Cozumel Dive Shop

[mariemorgan]

This will be my first time diving since being certified NAUI in late July/Early August.

 

I have contacted Allison and Blue XT-Sea (Allison's recommendation) and they are both full for when I am going to be there.

 

Anyone know of another dive shop that is good?

 

I didn't think that 2+ months out everyone i've tried would be full. Guess I will know for next time.

[bruce-r]

I'd look at:

 

http://www.scubatony.com

http://www.bottomtimedivers.net/

http://www.eagleraydivers.com

http://www.living-underwater.com/

[jtsocal]

I would recommend EagleRayDivers. Antonio, Chellie and the crew are the best!!!

[MonDreamr1]

Our instructor recommended Dive Paradise - we are booked with them in December.

[Sandgnat]

Our instructor recommended Dive Paradise - we are booked with them in December.

Be very careful with Dive Paradise. I took my son there on his 16th birthday. His first dives after becoming certified. We had 5 dives booked with them. Two the first day, a night dive, then two the next day. They said it was divers choice of sites. I had spent a week a few months before staying at the Occidental Grand and dove 10 different sites while there. I was the only paying customer on the boat that had dove in Cozumel. I suggested a few sites that were beautiful. They told me no, they are too far away. We went to one of the sites closest to the shop at the begining area for diving. We ended up 30 feet from the Atlantis sub when we were diving. We were able to see the faces of those on the sub and waved. We surfaced and spent our hour on shore for drinks and bathroom brake at a local hotel. We then went to the other site. It was maybe 100 yards from our first dive site. We saw the Atlantis submarine again with a new group of people. Well even a bad day diving in Cozumel still can have some beautiful sites, but the sites I suggested were 10 times more breathtaking.

 

We returned for our night dive. They were over a hour late from the time they told us to be there. We get on the boat. No numbers were handed out this time like the day dive to make sure all divers were back on board. There were two dive masters. One went down wih four divers and they headed north. In our group it was my Father (60 at the time) myself and my son (his 16th birthday night). My family wrapped glow necklaces around our arms so we could keep up with eachother and had glow sticks attached to our tanks too. We had the big pelican water lights with us. There was a son and father also diving with us. We get in the water and our dive master takes us south:confused:. I am wondering why we are not following the other group. Well my Father and son are air hogs and were low on air when we signaled the dive master. He motioned for us to surface. The three of us did and the dive master and two other divers continued on diving. When we get up we can not see any boat. We are using our huge lights, waving our glow in the dark necklaces to signal and yelling at the top of our lungs. No boat. After about 20 minutes and my son losing his weights we decide to start swimming back to shore. We can see the lights of a hotel. We were swimming for awhile when finally the boat returns and picks us up. The captain and his crew came up with 3 different reasons that they left us in the water. #1...they went back to shore to pick up another diver, #2...They went back to shore because the boat was having trouble (I believe this is the truth)....#3...That they went back to pick up some supplies. They they tell us they never left and were there all the time. I really did not care what the reason was, you NEVER leave divers in the water. I was beyond livid, my son is in tears and my Dad was as mad as I was. The boat then breaks down. They tell us we are "Lucky another captain is willing to come out and get us and take us back to shore". They drop us off at the American Fiesta Hotel and tell us to take a taxi back to the shop, they would pay for the taxi:rolleyes:.

 

We get back and tell Apple, the owner, what had occurred. She tells us we were never in danger because we made it back safely. We never received an apology or real reason that they left us. I wanted my money back for the next days dives, I did not ask for the money back for the night dive. She wanted to give me back the money, less the discount for the 5 dives each. I wanted back the money I paid for the dives and not to be charged more for the dives I had already took as she broke the contract with us by not keeping us safe. It was really only a few dollars but to me it was the principle of the matter. She finally relented as I was telling every one who came in that they had left us in the warer on a night dive. I told her then that I would share this information with every one I could because of the danger we were put in. Still no apology, that would of gone a long way with me and my father.

 

We ended up diving the next day with Black Shark Divers, not the best boat but they stayed right with us and were very sorry for the way we were treated. I have been back many times and dove with them. If I was taking friends down I would probably go with Deep Blue or Allison as I have heard wonderful things about them. If I had to dive with Dive Paradise or never go diving in Cozumel again, I would so miss the diving because I will never trust them with my life again. Diving in Cozumel is wonderful, I love it and could spend everyday for the rest of my life on the Santa Rosa Wall. I hope you have a wonderful time diving in Cozumel. Many people like Dive Paradise but you only have to leave me in the water once to make me leary of your business. My son will not dive any longer due to this and that makes me so sad. Sorry for the long rant but this occured 4 1/2 years ago and it still gets me mad when I think about it. I promise this is what happened. I did not make up or exagerate any of the things that occured. I might not have been the most pleasant Mom when we finally made it back to the shop but I will not have any one put my son's and fathers life in danger, they are the two most important people in the world to me. Sandy

[zippybossrock]

When will you be in Coz? You might want to check back with Alison (dove with one of her dive masters, Chucho, also on my first dives since being certified) and had a fantastic experience. Because she will take a reservation just on request and doesn't require anything paid up front, I would think she might have cancellations and b/c of that, openings.

[jerry20001]

To the OP, two months ahead is often not enough time as this is by far the busiest diving time of the season. Two others that haven't been mentioned are Papa Hogs and Aqua Safari among the older, long established dive shops.

[cozumelcruiser65]

You know what, Sandy. Dive Paradise just lost a diver this year in January. She was a mom too. No one was watching her and they never found her. It's just tragic!!!