2016 Cozumel Tipping Etiquette?

[DandyDon]

It's sometimes funny at the end of a dive, when one divers pulls out some cash to tip and others start fidgeting around like "Am I supposed to tip?" and you know they want to ask "What are you tipping?"

I do pass the tip openly at the end of each trip so others can see and take a hint if needed. I grossly under tipped on my first few trips as I had no idea, plus I hate the tipping game, but I did feel bad.

Sure, except in my case, I said, 'hey, did they just leave without tipping' and the answer was 'yes.' It was their last day. Some people don't tip. It isn't necessarily rare.

Not common in Europe I hear.

I personally and considering a simpler system to just tip by the pound.

You want .us fat boys to tip more...?

 

[cvchief]

I personally and considering a simpler system to just tip by the pound. Figure the bigger the divemaster he is, the more food he needs, give the fat diver masters a bit more than the skinny ones.

You scared the crap out of me. I thought I was going to go broke then I saw you were talking about the DM! Thank goodness...

 

[Johnoly]

I tip 20% every day rounded up to the next money bill size. But getting dropped on your personal favorite dive site the next morning when the rest of the guests haven't decided yet is also a function of being a “Helpful diver”. Not just Coz, but arriving early at the launch site, helping load / unload dive bags, sharing pictures and stories on the surface interval and even bringing extra snacks to share will make the other guests have a better dive day. Pitching in to help the other guests to have a great day will usually get you to your favorite dive site the next morning even though it wasn't planned on prior cause the captain will ask quietly “where would YOU like to dive at today”. Feed a captain, and he'll bring out his secret dive sites no one else dives.

 

[jonhall]

I tip 20% every day rounded up to the next money bill size. But getting dropped on your personal favorite dive site the next morning when the rest of the guests haven't decided yet is also a function of being a “Helpful diver”. Not just Coz, but arriving early at the launch site, helping load / unload dive bags, sharing pictures and stories on the surface interval and even bringing extra snacks to share will make the other guests have a better dive day. Pitching in to help the other guests to have a great day will usually get you to your favorite dive site the next morning even though it wasn't planned on prior cause the captain will ask quietly “where would YOU like to dive at today”. Feed a captain, and he'll bring out his secret dive sites no one else dives.

I understand the point you're trying to make, I think, that being helpful is like a good $$ tip; it will earn you some points with the captain if you do further dives with him/her. I think as far as getting to that dive site you wanted to go to or to the "secret" dive site only takes conversation with the DM/captain. I generally research the area we're traveling to, including dive sites. If there is a site that sounds interesting, I let the dive op know I'd like to go there sometime during my stay. It seems that divers who dive more often during the week are the ones who tend to get asked the morning of the dive, where they would like to dive. Since I started being able to spend a couple of weeks wherever we travel to, I find that I get asked more often.

My buddy and I have an ongoing disagreement with what might be construed as being a "helpful diver" which I would break down into 2 groups: 1) (This is the one we disagree on) When we dive with an op the first time, I like to stand back and watch how they operate. My buddy, on the other hand, is quick to pitch in when he sees some of the crew doing a task, such as carrying tanks and gear. We have been told several places to stand back and that they would take care of it. I always tell my buddy that it is their job and they get paid to do it, but he says he is just trying to be helpful. He often wants to get on the boat, when we arrive early, and stow his gear. I have to tell him to wait and get permission to board whether there is already crew onboard or not. 2) Being a "helpful diver" with other divers is really more about doing the things a good dive buddy would do and being courteous towards others. If I bring a couple pieces of candy, I'm bringing enough for others if they want it. Getting water for seated divers or handing them a snack if you are the one standing seems like the courteous thing to do. Not sure it gets you bonus points with the captain though.

 

[Christi]

Ouch. I hope people don't feel less guilty not tipping if they dive with your crew now...... highest paid and all. yikes. I don't tip a doctor as I assume he is well paid. I tip a waiter because I assume he is not.

I wasn't even referring to freelancers. I was referring to salaried crew with regular employee benefits who find tips are substantial part of their income. Of course I guess that could be they are just so good they get a lot of tips?

I still think it is true that tips are an important, substantial part of crew income. Perhaps I should have said it more like that the first time.

No, why should they? As I said - the tip should have absolutely nothing to do with the salary they make or don't make. Tip's are not always intended to supplement an income, although that is what they end up doing - but really, they are more like a commission in function. The harder they work for YOU (the guest) the more they have actually earned whatever tip you give them.

Again, I can only speak for my shop - but I give my crew a lot of autonomy. I provide them with the tools and resources to do their job, a set of guidelines and rather than forcing them to think inside of a box, I allow them to be critical thinkers and to use their best judgment in most instances. I appreciate them, I show it, they feel appreciated. I support them, they support me and therefore we are all a very happy team. It's a true blessing!

 

[deepsea21]

We've been tipping $5 per tank for 14 years. I've seen people tip nothing and I've seen people tip twice as much. I think all the crews and DM's we've been diving with have been more than happy with that amount. I will say though, when we go to Coz we do alot of diving so when they see us back for 2 weeks, they know that $20 tip per our 2-tank dives is going to keep coming day after day for the next 12 days and we're only 2 of a group of max 10 divers on the boats. That ends up being some good money (if everyone tipped the same as us or better).

I will say I did not know it was proper to tip the captain instead of the DM. We've always tipped the DM if he isn't busy and tip the captain if the DM is busy. Can anyoen else confirm it is more proper to tip the captain?

 

[ColoDale]

In Cozumel, with the Dive OP I use, we tip the DM/owner and he splits with the captain. It's alway been this way. The captain knows it. This may be a different situation as the owner is the DM and there is alot of history. On other boats I just ask. I don't tip for future treatment, just past. If I want something I will ask.

 

[DandyDon]

I will say I did not know it was proper to tip the captain instead of the DM. We've always tipped the DM if he isn't busy and tip the captain if the DM is busy. Can anyoen else confirm it is more proper to tip the captain?

I give it to the DM. The captain is usually busy driving when I do, altho I usually wait until the boat has slowed down to dock or enter the marina so I won't lose control of the bills - but the captain needs to watch his driving then too. I am confident that they split it.

 

[ggunn]

I will say I did not know it was proper to tip the captain instead of the DM. We've always tipped the DM if he isn't busy and tip the captain if the DM is busy. Can anyoen else confirm it is more proper to tip the captain?

With most Cozumel ops it doesn't make any difference; tips are pooled and split.

 

[deepsea21]

With most Cozumel ops it doesn't make any difference; tips are pooled and split.

That's what I always figured having worked a past life in the restaurant business... You tip the server (like the DM on a dive boat) and how they all decide to split it up between the bar tenders and buss boys is up to them. If there were ever a server in the restaurant business that got to be known for hoarding tips and paying out appropriate to the bar tenders and B-boys that server wouldn't have been around long as his drinks would take forever to get from the bar and there would be no clearing and re-setting of tables. In short order... that server would be moving elsewhere or tossed out.