Liveaboard Tipping

[SeaHorse81]

The liveaboard crews I have experienced (with one noteworthy exception) have been remarkable. I tip in the 10-20% range depending on just how great they are, with an extra $20 or so to anyone who has gone even further above and beyond, just for me. I'm sure these people are busting their butts in part because they hope to get a good tip at the end of the week, but my impression is that they also do it because they value giving exceptional service and making sure that we get a good week for the thousands they know we're spending to be there. I tip an amount that I hope will convey (above and beyond my always-spoken thanks) that their efforts were noticed and appreciated.

These people work incredibly hard. I don't think it's fair to book a trip that doesn't take reasonable tipping into account as part of the budget going in.

 

[vladimir]

Tipping in cash as suggested in this thread would be nice, but sometimes a wad of local cash equal to US$300 or whatever would be about an inch (yes, I'm American) thick and might require a trip to a bank, since cash machine limits in developing countries are often proportional to the local cost of living, not liveaboards. Would the crew be annoyed if I were to tip in US dollars? I suspect they would be less than thrilled to have difficult-to-exchange US 100-dollar bills, but lugging around a large wad of bills in any country's currency is not something I want to do for a variety of reasons. My wife and I are doing a liveaboard soon, but it is part of a much longer trip where we will be backpacking around Asia for a couple of months. Since the rest of the trip costs will be far less than the liveaboard, we don't plan to carry much cash with us--we had hoped that the liveaboard would be fully paid in advance. This thread, of course, reminds me that we need to bring enough cash for a tip. If they can accept a credit card aboard, I would much prefer to tip that way.

Which currencies don't have denominations big enough to give tips with less than an inch of bills? If you get on the Zimbabwe Aggressor, just get some Z$100 Trillion notes—and tip early, before they're worthless. Seriously, for tips, the US dollar is good just about everywhere, and if you're giving out C-notes, the crew will be happy to find a place to convert them. People in the tourist industry usually have this figured out already.

The suggestion to tip in cash originally came from crew members in prior threads like this, who claimed they didn't get their tips. On the Nekton, and on other boats, as well. But if you're worried, just tip by credit card—and tell the crew how much.

 

[Jax]

Then people should budget for the total expected cost, not just the boat. Seriously, I'd never stiff the crew on their tip.

So that is an interesting question for boat crew members -- anyone?

Joe Snuffy is in Georgia, and going to drive to Key West for he and his wife's Liveaboard. He's budgeted $400 in tips.

The week before the trip, some moron hits Joe's Van. He has to fork out the $1k deductable. add to that the cost of gas is up $1/gal.

What is better, crew members?

* a lower tip with Joe saying, "I wish it could be more, fellas, but life kicked me in the teeth before we came down." or

* Joe and his wife cancel the trip.

 

[beautybelow]

So that is an interesting question for boat crew members -- anyone?

Joe Snuffy is in Georgia, and going to drive to Key West for he and his wife's Liveaboard. He's budgeted $400 in tips.

The week before the trip, some moron hits Joe's Van. He has to fork out the $1k deductable. add to that the cost of gas is up $1/gal.

What is better, crew members?

* a lower tip with Joe saying, "I wish it could be more, fellas, but life kicked me in the teeth before we came down." or

* Joe and his wife cancel the trip.

You are siting a hypothetical and probably isolated event in the grand scheme of things, but since you want it I pick A.

But Joe doesn't need to tell me why. It's his business. Unless he wants to hear my personal woes and financial situation. Mine might trump his...then where to we go?

 

[Wookie]

Bad example. If Joe and his wife cancel the trip, in most cases there is no refund, depending on the boat's policy. If Joe and his wife show up, they will be treated like any other passenger. If Joe and his wife cancel, the work load on the crew is less, and they weren't going to get a tip anyway (in your example). It's easier on the crew not to have Joe and his wife come along. The boat owner is just as happy either way.

Except - Joe and his wife are unhappy. The boat owner suggested trip cancellation insurance, but Joe and his wife decided not to because they just couldn't afford the trip, and the gas, and the van wreck, and the tip, and the insurance. Now the boat owner has to come up with a solution because of Joe's poor planning that will make everyone unhappy.

I hate to be this way, but a dive trip costs more than the charter fee and transportation to the dock. We don't recommend trip insurance because we like the commissions we get from the insurance company, we recommend it because we are honestly trying to protect the consumer from unforeseen circumstances like someone hitting your van.

A dive trip includes the charter fee, the transportation to the boat, the tip, the travel insurance, the baggage fees, the shipping of gear, pet sitting, house sitting, Rebreather consumables, trimix, repair fees for regulators, tanks and weights (if not liveaboard), the list is endless and expensive.

 

[beautybelow]

Bad example. If Joe and his wife cancel the trip, they paid for it anyway. If Joe and his wife show up, they will be treated like any other passenger. If Joe and his wife cancel, the work load on the crew is less, and they weren't going to get a tip anyway (in your example). It's easier on the crew not to have Joe and his wife come along. The boat owner is just as happy either way.

Except - Joe and his wife are unhappy. The boat owner suggested trip cancellation insurance, but Joe and his wife decided not to because they just couldn't afford the trip, and the gas, and the van wreck, and the tip, and the insurance. Now the boat owner has to come up with a solution because of Joe's poor planning that will make everyone unhappy.

I hate to be this way, but a dive trip costs more than the charter fee and transportation to the dock. We don't recommend trip insurance because we like the huge commissions we get, we recommend it because we are honestly trying to protect the consumer from unforeseen circumstances like someone hitting your van.

A dive trip includes the charter fee, the transportation to the boat, the tip, the travel insurance, the baggage fees, the shipping of gear, pet sitting, house sitting, Rebreather consumables, trimix, repair fees for regulators, tanks and weights (if not liveaboard), the list is endless and expensive. If you can't afford the sport, take up something cheap like skiing. Oh, Snap.

Yes, the bottom line is probably Joe isn't at a place in his life where he should be doing live aboards. I was there once. Hmmm...maybe still am.

Now I am wondering if Joe's van is financed and maybe his CC bills are over his head...maybe I don't feel so bad for ole Joe. I need more info Joe...

Anyway, good answer.

 

[vladimir]

Bad example.

What Jax meant, if I may:

The SS Minnow has a capacity of 18 guests. Joe's family would like to take the last 4 berths, but they only have $10k in the liveaboard portion of their travel budget, the balance carefully budgeted for planes, taxis, dog-sitters, etc. The SS Minnow charges $2400 per person. Would the crew like to have Joe's family fill the last 4 berths, and collect the $400 left in their budget for a tip, or would they rather have a little less workload?

I think we already have your answer, Wookie.

 

[Jax]

So that is an interesting question for boat crew members -- anyone?

Joe Snuffy is in Georgia, and going to drive to Key West for he and his wife's Liveaboard. He's budgeted $400 in tips.

The [-]week[/-] month before the trip, some moron hits Joe's Van. He has to fork out the $1k deductable. add to that the cost of gas is up $1/gal.

What is better, crew members?

* a lower tip with Joe saying, "I wish it could be more, fellas, but life kicked me in the teeth before we came down." or

* Joe and his wife cancel the trip.

Okay, we're tripping over details! hbrother:

Let's say the SHTF in time for Joe to cancel and get a refund . . . .


Seriously, guys, I can really tell who knows what is going on in the economy and who is secure in their current position. People scrape and save to take these trips, and sometimes life kicks them in the teeth. My Nephew and his family was coming to the States for three weeks this summer, had saved since last year, but suddenly the flights cost $1490pp instead of the $800 planned! So, instead, they will tour Europe.

I guess I'm very sympathetic to those that scrape and save for something, just to have the rug pulled out. I was there a long time ago.

 

[Wookie]

What Jax meant, if I may:

The SS Minnow has a capacity of 18 guests. Joe's family would like to take the last 4 berths, but they only have $10k in the liveaboard portion of their travel budget, the balance carefully budgeted for planes, taxis, dog-sitters, etc. The SS Minnow charges $2400 per person. Would the crew like to have Joe's family fill the last 4 berths, and collect the $400 left in their budget for a tip, or would they rather have a little less workload?

I think we already have your answer, Wookie.

That is really a different scenario, and I'll tell you why.

Since sometime in maybe September, 2008 the entire travel industry changed. Obviously it changed with the economy, but let me go a little further. Everyone's budget, especially for leisure travel like liveaboards is stretched to (and past) the max. So are the company budgets. For instance, Joe puts in for vacation in January for his family's liveaboard trip. They have carefully budgeted and (as you say) have $400 left over for the tip. No sweat, we welcome them anyway. The vacation is approved, and they have the tickets, the dog sitter, etc. On Friday of the weekend they depart, Joe's boss says "Joe, I need you to work on the Harrison account next week and it needs to be done by COB Thursday". Joe gleefully says that he has vacation arranged and it was approved back in January. Can't Smith work on the Harrison account, and Joe will be available by Sat Phone if you need him. Boss tells Joe that if he likes his job he'll have the Harrison account on his desk by COB Thursday or he can go on his vacation and spend the remainder of the afternoon packing his desk.

Joe is going to miss the boat. You'd be surprised how many times per week this happens. Used to be that the company would make the vacation good, but with corporations being people now, they are in the driver's seat for employees, so Joe is SOL. Joe has learned to not schedule his vacation until the very last minute. If you looked at my calendar, you'd see that there are 5 spots available for the next weekend tip. That trip will sell out, and it will sell out the day of departure, when everyone has looked at the weather report, made sure that the lawn is mowed, honeydo's are done, and gas isn't $6 per gallon.

So, 30 days out when Joe has a van wreck, I'm happy to refund his money because I'm very likely to resell his spots. Hotels.com and Aggressor Fleet are teaching folks to book last minute by offering specials. So, in your case, Vladimir, I'm happy to have Joe and his family who have budgeted $400 in tips, because, as I said way earlier in the thread, we like tips, but don't expect them. It really is apples and oranges compared to Jax's scenario.

By the way, Joe's family (of 4, mom, dad, 2 teenagers) almost exclusively tip $400. Every time. Regardless of the price of the trip.

 

[Jax]

Yikes . . . but you've given me ideas for the future . . .