The all-inclusive tipping note -- Boats, DMs & Instructors

[GQMedic]

Dennis, (Why do I feel like I am talking to myself here, hmm, gotta be the name) you're assuming that EVERYONE has/is/will kick into to the "kitty" for the DM's tips.. In a perfect world, this would happen, thus, things being as they are, it doesn't.

20 divers @ 5 bucks a head in the morning, 20 divers @ 5 bucks a head in the afternoon= $200 a day. That comes out to about $20 an hour for a 10 hour divemaster day.

 

[Brian Gilpin]

I enjoy quality help on a boat and I am more than willing to compensate it. For a local ride here in Norcal 20 bucks seems about right for adequate service, more for excellent service. Keep in mind that local DMs usually do not have to enter the water.

I also do group dive travel to Baja. There as leader I do 100 a day per 6-8 divers in addition to what individual members do.The individuals often do about 10 per day when they do tip. The expected level of service is higher however. I expect gear to be carried and that they clean all non- critical gear. In addition they are actually in the water with us and help out with newbies which allows others to enjoy their dives more.

 

[simbrooks]

The only thing i wonder is where you all have DM's, ours dont "carry our gear, wash stuff down, get there any earlier than us" - in fact one dive we had to wait for the DM to arrive so the boat could leave. On that trip, he gave some info, maybe a minute and held the dive flag line, that was pretty much it, didnt see him most of the time.

IF the DM's around here did something extra and helped some more, they might get extra tip on top of $10 (and that was generous! - at 20% the 2 tank dive price). I sometimes feel generous giving a 10% tip to waiters when they only take an order and bring the food - maybe a 3 minutes work in total, the rest of the time i see them chatting, they provide no addition service, or are not particularly helpful. People have to work for a wage and if that wage has to include tips (due to cheap boat operators) then they have to provide more service than just sitting on the boat and holding the dive flag.

Just in case you are wondering, i am British, most Americans regard me as a bad-moderate tipper (10-15% mostly) - this is partly due to custom in the UK where you dont tip often as the employees get a reasonable wage. Although i used to jump thru hoops in bars and restaurants to make sure people came back (partly as we owned one of those restaurants), i was very lucky (maybe once per quarter) that i would get a tip (which would be a beer at most). Its really not that common - as for dive boats over there, i cant speak of that from my personal experience, but hopefully some day in the next year or so i should be back over there to dive with members of my family and will find out. The only boats i know who ask for a tip are the tourist Thames tours for the tourists - who often tip, which i regard as another way the tourist trap hits your pocket and they are really just asking for a hand out when they are paid well enough already.

As an infamous lawyer around here says (about medical/nursing home staff, etc), "pay your staff a decent wage and you wont have to worry about me" - the same is true for DM's, i would much rather have the cost of the DM included in the boat price, but that wont happen cos boat owners are as cheap as divers.

 

[Marebythesea]

For me tipping is a matter of conscience and no, I am not Catholic. I do what I feel is right based on the type of trip, the individuals involved and the circumstances of the dive operation, country and/or area I’m diving. Generally, the only reason I would not tip is if I got bad or negative service, or if I saw other divers being treated poorly. In those instances I have no problem not tipping.

If tipping guidelines are not posted the first thing I ask, before I even put a fin in the water, is "What is your tip policy?” I like paying a flat $5 to $20 dollars per day versus a percentage, but only because I am mathematically challenged. If any crewmember, including the captain, goes above and beyond I will give them extra and make sure they know it is for them and them alone. I will not give individuals more at the expense of others who have worked equally hard. I know some dive operators frown on this practice when they have a crew kitty, because of "team work" and all, but sometimes I am just a bad girl and break the rules...no apologies.

As for a DM, I expect that if I personally need a DM for a one on one, I will pay extra for that need. For most operations, a DM should always be on board and calculated into the price of admission. I have also tipped my certification instructor(s)..they deserve it, and more, after working with me!

I may be wrong on this, but I think most dive operators are not making money hand over fist, at least my friends aren't. They work hard 24/7 for every penny they make and neither they (the operators) nor their employees are making what they should. To suggest they should charge more and pay their employees more is ludicrous in MHO. If given the choice between two dive operations, equal in every way except price, divers will take the cheaper of the two. Having many times volunteered my time on a boat in the Keys (on my vacations for my owner friend), and busted my butt each time I did it, I know first hand that divers in generally are not only not big tippers, most don't tip at all. Many on this board may disagree with me, but what these operations usually see are the vacation or casual diver, not the "hard core" aware individuals who interact on this board.

I have been very blessed and fortunately get paid exceedingly well for what I do for my "real" job, but I would never return a tip for my "volunteer" work! Dah?!?! What I have always done is give it to the captain/owner to disperse among the employees of the dive operation.

 

[hnladue]

ok so I dive with my LDS usually. He charges $25 to rent 2 tanks(with fills) and then $35 for the boat ride. He owns the LDS and the boat. There are usually 8 people on board. Now, we go out on this tiny tiny lake, nothing really to see, it's more of a practice your skills dives. Now he doesn't help me at all in or out of the water. We all watch out for each other. Only thing he does is ask where we would like to go. Now you want me to tip him too??????? I think he's made enough for a 2.5 hr boat trip in a crappy pontoon boat.

 

[scubasean]

Tipping began by customers paying extra $$ up front so they would get better service during their stay. We should go back to this way of thinking and quit "expecting" additional compensation for these industries.

Interesting point...So, isn't this the same as charging more for the boat? Or are you saying that only those who tip will get whatever is deemed extra service?

I was on a liveaboard last year geared up for a night dive when my fin strap broke...and I was at the gate ready to get in when some unknown person came up and asked me if I had a new strap...I did, and found it quickly...That person replaced my strap over a few minutes while I stood there fully geared up, and I got my fin back in three-four minutes, and I jumped in...

I went around the following morning trying to determine who helped me, asking both crew and passengers, and never was able to find out who had saved my dive for me...And had nowhere to put the $20 I had in my hand as I went around to find (hoping to thank...) the person...LOL

 

[5615mike]

Interesting point...So, isn't this the same as charging more for the boat? Or are you saying that only those who tip will get whatever is deemed extra service?..........

That point was more for the bar/rest/industry. Considering the diving industry, just charge me more for the trip/dive, pay your staff a decent wage and we both go down the road. If I want to take my DM to lunch, buy him a beer later and thank them for their service, if it was really good, then I'll do so but this whole tipping concept has gotten out of hand IMO. You want these people compensated propertly, talk to their employers about it. The problem is that if you continue to leave it up to individuals then the current problem of people not tipping is not going to change. I see many divers who never tip DM's. Typically, I pay them at the end of the trip and I let them know that. I tell them all, make this trip overly enjoyable and I will make it worth your while. If we have a really great first day, then I'll give them a major tip and let them know if they keep it up there's more where that came from. Again, the amount of tip is going to vary greatly upon the service that they provide. Now, lets really get into the heart of this. Go to Coz at least once a year. Use a DO that handles our gear from start to finish. We never touch it while were there. Guys back at the shop wash it after each day. Now, with that additional service, should one pay the DM's all the tip and let them allocate the split? I think not. They are going to probably keep it all. I give some to DM's and take care of the shop guys separately.

 

[Marebythesea]

ok so I dive with my LDS usually. He charges $25 to rent 2 tanks(with fills) and then $35 for the boat ride. He owns the LDS and the boat. There are usually 8 people on board. Now, we go out on this tiny tiny lake, nothing really to see, it's more of a practice your skills dives. Now he doesn't help me at all in or out of the water. We all watch out for each other. Only thing he does is ask where we would like to go. Now you want me to tip him too??????? I think he's made enough for a 2.5 hr boat trip in a crappy pontoon boat.

I don't think anyone has said, "YOU MUST TIP REGARDLESS." What I've said and what I've read in this thread is, tip if it is appropriate and if you feel you've gotten service that warrants it. In the situation you describe I don't think anyone would suggest you tip, I know I wouldn't...it's just common sense.

 

[melfox26]

Quote:
Originally Posted by GQMedic
5 to 10 bucks? More than acceptable to a divemaster? Dude, you are cheap!

Have you even a clue what DMs make?


In my experiences with dive boats, they are merely a taxi service to get us to and from the dive sites. All the DM's do is a pre-dive briefing, buddy up single divers, help with fins maybe. They don't serve as a guide in the water, thus don't deserve any more than 5 to 10 bucks per dive day. Multiply that by the number of divers on a standard cattle car boat and that's a pretty good tip for the amount of work they do.
I did have a boat trip in Las Vegas (Lake Mead, actually), where I was the only diver, so the DM/Instructor went diving with me. This of course merited a generous tip. I'm also sure that on my upcoming trip to Coz, since the DM's actually get in the water and guide us, my tipping will be generous.
Tips aren't mandatory, they are an extra bonus for good service. I don't appreciate being called cheap when I'm following standard practice among the people I dive with and the majority of those that I've read on this board. GQMedic, follow your own example, and bite your lip on this one too.

Mel

 

[PolsVoice]

I started this thread to find out what the common courtesy was, not to read/listen to fellow divers check theirs at the door.

Let's keep this civilized, I didn't mean for this thread to hit on such a tender nerve.

Peace... really.

- PolsVoice.