Tipping - how much and are we cheap

[cecilb63]

A boat captain I knows says divers are the cheapest group around for getting tips. I've heard that other places too. How come? I know fish charters get decent tips.

Or maybe I should ask, what's expected for a tip when on a dive charter?

Furthermore, what about a tip for a dive instructor? Mine just finished my daughter's cert. It took an extra open water dive but her worked with her and did a great a job. So I gave him a tip. Seemed the right thing to do.

What's the feeling out there for tipping.

 

[RICoder]

Good question...I'm kinda curious what other people think too.

Personally, on a typical week vacation, 2 tanks per day, 4 days diving, I'll drop 40 bucks in the tip bucket. I always thought that was a decent tip, about 15% of the cost. Now you've got me wondering if I am a cheap *******!

 

[BSea]

I generally tip about 15%. I don't include the cost of the nitrox. So I do basically the same as RICoder. $10 for a 2 tank boat trip.

 

[caymaniac]

A boat captain I knows says divers are the cheapest group around for getting tips. I've heard that other places too. How come? I know fish charters get decent tips.

Or maybe I should ask, what's expected for a tip when on a dive charter?

Furthermore, what about a tip for a dive instructor? Mine just finished my daughter's cert. It took an extra open water dive but her worked with her and did a great a job. So I gave him a tip. Seemed the right thing to do.

What's the feeling out there for tipping.

Maybe $3 to 5 for a dive. You have to ask, what is the tip for. If I have a DM on a boatdive give me a dive briefing and that's it, they don't help me with my gear, they don't help me in or out, they don't help on a guided dive, then no tip. A tip is for going beyond the quoted price of the dive. When you boat dive you've paid for what? I'd say, you've paid for the boat to get from spot "A" to spot "B", you've paid someone to drive the boat and you've paid for a dive briefing as well as a DM in the water to assist with any saftey concerns.
In your example above, I would guess that the DM worked beyond the norm to help your daughter and would deserve a little something.
I've had some pretty crappy DM's and then I've had some great DM's who consider there job to be customer service.

 

[DBailey]

In most places, the captain does not share in the tips. The captain is paid from the cost of the charter. Tips should be for those that provide a service related to your diving experience.

On a regular charter (like a two-tank dive charter), I have noticed that it typically works out to be $5-$10 per tank. This usually works out to be 10%-20% of the cost of the charter.

On a live-aboard, it will usually be a percentage of the total package price. Usually along the lines of 20%. These tips get distributed amonst everyone (not the captain) since you have more services like cooks, cabin cleaning, etc.

As with the rest of the service industry, tip according to the service delivered. If they met your expectations shoot for the 15% range. If they exceeded it, increase the tip. If they didn't live up to your expectations, feel free to tip less.

 

[stardiver]

....and don't forget to tip MUCH more if the crew:
- cleans up your puke
- has to retrieve you because you didn't follow directions
- helps with your camera
- has to re-weight you
- provides you with an extra tank from the boat supply because you forgot to get a fil
- helps you with stage bottles
- hangs a deco line
- hangs a line for clipping off your deco bottles

and most importantly of all -
serves FOOD.

*

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Here's a few threads for a broader view of the subject:
Is Tipping a N. American Thing?
To Tip or Not to Tip
Reference Guide to Tipping Around the World
Tips on Tips
How Much do You Tip?
A Fair Tip on a Dive Boat for DM
What to Tip?
The All-Inclusive Tipping Note--Boats, DM's and Instructors
Tipping
Tipping Your Divemaster
Tipping not a City in China?
Tipping Dive Crews

Hope this provides some insight and a convenient place to find the tipping threads.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[caymaniac]

On a live-aboard, it will usually be a percentage of the total package price. Usually along the lines of 20%. These tips get distributed amonst everyone (not the captain) since you have more services like cooks, cabin cleaning, etc.

.

I think about 10% is enough for a week of diving, and this is what we feel others from the US we've met on liveaboards have tipped. In Australia, the Aussies have warned me that they don't like the tipping method that Americans have and they don't want it started in their country. This included their restaurants as well as their diving. I was told that the employees make enough without the tip. One needs to remember not to insult those that live in the country you are visiting.

 

[diverdan214]

As noted it depends on where you are. Going on the Resteraunt example about, in the US serving staff are generally paid little per hour as its assumed tips will make up the difference, whereas in Europe the base pay is proportionally better as there is less of a tip culture. In the Americas I'd say 15% base up to 20 if there's exceptional service. Rest of the world I'd tip about 5% less.

 

[mccabejc]

A boat captain I knows says divers are the cheapest group around for getting tips. I've heard that other places too. How come? I know fish charters get decent tips.

I'm gonna guess that the difference between fishermen = good tips and divers = poor tips is this :

fishermen =