AKR Tipping

[Tunaman68]

Hey all,

I know this has been covered a TON and I've done extensive reading both on SB and Trip Advisor about who to tip and how much. I've reviewed their guideline PDF but there are so many departments that all want tips it's a bit overwhelming! I've done some loose totals giving a modest bit to each of those and with the $10 per tank diving tips added in, i'm coming up with a pretty large $$ amount for the week. We normally go to Cozumel and stay at a NON AI. Last year we did Fiji and it was my first experience trying to figure out tips for waiters when there isn't a tab to pay at each meal.

I know it's all up to the individual and having traveled extensively in Europe I understand 'rounding up' is the norm. Being from the US, I've been trained to tip 20% on the pre tax total if we liked the service but never been asked to tip the front desk or the gardeners etc. Just looking for a 'generous but not stupid' range for those who have gone before.

A few questions for those who care to chime in...

I'm pretty good with $10 per tank for the DM/Captain. Question- do we have to split it? In Coz we give it to the DM and he shares it with the Captain. Is that NOT the case at AKR? It would suck to have to bring $5's and $1's for all 20 dives during our trip if we are tipping every day and need to do some $7/$3 split idea...If we do 3 tanks a day X 2 people that's $60. Would giving the DM $40 and the captain $20 at the end of a three dive day be kosher?

We usually leave $5-$10 a day for the housekeeping in the room at the end- is this ok here or does it need to be a) given directly because different people clean the room during the stay or b) combined with other depts and left in the 'safe' at the front desk?

For the 'front of house'- I understand giving the shuttle guy $5pp and if someone brings the luggage to the room the same. I am bringing $1's to give the boat ferry guy. Do people usually tip the check in and other admin staff people? Is $20 ok for the group of front house we don't tip directly for performing a 'real time service'?

Does anyone actually tip 'Back of house' people for the gardeners/security/admin? If yes- is like $20 too much? Too little?

For the waitstaff- my thinking immediately goes to $5 per meal per person.... so $10 a meal for me and my daughter X 3 meals a day x 6 days is $180 plus dinner arriving day and breakfast departing day. This puts us at around $200 for the week for two. Is that crazy high?

That's not including bartenders and although I'm good for a beer or two a day, can you add a couple of bucks on each tab (do you sign for drinks when you get them and can you add a tip on the check?) or do I need to keep track of how many beers I buy and tip on the total amount at the end?

Tipping the chef/kitchen? What is the range there? Is $20pp crazy low? Tipping this many 'divisions' is a new concept for me, I've never stayed somewhere that suggested I tip this many people so that's why i'm a bit spun out about what the 'right' thing to do is!

Cheers- very excited for our first trip to Roatan. After loosing multiple days to weather our last few visits to Coz we are happy to try and find an alternative!

 

[AdivingBel]

I tip the boat/dive crew each day as I would any "day boat" diving. I leave something in cash $US for the "front of house" (think wait staff & housekeeping) and "back of house" (everybody else) in separate marked envelopes at the end of my stay. How much is up to you. YMMV. Have fun.

 

[Kinglake]

I've been to AKR several times and this has worked well for me.

-I directly tip the DM and Captain at the end of my trip in US cash. Every single time when I've tipped the Captain they have asked is it for them or to share with the DM. I've always been on the same boat/captain the entire week so no issues with this instead of daily.

-AKR specifically request you NOT to tip housekeeping daily or in room. You CAN tip them directly via their tip process in the office however via their envelopes which I do.

-I tip the waitstaff specifically. I've done both directly via US cash at end of stay and via envelope. My approach differs only if the wait staff changes. I've had the same staff the full week twice, and a bit of variance a third week.

-I do an envelope for "everyone else". That would be everyone who I don't directly interact with. I have no idea how they split it, but that is not something I worry about and the staff seem to be happy with how its done.

*If you tip the bartender at the pool bar in cash, you will get happy hour specials the entire time.

 

[Cenotes]

You asked about "splitting" tips on AKR's boats. The many times I've been there, a large tip jar is on each boat, and tips are shared in whatever manner that is agreed upon in advance by the boat crew. The staff is pretty low-key about it, though. Conversely, I've been on boats where the captain or divemaster is actually holding a tip jar at the end of the dive and you have to walk past him and shake his hand--and shake the tip jar as well. AKR does not do that.

Keep in mind that some of those workers got hit hard when the AKR resort was closed during Covid. One of the guys there I talked to claimed to have put $10K on his credit card during that period to support his family. And, $10K to him is like $100K to us--yet he had no idea how he was going to repay it on his paltry income.

 

[Tunaman68]

Thanks all!

*If you tip the bartender at the pool bar in cash, you will get happy hour specials the entire time.

Great advice! We will keep this in mind!!

 

[therookie]

Hi @Tunaman68

some of those workers got hit hard when the AKR resort was closed

I was planning this morning to post about your questions about the amounts to tip, and this point is a good one to keep in mind. This is very true, island-wide. Also the cost of living on Roatan is very high, at least compared to the Honduran mainland, and there a number of workers on the island that in addition to paying their own way on the island, they are there supporting their families on the north coast because there is no work where they are.

My usual recommendation when asked about tipping on Roatan is to base it on your experience. AKR isn't really "requiring" you to tip with those guidelines, it's more of a reminder (especially to those visiting from cultures where tipping is not the norm) that their staff really depend on tips as part of their income (just as workers in the service industry in the US do). Were you really impressed with the quality of food? Put a tip in an envelope specifically marked "Kitchen staff". Was the food really "meh"? Don't tip them (and let the management know in person before you leave why you felt it was "meh"). Same for all the other divisions.

None of the amounts you mentioned struck me as "crazy high" or "crazy low" for Roatan. I would say they are slightly on the generous side, and a quick calculation of your numbers means you would be adding about $500-600 to the cost of your trip, which is a significant contribution from only two people to Roatan's economy and would be greatly appreciated by all. But of course you are totally free to adjust it in either direction based on your experience during the week.

Enjoy your first trip to the island!

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

At AKR I would usually tip the boat captain and the DM $100 each (in $5 and $20 bills - hard to break larger bills into USD change on the island). I would drop a few $1 bills on the bed every day for the housekeeping staff. Timmy, the barkeep, usually got about $5 a day. The wait staff in the dining room was usually trying to get you to sit at one of their tables all the time through the week to get a focused tip- and they subtly hinted at discreet tipping - I didn't do that - I just dropped an envelope addressed to "Dining Room". I would also drop an envelope to the "dock/tank fill" crew and then another to the general resort tip pool. Oh, and a $5 at both airport luggage pickup, and $5 to the guy that brought my bags to my room.

I figured everybody was getting a cut of the general tip pool, so the folks getting an envelope were kinda "double-dipping". I don't know how/if the staff splits direct tips (ie - if the captain/DM tip out some to the dock/tank staff). Or if when splitting the general tip pools, the El Jefe takes into account the folks likely to get direct tips or envelopes or not so those not in "front of the house" guest-facing positions get a larger slice.

I am guessing for a single traveler, I would be tipping ~$350-400 for the week.

 

[therookie]

Even more generous - but my tipping advice is probably getting out of date, since tipping customs/standards/expectations on the Honduran mainland where I live are likely quite different from North American ones. May have to up my game a bit on our next trip to the island