DIVE Cozumel, Belize, or Roatan???

[sweetiepiexo82]

Hubby and I are cruising in a few weeks and will be going to all of these ports. We are PADI certified and want to do at least one dive would like to know which is best. Thanks in advance :-)

[Griff4AU]

Please look around... there have been lots of very recent (like on page 1 of this sub-section) asking the same question. Hey, we're all going on the same ships, right?

 

Most will say you can't go wrong with either IF YOU PICK THE RIGHT DIVE OPERATOR. As you do some homework, do it reading the reviews of both the independents (unquestionably more dive bang for your buck) and the cruise ship operators. For example, if you only use the ships excursions, you may get a different answer than if you're going to use an independent.

 

 

You may also want to consider how "heavy" of a dive you want to do. I know PADI loves to tell new divers to say you're "PADI certified," but to many that really doesn't say much. Are you current? What level of certification? Open Water? Advanced? How deep of water is your comfort level?

 

To directly answer your question.... I'd pick Cozumel, Roatan and Belize, in that order for "bank for your buck," but you can have a great dive in any of those locations.

 

 

Have fun!

Edited April 3, 2014 by SheepdogGriff

[sweetiepiexo82]

We are advanced and current we've dove a lot in our area & the Carolinas we've gone to 120' twice (4 dives total) and probably about 24-28 dives total. My husband does get sea sick on the boat if seas are rough so that is definitely something we would have to take into consideration- boat ride duration :-)

 

Ive tried researching but I am having a hard time finding comparisons :-/ guess I'll have to look harder... we just booked last night and we leave on 4/13 kind of a last minute change to our vaca plans, so I was hoping posting would be a good idea.

[Griff4AU]

Try these two threads as a start.

 

Based on what you shared, I think you'll be fine whatever you do.

 

I really like Aldora in Cozumel. With them, you'll get steel tanks (100's and 120s) pushed to 3500 psi for much greater bottom time. They are the only operator in the Caribbean that I have used (but I am not as experienced as some on this forum in this region) that uses steel tanks standard. Increased bottom times and less weight on your belt/in your BC, with a very good and attentive crew // DM, and they are a great choice if you're willing to not use the ship's excursion.

 

But stick around this subforum, do some homework, and suck up some information.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1912882

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2006383

[skittl1321]

I don't think I'd ever go to Cozumel again without diving. Absolutely fabulous- the reefs are incredible.

 

We used Scuba with Alison and she was phenomenal.

[Wreckdiver]

The diving in Cozumel is amazing but it is all drift diving. You must be comfortable diving in current and ascending without a line.

My dive op's of choice are http://www.scubatony.com/ and Jeremy at http://www.living-underwater.com/

[Middleager]

There are 100+ dive ops in Coz, and they are mostly good. If they're not good they won't survive. Yes the reefs are incredible, great diving.

 

For Belize, it's one of the very few places it can be good by going with the ship's dive excursion, as the contracted dive op comes to the ship for tender. It's a long tender ride to the cruise terminal. Last time we were there, I arranged for diving/snorkeling at Ambergris Caye, requiring a ride to Belize airport, fly to San Pedro, then dive/snorkel there. For my wife and friends it was the best snorkeling by far, anywhere.

[sparkinator]

Cozumel and Roatan. They are both great places to dive. You won't go wrong with either on of these.

[092306]

Haven't gotten to do it yet in Belize, but had phenomenal dives in both Cozumel and Roatan. Slight edge to Cozumel.

[Laurie S.]

When I look at my underwater photographs, Roatan wins hand down for beauty and variety. But, I love the drift drives in Cozumel, which are simply fun. Even Belize is more beautiful underwater than Cozumel.

[sweetiepiexo82]

thanks for the all the info I am a little nervous about drift diving so we are going to go with roatan :-)

[Griff4AU]

thanks for the all the info I am a little nervous about drift diving...

May I ask why? For those who don't have a lot of experience, and my impression is that you don't, a drift dive is about as easy as they come. A DM will be drifting with you and be carrying the dive flag... the group stays together.

 

 

I understand Roatan, and you'll have a wonderful time, but to dismiss Cozumel because of the drift dives is a little confusing to me. But then again, I get confused easily (I'm blonde and I have earned it!)...

 

 

Griff

Edited April 7, 2014 by SheepdogGriff

[Middleager]

Yes, drift diving is easy. You don't need to swim, the current moves you slowly over places, to see different things.

 

If the ship leaves from Tampa, you could go try a very easy shallow drift diving at Rainbow river. About 1-1.5hr north of Tampa.

[Laurie S.]

I think that's oversimplifying drift diving. If you don't have control of your buoyancy and your body, you will have problems in medium to strong current. I saw it happen personally and the diver was so out of control that she managed to yank the regulator out of my mouth when she went flailing by me. That was after slamming into me from behind. It wasn't even a fast drift. She wasn't the only one that the DM had to rescue.

 

But, if you have those skills down (and you should), a drift dive is a blast.

[Griff4AU]

I think that's oversimplifying drift diving. If you don't have control of your buoyancy and your body, you will have problems in medium to strong current.

 

Oversimplifying? I really don't think so. In 30++ years of diving, I find drift dives are the easiest, especially for newbies or those who do not dive regularly. They also allow the longest bottom times as the exertion is minimal.

 

"If you don't have control of your buoyancy and your body, you will have problems in nearly any diving condition and need to work on your diving skills, possibly through a DM or instructor led refresher, before you engage in any big-water dive."

[Laurie S.]

Oversimplifying? I really don't think so. In 30++ years of diving, I find drift dives are the easiest, especially for newbies or those who do not dive regularly. They also allow the longest bottom times as the exertion is minimal.

 

"If you don't have control of your buoyancy and your body, you will have problems in nearly any diving condition and need to work on your diving skills, possibly through a DM or instructor led refresher, before you engage in any big-water dive."

 

 

No, I don't think that most drift dives are the easiest for newbies just based on the numerous drift dives I have done and watching the newbies and occasional divers tumble and flail. Yes, a slow drift wouldn't be a challenge, but every drift dive I have done in Cozumel and a number of other places around the world would not qualify as a slow drift and I watched the newbies tumble. If they are not comfortable in a drift, they are going to blow through their air, also, because they will be exerting themselves to maintain body control.

[Middleager]

No, I don't think that most drift dives are the easiest for newbies just based on the numerous drift dives I have done and watching the newbies and occasional divers tumble and flail. Yes, a slow drift wouldn't be a challenge, but every drift dive I have done in Cozumel and a number of other places around the world would not qualify as a slow drift and I watched the newbies tumble. If they are not comfortable in a drift, they are going to blow through their air, also, because they will be exerting themselves to maintain body control.

 

Those newbies will tumble and get in trouble in any open water. A drift dive can make it worse, as the DM may have greater distance to track them down to rescue. It also so happens that a lot of cruise divers are occasional part-time divers, that can at times overestimate their skills. In those cases they should really have done a refresher course.

 

I was a newbie diver once. When I took the AOW, I guess I was lucky to get a drift dive in Oahu. It was quite easy. After that I went to a western cruise next year out of Tampa. Before the cruise, we went to Crystal River to snorkel with manatees, then to Rainbow River for shallow drift dive -- very easy and very nice, with extremely good viz. After that, the drift dive in Cozumel was fantastic, and I was still really a newbie diver then.

[sweetiepiexo82]

Griff- Im more nervous about bothering someone else, maybe I'm naive but we've only been certified for 4 years and we've been on about 20 dives I feel like that is a decent amount for the time however... like I said I'm nervous about losing control, I was a lifeguard and am a pretty strong swimmer but I'm not in peak shape at the minute (I usually do tris and marathons often but have slacked off a tad, haven't trained a lot this year) we've talked about it and I think we are going to try rainbow river before we head to the boat (thanks for the tip middlager!!) that will help us decide!

[Laurie S.]

Twenty dives in four years is very few dives.

[skittl1321]

Keep in mind that not every drift dive is like riding a rollercoaster. The largest current we had on 11 dives in Cozumel was like a fast moving walkway. Most of the sites the current was barely noticeable, if you just hovered eventually you would realize you were somewhere else; but it was easy to fin backwards if the DM rang her bell to point something out.

 

Our DM knew these were my very first ocean dives, and while I actually was quite competent underwater- I was a nervous wreck and had communicated that ahead of time. She selected sites that I would be able to handle, and upped the difficulty (more current, a wall) as the week went on.

 

It's all about picking an op that will meet your needs. Some ops told me first dive is to 100 ft, second to 60. I kept asking until I found one that could keep me above 60 feet for the whole week, and she agreed. In the end, I found there was no difference between 60 and 75, so I went to 75 on most dives, staying a bit above the group who was at 80 or 85 (not possible if current is strong).

 

It's all about communication and finding the right dive op for you.

 

I can't wait to go diving in Roatan; but diving in Cozumel is not to be missed. The reef structures are incredible, and since you don't have to swim anywhere or keep track of how to get back to the start, it is such a nice lazy dive.