Dive Trip Tipping?

[murphdivers286]

The answer is simple. People feel a lot better about tipping when it is voluntary rather than obligatory. They know the recipient will appreciate it and be happy rather than expect it and take it for granted.

I'm sorry, but I would have to disagree with you on this one. My wife is a DM and a lot of vacationers don't know the DMs work for tips only. When I first started diving (I know it was a long time ago, but that is not the point here.), I thought DMs were paid by the boat, so I did not have to tip them. Now I know different, I make sure I tip the DMs on every trip. Most of the time, they work way harder than the money they receive.

If you don't believe it just do their job for just one day. Loading and unloading the boats, gear, tanks, cleaning before and after, help charters to set up gear, watch after charters in the water, carry the float, chase bolting charters, watch the reef for anything of importance to show the charters, etc, etc, etc....

 

[Tom Winters]

My wife is a DM and a lot of vacationers don't know the DMs work for tips only.

On every every boat that I have been on down here, the captain, who was also the owner, specifically announced that DMs worked for tips only. I didn't this was possible, but nope - that's how it's done down here.
Also, I noticed that boat regulars would make sure at the end of the dive to make sure that the DMs were tipped - kinda watching out for them.
In lieu of helping these hardworking DMs with a mere few shekels, I would instead give them the benefit of my many years of accumulated wisdom. One of my most valuable tips was "Don't put all your eggs in one basket.", but the crew had to really be on the ball to earn something that profound.