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Dive Review of Dressel Divers/Iberostart Cozumel and Playa del Ca in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel and the Yucatan

Dressel Divers/Iberostart Cozumel and Playa del Ca: "Mexican Trifecta...3 days Cozumel, 2 days Cenotes, whale shark snorkle", Jul, 2019,

by Bill Schlegel, MO, US (Contributor Contributor 19 reports with 17 Helpful votes). Report 11258.

Photos Submitted with this Report


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

Accommodations 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling 2 stars
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments This is a review of a three part trip scheduled as one coordinated trip and involving the same hotel chain and diver operator in all locators.
Cozumel drift diving followed by transfer to the Riviera Maya and diving the cenotes in Yucatan and then a day of whaleshark snorkeling off of Isla Mujares. The ratings and comments listed are for the Iberostar Cozumel resort and the Iberostar Tucan resort in the Yucatan. The accomodations in Cozumel were good but the Tucan (near Playa del Carmen) were even better. Rather high end for a "dive resort".
The dive operator, Dressel divers were centainly professional and safe but the quality of the reefs in Cozumel is well known to have deteriorated over the last 40 years. While the diving can still be fun, don't expect any large schools of reef fish or pelagics. Dont expect exuberant and colorful corals. I think it is still a good trip with easy diving for newer divers. There certainly are turtles and octopus. The resort and overall setup is great for a family with children as there are a lot of activites on the Iberostart Cozumel's grounds for familie at both sites.
The transition from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen was pre-arranged and the transition by van, ferry boat with luggage handling, pickup on the dock in Playa by Dressel divers Yucatan crew and transfer to the Iberostart Tucan was smooth.
Dressel divers provided shore diving on the Yucatan coast which was about the same as Cozumel. Also, boat diving was available but not in my package. They provided transportation for the short trips to the cenotes of Kukulkan, Chichen Ha and others where we were guided throught the caverns by certified cave dive masters. I would have to say that this was the highlight of my trip. Very well done. We never got below about 40 feet, in the fresh water of the Cenotes. We did two days of this.
Then for the end of the week, we were transported by van to the north end of the Yucatan and loaded onto open boats for whale shark snorkeling. Rather rough seas and long trips of several hours in these open boats, but you will see your whale sharks, if that is something you have to chack off your bucket list.
Overall an interesting trip with three distinct versions of diving, all coordinated with one diver operator and hotel chain. You could possibly schedule and coordinate this trip individually but we used a travel agent that specializes in dive travel: Caradonna dive travel, out of Florida to put it all together.
Websites Dressel Divers   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving About everywhere.
Closest Airport Cozumel or Cancun Getting There Easy travel to / from either aitport from USA

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas calm, no currents
Water Temp 82-83°F / 28-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 2
Water Visibility 75-100 Ft/ 23-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Less thatn 100 feet or Nitrox depth restrictions.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks > 2
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 2 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

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

Subject Matter 2 stars Boat Facilities 1 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 2 stars Shore Facilities 1 stars
UW Photo Comments Not really anything on or boat for photographers in the Cozumel portion of this trip. Several boats were there and all were different.
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Subscriber's Comments

By report author: Bill Schlegel in MO, US at Nov 17, 2019 11:16 EST  
Very helpful
By report author: Bill Schlegel in MO, US at Nov 17, 2019 11:19 EST  
We will see if this turns out to be a regular itinerary.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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