
easy
2 hours
Suitable for most fitness levels; must be able to climb a short ladder and move unassisted.
Descend 100 feet without a tank: Atlantis Submarines Cozumel offers non-divers a front-row seat to Chankanaab Reef, a dramatic wall drop and the Felipe Xicoténcatl wreck. This two-hour excursion pairs marine storytelling with easy access for families.
The passenger boat chops away from the shore and the island shrinks into a bright crescent. You step into a padded seat beneath a porthole and feel the vessel give a gentle sigh as ballast tanks do their work. Through thick glass, the ocean pulls you down: light filters, then narrows, and the reef reveals itself as an ordered city — branching corals, curious parrotfish and a wall that drops off like an open book.

Check in 30 minutes before departure to watch the safety briefing and secure a good window seat on the sub or deck.
You’ll wait on open decks and step back into bright sun; use reef-safe sunscreen to protect marine life when you board or disembark.
You must climb a 12-step ladder and board small boats — closed-toe shoes with good grip make it easier and safer.
An $11 marine park fee is collected per person on-site and some extras (photos, souvenirs) are cash or card options at the facility.
Cozumel’s reefs formed on Pleistocene limestone and today are part of the protected Mesoamerican Reef; the Felipe Xicoténcatl wreck was scuttled to create an artificial reef.
Chankanaab is a protected marine park with fees that fund monitoring; visitors are asked not to touch coral and to use reef-safe sunscreens.
Interior of the sub and open decks can be cool — a light jacket keeps you comfortable.
Useful while waiting on deck and for the transit boat ride.
summer specific
Capture surface scenes, the boat approach and dockside moments; underwater photos are possible only through portholes.
Recommended for safe boarding, ladder use and moving around the pier area.