Dive Review of Cozumel Marine World Dive shop/Casa del Mar Hotel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel

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Cozumel Marine World Dive shop/Casa del Mar Hotel: "Avoid THIS UNSAFE DIVE SHOP AT ALL COSTS Certified Auditor says", Jan, 2024, by Garth Peterson, OH, US ( Reviewer 3 reports). Report 12886.
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
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Cozumel Marine World Dive Shop Cozumel , MX 12/30/23 -01/05/24 Clev. Area dive shop sponsored via Casa Del Mar Hotel Nitrox was requested for dives in earlier months (We Arrived Sat. afternoon Dec. 30, 2023 by plane) RESULT: NO nitrox was available until DAY 4 (other outfits had it at the Same Dock much earlier in the week, including a boat labeled Clemente) and many of us were to use nitrox. (Endangered Us). Another shop 100 yds. Down south (initials S.S) had no trouble getting nitrox cylinders as I personally interviewed them as a Certified Auditor and their rental Mares equipment was in good shape compared to our “junky looking equipment”. My boat alone had at least 14 reliable witnesses I traveled with the whole week. (up to 30 plus) Request for rental gear schedule prices went unanswered even with weeks to respond by Mx. __ The boat we were originally told we were to be on got reversed causing confusion. __ Rental BCD’s looked very worn out. (Mine had salt water in it). A Loose 3” coupler nut at minimum was part of the issue. __ Cylinders and equip. should have been given us on Sat. (or even super early Sun.) to test dive in 15 ft. of water off the shore to preclude their lack of inspection and maintenance issues. (Also for others to test their gear too after travel handling). __ No check out dives were done even though their sign says one must do so if not dived within a yr. or so.) FINDING: Improper maintenance and inspection before issuing by the shop. A new diver that had no ocean experience immediately had his rental BCD come apart as he hit the water on Dive day 1. (Screwed him out of the diving the Rest of the Day). FINDING: Put his life and others in danger. __ Ironically 2nd dive day his one regulator hose had to be pulled off and redone on the spot as it was majorly leaking. IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND LACK OF TESTING/INSPECTION.__ No spare BCD / regulators were on board and almost every dive the whole week there were issues with at least one or more cylinders with bad or distorted metal cavities for the O-rings/or bad O-rings. __ One of my air cylinders had to totally have the pipe thread fitting insert removed via allen wrench on the spot. __ No soap bubble testing was done by the crew to ensure the integrity of the allegedly fixed leak per industry standards)__ Cylinders are routinely tossed thru the air into trucks on bare hard surfaces when picked up and delivered. (on and off the boats tossed too) Cylinders holder holes inside the shaded cab area of Nurja or other don’t have clearance to do the tank BCD buckle tightening in place, thus endangering others. __ Especially when it took a lot of effort to pull them up (RISKING BACK INJURIES) and out while balancing trying not to get hurt installing one’s BCD. __At least One full 3000 psi tumbled on its side across the narrow bench width.____ FINDING: OSHA violation equivalent for cylinder handling of 3000 psi missiles essentially. Nitrox wrist computer rented to me had the battery die the 2nd day first thing putting me in danger, as couldn’t use it all day/multiple dives.__ __ The dive guide Clemente also didn’t even know how to set it for 32% nitrox (Shop Computer). I also when given the rental unit was given No Instruction on how to read it or set it. Air was default setting for days. (PADI violation of training by them it appears). I plan to contact PADI also due to the seriousness of the situations. Day 4 after lunch he suddenly told us once on board “I hope you all have your dive lights as we are going to instantaneously dive a ship wreck.” __No Skills survey was done and no gloves were available thus risking our hands being cut. Also no backup lights were made available. __ No erasable board was used to orient the group as to the name of the dive sites and the profiles. __ FINDING: Total lack of communication and espousing the mission thus endangering all. __ (last time I dove that wreck 60% of the people should not have done it due to lack of experience.___ Wed. Day 4 there were 3 boats of each about 15 people apiece waiting for over an hour thus wasting 60 man hrs. while the cylinder truck was not there promptly. __ After dives there were often no cups for water canister (leading to un hygienic actions) and fruit offerings were inconsistent during the trips. (No water bottles were offered either). __ The dive lockers are plastic milk crate like bins (in concrete cubbyholes) that are difficult to maneuver and in some cases impossible to thread the lightweight plastic chain thru the adjacent hole if adjacent bin(s) are already locked in place. They are also too small to put all one’s gear in as well. __ Security was less than optimal, so our guys took their regulators/computers back to their rooms each day. Some bins are very high up and hard to get to as no step stool was available thus risking back injuries or dropping stuff to break a Foot. __ Rental octopus regulators were not covered and flopped around due to less than optimal systems. Not a good combination on wreck dives especially! __ I’m a Multi-certification diver with 40 yrs. Experience including over 1200 dives all over the world.__ Certified Project Management Pro (PMP) : one of only a few thousand in the world. __ Mechanical Engineer, MS, MBA trained and Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (process improvement pro) I was also a Certified Federal Auditor for yrs. With a national security clearance earned (USA) __ It seemed like the “Tail was wagging the dog”. The MX dive shop did not communicate optimally with our Clev. dive leaders who in turn then had to scramble to decipher the latest. We are the paying customers and the MX dive shop seemed to not understand that many times. LESSONS LEARNED: Even with one’s own equipment I would Not Ever use this dive operation again.__ Too many issues and lackadaisical attitudes it was repeatedly demonstrated. This particular Cozumel Marine World dive shop culture is in my professional experience a Disgrace. __ I’ve dove with many shops there in MX too for yrs. And all over the world. Use a dive shop that has their own cylinder fill station (including nitrox possibly) __ I was told Scuba Club Cozumel has their own and I have stayed there before and never had ANY issues. __ Ironically the sign to the Cozumel Dive World dive shop says Dive,Learn, BE SAFE …………..and have fun! __ 011521 987 564 64 21 / 987 103 56 90 phone numbers on their sign Cozumelmarineworld.com They are associated with Casa del Mar hotel (meal packages) which is a nice 3 star place with easy access across the road to the dive shop. ___Other dive shops offer packages Too via Casa Del Mar I believe so I would stay at that hotel again, BUT would absolutely use Scuba Shack (across st.) or others. Dive Paradise and Dive House (safe rental equip.) have good reputations and I have used them with minimal issues. The dive sites and drift diving are good there and easy to get to form the US. a lot of cruise ships are increasing in number so that is a concern. __ __Don't parasail there as it is too dangerous with all the boat traffic. Our boat had to dodge a parasail line. __I declined to dive the last day of diving due to all the craziness and Several of us had enough of it. In 40 plus yrs. I have NEVER blown off any dives by choice. One day the currents were wicked to the south so we did Paradise instead. Great night dive spot too. Saw seahorses and the usual great cast of many characters. Turtles with a remora on it also. Great variety of fish! Air temp. in the 80's but cooled at night. Most days the currents were ok.
Websites	Cozumel Marine World Dive shop
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Galapagos, Australia, Coco Island Costa Rica, Red Sea, Tahiti, Indonesia, Komodo Island, all areas of Carribbean, Bonaire , Great white shark cage diving
Closest Airport	Cozumel	Getting There	The usual flights
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	currents
Water Temp	80-81°F / 27-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	60-90 Ft/ 18-27 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Stay with the group]
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
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	[None]

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Dive Review of Cozumel Marine World Dive shop/Casa del Mar Hotel in Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel

Cozumel Marine World Dive shop/Casa del Mar Hotel: "Avoid THIS UNSAFE DIVE SHOP AT ALL COSTS Certified Auditor says", Jan, 2024,

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):

Dive Review of Cozumel Marine World Dive shop/Casa del Mar Hotel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel