Tipping Divemaster when abroad

[O2BBubbleFree]

Lol. Sneaking onto dive boats and pushing sleeping DMs into the water.

Honey! I found something for us to do this weekend!

But remember, only female DMs.

 

[Tigerman]

Hahaha.. So DMs are popularilly called "cows" now?

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/151889 Guess thats a DM-tipping game then?

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

Hahaha.. So DMs are popularilly called "cows" now?

I DIDN'T SAY THAT!

 

[Doc]

My first thought was, "So dive masters sleep standing up???" Probably aren't too many people here that know what 'cow tipping' is, though, so I won't mention it...

I always "hear" that when I hear the tip the DM thread rise from the dead. It's just the "abroad" thing that got me thinking of a Buddy Hackett riff.

 

[letsgodiving]

Okay I'll bite...

This is *my* pet hate.

I have to say I'm completely against this 'univerisal' tipping. The whole point of tipping is to show the member of staff or team that served you, that you where happy with the service you were given, and it was beyond what you expected.

Now, its generally accepted that tipping is to help out people who perhaps are on the lower end of the pay scales (waiters/waitress, DMs!, Bellboys, etc etc)

The concept of tipping is very different in the US. Waitresses get minimum wage, which is deducted from there pay check to cover the tax. Basically unless you tip them they get zero take home pay.

I would rather have slightly more realistic prices on the menu to cover the staffs wages, and then leave a small tip for good service BUT that is not the way it works in the US.

DMs do not receive any compensation from the charter company in most cases.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Many of you are comparing apples with rocks, or with creme brule. Or maybe french fries with baclava. This is just one in general US view of the most common dive boats. Not everywhere is the same.

There are cattle boats with Captain and deck hand(s) where divers get a ride to the dive site and a briefing before you dive with your buddy(ies) on your own. The deck hands are usually Instructors or DM's and there is usually some meager shift/trip pay. Captain and crew typically share the tip, sometimes even when the owner is the Captain. As the number of divers increases with regard to crew, appropriate tiping decreases, but $5/diver for a proper trip is the cheapest.

There are dive charters where the Captain and guide(s) work as a team to give the customer more than just a ride to the dive site; advice on other activities and dining, fine tuning of dive skills, briefing and tour of dive site helping locate the local highlites or personal priorities, anticipating the needs/wants of each diver and laughing at most of their jokes. More than 6 divers to a guide is not proper in most minds. These guides are often Instructors and paid nearly as well as the Captain, but $10/tank for a proper trip is the cheapest.

There are Live Aboards, where guests experience a certain level of luxury. The entire crew are often Instructors, even the Captain and Chef (least likely). Housekeeping, meals, entertainment, possible dive, camera and computer training, as well as minor medical treatment plus all the stuff above for a week or more! Less than 15% of the bill would be too cheap.

If you can only just barely afford to go somewhere or do something, you can not afford it! Stay at home or stay in hostels and do unguided shore dives, then spend your extra cash buying food and drink with the people you meet along the way and don't forget to tip your servers well!

The current tipping systems have been going on in various locals at various percentages for many many generations. Only an ignoramus would not try to learn and practice the customs and cultures of the region they are visiting (ie. no footwear in my house).:no

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

...There are cattle boats... but $5/diver for a proper trip is the cheapest.

There are dive charters ... but $10/tank for a proper trip is the cheapest.

There are Live Aboards, ... Less than 15% of the bill would be too cheap.

While I agree that the level of tip should increase with the level of service, there is never a 'too cheap.' The rudest people I have ever encountered were at the high-end op, and 'expected' an 18% gratuity. They got 0%.

The current tipping systems have been going on in various locals at various percentages for many many generations. Only an ignoramus would not try to learn and practice the customs and cultures of the region they are visiting (ie. no footwear in my house).:no

Exactly. Americans have inflated the international tip scene by not realizing that in many many countries tipping is unheard of / unacceptable.

 

[stu_in_fl]

.....by not realizing that in many many countries tipping is unheard of / unacceptable.

very true - also in some places it is actually seen as insulting (and in one that springs to mind is actually illegal - or at least discouraged for tourist to try to tip, illegal for the local to accept it [Singapore Airport])

cultural issues are very important

 

[divingmedic]

My three trips down to Cozumel with my local dive shop we each gave the trip leader 30-40 $ for 3-4 days of diving we did down there, I guess that boils down to about 10 bucks a day. Now when I dove in Key West a few years ago and DM stayed on the boat and let just me and some guy from Croatia dive on our own, didnt help change our tanks between dives, got a big fat zero from me.