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

[ReefHound]

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.

You may know this but I will sometimes do an advanced search, filtered by my username and estimated date range, on keywords I likely used. Unless I know I said something within the past dew days, it was probably further back than I thought. I'll look for something I think I said a few years ago and turns out to be like 2015. Must be that thing about time flying by as you get older.

 

[ggunn]

You may know this but I will sometimes do an advanced search, filtered by my username and estimated date range, on keywords I likely used. Unless I know I said something within the past dew days, it was probably further back than I thought. I'll look for something I think I said a few years ago and turns out to be like 2015. Must be that thing about time flying by as you get older.

Time does not care if you are having fun or not, and there is absolutely nothing funny about how it slips away.

 

[Mlindie4]

Geez. I think we undertipped our private DM. We paid her $30 a day ( 3 of us diving with her)I kind of thought this was the expected amount. Were we supposed to tip the captain too? Feel a little cheap now. When we went to pick up our equipment, should we have tipped the office staff as well? Live and learn.

 

[DandyDon]

Geez. I think we undertipped our private DM. We paid her $30 a day ( 3 of us diving with her)I kind of thought this was the expected amount.

For a two-tank trip, that's not a cheap tip. Many tip less, some more.

Were we supposed to tip the captain too?

They share tips.

When we went to pick up our equipment, should we have tipped the office staff as well?

That's a personal call depending on the service received. I don't think that it's a reasonable expectation, but then I think that tipping is overdone, leading to unreasonable expectations. A 10% tip at a restraunt used to be reasonable, but nowadays I'm considered cheap for leaving 15%.

 

[L13]

Geez. I think we undertipped our private DM. We paid her $30 a day ( 3 of us diving with her)I kind of thought this was the expected amount. Were we supposed to tip the captain too? Feel a little cheap now. When we went to pick up our equipment, should we have tipped the office staff as well? Live and learn.

I think the DM shares with the captain. Last time I was there I tipped $10-$15 per 2 tank trip depending on how good they did. I put $5 in the tip jar at the office every other day, maybe a bit more. The office did an outstanding job making sure they had my tanks right, etc. (DIN, nitrox some dives, not others).

I'm kind of with @DandyDon that a tip shouldn't be expected/obligatory, but I also like to tip when I feel good about the service.

I hope I wasn't being cheep too, lol

 

[ReefHound]

Geez. I think we undertipped our private DM. We paid her $30 a day ( 3 of us diving with her)I kind of thought this was the expected amount. Were we supposed to tip the captain too? Feel a little cheap now. When we went to pick up our equipment, should we have tipped the office staff as well? Live and learn.

Private DM, as in separate from the boat DM? Were you paying a private DM surcharge as well? If so, then your tip was fine. I don't think private DMs split tips with captain but I'm not sure. That would be something to ask when you book the private DM.

I always tip the staff at Scuba Shack but they do a lot for me. We often rinse and hang our gear to dry after the morning trip and often will head off to do stuff and they will put it in the locker room before leaving for the night. If I accidentally leave my camera out they will have secured it behind the counter. We usually do several shore dives and they provide support for those.

 

[L13]

Private DM, as in separate from the boat DM? Were you paying a private DM surcharge as well? If so, then your tip was fine. I don't think private DMs split tips with captain but I'm not sure. That would be something to ask when you book the private DM.

I always tip the staff at Scuba Shack but they do a lot for me. We often rinse and hang our gear to dry after the morning trip and often will head off to do stuff and they will put it in the locker room before leaving for the night. If I accidentally leave my camera out they will have secured it behind the counter. We usually do several shore dives and they provide support for those.

I love that I can trust my expensive gear to be safe at Scuba Shack! Those guys are great!

 

[Mlindie4]

Private DM, as in separate from the boat DM? Were you paying a private DM surcharge as well? If so, then your tip was fine. I don't think private DMs split tips with captain but I'm not sure. That would be something to ask when you book the private DM.

I always tip the staff at Scuba Shack but they do a lot for me. We often rinse and hang our gear to dry after the morning trip and often will head off to do stuff and they will put it in the locker room before leaving for the night. If I accidentally leave my camera out they will have secured it behind the counter. We usually do several shore dives and they provide support for those.

Yes, we had a private DM for all of our dives.

 

[Mlindie4]

I love that I can trust my expensive gear to be safe at Scuba Shack! Those guys are great!

The office staff did a great job with our equipment. I should have tipped them! We will be using the same company next time. I will make sure I tip them!

 

[Dan G]

For a two-tank trip, that's not a cheap tip. Many tip less, some more.

They share tips.

That's a personal call depending on the service received. I don't think that it's a reasonable expectation, but then I think that tipping is overdone, leading to unreasonable expectations. A 10% tip at a restraunt used to be reasonable, but nowadays I'm considered cheap for leaving 15%.

10% at a restaurant? It's been a very long time since 10% was acceptable. BTW, when was 10% a standard tip for restaurant service? I don't mean someone putting cream cheese on a bagel or handing you a slice of pizza or pouring a cup of coffee and putting a muffin in a bag, I mean an actual full service restaurant.