Dive with Cristina/Costa del Sol: "Cristina Magic", Dec, 2018,by Glen Madsen, UT, US (![]() |
|||
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 |
Cristina totally earns her 5 star rating! We were a group of 13 divers with 6 brand new diving for their first time in the ocean. Cristina had 2 dive master (Rafael and Amanda) taking 3 newbies each and gave them tender loving care. They had extra long briefings and were watched over extremely well and given lots of training in buoyancy/trim and breathing technique. The rest of us also had great care with Cristina and Angel. They took us on 3 dives per day and fed us snacks between dives 1 & 2 and then a fabulous lunch between dives 2 & 3. Everyone loved the fresh ceviche so they brought even more on subsequent days. We dove with them for a week and never touched our gear. Full service is defined by these folks They take extra care in cleaning and prepping our masks so we had no fogging. The boat is large and very comfortable. There is great seating and they bring your rig to you and suit you up for an easy giant stride in. Upon return they take your rig from you and you go up the ladder with ease. The entire group was awed by how well we were taken care of. Simply an amazing experience. All the gear was in great condition and the boat is very comfortable. Can't think of a single thing they didn't do for us. I would highly recommend Cristina and her operation to all readers! The diving was great with visibility in the 80' to 100' range. There had been some weather the week before and the water showed a bit cloudy for what we are used to in Cozumel. Reefs were in great condition. We sadly only saw one large grouper, fear they have been fished out. We did see many turtles and spotted eagle rays foraging for conch shells, what and experience. With so many new people is was satisfying to surface to the many oohs and aahs and "can you believe how awesome that was" on most every dive. Costa del Sol is a divers paradise. The grounds are immaculate and the pool area is always clean and warm. Having the pier on the property is just heaven, no taxi hassles just pick you right up at the pier. We would go to town each night for local food with our favorites being La Catrina (pineapple boat filled with el Pastor, divine) El Morro (Yucatan chicken, yum yum) and El Billy's for a meat feast! We have so much fun finding these local places and the food never disappoints. We used to rent cars but the island has so much traffic from the cruise ships that it is just too sketchy. we hire a driver with a 15 passenger van and he would take us wherever we wanted for a fair price. A much better option for sure. |
||
Websites | Dive with Cristina | ||
Reporter and Travel |
|||
Dive Experience | 101-250 dives | ||
Where else diving | Cozumel, Bahamas, Hawaii, Roatan, BVI, USVI | ||
Closest Airport | CZM | Getting There | coonection via Dallas on American Airlines |
Dive Conditions |
|||
Weather | sunny | Seas | calm |
Water Temp | 82-84°F / 28-29°C | Wetsuit Thickness | 3 |
Water Visibility | 80-100 Ft/ 24-30 M | ||
Dive Policy |
|||
Dive own profile | yes | ||
Enforced diving restrictions | 500 lbs for safety stop | ||
Liveaboard? | no | Nitrox Available? | yes |
What I Saw |
|||
Sharks | Lots | 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 | ![]() |
||
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best): |
|||
Subject Matter | N/A | Boat Facilities | N/A |
Overall rating for UWP's | N/A | Shore Facilities | N/A |
UW Photo Comments | We had a couple go pros but nothing major. |
| Home | Online Members Area | My Account |
Login
|
Join
|
| Travel Index |
Dive Resort & Liveaboard Reviews
|
Featured Reports
|
Recent
Issues
|
Back Issues
|
|
Dive Gear
Index
|
Health/Safety Index
|
Environment & Misc.
Index
|
Seasonal Planner
|
Blogs
|
Free Articles
|
Book Picks
|
News
|
|
Special Offers
|
RSS
|
FAQ
|
About Us
|
Contact Us
|
Links
|