Cozumel Advice

Most cruise ships have a scuba instructor on board. You can take your classes here in Iowa, and your check out dives in Cozumel. It's not too expensive, and they will rent you all the equipment so you don't have to buy anything (I recommend buying your own mask and snorkle tho, the rentals usually don't fit all that great). You would need to wait for spring to do check out dives in Iowa (and the diving here bites), but if you do that, there are a ton of guide services there and you could go diving for real. It beats the heck out of snorkling, lemme tell ya. And, depending on your kids age, most dive shops will give you a family discount. My wife and I are dive buddies and its a real hoot. I used to work in a dive shop long ago, but alas never made it to Cozumel....yet .

 

Cozumel is great for snorkeling and diving. I am going to disagree with blue fool a little hear but when we went to Cozumel I snorkeled everyday. I think bang for your buck snorkeling is unbeatable there. The island is the reef, I just walked out the water in back of our resort and jumped in. You float along and every foot of reef has thousands on diverse life forms, it's absolutely overwhelming. Diving there was amazing too. If I were you I would find a tour the cruise ship is sponsoring, not because its the best or a good deal but because if something happens they will hold the ship for you if you are on a sponsored tour. We are going to playa Del Carmen here in a few weeks so if I hear or see of something special I will let you know. As far as over buying on your tank when you get back, I would say you are 100% screwed, when ever you, your wife or kids see a fish, coral, anemone, ect that you saw on your trip you’ll have to have it.

 

I went south of Cozumel to Belize. It was quicker and easier to snorkel in some of the shallow waters there rather than dive. Short excursions were $30- $60 for several hours with nice fitting equipment and underwater guides provided. I'd say snorkeling is great if you are a good swimmer and the waves aren't too bad if you are in shallow water. I'd pay extra for the bigger protected areas (parks).

 

I was there 20 years ago and they have a national park that has a very nice area to snorkel in its about half a mile to a mile from downtown. Its not a very large area but between the snorkelling and the park area you could make a day of it.

 

This is the link to the park I snorkeled at http://www.cozumelparks.com/eng/attr-dive.asp

 

I have been there the last two years and would recommend the national shorkle park for a one day deal.If you want to snorkle off shore I recommend rosa flury snorkle tour it is 4 hr. and way cool. but more money then the park.