Blue Angel is a first rate operator. http://www.cozumel-diving.net/BlueAngel/index.htm You will like them. Small boats to medium sized groups. Good staff and they know their business.

[fam6]

Please help we need advise. My family is scheduled to be on a cruise in Cozumel Dec26,2005. We originally thought of doing beginner scuba from beach and boat, 1 tank. But now with the results of Wilma, do you think this excursion will be cancelled?

[bruce-r]

But now with the results of Wilma, do you think this excursion will be cancelled?

Actually, I think your stop in Cozumel is in doubt. These Photos speak for themselves.

[captainron]

Hi.

You'll be lucky if a cruise ship calls for a few months as the piers have been decimated by Wilma.

If the cruiselines can arrange for tenders (even many tenders and dive boats have been destroyed) then you may get a port of call, but except for the operators with the larger boats don't think you'll be able to do much.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[fam6]

Hi bruce-r

I will agree that it looks very bad there. I called Carnival today and asked about Cozumel, and the representative said that the schedule has not changed, and that they still intend to be there Dec . I don't really believe it until I see it.

[KaC-Cruiser]

Hi bruce-r

I will agree that it looks very bad there. I called Carnival today and asked about Cozumel, and the representative said that the schedule has not changed, and that they still intend to be there Dec . I don't really believe it until I see it.

Flashbacks of Grand Cayman .... the cruise lines kept telling people they were stopping there, and then would tell them otherwise once they got onboard ship .....

[Woodsmaster]

Damn.... They got the snot beat out of the piers......

 

Cozumel will be doing all they can to get the cruis ships coming back in ($$$$$), but the docks are devestated. They were on the "protected" side of the Island..... Can you imagine the east side?

 

This is sad. Cruise lines will go where they can go and still be safe.

 

If I were going to Cozumel on a cruiseline in December, I would check with local shops and see what the condition of their boats and the reef are at this point. Some of the shops were back to diving within one week after the last hurricane to go through there, but I don't think the damage was that great either.

 

You can check with Blue Angel..... THey were at the Blue Caribe hotel which is about 1/3 mile north of the Piers that Carnival and RCI used. They can probably let you know the conditions and if any ships are realistically anticipated.

[jetskier]

Hola all,

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Alison (scubawithalison.com) is fine plus the Enigma II survived the storm. Caleta Marina suffered some damage but mostly from boats that were left in the water and now have to be removed. She should have power back within the next day or two. Alison's mom Rhondda has been great at keeping the website up and keeping everyone up to date.

Dave

 

Kathy,

Sorry we were not able to get to Cozumel to say hello to Alison. The closest we got was to where I could see a radio antenna through a pair of binoculars.

[budaman]

Spoke with the US rep for Dive w/Martin the other day and he said Martin, Miguel, Jose and the rest of the gang & family came through fine and all their boats are OK. Their building by the pier didn't fair so well though. Hopefully they will be in operation by the time we go back in Feb. Sure enjoyed our time with them in April.

 

Mike

 

www.homepage.mac.com/csealove/

 

PS Glad to hear Alison is OK too.....we came this _ close to booking with her then but she only had space for 4 & we needed 5.

[KaC-Cruiser]

Hola all,

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Alison (scubawithalison.com) is fine plus the Enigma II survived the storm. Caleta Marina suffered some damage but mostly from boats that were left in the water and now have to be removed. She should have power back within the next day or two. Alison's mom Rhondda has been great at keeping the website up and keeping everyone up to date.

Dave

 

Kathy,

Sorry we were not able to get to Cozumel to say hello to Alison. The closest we got was to where I could see a radio antenna through a pair of binoculars.

Dave .... sorry you didn't get to stop & see Alison. Amazingly she's been able to call me twice to give me updates, and I have a little bit of hope that maybe our ship will be able to stop on Nov. 26th. I know she's much more worried about her 'guys' (Carlos & Chucho) and their families, than she is herself. (But that's just like Alison!!) Her land line phone is now working, so she can get calls -if she's in the house. Her mom has also been great e-mailing me, and keeping everyone up-to-date with the dive log.

 

It seems that everyone is working like wild to be able to get visitors back ... what was it Alison's mom said?? ....we should send FEMA to Coz for some training??? (Or maybe we should hire some Cozemelenos to come to the US to show everyone how it's done - likeby working together?:rolleyes: What a novel concept!)