Tipping Guideline For Galapagos Liveaboards?

[outofofficebrb]

100% agree with the above, but the current process enables this. Etc etc etc.

The guy was retired, v blue collar etc, wife died what kid was 13, dad put him through college ‘Wisconsin math I think’ son doing well at work, wanted to treat dad for retirement, surprises him with refresher diving lessons and a liveaboard ( dad had been so in in the 80s and always spoke about how much he loved it)

We had a great 10 day trip. Guy ha an amazing time. Most of his kit was loner. Just a great all round old guy having the trip of his life, the stuff we all like to see on a boat. Comes to tip time an it’s mentioned. He asks me if I think his son paid it, I said I don’t know, he gets a bit stressed, asks how much, discussion is going g on on top deck about 10 Vs. 20 % etc etc. Loud dude strolls in and goes on about anyone paying less than 20% is a bum because the staff need it to survive etc. Old guy tells me he is worried because he doesn’t know how much the trip was but thinks it was over 4K as he doesn’t know if he has room on his credit card etc. I tell him not to worry, but he clearly does. He asks me again later and I tell him not to worry. He tells me he is usually a good tipper and he has no idea that he would have to add this much, but goes on about it probably being fair if they say it is and he just didn’t realize. Then next morning before we leave he is saying again that he should have asked before he came and he would have discussed it with his son and he can’t afford $1000 for a tip and he doesn’t think he has room on his credit card to cover it and if he had known he would have probably turned down the offer to come, all of it is out of shame as opposed to pride...and I try to reassure him.. but he clearly isn’t reassured.. and that it... that’s now his experience of his trip. From the best thing that has happened to him in the last 30 or so years since his wife died to shame....and I hated it and in that moment I hated that guy with his big mouth and the whole absurd tipping culture... and that’s that story...

I really feel for this guy. I can feel a lump in my throat just reading that. I have a lot of empathy and compassion for him in that situation. Even if he could afford to tip more and didn't, it is none of anyone's business even if we all disagreed with it. I would have reassured him with you had I been on that boat and would have hoped others would have as well. I also would have given the pompous arse an earful for that statement and been not so discreet about it given how he wasn't so discreet about his opinions.

I do think the American tipping culture has been expanded to other parts of the world and into different industries in a way that I don't necessarily agree with. I don't completely agree on the tipping culture even at home for many industries but that is a different topic altogether.

I tip on liveaboards but I see it as a way to show my appreciation. I don't do it out of obligation or because it's what I should do to "keep them surviving", so to speak. It's no wonder many people who come from non-tipping cultures/regions or places that have different tipping standards refer to tipping as a "tax". Yes, it is their job to be there and do things for us. Yes, the job requires that they get up at 5AM and not have personal time to wind down and sleep until 11PM. However, I appreciate how hard they work and all that they do to make my trip as enjoyable as it is. I appreciate and understand why they are far from their families and they are on the boat for long days, many days in a row without time off, and for long periods of time for a better lives for themselves and their family. I don't tip because of pity or because they "survive on it". I tip for appreciation. I tip for the small things they didn't have to do but did anyway. I tip for the various questions or requests I've had throughout the 7-12 days on the trip that they tried as hard to accommodate. I tip because it is my way of saying "thank you" in a meaningful way to them. I tip specific crew members more when they have really gone above and beyond. I have never heard of tipping 15-20% on liveaboards and that is from asking the operators themselves. That is also from asking the cruise directors and guides who have more to gain from answering with a higher amount. As I said, I've been on 9 and leaving for #10 and #11 next week. I've asked out of curiosity each time what their suggested amounts are. Most often, I end up with about 5% being the answer. A couple times, I was told by the head office to give what you feel comfortable with.

It's a lot like religion. Do what works for you and makes you happy. Don't push your ideas onto others. Share with others your opinions and feelings and let them decide if that is a compelling enough of a reason to be on your side of the fence with you. Have compassion and empathy in everything you do. It goes a long way in life.

 

[cleung]

Just as an update now that I got back from the Galapagos on the Calipso, they did something I did not expect. Instead of leaving just one envelope for tips that's meant for the entire crew (to be split among themselves I assume), they left in each cabin, two separate envelopes -- one for the crew and one for the divemasters. So somebody made a decision that they wanted us to tip the divemasters separately from the rest of the boat crew. I have no idea what other guests did with respect to the split nor even how much they tipped since this topic was never brought up, again to my surprise. I personally did not care about bringing this topic up with the other guests either as I had already made up my mind how much and how I was going to do the split.

 

[FreeFlyFreak]

I tip.
But these threads crack me up.
What's a "living wage"?
I make a "living wage" now.
But now im 53.
I really didn't make a living wage until I was 49, got no tips either, because I was a "professional"

 

[runsongas]

they also did separate envelopes in the red sea. i just asked the cruise director to confirm how many crew and how many divemasters were splitting each envelope.

 

[twistypencil]

The cocos aggressor 12 day trip is somewhere around $8400, plus another $630 for the park fee, and another $30 for "Emergency evacuation plan", plus the flights, hotel, trip insurance... giving 10% of the base price is nearly another $1k. Is that really what people tip? I'm all for the guys doing the work getting paid, and not lining the pockets of the trip operator, but yow, that is a lot of cash you gotta bring along.

 

[rongoodman]

I’m not sure where you’re getting those numbers. The Cocos trips are 10 days, not 12, and the cost is about $7K, or a little less. That’s the figure I base the tip on, and no cash is involved.

 

[twistypencil]

I’m not sure where you’re getting those numbers. The Cocos trips are 10 days, not 12, and the cost is about $7K, or a little less. That’s the figure I base the tip on, and no cash is involved.

There are multiple different trips, and depending on how many, the park fee is different:

8-nights - $350 pp plus 13% VAT tax
10- nights - $490 pp plus 13% VAT tax
12-nights - $630 pp plus 13% VAT tax

$8,399.00 is the price for the Cocos Aggressor for August for a suite shared with another person for 12 nights

 

[rongoodman]

Deleted

 

[Blackcrusader]

That 10% is shared by guides and all crew members evenly - usually 11 people. I wrote this years ago. It still applies.

TIPS: On the final full day, you will receive an envelope in your cabin in which you may leave your tip for the crew. Tips are discretionary j

10% may seem high at first glance, but if you divvy it up, it's not as much as it seems. Example: If you tip $500, that's less than $6.50 pp per day...for excellent service in an advanced and remote location. If you are from a culture unaccustomed to tipping, please respect the culture you are visiting.

Tips are a gratuity. I come from a culture where tipping is done but it's never expected. I live in a country where tipping is not done even in restaurants in most cases. People just pay by credit card or phone app and in Taiwan there is no tip option on a credit card or phone app payment. Tipping in Japan where I also dive is an insult.

This expectation that someone should tip 10% of the cost of the liveaboard is in my opinion a bit of a rip off.

 

[Blackcrusader]

The last LOB that I was on (SeaEsta in Australia) did not ask for a tip, nor did it appear to expect a tip.

One of my clients rented a vessel for a whole day to cruise Sydney Harbour before going to an AC DC concert a few years back.
One of the crew had just become a father. My client wanted to give him A$200 as a nice gesture. The crew member said he could not accept it he was really embarrassed.

I worked as a waiter and silver service waiter cooking table side meals. We never expected to get tipped. In once place I worked the waiters shared tips. I always found it strange we would get tips for the great food and service but no one ever tipped the chef's.
No one expects you to tip in Australia so it's really nice when you do so when people do not expect a tip.