Live Aboard Tipping

[EricJ]

My wife and I are going on our second live aboard trip, and we're curious about how much we should tip.

On our first live aboard, we asked the some other guests and matched their tip of a little over 10%. I noticed our upcoming live aboard lists 15% as their recommended tipping amount. A 15% tip is going to cost us $525.

I want to give a fair tip, and I didn't seem to find a whole lot of info specifically about tipping on live aboards when I searched the other threads.

Your advice will be appreciated, but don't expect a tip in return.

 

[scubasean]

My wife and I are going on our second live aboard trip, and we're curious about how much we should tip.

On our first live aboard, we asked the some other guests and matched their tip of a little over 10%. I noticed our upcoming live aboard lists 15% as their recommended tipping amount. A 15% tip is going to cost us $525.

I want to give a fair tip, and I didn't seem to find a whole lot of info specifically about tipping on live aboards when I searched the other threads.

Your advice will be appreciated, but don't expect a tip in return.

I tipped around ten percent on my last liveaboard...

The food was great, and I had the perfect amount of service...They only helped me scuba-wise when I asked....and left me alone otherwise...

 

[Mike Veitch]

10-15% of charter price is fair. Liveaboard employees do not get paid well, tips account for more than half of their salary.

The crew takes care of all your needs 24 hours a day and the tips are spread evenly throughout all members of the crew.

 

[padiscubapro]

My wife and I are going on our second live aboard trip, and we're curious about how much we should tip.

On our first live aboard, we asked the some other guests and matched their tip of a little over 10%. I noticed our upcoming live aboard lists 15% as their recommended tipping amount. A 15% tip is going to cost us $525.

I want to give a fair tip, and I didn't seem to find a whole lot of info specifically about tipping on live aboards when I searched the other threads.

Your advice will be appreciated, but don't expect a tip in return.

10-15% is the normal range to expect... It seems to be heading more towards the 15% in developed areas and areas dominated by american travelers - 3rd world country's or countries frequently dominated by europeans tipping is less expected..

 

[Mike Veitch]

- 3rd world country's or countries frequently dominated by europeans tipping is less expected..

Wouldn't say less expected, just the crew gets unfortunately shafted by Euros who demand more service than Americans but when it comes time to ante up they tip 0-2% ie $0-$50 (not all of them, just 90% of the mainlanders)

Brits are much better.


Unfortunately for Continental Euros this leads to a downward spiral of service. Crew members can only get shafted once or twice before the next person from that country gets poorer service due to his/her forebears.

Sad but true

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I will give a 10% tip on a liveaboard, if the service was good. If it was great they get more, if it was less than good then get less.

Or none. Just depends

 

[EricJ]

Thank you all for the advice. I'm thinking I'll use 10% as my base and go up from there depending on the service. That's also what the more experienced live aboard divers recommended on our last trip.

Thanks again for your help!!!!