Helmet diving Cozumel or Grand Cayman?

We will be doing a western Caribbean cruise in late November, and plan to snorkel at Roatan, but were interested in the helmet diving in either Cozumel or Grand Cayman. Thought we might do it once.

Looked at TripAdvisor, but was curious about whether anyone here has done both and has an opinion on which island would be the best.

Thanks in advance!

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Sorry, I've never done helmet diving, but we did Snuba in Grand Cayman last year through SnubaGrandCayman and it was great!! If they have that excursion, definitely look into it. I think they offer the SeaTrek at the same location and the others on our trip seemed to like it a lot too. The instructors were very thorough and patient, the equipment was easy to use and clean. You didn't have to take a ship to the location, we got right in the water at the location (which is right on the main street, surprisingly enough!) and did a loop. Saw lots of neat fish. Super fun! Liked it so much that we're doing beginner scuba on our next cruise.

I did the helmet dive (Sea Trek) in Cozumel at Chankanaab last year. Can't say I would recommend it. There wasn't a whole lot to see and visual range was limited because of the helmet anyway. I would try snuba next time, but at Chankanaab it is done in the same underwater "pen", so there wouldn't have been much to see. There is also helmet diving in Cozumel at Jeannie's downtown and I don't know if it would be more interesting. I really wish I would have saved the money and just done more snorkeling on our own at Chankanaab though.

Thank you both for the input. I really appreciate it. I've wavered back and forth on it, and probably will for a while. Your responses help me make that final decision. [emoji846] We def plan to snorkel (would love to learn scuba, except for inner ear issues). Thanks a bunch!

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Thank you both for the input. I really appreciate it. I've wavered back and forth on it, and probably will for a while. Your responses help me make that final decision. [emoji846] We def plan to snorkel (would love to learn scuba, except for inner ear issues). Thanks a bunch!

 

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Helmet diving and snuba also require clearing your ears, just like scuba does. If that is a concern, it may be good to stick with snorkeling. I will say clearing my ears was was much easier than I expected, no worse than doing so on an airplane, I just had to swallow every few feet going down.

Sorry, I've never done helmet diving, but we did Snuba in Grand Cayman last year through SnubaGrandCayman and it was great!! If they have that excursion, definitely look into it. I think they offer the SeaTrek at the same location and the others on our trip seemed to like it a lot too. The instructors were very thorough and patient, the equipment was easy to use and clean. You didn't have to take a ship to the location, we got right in the water at the location (which is right on the main street, surprisingly enough!) and did a loop. Saw lots of neat fish. Super fun! Liked it so much that we're doing beginner scuba on our next cruise.

Do they do the helmet diving from shore or a boat? I had assumed, and maybe improperly so that this was done from shore. My one dive in Grand Caymen was a shore dive and the reef there was disappointing. Very dead and barren. Perhaps the tour operators attract fish with snacks?