Cozumel Snorkeling

[JHBern]

Taking a RCL Western Carribean Cruise in several weeks with Cozumel our only port of call. Does anyone know about the current snorkeling conditions or recommend which snorkeling excursion to take? I've been told "Catch the Wave Snorkel Safari" is good but given the damage Cozumel incurred during Hurricane Wilma, many of the snorkeling sites are still questionsable. I appreciate any feedback or recommendations. Thank you!

[LosPerrosRojos]

JHBern,

 

Just got back from Cozumel last week. We went out with a company called Mayan Paradise Tours and they were great. An Englishman named Gary Hillson runs the tours and he and his crew were very friendly, polite, and safety conscious. They really watch the entire crowd to make sure no one has any safety issues. I would highly recommend them. Other trips I've been on had one person trying to watch 30+ people.

 

As for the condition of the reefs, it's hard to say. I did not get to visit the same reefs that I snorkeled over in 2004. I would say that there was some damage to the reefs in general, but there is still an abundance of beautiful coral and fish to look at. I had heard that the reefs at Chankanab are open, but the park is closed for repair. We were warned that we should be careful if we snorkel there however because there was a lot of hurricane debris in the water that they hadn't been able to remove yet. Don't know if that's true or not. Hope this helps.