SCUBA in Cozumel - Private Companies?

It appears there are lots and lots of SCUBA companies in Cozumel so I'd love to get some recommendations. I know I'll never use a ship's excursion again.

I would like to know too! Why won't you take the ship one, if you don't mind me asking?

I've used Aldora in the past and they were great. I'll be using them again in January.

Many people would rather book independant and save some money. Also, most independant tours take fewer divers per dive boat. I've only been on one scuba dive booked through the ship, and we had 20-30 divers on one boat. They split us up into 4 groups, but there were still a lot of people in the water in one area. There were people going everywhere. Didn't see much marine life.

Definitely go with a private dive op. My wife and I don't do cattle boats, and private dive ops are the way to go.

We use either Scuba with Alison or Chucho Divers when in Cozumel, and enjoy both of them. Both of these dive operators are in Caleta Marina, which is about a 5 minute taxi ride from the new Carnival cruise terminal.

I've used Aldora in the past and they were great. I'll be using them again in January.

 

Many people would rather book independant and save some money. Also, most independant tours take fewer divers per dive boat. I've only been on one scuba dive booked through the ship, and we had 20-30 divers on one boat. They split us up into 4 groups, but there were still a lot of people in the water in one area. There were people going everywhere. Didn't see much marine life.

Absolutely the same reasons I won't do a ship's excursion ever again.

Chucho Underwater (not to be confused with Chucho Divers). Chucho Underwater used to be affiliated with Scuba with Allison and has branched out on his own a few years ago. He is hands down our all time favorite divemaster. We have went with him 3 times and each time was a wonderful experience.

http://chucho-underwater.com/

Aldora or DeepBlue....

In Cozumel...of all places....don't use the ships excursion...so many dive operators in Coz you can get a better trip, smaller boat, more dive master attention, better sites....AND better price.

Aldora or DeepBlue....

 

In Cozumel...of all places....don't use the ships excursion...so many dive operators in Coz you can get a better trip, smaller boat, more dive master attention, better sites....AND better price.

Hi, we are looking at Deep Blue Cozumel Diving...it will be our first time diving and we will have to take the instructional dive. Do you recommend this company for our first dive?

Thanks.

My husband dove with Eagle Ray Divers in July and had a great experience.

Hi, we are looking at Deep Blue Cozumel Diving...it will be our first time diving and we will have to take the instructional dive. Do you recommend this company for our first dive?

Thanks.

Like firs time diving ever or first time after getting certified???

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Like firs time diving ever or first time after getting certified???

 

 

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First time ever!!!! Who do you recommend?

Cozumel has so many dive ops, and most of them good ops. No need to go with ship's excursion here.

This time we're going with Dive with Cristina, for my daughter and I diving. It's a bigger (and slower) boat but should be comfortable for my wife and son who are just riders.

Cozumel has so many dive ops, and most of them good ops. No need to go with ship's excursion here.

 

This time we're going with Dive with Cristina, for my daughter and I diving. It's a bigger (and slower) boat but should be comfortable for my wife and son who are just riders.

Hi, thank you for the advice. I am really nervous about trying this for the first time! I see you have been to Belize. I would love to spend a week there someday!

First time ever!!!! Who do you recommend?

As many will say, get your certification at home and then come dive.. It takes a lot of know how and learning, when you first start to dive. As an advanced PADI diver, I would not recommend this on a vacation. Plus, you are not going to get the required dives under your belt, along with certifications, to get a national recognized license (you may get a "resort" license but it would only be good to go back to that place, to dive)..

As many will say, get your certification at home and then come dive.. It takes a lot of know how and learning, when you first start to dive. As an advanced PADI diver, I would not recommend this on a vacation. Plus, you are not going to get the required dives under your belt, along with certifications, to get a national recognized license (you may get a "resort" license but it would only be good to go back to that place, to dive)..

Good advice, thank you.

I cannot recommend Scuba with Alison highly enough.

We booked a day off a cruise with her, but enjoyed our certification dives so much we canceled the cruise and went and dove a week with her. Her service was phenomenal. And her boat captain is great too!

We used her rental gear and it was excellent quality in great repair. The regulators tasted like fresh detergent too :) Her rental gear has an Aeries computer on it, included in the price.

Never more than 8 divers on the boat, and she can accommodate groups that also have snorkelers (though we never had this on our trip).

She (or most other small dive ops) will offer much more personalized service than a cattle boat from a cruise, so even if you don't use Alison, I wouldn't use the cruise op.

Experienced divers.....,,only one way to go ALDORA!!!!!

I did a one tank dive Nitrox 85 min bottom time max depth 65ft mostly stayed around 50-59 ft

Another time we did two 70min dives

Max depth 100 ft for 5 mins then 55-75 ft depending on air consumption. Also with Nitrox.

Email as far in advance as you can and the work around the cruise ship time and tell the resort divers when they are diving that day.

One dive we went almost to where the lighthouse is to see black tip sharks, but were too late. They are there in the early morning.

Great dive masters. Awesome owners.

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I would like to throw my two cents in. We dove with alexscuba.com. Alex is is pretty amazing. That's kind of what you expect from someone with over 10,000 dives(yes, I'm hating on him). We had 2 couples with us who we where trying to get addicted to scuba so we booked a discover scuba for them. They did class work on the top deck on the way to the dive site. Then he carried them to the shallows to work on skills. He had another couple & dive master doing more advanced dives that me and my wife could have done but we elected to stay with our group so we could get photos of them. We did two tanks the first tank we had bottom time of 40 min & second tank at 50min. Depth was 35-40. Not bad for a discover scuba. Alex held my sister in-laws hand on both dives to make her more comfortable. We did our surface interval above a wreck so we could snorkel after eating our fresh pineapple they provided for us. Drift diving is perfect for a discover scuba they didn't have to fin so that helped conserve air.

We vacation almost every year in Cozumen and use Blue Project. Great service fast boats and very good divemasters. They let you dive your air/computer and send up buddies when LOA.

Done dozens of dive at Coz with a number of ops - most are good (avoid Sand Dollar like the plague) but Eagle Ray is our fav - 2 dozen dives with them at least. Say hi to Antonio, Diana, and Hymie...

I dove with Allison too and she's good, and went with an outfit called Blue Angel a couple years ago that did a very good job with a great dive master but the boat was a bit slow.

One of the best sites I've been to (100 dives logged with 1/2 in the Caribbean) is Santa Rosa reef for a drift dive - awesome!

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Another endorsement for Alison. She's excellent with new divers and very experienced divers (we have 500+). I can also recommend Dive with Martin, who has a shop right at the pier if you are arriving on RCCL. Forget the ship's excursion. Some reviews I've read are down right scarry with them, and especially for your first dive experience. Go with Alison if you can. She books up quickly. I also agree that getting certified before the trip is the best and safest way to go.

I just re-read this thread, and wanted to add: if you are not certified, make sure you are very clear about that when you contact the operator. Many of them have instructors on staff, or can do discovery dives- but that often takes place at a different time than their regular morning dives. You need to make sure you are asking for the right thing! If you just book for diving, you are going to be expected to produce a certification card, and it would be a major shame to get left on the dock!

I know this is an older thread, but I will put in my two cents. We have been diving in Cozumel for 18 years and have always used Dive With Martin. The best thing for cruisers is the shop is located right on the pier as soon as you get off the boat!!!

They are the best I have found. They have great prices and it INCLUDES all equipment except for wet suit and dive lights/computers. They are safe on only take small groups. Usually 4-6 divers with one dive master. You can google their website to get more info.

They will make reservations for cruise ship passengers, just email them. I am booked for my December cruise.

I like Aldora divers for diving in Cozumel. They use steel tanks with Nitrox.

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