Documents
U.S. citizens need to
bring with them a valid passport. Citizens
of other countries need to check with the Mexican Embassy.
A visa may be required. Certified scuba divers must bring
their certification card.
Location
Cozumel is Mexico's largest island, located 10 miles
off the Yucatan Peninsula. It is 28 miles long and 9 miles
wide. Cozumel follows Central Standard Time.
Language
Spanish and Maya. English is widely spoken.
Airport Arrival
Cozumel has an international airport, fully equipped
for both large jets and private planes. International
arrivals are expected to fill out a Customs Declaration & a
Mexican Tourism Card before the plane lands. You must
first clear the Immigration Area, where your passport
or proof of citizenship is required.
Mexican Custom & Immigration
After going through immigration, you proceed immediately
to the Baggage/Customs area, which is just beyond the immigration.
After you pick up your luggage and present your customs
form to the officer, you will be asked to press a button
on a machine resembling a stoplight. It flashes, at random,
either a green (Go) or a red (Stop) light. Green means your
luggage will not be inspected, red means it will be quickly
checked. The whole process, from getting off the plane to
getting out of customs takes about 15 minutes, rarely longer
than 30 minutes, speedy by U.S. standards.
Airport Transportation
Transfers are not included in your package. Before you
exit the airport you need to buy a TAXI ticket approximately
$8.00 US per person. Be sure your luggage has been loaded
into the Suburban before getting in. Remember the taxi number
and keep your taxi receipt. Make sure your luggage is unloaded
at your arrival. The ride is only 10 minutes.
ATM
You can get small amounts of pesos (approx. $100 US)
with your VISA and MasterCard credit cards. Be sure you
remember your PIN number. You can also get pesos through
the local Amex office with your Amex credit card.
Money Exchange
The local currency is pesos. The exchange rate of the
peso changes daily. Banks change money from 10 am to 1 pm
Monday - Friday and are closed on the weekends. Exchange
houses are open most of the day and the hotel front desk
can change small amounts of dollars to pesos. You can use
your credit cards at most businesses. MasterCard and Visa
are the most widely accepted. You will need an I.D. to use
your credit cards, either Drivers License or passport. We
suggest you bring plenty of $1, $5 & $10 bills to use
for taxis and tipping.
Telephone Service
International calls: The Front Desk provides long distance service for
collect or calling card calls from 7 am until 9 pm. Be sure to ask the rates
before placing your call. There is a service charge of $2 US payable at the
time of placing the call. You must present an international card to be able
to charge a call. Prepaid Telmex phone cards can be used in most public phones
to reach AT&T, Sprint or MCI. Check with your home cell phone provider
before you travel, many like Verizon and AT&T can be used in Mexico at
reasonable rates.
Local calls: Dial 201 from the phone located under the stairs,
next to the Front Desk. Booth #2.
Wi-Fi
Scuba Club provides free Wi-Fi to
our guests, available in almost all rooms and public areas.
Water Conservation
We would appreciate your help in conserving the fresh
water supply at the hotel. Being an island, we have to rely
on underground wells and rain. City water at times becomes
so scarce that water has to be trucked in. You can help
us by not letting the water run in the rooms needlessly,
reporting any leaks or faulty plumbing, and using the rinse
tanks for your scuba equipment. Your help will be greatly
appreciated.
Getting Around
Taxis are plentiful and very cheap. If you need a taxi
it is faster to flag one down as they pass by. Always ask
how much the fare will be before getting into the taxi.
All taxi drivers must carry with them a rate sheet listing
the approved fares. Taxi drivers are notorious for never
having any change. Try to have small bills handy. The usual
fare between Scuba Club Cozumel and town is about $5 US.
(It is only a fifteen-minute walk).
Car, Jeep & Motorcycle Rentals
They are available through the front desk. Minimum rental
time is 24 hours. For overnight parking, you must park your
car across the street from the club. NO PARKING ZONES are
marked with red or yellow lines painted on the curbs.Downtown
now has parking meters on the main road. You must pay to
park ( about $1 US an hour). The parking meters are enforced
from 8 am to 8 pm Monday through Saturday. Parking is free
on Sundays.
Safety Boxes
Scuba Club Cozumel will not be responsible for valuables
left in the rooms. The hotel offers safety deposit boxes
free of charge for your convenience. They are located at
the Front Desk and can be accessed from 7 am until 9 pm
daily. Use the same precautions for your personal items
as you would anywhere else you travel. DO NOT LEAVE TEMPTATIONS
lying around your room and lock your patio and entrance
doors at all times.
Stamps
Only Mexican stamps can be used for mail from Cozumel.
Bring your post cards and letters ready to go, pay for the
stamp and the Front Desk will mail them. Be sure all your
letters have enough space left to place the stamp (Mexican
stamps are twice as big) and be sure all of them have an
address, zip code and country. Mexican mail is not very
fast, except post cards, and can take at least 4 weeks to
be delivered.
Drinking Water & Ice
The water in your room is potable but not suitable to
drink. Drink only bottled water. The water served in the
restaurant is bottled water and the ice is purified. The
pitcher in your room can be filled with bottled water available
in the corridors and the ice bucket can be filled in the
restaurant. Bottled water is sold at any store in town.
For Your Safety
Scuba Club Cozumel policy is NO VISITORS INSIDE THE ROOMS. Visitors are only
allowed on the premises between 7:30 am and 9:00 pm. If you are expecting
visitors, please advise them to check-in at the Front Desk when they enter
the Club. This is done for your protection and helps us to keep Scuba Club
Cozumel exclusive for our guests. The safety of all our guests is very important
to us. Night watchman is on duty from 8:00 pm until 8:00 am.
Laundry
There are several places in town to get your laundry
done. Please ask the Front Desk to call one of them to pick
up your clothes. Sometimes they will take one or two days
to get the job done. This service must be paid in cash.
Children
Children 10 years and under can stay free in the same
room with their parents. All children must pay extra for
all their meals. Children's Meal Plan is available. In order
for children to ride on the boats, they must be at least
10 years old and must have an adult supervisor to take care
of them at all times while on board. Parents must pay snorkeler's
rate for both. |