Dive Review of Dive Paradise/Hotel Cozumel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Mexico

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Dive Paradise/Hotel Cozumel: "Comfortable Dive Resort; Mixed Up Dive Operator", Feb, 2015, by Michael J. Millet, CA, US ( Top Contributor 96 reports with 61 Helpful votes). Report 8149.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This was my 6th time diving with Dive Paradise and my worst experience with them. The operation seemed to be overwhelmed by the large number of divers at the Hotel Cozumel Resort. It seemed like every morning and afternoon, there was confusion regarding what dive boat we were on and what time it was leaving. It was usually late. There were 2 occasions when I was switched from the dive boat I has already on with my gear to another dive boat so the manager could max out the number of divers on the boat. In addition, on more than one dive, there were delays and extra stops due to SNAFU's with rental gear. This is definitely not a concierge dive operation. Divers lug their gear to/from the boats and rinse it in less than adequate rinse tank facility (this is supposedly the responsibility of Hotel Cozumel). The positive aspect of this operation are the dive guides and boat drivers. Our dive gudes, Juan and Santos, did a great job of finding critters and divers with varying degrees of diving experience entertained and satisfied. In the morning, we dived in the fast 6-pack boats that can be a bit crowded with 6 divers and there is no camera rinse for larger camera rigs. The PM dive was on a large boat but the camera rinse containers were inadequate to hold more than one larger camera rig. It was readily apparent that the dive operation's management was not up to the task of handling such a large number if divers. This made for a less than fully enjoyable experience. This was my 5th stay at Hotel Cozumel although my first visit in the past 8 years. All visits have been connected to diving. This resort has not change much over the past 8 years. In some ways this is good since many of the employees from over the past year are still there and seemingly doing well. Some of the employees have worked for there for over 20 years, which is an indication that the resort is a good place to work. In other respects, some change would have been welcome such as rooms need to be modernized and maintained a bit better. During this most recent visit the place was filled to capacity with divers. The resort did a good job of handling the crowd with enough staff and seating availability to accommodate the throng fairly efficiently for meals. The common areas of the resort - bars, restaurants, pool, lobby - are maintained fairly well and kept clean. The quality and variety of food has improved since my last visit. According to the Dive Paradise, the resident dive operator, the dive locker and rinse tank area is provided for and maintained by the resort. This are was often quite congested when dive boats were departing or returning. The rinse tanks for dive gear were continuously low on water and the water usually needed changing. The water pressure in this area was a joke (not the Ha Ha kind). If the water for the rinse tanks was running, there was not water for the 2 showers. In addition, there was no rinse tank at all for underwater cameras. I rinsed my camera gear in the shower in my room. This was generally a pleasant stay but much too crowded to fully enjoy it.
Websites	Dive Paradise
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	All over the Caribbean; Galapagos, Socorro, Fiji, Solomons, GBR, Vanuatu, PNG, Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Yap, Kosrae
Closest Airport	CZM	Getting There	Red-eye from SFO thru IAH
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, cloudy	Seas	calm, choppy
Water Temp	79-81°F / 26-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-100 Ft/ 15-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Most dives were about 45-50 minutes; no deco; group diving; safety stop at 700 psi
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	The marine critters are the usual suspects for the caribbean -- plenty of large angelfish (French, gray and queen), filefish, triggerfish, parrotfish including midnight and rainbow, plenty of small stuff like crabs (hermit and arrow) shrimp (Pedersen and spotted cleaner), a few grouper, a couple of eagle rays, plenty of barracudas, small reef fish. The boat facilities for cameras are lacking with only under-sized camera rinse containers. The shore facilities are non-existent; I rinsed my camera in the shower in my room.

Subscriber's Comments

By Craig A Wood in PA, US at Mar 17, 2015 05:03 EST

So many good operators on Cozumel, a shame to use one that does not meet your expectations. I have not stayed at Hotel Cozumel since 2006 but had a wonderful time diving with Aldora and was picked up at the Hotel Cozumel dock. My review is still here on UC. Though we have switched accommodations, we have happily stuck with Aldora

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Dive Review of Dive Paradise/Hotel Cozumel in Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Mexico

Dive Paradise/Hotel Cozumel: "Comfortable Dive Resort; Mixed Up Dive Operator", Feb, 2015,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Dive Paradise/Hotel Cozumel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Mexico