Where is the best scuba diving, Roatan, Coz, or Costa Maya?

[sherin65]

All three stops (Roatan, Cozumel, Costa Maya) on our March cruise boast wonderful places for scuba diving.

 

Anyone been to one or more of these places? Which tour company or location/reef, etc.? Any info would be so helpful for our decision.

 

Thanks!

 

Sher

[reddi]

Sher,

 

Greetings from the southern end of the state. We have dove Roatan twice and Cozumel many times. Favorite operator in Coz is Allison at scubawithallison dot com. In Belize, we dove once privately and once through the ship (Carnival) that went to Anthony's Key Resort. Nice experiences both times but when we went privately, the main road cutting thru to the other side of the island where the dive shops were located was closed and it created a time crunch for us.

 

Recent posts I've read have been split on whether there is a time issue going privately there, which depends partly on your ship's time in port. There is also a time difference that has to be taken into consideration.

 

Have fun!

[sherin65]

Thanks for the info! I've also read about a time difference problem with Roatan. I think we may stick with Coz and go with Allison for that reason unless someone chimes in with new info.

 

Sher

[texswamper]

My husband and I just did that exact cruise in December and we dove in all 3 ports. We used Alison in Cozumel and had a great experience. We will use her again when we're in Coz.

 

In Roatan we booked independently with Subway Watersports which was actually on the other side of the island, about a 45 minute car ride. It was ok, but my husband and I weren't overly impressed with the customer service. They weren't bad dives or unsafe operators in any way, but just not all that personable. We didn't have any trouble with time even going that far around the island.

 

Our best diving day turned out to be in Costa Maya. I had booked independently through the dive operator associated with the Maya Palms Resort. I did not realize that they were still trying to get rebuilt from the hurricane. (Having been through Katrina ourselves, we turned out to be the best guests for understanding their plight!) The resort was not really ready for guests, but we turned out to be the only 2 divers and Ken the divemaster took great care of us and Pedro fixed us the best lunch, put loungers out on the beach for us and saw to it that we had anything we needed that day! It was the perfect day away from crowds, etc. and we enjoyed the diving as well. We would recommend them anytime.

 

We have all of our own gear, so I can't comment as to the condition or quality of rental gear. If you have any other questions I can answer, I will be happy to.

Marcia

[sherin65]

Thanks Texswamper for the info! Can you let me know how you found the independent dive company on Costa Maya?

 

Sher

[texswamper]

Sher,

I did a fair amount of research on the forums at scubaboard.com and also the cc diving forums. You can find information about them at their website mayapalms.com.

 

Marcia

[Zambini]

Anthonys key, Fins and Flippers resort, roatan, by far the best !

[jdbmga]

Our best diving day turned out to be in Costa Maya. I had booked independently through the dive operator associated with the Maya Palms Resort. I did not realize that they were still trying to get rebuilt from the hurricane. (Having been through Katrina ourselves, we turned out to be the best guests for understanding their plight!) The resort was not really ready for guests, but we turned out to be the only 2 divers and Ken the divemaster took great care of us and Pedro fixed us the best lunch, put loungers out on the beach for us and saw to it that we had anything we needed that day! It was the perfect day away from crowds, etc. and we enjoyed the diving as well. We would recommend them anytime.

 

Marcia

 

Marcia, would you mind me asking how much you paid for the diving day in Costa Maya?

[texswamper]

We paid $85 per person for a 2 tank dive and then $20 per person for lunch, drinks (alchohol & nonalcohol) and relaxing at the resort. It was $210 total which is less than the ship usually charges just for diving. Obviously, the lunch and drinks were optional.

 

The lunch was wonderful with homemade guacamole & chips before the meal.

 

Marcia

[cseal94]

Anthonys key, Fins and Flippers resort, roatan, by far the best !

I am certified but my dad is not so we will be doing the discover scuba in roatan. I think it is handled with Anthony's Key; is this worth it? I take him to a local DS and he loved it.

[Deckhandoug]

I am certified but my dad is not so we will be doing the discover scuba in roatan. I think it is handled with Anthony's Key; is this worth it? I take him to a local DS and he loved it.

 

I tell you this, the day we spent at Roatan was one of the best in my life, not to be missed, one of those "this is what life's all about moments".

 

A whole week of cruising culminated in an afternoon on Anthony's Key!

[cseal94]

I tell you this, the day we spent at Roatan was one of the best in my life, not to be missed, one of those "this is what life's all about moments".

 

A whole week of cruising culminated in an afternoon on Anthony's Key!

Thank you and I am looking forward to diving at Anthony's Key.

[sherin65]

I tell you this, the day we spent at Roatan was one of the best in my life, not to be missed, one of those "this is what life's all about moments".

 

A whole week of cruising culminated in an afternoon on Anthony's Key!

 

 

Did you dive there or just have a beach day, etc.?

[2Ports]

tough call.

 

Coz is justly famous - anyone but Sand Dollar. Roatan - unreal - went to CoCoView - loved it! CM - ?? but sooo close to Belize... sigh. Pretty much a can't miss.

[Deckhandoug]

Did you dive there or just have a beach day, etc.?

Dove at Anthonys key, fins and flippers

[momeagle36]

My husband and I just did a dive with Reef Gliders on the west end of Roatan, Barry was a pleasure to work with. When we arrived we were made to feel very welcome they took us out to a spot called the light house, I personally was not feeing that great that morning from the cruise ship rocking but thought if I got out in the water and I might feel better unfortunatly about 15 into the dive I aborted my dive, what I did see was fantastic and our instructor Annessa was great I would reccommend this dive shop we had a great time.

 

Susan

Momeagle36

[jaxonboy]

Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya, Cozumel all offer great scuba diving.

 

Belize diving normally takes place around Turneffe Atoll which is a 45 minute or so boat ride from where the ships anchor. The cruise ship diving in Belize is good in that the operator picks you up at the ship, so you don't lose time going ashore then back out on a boat. We have been there about 4 times in the last three years, had a great time always. Used to do three tank dives, but they don't seem to offer them any more. Fairly expensive compared to other locations, probably due to the long boat rides to and from the dive shop and dive locations. Big boats, nice crew/divemasters. Uses up the whole day cruise wise.

 

Roatan is real nice, Anthony's Key is professional and the ride to the dive sites is so short you do the surface interval back at the resort. Watch out for sand fleas on the dock, take some bug spray or lotion. Healthy reef and lots of fish. The cruise passengers get the big boats and the crew/divemasters are good. We have been there 4 times in past three years, would go again for sure. The bus ride to the resort is scenic, but takes a while to get out of town, then back in. Not much time left here either for anything but diving.

 

Costa Maya, the dive shop used to be real close to where the ship docked. But that was before Dean. The reef is real close to the beach, so again, surface interval back at the beach. Was real nice diving, but don't know what it is like after the hurricane.

 

Carnival at Cozumel is now using Sand Dollar which goes out of Wyndham resort. This February they picked us up at the dock in the dive boat and we went to the resort to get gear. Little bit of a climb up to the resort. Before that we had to ride vans, not fun at all. Either way they drop you back at the dock from the dive boat. The drift dives are fantastic, we have always done Santa Rosa and Torments or Columbia. Probably best if you have good bouyancy control. Three dives in past three years, always happy. The beginners seem to have more trouble here than elsewhere in the Caribbean, just my impression.

 

My wife and I always take our own gear, use lead and air from dive shop. We have done four days back to back of diving on these cruises with 8 to 9 dives and never nitrogen limited according to Cobra and Wisdom computers. The dive masters generally keep the profile on the first dive no deeper than 80 feet for advanced, some enforce 60 feet for open water divers, 30 to 40 minutes. Second dive is generally 45 feet, 40 to 50 minutes. The operator at Belize had hookah for safety stop.

 

If I could do only one, probably Cozumel, because I like the current and there are a lot of fish, at least there were a couple of weeks ago. We saw some real nice spotted rays.

[themons]

We did Voyager in January. It was the Cozumel, Roatan, and Costa Maya itinerary.

 

We are still too chicken to book independently. On our cruise the ship was late to Cozumel. Many people who booked Cozumel independently were not able to make their dives.

 

Cozumel. Sand Dollar. Ok dives but the reefs still have a lot of sand, facilities Ok, boats ok, staff good, DMs good. The guy who made the video was great. One of the best $55 dive dollars we have spent.

 

Roatan. Anthony's Key. Better dives, facilities good, staff good, boats great, DMs good. It was a pretty long ride to the resort.

 

Costa Maya. Dream Time. Better dives, facilities unacceptable, staff unacceptable, boats unacceptable, equipment unacceptable, tanks not filled properly. DM who was an independent was very good. No wonder he's an independent. I would not dive Costa Maya than have to dive Dream Time again. One of the other group's boat was sinking. The replacement boat had difficulty starting, they eventually only got to do one dive and returned late. Consider doing some research on this group if you ever need to dive with them, nothing has changed.