Cozumel Snorkeling Tour: Palancar, Columbia and Cielo Reefs

I previously wrote a review that mentioned I never received the pictures i paid for at the end of the tour. I contacted the tour operator and photographer, and within two days, received all the pictures I was expecting. Other than that temporary problem, it was a great trip.

Did have a really good time on the boat and in the water. Lots of fish to see. The crew does a good job of providing a safe and enjoyable trip.

Our crew was very friendly, and the three locations where we stopped to snorkel were beautiful. We had some pictures taken of our group underwater, which all turned out great and we were able to purchase for a very reasonable price. Beverages were provided throughout the tour, although beer was only available after the snorkeling for safety purposes.

We had an amazing time on this snorkeling excursion. The reefs were beautiful even without 100% visibility. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Needed to read the fine print regarding the taxes of $3.00 each and not being met at the port.

We are a family of three (all adults) and have trusted Viator many times for our world travels and this experience was our first disappointment. The description online is severely misleading. While the description says that each boat will carry between 10 and 20 people out for the snorkeling trip, our boat was crowded with 33 total passengers, plus 3 crew members. There were three unannounced stops to pick up additional passengers before we reached the first reef. It took one full hour to reach the first reef to begin snorkeling. Generally speaking, the crew was not immediately responsive to our questions or concerns. The snorkeling equipment was cheaply made: the straps on the mask were too loose and one of us lost a flipper in the water because the strap was too loose. The ratio of snorkelers to crew members in the water was dangerously out of proportion: with 30 swimmers in the water, we had only ONE guide. There was another crew member in the water, but his responsibility was only to take photos and not assist swimmers. At one point, one of us felt unsafe in the water and immediately made the emergency signal that the boat needed to return to pick us up. The crew member we signaled to was extremely dismissive and did not respond to our need to get out of the water. The boat itself is in no way a glass bottom boat. There is a small glass through-hull port at the bow, visible only if you crawl way up to the front. The bottom itself of the boat is all fiber glass. Note: The location itself where you board is a small marina with no cafes or eateries (so be sure to have lunch before you reach the Marina) and you are responsible for calling your own taxi to return to town as taxis do not regularly pass by this area. We in no way recommend this tour and strongly suggest that you look elsewhere for a better experience.

Enjoyed our day with this excursion. Friendly folks. Safe snorkeling. Great underwater photos taken. Very glad we chose this snorkeling tour!

Awesome tour operators. Crew was always attentive especially when we were in the water and the currents would push us and the boat around. Wonderful variety of marine life. 5-star operation all the way!

We had an excellent time on this trip. We arrived too early as we were still on ship's time but the local fishermen completely looked after us by phoning the company to find out when we should expect them. The crew of the boat were all great - really looking after myself, husband, son 17 and daughter 15. I was a little scared in the water but the crew looked after us and helped my daughter try a bit of free diving which she was over the moon with. A photographer accompanied the trip and took some great pictures which we bought for 30 on a disk. However, they also said they would email them to us but they never did. Tequila and beer was included on the trip and there was a great sun deck on top of the boat which we took advantage of.

The deck guys and the skipper were really nice and customer friendly. Smaller boat with 10-15 people plus crew but totally safe. Good equipment. Water and soft drinks on the way out - Beer added on the way back. Best if you know how to snorkle and a decent swimmer. I am not and hadn't snorkeled in years. I panicked and had to be helped back in on the first stop. They were patient and helpful and gave me a few tips so that I could hang on the the ladder and use my mask and snorkle look down at the reefs from the safety of the ship for the next two stops. Be aware that the boat circles around the group as you snorkle. I didn't realize that they were going to do that and when I first got in and wasn't breathing properly, I panicked further when I looked up and they had moved away slightly. It was my issue and not theirs because I didn't have my technique down. SUMMARY: Great guys -worth the trip- Que Viva Mexico ! Gracias!

I am 64. This trip was a long trip out to the snorkeling site. Water was drowning everyone on the small boat on the way out. Everyone was miserable. I had my snorkel mask over my eyes to stop the salt water burning my eyes, I had the snorkel in my mouth to keep out the salty water and my finger in my ear to keep the water from pounding my ear. I did enjoy the snorkeling but it was not as fantastic as I had anticipated. My sister and I purchased the photographers disk, it was 35 and we gave him 40. The disk is empty. We are hoping this is a mistake and will be worked out. As this was my sister's first time snorkeling we really wanted the pictures. My advice snorkel from the shore. Others on our cruise did this and saw more sea life than we did.