Exploring Family-Friendly Submarine Tours in Mexico

Day Trip Idea: Atlantis Submarine Tour in Cozumel, Mexico

Looking for something memorable to add to your family vacation in Cozumel? The Atlantis Submarine Tour is a deep-sea adventure that’s perfect for kids and adults alike — and you don’t need to book it through your resort, you can book it online, show up and go!

Reserve tickets online and simply take a quick 10-minute taxi ride to the Atlantis Submarine office in downtown Cozumel. It’s an easy, hassle-free add-on to your all-inclusive stay.

Highly recommended for families looking to experience something totally unique — explore 100 feet below the surface in a real submarine

A Family-Friendly Submarine Experience in Cozumel

Our kids love snorkelling but are still too young for scuba diving. As soon as they’re old enough to earn their open water certifications, we’ll sign them up — but in the meantime, while visiting Cozumel, Mexico, we couldn’t pass up the chance to take them below the surface for a deep-sea adventure aboard a real mini-submarine.

Just minutes from downtown Cozumel and easily accessible by taxi, the Atlantis Submarine Tour offers a totally unique excursion. Even though we’ve logged a number of scuba dives ourselves, this still felt exciting and special. Watching our kids peer through the port windows at colourful coral, curious fish, and gliding rays was like giving them a mini marine biology class — and they were captivated from start to finish.

The experience begins with a short ferry ride from the Atlantis Submarine Tours office to the submarine site, about 40 minutes offshore. When the sub surfaces, you board through the top hatch. Inside, the space is surprisingly roomy — it seats around 40 passengers with 13 port windows on each side, and never felt cramped.

The submarine dives down to 100 feet below sea level and stays submerged for approximately 45 minutes. Along the way, the crew points out interesting underwater features and marine life. One highlight of our dive was cruising past a decommissioned battleship, where we even spotted scuba divers waving up at us — just as excited to see us as we were them!

We honestly can’t think of anything negative to say about this excursion. Tickets cost $105 USD for adults and $65 USD for kids aged 4–12, which felt like great value for a three-hour round trip experience.

Are submarines safe?

With all the media attention following the 2023 Titan submersible disaster, it’s completely fair to ask: Are submarine tours like this actually safe?

Here’s what Atlantis Submarines Cozumel has to say about safety:

Atlantis Submarines has operated 24 years in Cozumel without incident or accidents.
All systems on the submarine are duplicated and the vessel floats to the surface in the event of no power. At surface control vessel follows the submarine and is in constant communication with the crew throughout its journey.
Likewise, we have rigorous audit and compliance processes with demanding requirements for insurance purposes that function as a check and balance system with our insurer and parent company.
We are certified by the American Bureau of Shipping Standards and the US Coast Guard.

Let’s Talk About Depth and Pressure

Here’s the difference in simple terms:

The Atlantis Submarine dives to a depth of about 100 feet (30 meters). At that depth, the water pressure is around 9.8 bar.
The Titan submersible dove to 12,000 feet (3,800 meters), where the pressure reaches about 400 bar — more than 40 times deeper and under much more extreme conditions.

Our Personal Experience: We Felt Completely Safe

We felt safe the entire time we were on the tour. A support vessel stayed directly above us throughout the dive, and our captain was in constant communication with the surface. The submarine felt solid and professional — and unlike the cramped photos of the Titan, this sub was far more spacious and comfortable.

That said, it’s important to note: the Atlantis submersible is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for those with mobility issues. You do need to descend a short ladder to get inside. But once on board, the operation felt smooth, safe, and well-run.

Getting there

The Atlantis Submarine Tour office is just a short ride from Centro Cozumel, but it’s a bit too far to walk comfortably — especially with kids. The easiest option is to ask your hotel or resort to call a taxi for you, and be sure to negotiate the fare in advance.

In our case, we were coming from a nearby resort, and our driver assumed we were headed to the ferry terminal. When he realized it was a much shorter trip, he seemed a bit annoyed about the smaller fare. Setting expectations with your driver ahead of time can help avoid similar misunderstandings.

Summary:
The Atlantis Submarine Tour in Cozumel is a fun, family-friendly way to explore the ocean without scuba diving. Safe, well-organized, and easy to reach by taxi from downtown, the tour takes you 100 feet below the surface to see coral reefs, tropical fish, and even a sunken battleship. It’s a unique and memorable experience that’s great for kids and adults alike

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