Tipping....how much do you tip?

[da-gd]

We choose to do what makes us feel right with the universe and keep Karma in balance. Nothing is automatic. Great service reaps great benefits though.

 

[vladimir]

I got a glimpse into the foreign perspective while speaking with a cab driver in Grand Canaria (a part of Spain). He was talking about a recent trip to the US and how he was uncomfortable all the time at restauraunts because he didnt know if his server was being nice to him just to raise her expected tip. He felt this was a negative aspect to tipping because you couldn't trust that servers were being genuine. I realized on my trip out of the country - I don't care why the server is nice and accomodating! I just want to them be nice and accomadating.

If you have some time to waste, browse this site: bitterwaitress — your resolution for 2008? tip better! . It'll give you some insight into how they really feel about you.

I generally tip well, I think: 20-25% of the total bill in our over-priced restaurants. I tipped the crew of the Undersea Hunter $500 for a ten day, $4,000 trip in June. They did a great job, seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves, and appreciated the tip. I stiffed the divemasters in Bonaire last month. That's the first time I've ever done that, but when you are skipping boat dives that you've pre-paid because the DM's are so annoying, clearly tipping is out of the question.

 

[SeaHound]

I gave 10$ for a 2 tank trip but was wondered the same thing. Very good post BTW

 

[HowDidIGetIntoThis?]

Hey, Ian. I believe that around here, the boat help is considered independent contractors, correctly or not. Here is from the website of Splashdown Divers in Boynton Beach:

A Note on Tipping

A 10% to 15% tip to the dive master is appropriate and very much appreciated.
For group bookings a 10% tip will be added to the group bill unless other arrangements are made with the captain.

It is my understanding that the only money they make from the dive trip is tips. Many have other sources of income.

I don't mind tipping. Years ago, there was no divemaster. The more experienced divers were expected to assist the novices. I did this at the time, and I am more than pleased to pay for somebody else to do it now.

Happy diving!

The problem with your assessment is that most DMs DON'T get paid a fair wage. They depend on tips the same way a waitress who gets paid $2.25 hr. depends on tips. I just did 16 dives in Roatan and the total bill for the dives was around $350 plus $175 for two specialties. I tipped a total of $175.....$75 & $50 to specific DMs and $50 into the tip box. The DM's made the entire experience a true pleasure!

In my perfect world, tipping would be appropriate under only the most unusual circumstances. Of course there would also be no famine, wars, injustice, or cranky spouses.

So much for fantasy.

So long as tipping is more or less a fact of life in this part of the world, I do like the notion of a rate based on $/tank. Can we get a concensus that $5 or $10/tank is fair? Should there be a difference between a day trip rate vs. someone who is looking after you for a week? Does the rate need to vary from one country to another? There are enough of us involved in this discussion that it shouldn't be hard to develop a rate matrix, if that's what it takes to be fair.

Using a percentage rate raises a big question - Percentage of what? RLeslie, help me out: when you were on Roatan if you'd been staying in an all-inclusive, how would you have determined the cost of the diving component? Or worse, if the trip price included your airfare, how would you break it out? On top of tipping DMs or Captains, what about the staff at the hotel?

When I was in Belize I discovered, to my chagrin, that I was carrying nowhere near enough cash to cover the tips politely indicated by the hotel. It was only then that I understood why they were so anxious to do everything for me - e.g. book flights to the mainland, which will be put on your hotel bill "for your convenience" (then add 15% for the tip...). The dive operation was a very classy, tiny, business. I'm very thankful that I saw someone tip them before the end of the week so that I understood the protocol before it was too late to make it right. Sure I felt dumb, but we all have to start from ignorance and learn along the way.

 

[PvtStash]

When its a Fee.


When the "Tip" goes from being an Extra bonus for Extra Service to Mandatory (subtlely suggested/guilted) for ANY Service it has Ceased to be a Tip and has become just another Fee.

Its unfortunate that the "independant contractors" work ONLY for tips... , but I should not be made to feel guilty about that... the conditions that THEY choose to work under are between Them and their Captain; perhaps a DiveBoatCrew Union needs to be formed... to advocate fair an acceptable wages for dive boat personel.

 

[bobbates]

So many of y'all are very generous and appreciative of the facts. And admittedly, it is confusing. I have always thought it a bit messed up that you pay for your dive and that there is a "secret charge" no one tells you about and it is "impolite" to mention when you pay, but is totally expected of you. A dive is 10-15% MORE expensive than the listed price...as one who relies on this system to pay my rent and buy food, I hafta admit I resent the "secret" part.
I am also a bit put off by some of the excuses from both sides. Crews should try to remember peoples names, where they were sitting, offer help and assistance, and my peeve is crewmembers who only talk to each other, or spend the entire trip in a tight clique. I insist that the mate move around and schmooze a bit...get to know people, solve problems before they occur, soothe some nerves...get to know people a bit.
This service, an enhancement of a vacation experience is what I believe is deserving of a tip...making people feel appreciated, safe, comfortable.
Those with an angry anti-tipping attitude are a tiny minority, but crews who provide bad service are way more common than they should be.
Upshot:
If I didn't get tipped, I couldn't afford to do this.
Tips are greatly appreciated. 10$ is common. As is 20$.
Keep your damned 3$. Who does that? Are you pissed? Are you clueless? Are you cheap? Are you Canadian by some chance?
Don't tip "at the end". That always ends up being the cheapskate exit. I see people who dive 10 times in a week...that works out to a minimum of $100, but the usual drill is to drop $20 with the "Thanks guys! You were awesome! Seeya in 6 months!" Tell your waitress that "I'll be here all week. I'll tip you at the end" and see how that BS flies.
Good service and a tip are inextricably linked, and delaying it causes doubt. It is no inconvienience whatsoever to carry your tip money with you. The benefit, I assure you, will be obvious.
All that said...if the service is bad, don't tip at all. Use another dive op...do your research on boards like this one. You deserve the best service possible.
Mediocrity and rudeness should never be rewarded, IMHO.

 

[Waterskier1]

Personally, I prefer the tip when it becomes a fee. When I cruise, it is becoming almost standard to have a fixed gratuity (like $10/day) added to you bill. When I went on live boards, it was advertised that a 10% gratuity was either expected or automatically added to the bill. I suspect that I am unusual in this aspect, since I really hate tipping for the sake of tipping, but really do wish to pay the fair fee. And I hate trying to guess the sacred hidden percentage expected. But, I am also not sure that tipping directly relates to service. And, often I prefer to decline the service – like the time in Cozumel when I just got onboard and one of the DM punched both my releases. I guess this is usual on some boats, but nobody briefed me and I almost knocked another over trying to reach for my falling tank. Or the ones who turn you air off after you turn it on for a dive. I guess since most of my diving has been from the shore, I tend to do things for myself. If I want to be pampered, I’ll seek out a place that specializes in that. But, if I want to camp in a National Forest, don’t force me to accept Penthouse style room services, and then tip on top!

I read last month a list of all to whom we should tip. Generally, that is anyone who provides a service. Does that include your Doctor or Lawyer? As an employee of the Federal Government employee by the military, I provide a service, but I am prohibited from accepting a tip (which we call a bribe or kickback, depending on who gives it).

I am not trying to cut anyone out of what they are due. But it is really difficult when the “appropriate” tip varies over 100% from one person’s perspective to another. And that is for the same job, not exceptional service versus mediocre. I also question the notion that a tip yields better service. Is that kind of like “pay me more, and I’ll do a better job than I’m doing”?

Bottom Line: Advertise the total price including fees and tips, along with the services you provide, and let me select what fits me best, and neither of us will be disappointed in the final costs.

 

[PCBCaptChris]

While it would be nice to have the tip added into the cost, the operators are just not willing to take it on. DMs take the positions because they like it, and if they provide good service, they make ok money from the tips. So they do know going into it they may not make much money, but that is the deal take it or leave it. No large corporations with thousand of employees to organize...

I think tipping is fairly simple. Ask yourself, "What would I tip a waiter or waitress that does a good job?" Then add to that the ability of a good DM to save your life in an emergency... I'd rather do my part to keep the qualified person on the boat...

 

[Waterskier1]

I think tipping is fairly simple. Ask yourself, "What would I tip a waiter or waitress that does a good job?" Then add to that the ability of a good DM to save your life in an emergency... I'd rather do my part to keep the qualified person on the boat...

That might be true if you know that the industry doesn't pay a salary to DMs (which is not true globally - some places it is an insult to tip dive crew). The argument of good tipping creating "a good DM qualified and will to save your life in an emergency" shouldn't hold water.

This would seem to imply that the DM is a fee for service based pay (think Real Estate Agent) who only gets paid if he does something good (points out cool fishes, helps you don your kit, saves your life). Do you tip you local Police, Fire or EMS professional? Do you tip your local Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman? If not, would they do a better job of saving your life if you did?

I think most of us are capable of evaluating services versus costs and making a decision that fits our lifestyle. But only if we know the true costs. Tell me what the cost is, including fair wages for all, ahead of time. That way no one will be disappointed if we don’t discover the hidden fees & tips. Absent that, an industry standard rate or fee would be great. (The OP original question, I think). I don't think most of us are trying to "cheap out", but give us some firm, mutually agreeable guidelines. Don't just tell us $3 a tank is crap, and $10-$20 or more (a 100%+ variance for the same job) is okay.

I know I won’t change the whole philosophy of tipping. But I will tell you that I tend to take my business to those who clearly tell me upfront what they expect to be paid. As much as I hate add on fees for gratuities or fuel surcharges and such, I still prefer doing business with someone who presents the total cost to one who leaves me guessing and hopes making me feel guilty will increase their income.

 

[Oside Jimc]

And why should I care if you are not making a living doing what you want to do? Sorry, but if you want to make more money, evaluate what you are doing for a living..

Attitudes like that will leave us with the bottom of the barrel in the dive industry, way to go!, personally I'd rather have a quality professional available if / when the feces hits the fan!!

You guys that have such a hard time parting with a buck need to spend a few months working for tips, your attidude with change. A summer working as a deckhand on the fishing boats out of San Diego sure did it for me. It never ceased to amaze me that the more clueless the passenger, the smaller the tip.