RCI Discover Scuba vs Private Shore excursion

[jencol28]

Me and the wife are wanting to go on a discover Scuba course during our stop in Cozumel. We see that RCI provides an excursion called Discover Scuba...We are trying to weigh up whether we should book the dive with go on dive with RCI or look to go on a privately ran excursion i.e Scubatony.

 

It appears that a non RCI dive, will likely give more dive time with the option of buying an extra tank.

 

My only concern is time! i am seriously paranoid about the ship leaving without us. i am sure people on cruises dive with their companies all the time and they are very good at ensuring guests are back at the ship on time...Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

Has anyone been on the discover scuba course with RCI in Cozumel? is it good/worth it? do you get enough dive time vs classroom time..

 

Thanks

 

Col & Jen

[pmmaurer]

Last year in Cozumel my husband dived with Aqua Safari. It was booked through Cruise One. DH was very pleased especially when the excursion booked through the ship was canceled because of rain and his wasn't. I know they have a Discover Scuba class as I was looking to see what options were available for our DD who was just certified and doesn't want to dive too deep on her first ocean dive.

[jencol28]

Pmmaurer, thanks very much for your reply.

 

I have just sent Aquasafari and enquiry for our dates, the bit that makes me nervous is the timing...do they collect you from the port and drop you back? if we dock at 8am...is it normally early they collect you?

 

I see their discover scuba lasts around 4hrs....it would be good to have some additional time to shop in Cozumel if they drop you back early?

[pmmaurer]

Aqua Safari was a short 5 minute ($10) cab ride from the port. He caught a cab just outside the port area.

[pmmaurer]

Check with them on the time - let them know the hours that you are in port. I believe in Cozumel RCI stays on ship time vs local time so you will need to take that into consideration.