SPECIAL! Snorkel at MUSA - The Underwater Museum Reservation

Posted By : Carey P
I’m a former diver and always had excellent experiences with dive shops wherever I travelled including Cozumel, Bonaire, Bimini, North Carolina, and even NJ and NY.
On this trip I was traveling with a friend who snorkels and we booked 2 excursions with this shop.
The first trip we booked was a whale shark snorkel trip. Upon arrival at the shop we were met with a strangely unfriendly front desk person. I didn’t care really but that vibe was just weird and not a pleasant way to start our day.
We signed our waivers and made our way to the waiting area.
Shortly after that we were driven by golf cart and stopped off at the dock.
We met up with a boat crew and passengers from a different outfit called DC Explorers.
I’m guessing the shop I booked with partners with them to fill the trips if they don’t have enough of a group. This wasn’t communicated to me but that’s all good.
Crew was fine and friendly.
We knew there were no guarantees so we were ok with not spotting the sharks but disappointed. It was also early in the season. Sandwiches and drinks were provided.
It was a bit rough and some of the passengers weren’t feeling well which is par for the course because it’s a long day spent searching for the sharks in the open ocean.
On the way back we stopped at a shipwreck area to snorkel. This is ok except the sea was churning, the boat was pitching up and down and the current was so strong that only one couple was even able to get near it and they only stayed for a few minutes.
My prior experience in Mexico when I was diving was drift diving where you go with the current precisely because the currents are very strong here. So the captain maybe should have positioned the boat differently to make it easier for us to snorkel or better yet don’t even bother stopping here because it was too rough to even be possible much less enjoyable.

The second trip we booked with this shop was a snorkel trip to MUSA the underwater museum and another reef nearby.
The day of the trip we arrived and this time we were walked down to the dock area and introduced to a guy who we were told would be taking us out.
The situation down at this dock area is very hectic with a ton of people and boats and guys with clip boards. We didn’t really know what was going on. After waiting a while we were suddenly ushered over into a boat with a completely different guy and group than what we were told.
The boat was tiny. Already on the boat was a group of Mexican ladies and a couple. As soon as the boat left the dock they started passing out shots of tequila and pounding Coronas. Ok. It was a little early but ok. Vacation.
The guide explained in Spanish to them and to
English to us where we were going.

When we got there it was a reef and the guide basically pulled the drunk people around by a life preserver and we were out of there for maybe 10 mins. So weird. Something must be getting lost in translation here.

Anyway next thing we know we are at a dock and they are telling us to get off of the boat for lunch. We were so confused so my friend asked about the underwater museum. It didn’t seem like we were going there.
After the drunk ladies stumbled their way off we stayed on the boat and he took off to take us to MUSA. We were fine with it and it was great that we got to see some of the statues and to do some snorkeling there. We saw a sea turtle and the statues were really cool- this saved our trip from being a total bust.

But what did the dive shop have to do with these guys and why were we told to go with one group and then another? Also no snacks or drinks provided as described in the booking.

I get it. It’s a very touristy area and it’s Mexico and it’s hectic but I thought it would be somewhat organized having booked through this shop. Overall a very strange trip.

After that we went back to that dock and the guide told us that we were going to have to sit there and wait for 40 minutes.
Instead of that he walked us to the street and got us a cab back to the other side of the island where we left from and closer to our hotel

I was surprised that the guide was willing to put those drunk people in the water at the first stop- maybe that’s why he chose to pull them around and maybe that is why he was waiting at the dock for 40 mins for them to sober up?
I think they were continuing to drink so I doubt he was planning to take us to MUSA when they returned if we hadn’t asked.

We were so happy that he actually took us but it seemed rushed and definitely not planned.
Maybe that’s just how the snorkeling trips are on this island but when you book through a shop you expect it to be somewhat organized and this wasn’t!
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Posted On : 2024-06-18 13:44:09

Posted By : Laila_J
Everything was wonderful, everyone was so nice and the price is really good compared to another tours, they offered us water and took us to a restaurant to eat a really good fish, instructors were really nice 😊 definitely beyond of what we expected
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Posted On : 2024-05-29 11:12:10

Posted By : Kimberly_K
We saw so many beautiful things under the water. This was a great experience, but the motion of the ocean made me a little sea sick on the second spot. Glad I powered through because the reef was beautiful. All of the crew was friendly and accommodating. I don’t think I’ve ever been on an excursion where all of the crew members seemed to love their job so much. It made a huge difference!
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Posted On : 2024-05-29 10:17:07

Posted By : FarAwayCF
Our trip with this provider was unfortunately very disappointing. Firstly, it is probably always difficult when divers and snorkelers are in the same boat. Secondly, we unfortunately had very strong waves and were not informed about this in advance, meaning that visibility was very poor for snorkeling. There were 3 people on board who vomited. It seemed as if the crew didn't care. The tour seemed like a rip-off to us. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm the previous good reviews.
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Posted On : 2024-05-08 21:56:11

Posted By : E6427MMdavidm
Our family made a day trip to Isla Mujeres and Found Aqua Adventures Eco Divers. While it seems their primary mission is to facilitate scuba diving trips and scuba training, they do have snorkeling. Our family of 4 had a dedicated staff with us while in the water (the scuba divers had their own staffer too). The boat is small and fast.

What to Expect:
The day we were out was a little wavy, but in the water the current wasn't too bad for folks who aren't ordinarily swimmers. Snorkelers are given life jackets as well mask/flippers/wet suit. The water is a little cooler than expected. We jumped in at two locations: the reef and MUSA, both teeming with wildlife and beautiful corals and underwater artwork.

Few items of note:
While we are able to find our way through Mexico with mediocre Spanish skills, the staff is fluent in English too. Also, the company called me two days before our excursion to tell us that the waters would be choppier on Friday and recommended that we reschedule for Saturday. A small gesture, but certainly a welcome one, considering how wavy things were that Saturday! The location is easy to locate and the staff is dedicated and passionate about their vocation. When I return, I hope to go through the scuba certification and try that.
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Posted On : 2023-06-18 12:05:36

Posted By : raqueloca
My two children, ages 8 and 9, snorkeled for the first time. They were excited but scared. Our guide, Ivan, was amazing - he was very patient with the kids and made them feel safe.
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Posted On : 2023-04-11 16:05:03

Posted By : V9615ZLbillh
The staff were friendly and very helpful! We enjoyed our snorkeling trip very much!
We would definitely recommend!
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Posted On : 2023-01-06 20:49:14

Posted By : Kim E
I got my AOW with them. Great team to work with. Sebastian rocks! But the entire crew was great! I will definitely go back to them on my next trip to Isla!
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Posted On : 2022-12-10 20:01:39

Posted By : aerielj
This was my first time visiting Isla Mujeres and I was so happy I was able to experience this snorkeling trip. Firstly, the communication was incredible. Every time I reached out, I got a quick response. Then the actual experience was completely worth it. All of the guides that take you out are light hearted and fun! I was able to see all the fish friends, and always felt safe. If you like snorkeling, this is completely worth it! The underwater museum was amazing, even from above. And there were schools of fish that would swim around you and with you. I would highly recommend this experience!
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Posted On : 2022-11-30 18:20:29

Posted By : MAAustin77
Great crew and experience. Our Captain was knowledgeable and friendly. First mate took care of anything we needed. Thoroughly enjoyed our snorkeling adventure.
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Posted On : 2022-10-22 11:18:42