Discover Scuba Diving in Cozumel
Course at a Glance
Certification Required
None – this is for non-certified divers
Minimum Age
10 years old
Duration
Half day (shore dive) or full boat trip (two tanks)
What's Included
All gear, instructor supervision, Marine Park fee (boat trip)
Price
Shore dive (one tank): $95 USD | Two-tank boat trip: $165 USD
Supervision
Direct instructor supervision throughout – maximum depth 12 metres / 40 feet
Who It's For
First-time divers, cruise passengers, certified divers wanting a skills review
Try Diving Before You Commit
A Discover Scuba experience is exactly what the name suggests. You learn the basics, you get in the water with an instructor alongside you the entire time, and you see what scuba diving in Cozumel looks like from underwater. If it does not suit you, you have lost half a day. If it does and most people find that it does you will want to come back certified.
No prior experience is needed. No certification is required. You do not need to be a strong swimmer, though basic comfort in the water is important. The instructor stays with you from the first breath on the regulator to the surface at the end of the dive.
Shore Dive vs Boat Trip - Which to Choose
Shore dive - $95
A single-tank dive conducted from shore. Shorter time commitment ideal if you are on a cruise ship with limited time ashore or if you are genuinely unsure whether diving is for you. The shore site allows skills practice in very shallow water before descending to the reef. Total time in the water is typically 30 to 45 minutes.
Two-tank boat trip - $165
Two dives on the reef, conducted from the boat. This option gives you the full Cozumel experience the boat trip to the site, two dives at two different locations, the surface interval, and considerably more time in the water. If you have any interest in returning as a certified diver, the boat trip is the better option because it shows you exactly what regular two-tank diving looks like.
Certified divers in the same group pay the standard two-tank rate. If you are travelling with certified friends or family, you can all be on the same boat.
What to Expect
Before entering the water, your instructor covers the five key skills you need: how to breathe from the regulator, how to equalise your ears, how to clear your mask if it fills with water, how to signal to the instructor, and how to control your ascent. These are practised in shallow water before the dive proper begins.
Once those skills are comfortable, the dive moves onto the reef. The instructor is with you throughout not in front leading, not behind checking alongside you. Maximum depth is 12 metres / 40 feet. What you see at that depth on a Cozumel reef depends on the site and the day, but the reef starts producing at 20 feet and does not stop.
For Certified Divers-Skills Review
The Discover Scuba option also works as a skills review for certified divers who have not dived in some time. Pelagic Ventures recommends a refresher if it has been more than a year since your last dive not as a rule, but as good sense. The shore dive format allows skills practice in controlled conditions before joining the regular boat trip schedule.
If you are a certified diver returning after a long break, contact Pelagic Ventures before booking. Paulino and Mary will recommend the appropriate option based on how long it has been and your prior experience.
Is a Discover Scuba Experience the Same as Being Certified?
No. A Discover Scuba experience is a supervised, introductory dive you are under direct instructor supervision at all times and can only dive to 12 metres / 40 feet. It does not result in a certification and does not allow you to dive independently or join regular certified fun dives. To dive independently, the Open Water certification is required. A Discover Scuba experience can be applied as credit toward an Open Water course if you decide to continue ask about this when booking.
Cruise Passengers
Discover Scuba is the most practical diving option for cruise passengers visiting Cozumel for the day. The shore dive can be completed in a half-day window, leaving time for other island activities. The two-tank boat trip is better suited to passengers whose ship docks early and departs late check your port schedule before booking the boat option.
Pelagic Ventures will give you specific instructions on how to get to the marina from the cruise piers. The taxi ride from any pier to ASIPONA marina is short Pelagic Ventures will provide directions with your booking confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Basic comfort in the water is required. You do not need to be a strong or competitive swimmer, but you should be comfortable floating and moving in water. If you have concerns about your swimming ability, mention this when booking.
Yes. The minimum age is 10 years old. Children aged 10 and above can participate with direct instructor supervision. Depth is limited to 12 metres / 40 feet for all Discover Scuba participants regardless of age.
Your Discover Scuba dive can count as credit toward the Open Water certification course. If you decide during or after your experience that you want to continue to full certification, speak to the instructor the dives already done can be applied to the course requirements.
Ready to book a Discover Scuba experience?
Contact Paulino and Mary Cozumel’s most experienced small-group dive operation since 1994. Marine Park fee always included. Gear rental included in course price.