2006 Mardi Gras in Cozumel, Anyone?

When I was working for a living, I wasn't even aware of such a Festival

Greg Mossman...

If I saw Carnivale, I'd want to do Carnivale, and I'm getting too old
for
that sort of thing.

in Cozumel because I was always busy at that time of the year.

nospamronlee...

I have never been but many people enjoy that time. Your preferred
hotel is probably a good vantage point.

Ron Lee

Baited by a PSA by Dan Bracuk in 2002, Sue and I joined Dan and Patti
in the 2003 Mardi Gras. Dan's report:

The Carnivale this year will be from Feb 27 to March 4:

Because of my severely curtailed travel in 2005, I'll be losing my
Platinum
status on Continental Airlines for the first time since the program
started
in 1999, and my LAST DAY of Platinum will be 2/28/06.

That was one factor that prompted us to book a week there 2/21-28/06,
to take advantage of the upgrade to First Class on cheap coach tickets
on CO.

The other reason was that the roundtrip ticket on those days, from

Greg Mossman...

Interesting that the hurricane decided to devastate YOUR penthouse.
Hopefully the rest of the rooms are in working order, or at least the
one we
end up with.

ATL to CZM via IAH is almost half the price of previous fares, while
flight to OTHER locations increased, probably as a result of some
deal with Cozumel officials to get people back to Cozumel after the
island was devastated by hurricane Wilma. All 3 cruise piers
became unusable; Carlos 'n Charlies and Senor Frog were both
severely damaged and closed, as was the last time I stopped there
in November 2005.

Just an example of airfare price differences. (cheapest on CO)

Roundtrip ATL/SEAttle $520; $300-$440 range in 2005
Roundtrip ATL/CZM $328; $600+ range in 2005.

If Dan and Patti can join us this year, then we'll need only a
couple more (non-newbie) rec.scuba divers to make a six-pax
boat with Caballito del Caribe to dive anywhere, any profile,
with no Micky Mouse hand-holding, or everyone-one up
when the first diver gets low on air kind of nonsense
uncommonly practiced by many dive shops. Greg? It
definitely won't be like the Aldora you were on. :-) But you
may be the first cork to ascend. :-)))

Greg Mossman...

I'm already out of town too much in January and February and am on the
Nekton Pilot for a week in March, but I checked the fares and Janna's
schedule and a "long weekend" trip could be possible. I can pick Janna up
in L.A. late on Wednesday night and make the Thursday 1 a.m. red-eye from
LAX to HNL, arriving in CZM at 11:29 a.m. That should enable us to meet you
for a couple afternoon and/or night dives Thursday, and a full day of diving
on Friday. Unfortunately we have to fly out Sunday and there's no flight
later than 12:15, so we'd be limited to morning dives only on Saturday.

Still, for 8 or so dives and a good time, I could rationalize the $393
airfare. It sounds like a plan. Are there rooms available at the Bahia?