How much to tip dive masters and boat crew in Cozumel?

[DandyDon]

Also, recall the Law of Unintended Consequences - generous tipping seems over time to foster an attitude of entitlement in the service industry. It seems to me that in restaurants, 10% used to be fine, but then 15% was viewed as 10% had been, and when using a credit card, the automatic suggested amount options now sometimes start with 18%, as though 15% were being a penny-pinching tightwad! And some online articles mention 20% like it's the new 15%!

That's the treadmill I hate. But I'm a nobody so I guess I can be written off as cheap as they move on to others.

 

[morecowbells]

Yes, I also wish that the guides, deckhands were paid a reasonable wage, it was included in the cost of diving, and that tipping was not required. This will not happen. I include my tip in my cost of diving. I pay $10 per tank also. There has been no cost of living increase here for many years.

I do agree with your positions. However, I think the dive op should be responsible for paying a reasonable wage. It seems unfair if a crew takes out a boatload of divers whose custom does not tip, or simply lousy tippers; ends up empty handed. Perhaps the next day will be more fruitful? The day to day fluctuations while living hand to mouth when your income is random and unpredictable should put the income onus on the dive op to do the right thing.

 

[jonhall]

I feel like 15-20% of the dive cost for a tip is now becoming standardized, so a 2-tank boat dive in Coz that costs $90 should result in a $15-$20 tip depending on the service.

First of all, there has to be an easier way to go back and see what you posted in a thread, like this one, without looking through every page until you find it!!! What I posted in 2015 is about the same as I do today.

The replies indicate that a flat fee for a tip is much more the standard than a percentage. A quick glance at previous years replies pretty much show that not much has changed in the amount that people tip.

Obviously, a 20% tip for a $50 2 tank dive is going to be different than the same % for a $100 2 tank dive - you'd be a cheapskate on one and be loved on the other!

 

[chillyinCanada]

My husband and I tip $10 per tank. Personally, I wish the tip amount was simply added to the base price. A) I cannot stand carrying around the bills in dry bag. B) Customers who are cheap or from countries that do not engage in this practice earn the same benefits, same majestic dive and creature sightings, yet pay far less.

I don't think that the guides care if the money is wet.

 

[waterone]

$30 per $80 trip = 37½%. I bet those guys love you. I don't mean to discourage your generosity,

I don't tip that well for all and I have had crap service with individual DM's but a bad DM wont stop me from tipping others like the cap well. (I have tipped the captain more than a dm before)

On our last trip we had one DM that made everything seem like we were constantly late and always in a hurry to get out of the water. The boat nicknamed him speedy, and I will not dive with him again. Night dives are my absolute favorite unfortunately we got paired with him again and he single handedly turned it into a horrible experience.

I donated over $1,000 to a local food bank during the shutdown, but I'm not going to match that on most trips.

Thats great that you were able and willing to do that.

Also, recall the Law of Unintended Consequences - generous tipping seems over time to foster an attitude of entitlement in the service industry. It seems to me that in restaurants, 10% used to be fine, but then 15% was viewed as 10% had been, and when using a credit card, the automatic suggested amount options now sometimes start with 18%, as though 15% were being a penny-pinching tightwad! And some online articles mention 20% like it's the new 15%!

At the self-serve icecream the first screen is select a tip, I don't. I tend to tip better when it is unexpected with actual service.

I'm not opposed to tipping (I'm aware of arguments for it, putting some leverage in the hands of the customer, incentivizing good service with positive rewards), and I like to be in the sweet spot of adequate customary tipping without feeding into 'tip inflation' or running up trip cost to the point I'm discouraged from using that vendor.

While also controversial, I also tip at AI. It has worked out extremely well for my travels. Bigger pours, better service, getting tables when there aren't any more available, and it helps my ego when people remember me

 

[Lorenzoid]

My husband and I tip $10 per tank. Personally, I wish the tip amount was simply added to the base price. A) I cannot stand carrying around the bills in dry bag. B) Customers who are cheap or from countries that do not engage in this practice earn the same benefits, same majestic dive and creature sightings, yet pay far less.

We tip $10/tank, too. And it's nuts. I have traveled a lot, and nowhere in the world is a 20% tip considered normal except the US. But I have long since accepted that Coz is, for our purposes, basically an outpost of the US. Bonaire, by way of contrast, is more of an outpost of the Netherlands (well, it IS the Netherlands), and Dutch visitors do not tip there.

 

[DandyDon]

At the self-serve icecream the first screen is select a tip,

For real? I think I'd have no problem clicking zero.

 

[waterone]

For real? I think I'd have no problem clicking zero.

Yes, and every time I click 0 I get a "nice" look from the person behind the register. I select my own cup, pull the lever to get the ice cream and then put my own toppings on.....Not going to do it!

 

[drrich2]

At the self-serve icecream the first screen is select a tip, I don't.

Great example. I feel no obligation to tip in restaurants if there's not some sort of 'sit down service.' I don't tip people to work cash registers and hand me a to-go container.

Yes, and every time I click 0 I get a "nice" look from the person behind the register.

And there we go...it went from voluntary generosity for real service that was appreciated (a custom with sit-down table service from a wait person in the past) to near-obligatory extra payment for cash register service to an entitled person who resents not getting it.

Not going to do it!

Good. I don't like playing Scrooge, but there comes a time when we need to push back against this crap. 'Enabler' is a thing.

 

[DandyDon]

Yes, and every time I click 0 I get a "nice" look from the person behind the register.

I think I would audibly make fun of the request.