Tipping on a boat checkout?

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Malpaso

Contributor
Messages
679
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Location
MA/CT
# of dives
200 - 499
I'm taking 8 high schoolers to FL for their checkout dives. They've completed their class and pool sessions at home. We always do shore checkouts, and no one ever tips our instructors. This will be a referral situation and they'll checkout on boat dives. Should I tip the instructors (and/or dive masters, if they have them) for the students, or is it considered part of the checkout fee? I was scheduled to dive with them, but won't be due to a broken rib.
 
If they have not provided a service I'd say no, and so far they haven't.

If (like any dive) you have 3200 PSI fills, your instructor has all of the tanks on the boat, gear there and set up, they provide SI snacks, have bottled water, and take excellent care of your referrals, then yes.

If not, no.
 
Interesting question I can't recall being asked here before. My thought is ask the dive op there what the usual procedure is. I would think there is no tip due the instructor since he/she is being paid for the job (obviously there are all the skills to be done on the checkouts, etc.). The DM(s) most likely are not (that old issue about working for tips or "free diving" or "I just love seeing new divers learn", etc.). I would lean toward tipping the DM(s). Also figure it should be the students that do the tipping, not yourself (hey, don't all HS kids have jobs now?).
It's hard for me to say for sure because all the checkout dives I assisted on were shore dives through the same shop and I was paid by the shop. My only tip as a DM was a beer (once).
 
We often have Instructors with students conducting check out dives aboard our vessel. Most of these dives are coordinated and the instructors make students aware of the etiquette of boat diving. I include a section on diving etiquette during my OW course, this includes courtesy as well as tipping. I work as both independent instructor and through a LDS. I have been offered and accepted tips when working through the LDS, but declined tips as an independent except for a lunch or dinner.
 
Any instructor conducting any training can be given a tip as a token of appreciation. Not to tip for a job well done can be considered inconsiderate. Funny thing is the students who require the most effort on the instructors part tip the least if at all. Students who may be considered naturals tip the best.
 
Any instructor conducting any training can be given a tip as a token of appreciation. Not to tip for a job well done can be considered inconsiderate. Funny thing is the students who require the most effort on the instructors part tip the least if at all. Students who may be considered naturals tip the best.
Agree. Though it may have happened, I never saw an instructor getting a tip here.
 
I think it’s nice that the OP is asking about tipping for the students. From what I’ve observed on dives where there have been students of various ages or newly certified divers, they are the non tippers. I’d expect new divers, high school students doing checkout dives included, to not even think about tipping, not because they’re inconsiderate, but because they’re ignorant of the practice.

I tipped for my son in his short-lived scuba career, when we did our checkout dives, but I can’t recall if ours were a referral situation - it was too long ago.
 
Just back from a great trip. When I got there, I asked the manager of the shop what the protocol was for tipping in a referral class. He said the tips were included in the price. He went on to say if we thought the instructors went above and beyond, an additional tip would be appreciated.

I felt the instructors went above and beyond, so I added an additional tip.

Note: Some mentioned that the students should pay the tip, not myself. To clarify, this was a school trip, and the students paid an all inclusive fee for the trip, food, lodging, transportation, etc.. They would not have known nor expected something like this. The organizer, who is not a diver, would not have thought about this tip. I took the tip out of the "emergency" money we had in the budget. I will be sure to add it in to next year's budget.
 
Great to hear all went well and that a high school (in CT?) is running a dive program. When we were in GC last June we ran into a HS group from the CHI area doing a trip, some completing their open water others returning for the dive.
 

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