Different Diving with Laura Cozumel: The Complete Guide

Courses and Training

Different Diving with Laura is a PADI operation. Every course is priced at both ratios, in US dollars.

Specialty courses are published individually, roughly $120–$350 USD per diver, and include Wreck ($310 USD), Deep ($350 USD), Drift Diving ($160 USD), Night Diving, Fish Identification, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Navigation and Divers Against Debris. A "Scuba Bootcamp" programme is also listed alongside the standard courses.

Note what the 1:1 Open Water price actually buys: a full entry-level certification with an instructor who has no other student. On a standard Cozumel Open Water course you would typically share that instructor with three to seven other beginners.

For background on the certifications themselves, see the dive courses in Cozumel index, the PADI Open Water Diver course page, the Advanced Open Water page, the Discover Scuba Diving page, the Drift Diver specialty page, the Wreck Diver specialty page, the Deep Diver specialty page and the Peak Performance Buoyancy page.

Boats and Group Size

Group size is the clearest number in this entire guide: one or two divers per instructor, always. There is no third pricing tier.

On boats, the site says only that Laura uses fast boats and avoids big groups. It does not publish a vessel name, length, engine specification or capacity, which is normal for an independent instructor who charters rather than owning a fleet. If the specific boat matters to you, ask before booking.

Location and Getting There

Different Diving with Laura meets divers at Marina Fonatur, Cozumel, every day at 9 AM. The FAQ on the site answers the question directly: "Where do we meet to go diving? Join us at Marina Fonatur every day at 9 AM for fun!"

There is no published shop street address — this is an instructor-led operation, not a storefront with a counter and rental racks. Marina Fonatur is on the northern side of San Miguel de Cozumel, a short taxi ride from downtown and from most town hotels.

Morning pickup can be arranged as part of a customised dive vacation, so if you are staying further out, raise it when you book.

Prices and What's Included

All prices published by Different Diving with Laura are per person, in US dollars, and are quoted at both 1:1 and 2:1 ratios.

What the site does not publish: whether the Cozumel Marine Park fee is included, equipment rental rates, nitrox availability, or tank and weight inclusions. Ask about all four when you book — the marine park fee in particular is charged separately by most Cozumel operators.

Who It Suits Best

Nervous or new divers. One instructor, one or two students. If your worry is being left behind in a current or rushed through skills, this format removes the cause.

Divers coming back after a long break. A 2:1 refresher-style fun dive is far less exposed than dropping into a group of strangers on your first dive in five years.

Couples and dive buddies. The 2:1 rate is the sweet spot here: two people get an instructor to themselves at a per-person price close to a standard private guide surcharge elsewhere.

Divers working on a specific skill. Buoyancy, trim, air consumption, photography positioning — all of these improve fastest with an instructor who has nobody else to watch.

Divers who want a say in the sites. Custom requests are explicitly accommodated.

Who Might Prefer a Different Shop

Divers on a budget doing many tanks. At $115–$135 USD per person for two tanks, a week of daily diving costs substantially more than a group boat with a multi-day package. If total tank count matters more than attention, a larger shop with package pricing is the rational choice — see the full Cozumel dive center guide.

Divers who need nitrox, technical training or rental gear certainty. None of these are published on the Different Diving site. If you dive nitrox every day or need a full rental kit for a week, confirm availability before you commit, or choose a shop with a rental counter.

Groups of three or more. The pricing structure stops at 2:1. A family of four or a group of friends who want to dive together will need to split across days or look elsewhere.

Divers who want a large, redundant operation. A single instructor means a single point of failure. If Laura is ill or fully booked, there is no second boat. Larger shops have that redundancy.

Divers who want the boat specifications in writing. Hull, engines and capacity are not published.

Practical Information

For when to visit, what the currents do through the year and which reefs suit which certification level, see our best scuba diving in Cozumel guide, and the Cozumel diving FAQ for marine park fees and what to pack.

We are an independent guide to diving in Cozumel. We know the operators here, and our contacts on the island open up rates and deals that are not advertised. Tell us your dates and we will put you in touch with Different Diving with Laura.