First time in liveaboard

[Karen Dancheck]

All great info! That you so much! These are all answers to questions I didn't know I had! lol

 

[living4experiences]

That's part of the info package I received from Blue Manta

"Many of our guests use 5-10% of the cruise price as a tipping guideline. Tipping is voluntary and most appreciated!"

The trip is 4.6k$ + fuel surcharge and N.P. fee.
How much will you tip if you are satisfied by the service? As you know in Europe we do not tip that much so I tried to understand local customs and tip appropriately.

I am in the planning phase for a trip to Raja Ampat, so I'll share some of my research. Here's a couple of links to articles about tipping.

Tipping in the Dive Industry | Komodo Dive Center

Welcome to Indonesia, home of many of the world’s most highly rated scuba diving destinations. Located within the Coral Triangle, the world’s marine center of …

www.komododivecenter.com

Liveaboard tipping question - West Papua Forum - Tripadvisor

Answer 1 of 6: We will be spending a week on a liveaboard in Raja Ampat in January. The boat's tipping guidelines say 10-15% of the published list price. This would make our tip around $700 to $1000 USD for a 7 night trip. This seems very excessive...

www.tripadvisor.ca

How Much To Tip in Scuba Diving - 6 Questions Answered

Tips are a hot topic for scuba divers. Here's how much to tip your dive guide, where in the dive world tips are expected, and when to tip!

www.girlsthatscuba.com

Tipping is such a personal decision, and I think you should tip for the service you were given, whether it's bad, mediocre, or fantastic. These set percentages, IMO, are ridiculous. In a developing country, tipping is not at the same standard as your home country. I may get some flack from the readers of this post, but it's not my burden if the workers are not paid a livable wage. When I tip, it's for exemplary service, not for just doing their job. IMO, tipping should be based on the local standard of living, not the U.S. or Switzerland. A $1000 tip from one customer can pay 4 months of wages for a local Indonesian.

There's also the issue of, will the crew member(s) who helped you the most get your intended tip or does it go into the pool for everyone to split? Does the company actually give all of the tip money to the crew or keep some for themselves? You just never know. I'd rather give my tip hand to hand to the crew who gave me the best personalized service.

Traveling with Money: Save yourself the hassle and buy the Rupiah from your local home bank and take it with you. In the U.S., we have Wells Fargo that sells foreign currency for a small fee. IMO, tipping is best in the local currency. If you have any left over at the end of your trip, tip or donate to a local citizen in the airport. It's the last place you'll need that currency before returning home.

 

[ontdiver]

I sympathize with those from countries where tipping is not the custom and where workers get a decent wage. The 10-15% tipping range probably originated in North America and has made its way around the globe. Should others conform to a North American standard? I don't think its fair or reasonable. Because on the flip side, when one is visiting a non-tipping country I venture that traditional tippers have no qualms about adjusting their habits.

 

[matts1w]

Most places pool their tips and split them accordingly during Ramadan, Neyppi, Christmas, or the like. I also know that in many cases, the extra money you hand off to your dive guide when no one is looking likely goes in the community pot, too. Understand it could put him/her in a crappy situation if others suspect he/she was keeping it for themselves. Preserving harmony is very much the Indonesian way, so it might be far better to put the tip in the tip box, so all is clear to everyone there.

Also, I have had more than one resort manager explain to me the importance of the tip box and pooling tips. Without a common pot, the most senior and/or strongest dive guides will cherry-pick guests from countries that tip and pass off the guests from non-tipping cultures to the least experienced staff. This obviously creates problems. The tip box also ensures a dive guide does not potentially make a poor decision and keeps an under-the-table tip.

Lastly, the above comment about standard of living and local salaries is spot on. Boats putting in people's heads that a couple should leave a $1000.00 USD tip for a week-long trip is... I don't get it. That is an incredible amount of money when one considers a G.P. doctor working in a hospital or clinic in Jakarta makes about $1000 USD a month. I truly hope liveaboard companies encouraging their guests to leave western-sized tips are also paying their Indonesian employees western-sized salaries. (Hint: they are not).

I know there are at least two active members here who run successful dive companies in Indonesia. I would love to see how they handle the tipping situation.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Most places pool their tips and split them accordingly during Ramadan, Neyppi, Christmas, or the like. I also know that in many cases, the extra money you hand off to your dive guide when no one is looking likely goes in the community pot, too. Understand it could put him/her in a crappy situation if others suspect he/she was keeping it for themselves. Preserving harmony is very much the Indonesian way, so it might be far better to put the tip in the tip box, so all is clear to everyone there.

Also, I have had more than one resort manager explain to me the importance of the tip box and pooling tips. Without a common pot, the most senior and/or strongest dive guides will cherry-pick guests from countries that tip and pass off the guests from non-tipping cultures to the least experienced staff. This obviously creates problems. The tip box also ensures a dive guide does not potentially make a poor decision and keeps an under-the-table tip.

Lastly, the above comment about standard of living and local salaries is spot on. Boats putting in people's heads that a couple should leave a $1000.00 USD tip for a week-long trip is... I don't get it. That is an incredible amount of money when one considers a G.P. doctor working in a hospital or clinic in Jakarta makes about $1000 USD a month. I truly hope liveaboard companies encouraging their guests to leave western-sized tips are also paying their Indonesian employees western-sized salaries. (Hint: they are not).

I know there are at least two active members here who run successful dive companies in Indonesia. I would love to see how they handle the tipping situation.

Yes, you are right about the money given on the side goes into the tip jar more often than not.

But a piece of gear or diving accessory (eg: trilobite), can be given.

 

[Indah]

Most places pool their tips and split them accordingly during Ramadan, Neyppi, Christmas, or the like. I also know that in many cases, the extra money you hand off to your dive guide when no one is looking likely goes in the community pot, too. Understand it could put him/her in a crappy situation if others suspect he/she was keeping it for themselves. Preserving harmony is very much the Indonesian way, so it might be far better to put the tip in the tip box, so all is clear to everyone there.

Also, I have had more than one resort manager explain to me the importance of the tip box and pooling tips. Without a common pot, the most senior and/or strongest dive guides will cherry-pick guests from countries that tip and pass off the guests from non-tipping cultures to the least experienced staff. This obviously creates problems. The tip box also ensures a dive guide does not potentially make a poor decision and keeps an under-the-table tip.

Lastly, the above comment about standard of living and local salaries is spot on. Boats putting in people's heads that a couple should leave a $1000.00 USD tip for a week-long trip is... I don't get it. That is an incredible amount of money when one considers a G.P. doctor working in a hospital or clinic in Jakarta makes about $1000 USD a month. I truly hope liveaboard companies encouraging their guests to leave western-sized tips are also paying their Indonesian employees western-sized salaries. (Hint: they are not).

I know there are at least two active members here who run successful dive companies in Indonesia. I would love to see how they handle the tipping situation.

Guests can (no obligation at all) give a tip when they settle the final bill. This amount will be written on the invoice as well and signed by the guest. Every employee who worked during the stay of these guests, or should have worked but were sick, receives exactly the same amount in Indonesian Rupiah. This prevents several things. One is ' cemburu sosial" might be translated as social jealousy. Another is that guides will not force themself to dive when they are not fit for it. Employees will not develop a sort of begging/sad stories telling behavior. Nobody thinks that there should be more in the jar than there actually is. Keep in mind that for example Japan has a tipping culture opposite to the US.
The worse thing a guest can do in my opinion is promising or giving rewards if the guide shows them that critter or fish which they really want to see.
Excellent service by our staff is mostly depending on the communication between the guests and the management, the guests and their guide and the management (my wife and me) with the staff. And every member of the company should be proud and feel satisfied as they did the best they could.

 

[Hegemon]

Just got back from the Harmoni. Had a great time with a great crew. Highly recommended. It was a pretty comfortable ship with a few bugs to work out but it has only been operating for a couple months. Silvia was managing the ship and she was very attentive.

 

[Centrals]

Tip box is a very good idea but over the years I knew freelance staff usually does not get a sniff of it.
Apparel, scuba equipment, sun glasses etc etc are as good as cash.
I can still remember the face of the boat boy when I gave him my old genuine English Premier League team shirt. The smile in his face, absolutely magic.

 

[Indah]

Tip box is a very good idea but over the years I knew freelance staff usually does not get a sniff of it.
Apparel, scuba equipment, sun glasses etc etc are as good as cash.
I can still remember the face of the boat boy when I gave him my old genuine English Premier League team shirt. The smile in his face, absolutely magic.

At the same time the others maybe did not understand why they did not get anything with the same value.
I you give items, please bring something for all.

 

[Centrals]

At the same time the others maybe did not understand why they did not get anything with the same value.
I you give items, please bring something for all.

How did you know the others did not receive anything? LOL.
The boy has his eyes on my shirt from the time he saw it and asked about it!
Cor! You are so simple!!!