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

All over the Caribbean and many locations in the South Pacific

Dive Conditions

All dives are guided drift dives so divers must stay with group. Divers  on
NItrox with  good air consumption were allowed to have extended dives.  

Dive boats had camera buckets.  

Overall Rating

This was my sixth dive trip to Cozumel but first since Hurricane Wilma.
Many reefs are not only still covered with sand; the sand is actually
imbedded into the coral. The currents seem to be running a bit stronger
this trip. All very manageable but made it a bit tough for photography.
Lots of eels, turtles, and reef fish. 

The service, facilities and food at the Hotel Cozumel has definitely
declined since 2004. The rooms need to be re-up'd and the food lacks
variety and quality. The operation seems generally disorganized and
mismanaged. We did not have phone service for the entire 10 days of our
stay. The hotel blamed it on an electrical storm. I don't think so. It took
2 days to get another chair for our room (the room was initially short some
furniture).

The Dive Paradise operation is also a bit disorganized. Since it relies on
the telephone service of Hotel Cozumel it too did not have any phone
service for our entire stay. Thus it could not take any credit cards for
dive expenses. Had to walk about 10 minutes to the operation's main office
to use a credit card. Paid for several Nitrox tanks but did not get to use
them  all because on a couple of dives the operation forget to load the
Nitrox on the dive boat. On another dive, 36% was loaded instead of 32%. It
was for a shallow dive so it worked out but it's still an indication of the
overall unreliability of the operation. Had to constantly ask about the
Nitrox to be sure it was on the boat.

The regular dive package includes the SLOOOWWWW so-called Caribbean Boats.
We booked the fast boats which are a better deal. Dive Paradise does not
offer a one-tank PM fast boat trip--only the slow boats in the PM for one
tank. It should really consider offering the former.

In conclusion, it's doubtful that I will stay at Hotel Cozumel for my next
trip to the island. It's too bad because it used to be a great deal for
great service at a pretty good place.
I may use Paradise Divers again but will definitely check out other diving
options. 

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