Tipping in Key Largo???

[Lorenzoid]

Steve, tip what you feel is right. Nobody is going to pressure you. Everyone down there is pretty laid back. It's not like undertipping a NY taxi driver.

 

[idocsteve]

Oh you can trust that I'm the sort of guy who does what he feels is right and doesn't succumb to pressure from others.

My post simply expressed my surprise at what some of the locals seem to expect as a reasonable tip.

 

[AlmightyApkallu]

I hate to be the devils advocate and I very much respect dive masters and what they do, as do I respect boat crews, however, I think people might get a bit carried away with tipping some times and overstress about just how much is enough. In my personal opinion, if you're diving as a couple, which many people do, $40 for a two tank run for two people is a huge wallop on top of your normal cost. You're already paying the dive center a good fee to go diving with them. A lot of service industry jobs do not even get tipped, although I personally try to do so whenever I can, especially when I get anything above mediocre service.

For me, when I go diving it's me and my sweetheart. We are also usually on a budget as well, but I still try and throw a $20 out there for a two tank dive. I think that's pretty fair? Maybe it isn't. I know if I was diving solo on the boat or had a buddy with a separate household income I'd still tip $20. If I had all the money in the world I would probably tip a whole lot more!

 

[CaptainCalamari]

So how much is it to dive there and what does it include?

 

[kelemvor]

Yes! And I'm sure the crew will remind you of that.

Yep, it's been part of the announcement shpeal on every boat I've used in the keys. Although they don't tell you how much. Like others, I generally tip $10/tank for good service. I do not tip more for great service... for what I paid for a boat ride plus a $20 tip, that's the "great service" rate in my opinion. Especially now that I'm married and am tipping for 4 tanks a trip

I also make it a point to tip each day instead of one big tip at the end of a trip. I also make sure to put the cash into someone's hand rather than dropping it into the jar.

That tipping policy has always made the dm/deckhands/whoever very happy to see me on subsequent dive days. Usually on day 2, someone runs over to my car to lug my steel tanks and other gear onto the boat for me etc... In short, the recipients seem to really appreciate $10/tank, which makes me happy.

 

[scubadada]

I would hire you as a guide, pay for your spot on the boat, ask you what it would cost to hire you, and ask if that included the tip as well. Because if I'm diving in Key Largo, I want someone who knows Key Largo, not some beach bum the dive shop found hanging out on their dock this morning looking for a job, and believe me, those people exist in Key Largo. And that's what I would pay you at the end of the day.

To me, a tip is the way to keep score. As I've said many times, we paid a living wage, and I would happily trade hundreds of dollars in tips for a trip report. But it's harder to get a trip report out of most folks then it is to get teeth from a hen.

And at the end of the day Mr. Chairman, I would pay you what you asked for, and I'd write a heck of a trip report. Because I do understand where repeat business comes from.

Some of us love you Frank, and are waiting for you to get your next boat. The following is my trip report on the M/V Spree in the summer of 2015, published in UnderCurrent. You and your crew earned it, as well as the tip from my son and me. Please get a another boat

I have wanted to do the Florida Keys wreck trek for a long time and finally got my opportunity on a trip aboard the M/V Spree, organized by Pete and Elena from ScubaBoard. The experience on the Spree exceeded my expectations.

The Spree is a pleasure to live and dive from. The Spree is a 100 foot aluminum crew boat, refitted for diving. The dive deck is extremely well laid out. It has tank racks and under seat storage for each diver. Tanks are filled in place, 32% nitrox was included in the trip, and was within tenths of a percent of target the entire time. Divers analyzed their gas and tank pressure prior to each dive and recorded it in a logbook. There was a large camera table, dedicated camera rinse tanks, gear rinse tanks, and 2 hot water showers on the deck. There is a large swim platform and two very sturdy ladders. The main salon includes the galley, the dining room, and a large charging station. The accommodations are not luxurious but are very comfortable. Bunks are available in 4 bed units as well as in an open area. My son and I had a lower and upper bunk in one of the units and found it very pleasant and cozy. We had no trouble sleeping after the 4 dives per day. There is a large and comfortable sun deck on the upper level. There are 4 restrooms including 2 off the salon, 1 off the dive deck with a shower, and 1 off the lower level, also with a shower. There was unlimited hot water. The boat is designed to carry up to 24 passengers and up to 8 crew. We were very lucky to have only 10 divers and 6 crew, a real luxury. The entire staff, Captain Frank, 2nd Captain Tim, DMs Mel and Jess, and galley staff, Anna and Stephanie were absolutely excellent. The food was uniformly excellent and beer and wine were included after diving for the day was done.

We boarded the boat in Key West on Sunday night, got a detailed briefing, and were then free to move into our room for a good night sleep while cruising up to Key Largo. At each site, we were moored to a ball and had a current line from the descent line to the stern of the boat. The current line was not only a good idea, but was really needed on many of the dives. Mel and Jess ran a tight dive deck, everything was always ready for a smooth dive. The trip was a rec/tec trip, 4 of us did rec dives and the others did light tec or a combination of tec and rec. There were 2 dive windows per day of 4 hours duration, generally 8-12 and 2-6. In our 4 days, we did 4 dives on the Spiegel Grove, 2 dives on the Duane, the one buoy at the Bibb was occupied so did 2 dives at the Eagle, 2 dives at the Thunderbolt, 2 dives on the Adolphus Busch, and 3 dives on the Vandenberg. The diving was fantastic though the visibility in the northern keys was certainly better than in the South. The boat had 4 weighted down lines at the stern, one with an auxiliary reg, these were frequently the best places for the safety stop considering the current. I had dived the Spiegel Grove and Duane before, I am really looking forward to a return to the Vandenberg, as 3 dives was entirely inadequate to explore this huge wreck. The opportunity to dive the Eagle, Thunderbolt, and Adolphus Busch was most appreciated.

After this tremendous experience, I’m looking forward to my next trip on the Spree. The Dry Tortugas trip is very attractive. Captain Frank is working hard to organize a trip to Cuba, that, I would do, in a heartbeat.

 

[Doby45]

Some of us love you Frank, and are waiting for you to get your next boat. The following is my trip report on the M/V Spree in the summer of 2015, published in UnderCurrent. You and your crew earned it, as well as the tip from my son and me. Please get a another boat

I have wanted to do the Florida Keys wreck trek for a long time and finally got my opportunity on a trip aboard the M/V Spree, organized by Pete and Elena from ScubaBoard. The experience on the Spree exceeded my expectations.

The Spree is a pleasure to live and dive from. The Spree is a 100 foot aluminum crew boat, refitted for diving. The dive deck is extremely well laid out. It has tank racks and under seat storage for each diver. Tanks are filled in place, 32% nitrox was included in the trip, and was within tenths of a percent of target the entire time. Divers analyzed their gas and tank pressure prior to each dive and recorded it in a logbook. There was a large camera table, dedicated camera rinse tanks, gear rinse tanks, and 2 hot water showers on the deck. There is a large swim platform and two very sturdy ladders. The main salon includes the galley, the dining room, and a large charging station. The accommodations are not luxurious but are very comfortable. Bunks are available in 4 bed units as well as in an open area. My son and I had a lower and upper bunk in one of the units and found it very pleasant and cozy. We had no trouble sleeping after the 4 dives per day. There is a large and comfortable sun deck on the upper level. There are 4 restrooms including 2 off the salon, 1 off the dive deck with a shower, and 1 off the lower level, also with a shower. There was unlimited hot water. The boat is designed to carry up to 24 passengers and up to 8 crew. We were very lucky to have only 10 divers and 6 crew, a real luxury. The entire staff, Captain Frank, 2nd Captain Tim, DMs Mel and Jess, and galley staff, Anna and Stephanie were absolutely excellent. The food was uniformly excellent and beer and wine were included after diving for the day was done.

We boarded the boat in Key West on Sunday night, got a detailed briefing, and were then free to move into our room for a good night sleep while cruising up to Key Largo. At each site, we were moored to a ball and had a current line from the descent line to the stern of the boat. The current line was not only a good idea, but was really needed on many of the dives. Mel and Jess ran a tight dive deck, everything was always ready for a smooth dive. The trip was a rec/tec trip, 4 of us did rec dives and the others did light tec or a combination of tec and rec. There were 2 dive windows per day of 4 hours duration, generally 8-12 and 2-6. In our 4 days, we did 4 dives on the Spiegel Grove, 2 dives on the Duane, the one buoy at the Bibb was occupied so did 2 dives at the Eagle, 2 dives at the Thunderbolt, 2 dives on the Adolphus Busch, and 3 dives on the Vandenberg. The diving was fantastic though the visibility in the northern keys was certainly better than in the South. The boat had 4 weighted down lines at the stern, one with an auxiliary reg, these were frequently the best places for the safety stop considering the current. I had dived the Spiegel Grove and Duane before, I am really looking forward to a return to the Vandenberg, as 3 dives was entirely inadequate to explore this huge wreck. The opportunity to dive the Eagle, Thunderbolt, and Adolphus Busch was most appreciated.

After this tremendous experience, I’m looking forward to my next trip on the Spree. The Dry Tortugas trip is very attractive. Captain Frank is working hard to organize a trip to Cuba, that, I would do, in a heartbeat.

This saddens me that I did not take the opportunity to dive from the Spree when it was provided to me. Frank had offered a LEO trip that was basically all expenses paid and I did not take advantage of it due to being "new" to diving. I kick myself in the ass every time I think or read about the Spree now.

 

[scubadada]

This saddens me that I did not take the opportunity to dive from the Spree when it was provided to me. Frank had offered a LEO trip that was basically all expenses paid and I did not take advantage of it due to being "new" to diving. I kick myself in the ass every time I think or read about the Spree now.

Hi @Doby45

Let's hope Frank and Mel come back

 

[Wookie]

Here I am in Bayou la Batre, looking at boats.

 

[The Chairman]

Here I am in Bayou la Batre, looking at boats.

Bayou la Batre is French for "The Pimple on God's Ass". I spent two weeks there helping to get a boat ready for a trip to the DR. It might have only been 10 says, but it felt a lot longer. Jeesh, my heart goes out for you, Frank.