diving in Cozumel for first time cruisers

[jsquaredfl]

im sure this has been posted before, but I couldn't define my search well enough so i didn't really find the answers I was looking for. My wife and I are getting ready to embark on our first cruise in the next few weeks. We were looking to do some diving, but I had a few questions about it first. We are going on Navigator of the Seas with Royal Caribbean.

 

1- how do you know which dive charter you are going to go with? Is it just assigned by groups into whatever works for the charters they have?

 

2- How is the diving in Cozumel? I have heard it is fantastic.

 

3- Is it better to arrange your own private scuba charter?

 

We were thinking of combining diving with another shore based activity. Will there be time for this? It looks like we will be docked from 7 am to 7 pm. most of these tours say 4 hours etc, so i guess it may be best to book more than one or we will be fairly bored

 

Thanks for the help

[Loves_Dogs]

The diving in Cozumel is awesome. There are pros and cons when choosing who to dive with (ship vs booking outside on your own). Here is a link to a thread with lots of good info (scroll down and read post by bruce-r).

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=826975&highlight=advantages

 

We prefer to arrange our own dives. We used Scuba With Alison in Cozumel and I highly recommend them. Here is a link:

http://www.scubawithalison.com/

 

I have done 2 excursions in a single port before but never when 1 of them is a dive. We are always so tired after a dive that we just go back to the ship, rinse down our gear and rest.

 

Since you are going to be in port for 12 hours you would probably have enough time to do multiple excursions. Just make sure that the last one is not cutting it too close. I always try to be back on the ship at the very least an hour before the time they say to be back.

Safe diving and have a GREAT cruise!!!

[bruce-r]

1- how do you know which dive charter you are going to go with? Is it just assigned by groups into whatever works for the charters they have?

Are you asking about the ship's dive excursion? If so, then they have a contract with a dive operator on the island, most likely Sanddollar Sports. They have a large boat and take a group of at most 24 and divide them into 3 groups with a DM leading each group on the dive.

 

2- How is the diving in Cozumel? I have heard it is fantastic.

Still some of the best in the Caribbean IMO. Really like the drift diving there. I don't have to navigate back to the boat.

 

3- Is it better to arrange your own private scuba charter?

For me, yes. For you, I don't know. Are you advanced divers? Do you want to want to be able to dive your computer? Do you want a long surface interval at a beach club? To you want those special little touches that make a dive trip more enjoyable, like a fresh water rinse, towels, snacks, dedicated camera rinse bucket? Do you want longer bottom time? Are you interested in recommendations?

 

We were thinking of combining diving with another shore based activity. Will there be time for this? It looks like we will be docked from 7 am to 7 pm. most of these tours say 4 hours etc, so i guess it may be best to book more than one or we will be fairly bored

That would really depend on what else you wanted to do. Do you want to have some beach time or are you looking for something more active? If you go with the ship's excursion, they have a set schedule and predetermined bottom times, so you'll be done diving earlier than if you go with a small boat operator. That will allow you do possibly do a second ship's excursion. If you do go with one of the small boat operators, you can have them drop you off at one of the beach clubs after the second dive.