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Comments: We have been diving in Cozumel now for about 15 years and typically go there about 3-4 times a year.   We also take one unique trip a year to places like:  Red Sea, Yap, Bonaire, Little Cayman, Belize, Turks & Caicos.  We keep coming back to Cozumel because it has some of the best diving around.

In Cozumel, we have used 5 different operators over the years and have now been diving with Deep Blue for about 3 years.  We rate Deep Blue at the very top because of their focus on customer satisfaction, dive site knowledge, and safe oprations.  Matt and Deborah have always been great to work with and the dive masters (Gabriel and Pepe) we have used are excellent.

By the way, they recently worked to publish the "Cozumel Dive Guide" and it is excellent with great graphics on the various reefs.   This is a must have....right up there with the best map I have seen of Cozumel that you can get at www.cancunmap.com... It says cancun but they also have Cozmel maps.

See you in Cozumel........

Comments: On this trip, due to the weather and catching a cold (again), I didn't get as many dives in as I was expecting. Thanks to Deep Blue, the ones I did get in were extremely high quality and very memorable.  I was travelling alone and didn't know what to expect 'buddy-wise' on the dives but with the small diver to divemaster ratios their system works very well.  Their boats are very fast and left every other dive shop tasting our wake on the way to Punta Sur.
Pepe and Gabriel are top notch divemasters and know the dive sites inside and out. They were able to provide detailed briefings that ensured that the dives would be safe.  I was amazed how Pepe led us through a maze of swimthroughs and caverns at Devils Throat.  The boat captain located the exact spot where we would see eagle rays at Cantarel. Gabriel settled us down on the bottom and not two minutes later did we see at least 12 eagle rays.  Just lucky?  I doubt it, on the next dive Gabriel found a huge green moray and then an octopus.  Other ops  have never shown me as many critters.
Last but not least, the shop staff are amazing and assisted me in getting the most out of my time on the island.  Thank you Deborah, Matt, Kevin and Chris!! 

Comments: This was my first trip diving outside of classes...I received my certification for this trip (and beyond).  We dove with Pepe at Deep Blue and he was a great divemaster.  He pointed out a lot of sea life that we would have missed without his help, and he was very thorough with his instructions and the signals he'd be using on the dive.  Pepe even made sure I was comfortable with a more advanced dive, and what the conditions were to make it more advanced so we could decide if that was a place our boat could go (since I was the only inexperienced diver of a group of four).  The staff we dealt with at the shop itself was also very friendly and helpful.  For my first time diving, this was a GREAT experience, and I look forward to getting back to Cozumel soon! 

Comments: Deep Blue was wonderful!  I don't have the opportunity to dive as often as I like and because of that, I'm a bit nervous at the beginning.  Their divemasters were super. 

They were patient and very helpful.  I almost aborted my first descent and was ready to just get back in the boat, but the divemaster came to me and my dive buddy (who was also an infrequent diver), took my hands, helped me relax and guided me below.  Once I was about 20 feet I felt fine, gave him the "OK" sign and off we were.  The rest of the dive was spectacular and trouble free!

Because Deep Blue is a small shop you are treated with very personal care.  The boats are small and fast, so you don't waste a lot of time coming and going to the reefs.

I learned that they helped produce and distribute this great new reef book called Cozumel Dive Guide: www.cozumeldiveguide.com  . It's like nothing I've seen before.  They have done an excellent job at mapping the major reefs in cozumel in such a unique way.  I bought the book before diving and it was great to "see" were I'd be going and be familiar with the different formations, currents and depths I was going to experience ahead of time.   I recommend this book for anyone interested in the Cozumel reefs.

I'm hoping to get down there again soon and tackle some of the more expert sites!

Comments: Just got back from a trip where I was planning on doing some diving, and ended up pretty much spending my entire vacation under water with Deep Blue! I really cannot recommed them enough. I did quite a bit of online research before I went and then spent my first afternoon walking around and checking out the dive shops and after 20+ dives in 9 days I am completely confident and happy with my choice of Deep Blue. The shop is well run with fast boats that leave on time, nice gear, a very flexible and accommodating schedule (just name where you want to go), and wonderful people!!! Whether you are in the shop, on the boat, or in the water everyone who works with Deep Blue is friendly, knowledgeable, fun, and great at what they do!

Comments: Deep Blue was nothing short of excellent. They went above and beyond in the area of customer service as illustrated the day when they had the afternoon cancellation and book me with another operator before we were even back from the morning dives. I was met at the shop with a lunch and a truck to take me to the other operator. In 12 dives we visited 11 different sites ( I was even asked if it was OK to repeat Paradise Reef). Their boats are extremely fast, covered and they take no more than 6-8 divers though we never had more than 5. There were plenty of drinks and fruit on surface intervals. If they have a lot of booking, they have 3 other boats and if the conditions are rough, they rent a larger boat so you can still get out. The staff if always friendly, helpful and let you pick the site, however they always check to make sure it is safe. Pepe and the other dive masters are very safety conscious, but will allow you freedom once they are comfortable with you. They
  never rush you and there are no bottom time restriction. We were more restricted by our computers than our air. Everyone uses a dive computer and if you don't own one, it is provided. At the store they treat you like family and love to talk with you about the days diving. Pepe who was my instructor for my nitrox course, was very thorough and made sure I understood everything. He quizzed me on the important points and made sure I knew how to used the nitrox table ( gave me many problems to work out) even though I have a nitrox computer. Excellent instructor.
The store is very convenient, 3 block from the waterfront 2 block from the square. It was a 5 minute walk from Casa Mexicana and the pier was a 3 minute walk. Never had to haul my gear (except for my camera and regulator, my choice) it was set up, cleaned and stored every day for me.

Comments: My wife and I had a great time with Deep Blue.  Pepe was our divemaster and he was fantastic.  I have a greater appreciation for all of the Marine life on, in,  and about the reef. 

They took us where we asked to go.  I would also highly reccomend the Twlight/night dive.  It was unbelievable.  I will include that in every trip to Cozumel from now on. 

Deep Blue uses the small, fast boats.  They were not as rough as I thought they would be.  I also enjoyed doing a "roll off" into the water as oppose to the "step off" with the larger boats. 

Two dives they were right on time, one they were early, and one they were late 45 minutes (they had a boat captian back out on them).

Comments: I've just returned from Cozumel and am still aglow.While there I decided to finally get certified. While touring downtown San Miguel I happened to drop into Deep Blue. Matt, a co-owner, was working the desk and was very friendly yet businesslike while setting up the class. My instructor was Louis of whom I can't speak highly enough. He allowed me to learn at my rate and was very supportive and enthousiastic. I could not imagine an instructor being better than Louis. Additionally I took two dives after my certification and although I have no previous experience to base my opinion on, I felt the service was first rate. I highly recommend Deep Blue whether your looking to be certified or have a thousand dives under your belt.

Comments: I have been visiting Debbie and Mat for more than a few yrs. now....If this tells you anything, I send all of my newly cert. students to them!!!!!!!
from a newbie to the most advanced...they make anyones diving better.

Comments: Stayed 9 days in Cozumel, dove 7 with Deep Blue.  Got to go to the reefs that we requested.  After 350 dives and 10 years of diving I was still refreshed and relieved that this dive shop made it a point to "check us out".  We had a great time diving.  Did some of the more remote sites, Maracabo, Punta Sur, Barracuda, andSan Juan.  Paid a little bit extra (because of distance we're told) but worth it.  The people and the professionalism displayed was outstanding.  Did a twilite/nite dive.  Didn't want to at first, but was really glad we did.  If you have the opportunity to do as nite/twilite dive -- DO IT!  We're from the Tampa Bay, Fl area and am looking forward to the new Ferry Boat that will travel Tampa  to Cancun starting in November.  Met some great new dive friends, here, Hello to Michele and Eric. 

Comments: Just returned from our second dive trip with Deep Blue, and we were, once again, blown away by both the level of customer service Matt and the others provided, and the extraordinary dive itinerary that was executed throughout the week.  Maracaibo, Punta Sur, Barracuda and San Juan – they delivered the best that diving in Cozumel has to offer, and both Pepe and Sandro were outstanding divemasters.  Although it’s hard to pinpoint a best dive, the highlight of our trip was definitely a hammerhead sighting on Maracaibo by two members of our group (okay, I’ll admit, I was scouting for turtles and missed him).  That said, Barracuda and San Juan were out of this world, too.  You will NOT be disappointed with Deep Blue!      

Had a good week of diving. We were looking to dive some of the more remote sites. Maracaibo, Punta Sur, Barracuda and San Juan were requested and delivered. You had to pay a little more because of the distance but not all shops will take you.
I also dove with Papa Hogs and Sea Urchin also good shops if your looking to do the normal reefs. I'm a believer it's not as much as the op but the people your diving with.
I'm heading down the beginning of Dec. and using Papa Hogs to dive with friends on the board. Then using Manta Raya the last two days. Heard good things about them also. Don't leave out Cabalitos del Caribe. I have a bud who swears by them.
That should get you started.
tom

Posted by Kristin & Paul on 09/10/01

We did the Deep Blue-Hotel Lorena 7-day package (5 days diving) and were happy that we did. We could have purchased dive/air packages with these other hotels for less money than our Lorena/Deep Blue package cost (airfare was on our own), but we would still choose this package if we did it again. Before we left, we were also a little worried about going with Deep Blue since we are relative beginners (12 and 20 dives respectively under our belts) and they seemed to cater to experienced divers. But we were not disappointed. They put us in small groups with divers of similar skill levels and interests, and we had a great time.

We took a refresher course with Luis (good instructor) and did most of our dives with Gabriel, who did a great job of making the dives comfortable, fun, and educational. Matt and Debbie, the owners, were very helpful in setting up a schedule to match our abilities and interests. Matt asked that we stop in each evening to discuss the day's dives and what we would like to do next. It was fun to stop in at the laid-back shop on the way to dinner to discuss the dives. We added a night dive to our package - it was great! Well worth doing.

It was easy to set up our package arrangements through Deep Blue. We did most of it by e-mail. They made all the hotel arrangements for us at the Lorena. They came through on whatever we asked for. They provided us with good equipment. They had fast boats. When we had more than four divers on the boat they sent two DMs. We really like the DMs with Deep Blue. They made us feel very comfortable.

Overall it was a fabulous experience and we recommend it to all of our friends.

We highly recommend the Lorena/Deep Blue package. It's best for people that want a high quality dive experience and a great place to stay with everything you need, but no unnecessary frills. The people at the Lorena and Deep Blue were friendly, helpful, and easy-going. Enjoy!

Posted by Bill on 08/27/01

My wife and I spent Aug. 9 - 16 in Cozumel.  This was our 14th trip and we've tried many different hotels and dive operations there. We each have logged 200-plus Caribbean dives around various islands, and frankly, we were getting a little burned out on Coz, mostly because of the attitude of the dive shops and divemaster and partly because we were just getting tired of the same old reefs.  After all, how long do you want to look at an aquarium?  

I'm happy to report that on this trip we finally found a dive shop that cares about what their customers want.  I had almost decided that such a concept didn't exist in Cozumel.  

Deep Blue is across the street from La Chosa restaurant.  It is owned by an Englishman, Matt, and his wife Debbie.  We wandered by the last time we were on the island, thought it looked a cut above the rest, picked up a brochure and decided to take a chance with them on this trip.  If this one was like your typical Cozumel dive shop, I was ready to throw in the towel and never come back.

We made reservations for a week of diving with them via e-mail (for those of you who weren't diving a few years ago, just be thankful you were spared the hell of trying to make dive and hotel reservations from the U.S. to Cozumel via phone and fax).  I knew something was different when we walked into Deep Blue to introduce ourselves the day before we were to dive.  For one thing, they knew exactly who we were and had expected us.  That's almost a first.  

We dealt directly with Matt, and after he read the questionnaire and waiver we filled out, one of the first questions he asked was, "Where do you want to go?"

I have never been asked that by a Cozumel dive operator.  

After a momentary pause, I realized what was going on.  I wasn't born yesterday.  I know he expects me to say, "Golly gee, sir, I don't know, whatever you think."  What he doesn't count on is that I know Cozumel dive shops and I've dived most of the western reefs numerous times.  I've been coming here for 20 years and have friends who have been diving here since the early 70s.  So I tested him with, "Punta Sur." "I'd recommend Devil's Throat in the afternoon, when nobody else is there.  The sun hits the cross at just the right angle and it's almost a religious experience."
 
Humm.  He not only goes there, which many dive shops don't, but he goes when nobody else does.  So I tried an even tougher one.

"Maracaibo?"  (Almost nobody goes to Maracaibo because (1) it is too far and they don't want to take the time and use the fuel to get there; (2) the wall begins at 100' so 130' is a conservative profile and they don't want the potential liability of taking divers that deep; and (3) since they don't go there, their DMs and boat captains aren't that familiar with it.)

Matt said, "That's a GREAT dive!  You got it.  Where else?"

Whoa!  OK, let's see how far I can take this before he cries uncle.

"San Juan?"  (Heh-heh.  NOBODY goes to San Juan.)

"Another great one, sure."
 
You've got to be kidding me.  All right, how about the furthest-away reef on this side of the island.  One that will take your boat miles away from the shop, one site that no one, no how ever
goes to:

"Islote?"

"Great!  What day do you want to go?"

Aakk!!  OK, tough guy, you asked for it.  I have one more left, but it's my biggest gun yet.  The roughest, scariest reef in the book, where many have died from the unpredictable currents and others have been so scared they wished they were dead.

"Barracuda?"

"You're both well-trained and experienced, and we have a divemaster who knows Barracuda intimately.  We'll set it up."

I couldn't believe my ears.  Cozumel dive operators are supposed to laugh and sneer, even tremble, when you ask them about some of those reefs.  It's part of the Mexican Dive Shop Owners Code of Conduct.

Deep Blue is definitely not your father's dive shop.

Then reality set in.  Call me Mr. Cynical.  I remembered another commandment in the Dive Shop Owner's Code:  "Tell the customer anything he wants to hear, since you won't be on the boat with him.  When he gets on the boat make sure everything is different.  For example, tell him to meet the boat at 8:00 a.m., that he will be diving Punta Sur on a computer dive (assure him his computer will dictate his profile) and there will only be three other divers.  When he gets there, have the divemaster tell him he was supposed to be there at 7:30 and he's made all the 18 other divers late.  That will make him feel guilty and he won't argue when he is told that the boat is going to Paradise and the profile is 40 feet for 30 minutes.  If he tries to protest that he was promised Punta Sur on a computer, the DM - who was postively eloquent in reaming him out about being "late" - must suddenly forget how to speak English, except for repeating "no, no, Paradise good dive."

So, veteran of Cozumel dive shops that I am, I knew that Matt's promises would disappear once we got on the boat. Well, guess what. Call me Mr. Ex-cynical  They didn't disappear at all.  Matt is a man of his word.  His boats picked us up on time every day.  They were the fastest boats we had ever been on in Coz (twin 115s on Pegasus, the one we used the most).  There were usually 6-8 other divers but when the group gets over a few divers, Matt sends TWO divemasters!  A group of 3-4 goes, the boat goes somewhere else on the reef and the other group goes. 

The DMs were not your usual ego-laden hotdogs, they were a little older and more experienced, spoke excellent English and radiated a competence rare among the breed.  For example, one of them (Luis) is a former veterinary student and ex-commercial diver, one of the best divemasters on the island or anywhere else for that matter.  Gabriel is also one of the best divemasters we've had and could make a living as a comedian (private joke between him and me). 

Each evening we would stop by Deep Blue and plan the next day's dives.  As a result, we spent the week diving many old favorites plus sites we had never been to in our many trips to Cozumel  including a reef I had never even heard of.  At Columbia Deep, where we have been many times, Luis took us through caverns and swim-throughs galore that we had never seen.  Our experience at Columbia Deep with other dive operations was to mostly swim AROUND the coral columns.  They are very beautiful, but other DMs never showed us 75% of what was inside them.  Ditto Palancar Caves, which I never appreciated before Deep Blue showed it to me.

For us, finding Deep Blue made the difference between leaving Cozumel vowing never to return and anxiously looking forward to going back. There are reefs waiting for us to explore!  http://www.deepbluecozumel.com/
 
P.S.  Almost forgot my other recommendations.  

Hotel:  After staying at Villablanca, Los Arcos, Plaza Las Glorias and numerous others, we found the new Lorena, formerly La Perla.  Not for those who demand the Ritz, but Cozumel basic and then some:  a small hotel, bright, very clean, large rooms, friendly staff, and right on the water with a balcony for US $65 a night (off-season with the Deep Blue package).  Deep Blue picks you up right at the hotel pier!  You tote your gear the first day and they take care of it for the week.  They wash it and it's on the boat for you the next day, BC and reg already set up on a tank.  No extra charge, but please go downtown and tip the guy who washes your gear.

Tipping:  Tip the divemaster and the boat captain at the end of each day's diving.  Not to do so is inexcusable.  For a 2-tank dive for the two of us, I usually give the divemaster USD $10.00 and the captain $5.00.  If the divemaster has given extra service (e.g., asking us where we want to go for the second dive and going there, helping with our gear, being personable and helpful, etc.) or if he has been with us for a few days and we like him, I’ll up it to $15.00 a day.  

 On this trip, Luis noticed that the first stage on my new regulator (a Scuba Pro 250) was configured upside-down, making it impossible for me to look up while diving without hitting it.  I thought it was the way it was made, but he said the hoses needed to be reversed so it
wouldn't do that, and volunteered to work on it that evening.  I thanked him and said OK.  That evening the threads of the inflator hose connection broke in the process (what I have learned is a common problem with Scuba Pro connections) and he spent half his evening trying to find a replacement.  He finally found what was probably the only one on the island, bought it and fixed the reg.  I knew nothing about all that until I got on the boat the next day.  He even said that he would pay for it himself since he broke it, but of course I wouldn't hear of it.  I paid him for what it cost him and tipped him $20 for his trouble.

These guys need your tips and work hard to please you.  Don't stiff them.  

Posted by Darcy on October 12, 2000

Deep Blue-  they were fine.  A small 8 pax ,fast boat.  They seemed very saftely conscious. There were only 5 divers plus the divemaster.  The conditions on the 1st dive were awful, but the 2nd at Yocab was fabulous.

Posted by Alejandro on September 11, 2000

I´m just back for a 7 day vacation in Cozumel.  I had been there for several times and used the services of several other Dive Shops.  I have no trouble saying this was the BEST diving vacation I have ever had. Mainly, because I decided this time to pickup a new Dive Shop. Happily I dropt by to Matt and Debbie´s Deep Blue and found that they dont only provide a great diving service with very qualifyed personel, brand new equipment, small groups diveded by experience levels and small fast boats. But they also provide a familiar like relation to each of the divers. They generate groups of friends form different parts of the world making them not only dive together but spend some time together at the office every night to talk about the experiences of the days dive and about which places does every one want to go to the next day.  This way you interact with your diving pals in more than a 4 hour trip to the diving site. You get to know the stories of other divers about their diving trips to Australia, The Red Sea, SuthAfrica, Baja California, Thailand...The Cenotes on Tulum... EXTRAORDINARY... !!!  Besides, if you get to dive with Gabriel, you´ll find this guy has 4 ejes...!   He can find and pinpoint some of the nicest things on the underwatter living world that you woudnt have ever found even using magnifier lenses...!   Gabriel is a true detail lover of nature...!        Alejandro Campos, México City.

Posted by Bryan Jick, M.D. on May 1, 2000

Deep Blue - see message on the board. Very good experience for my wife, 12-year-old son and myself, newly certified beginner divers. This is not a luxurious boat. It's small, fast, and the snacks were sparse, but the service was great, and Gabriel the divemaster was very personable.

Just returned from 7-days in Cozumel. Did 2 dive trips with Deep Blue, both with divemaster Gabriel. Very good experience. Fast boat with canopy, only 6 of us on a 4 hour, 2-tank trip. As a beginner, I appreciated his attentiveness. Took us to beautiful but easy dives. First trip to Tormentos, then Paradise. Second trip to Palancar Horseshoe (80 feet, fantastic!), then Cedrar.

Posted by Steven on March 20, 2000

I recently visited Cozumel and received open water instruction from Luis Quintano of Deep Blue. I found him to be extremely competent and personal throughout the experience. He was attentive to detail, very safety conscious and made me feel very comfortable as a novice diver. I would highly recommend that anyone considering instruction contact this shop and personally ask for Luis. You won't regret your decision.

Posted by mary p on February 20, 2000

My husband used them about 4 or 5 years ago.  They were great-very personalized service.  I plan to try a resort dive on this trip, and will use them.