Tipping in Los Cabos

[diver858]

We are making our second trip to Los Cabos next week. During our last trip in 2009, a small army became involved - carrying back gear from the boat, cleaning it. Even the captian had a helper remove, carry the battery of the boat back to the shop. While we routinely tip the divemaster after a dive, we are not accustomed to supporting the rest of the organization. Friends have also told us not to tip ANYONE more than $5 in Mexico.

Some guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[caboticket]

the company i work for here, we pool the tips together and split it evenly. a lot better process, if you are doing a few days of diving, then just maybe mention that at the end you will give a little, i wouldn't hold yourself to the $5 guideline, that may be ok in bars etc, but there is a lot of behind the scene set up and work from captains, shop staff, and dive guides, all to make the trip safe and enjoyable!

 

[techluis80]

it always depends on the company you dive with or the area that you are diving in. After all is a voluntary contribution but if you need some advice, in some areas they ask for at least 10% of the total cost of the divetrip. =D.
happy diving.

 

[Baja Dive]

At a good Resturant most people tip %15 so if your tiping the guy who brings your food that much for just a few min.s of his time with very little effort involved why not tip the Dive Master who is spending 3 to 4 hours making sure your having a great Day. After all hes there willing to risk his life for you in case of any emergency and your correct its a lot of work for the Dive Crew with Tanks, Set up of gear, The Dives, and after all of that when your gone theres still an hour more work cleaning the gear.
Average Capt.s pay is $5.00 an hour Dive master get $10.00 to $12.00 per Diver so a lot of there income depends on Tiping.
So if they do a good job leave a good Tip.
Thanks
Safe Diving to all
Dee

 

[theduckguru]

The average hourly wage for unskilled workers in Mexico rather low. $5 is adequate.

 

[Baja Dive]

Yes thats true,Try and support a family with $5.00 bucks a Day.Does it really matter what Country your Diving in? Should you tip someone whos making $100.00 a day in the U.S.%15.0 and not somone whos making $5.00 a Day in a poor Country!!!!!
I have lived in Mexico since 1987 and no matter what Im doing Dining out, Diving in another City, or getting my shoes shined I always tip good for good service.
Happy 4th of July and Safe Diving to all.
Dee

 

[theduckguru]

Yes thats true,Try and support a family with $5.00 bucks a Day.Does it really matter what Country your Diving in? Should you tip someone whos making $100.00 a day in the U.S.%15.0 and not somone whos making $5.00 a Day in a poor Country!!!!!
I have lived in Mexico since 1987 and no matter what Im doing Dining out, Diving in another City, or getting my shoes shined I always tip good for good service.
Happy 4th of July and Safe Diving to all.
Dee

If you wish to tip in Mexico as you do in the US, that is your decision. I could not support a family as a DM or cleaning dive gear in the US, so its kind of crazy thinking someone should be able to support a family as a
DM or cleaning dive gear in Mexico.

 

[OkByMe]

Yes thats true,Try and support a family with $5.00 bucks a Day.Does it really matter what Country your Diving in? Should you tip someone whos making $100.00 a day in the U.S.%15.0 and not somone whos making $5.00 a Day in a poor Country!!!!!
I have lived in Mexico since 1987 and no matter what Im doing Dining out, Diving in another City, or getting my shoes shined I always tip good for good service.
Happy 4th of July and Safe Diving to all.
Dee

You are absolutely correct. Extra effort should be rewarded regardless of where you are and who is doing it. Determining the tip amount is of course dependent on the local wage though. A dive trip in the keys costs about 60$ to $80 for far out wrecks. Charters outside the "zone" to fish, about $100 a head, but that is more than half a day since you are shallow. Tipping in that situation is maybe 10% for a crew that just hangs out, and 15% - 20% for one that busts ass taking care of you and your gear and your catch. I don't know how much they make and have sometimes wondered how they can make any real money doing it. In Cabo, those costs are higher to dive than the keys - so if you use that same rational, then those folks make better money than the op's in the keys. Gulf Coast diving is comparable to Cabo costs, but they go out farther.

Bear in mind that the next days dive trip might depend on what happened the day before. If they were just hanging out and you walk off the boat, that is one thing. If they were bust'in butt, that is another. Short of them mess'in with my gear... have you ever noticed how some get a little better attention over the others? That is their job, to take care of you, your gear and the boat, they are payed to do the job, at whatever risk and pay they find acceptable. Extra effort and attention to the job is generally not recognised by the employer on a day to day basis, so it is up to you to decide if they are earning more than their pay based on what you got out of it, not what the generally accepted custom is. There has been a few times where I just wanted my money back.

 

[Johan Broere]

I am all in favor of tipping people that deserve it. Now, a teacher makes 600 to 700 dollar amonth here. A 5 to 10 dollar tip from just one diver is pretty good compared to that and I am sure much appreciated. But I would like to warn you, there are some real weasels out there. Sharing the tips among those that deserve it defenately does not happen much. If you want a certain person to have a tip YOU have to give it to them with the knowledge of the captain that it really is for him or her. I worked on a boat, as instructor, that did NOT share tips at all and I have had boatcrew searching my pockets after the customers left.
Also, as a thumb of rule I do not tip boat crews that have to be woken up after we surface. Yap, we all have our principles !!! Happy diving everyone, Johan.

 

[Laurie S.]

Hi Johan, I didn't realize you were here on Scubaboard!

I give $5 per dive as a minimum tip, but if the crew is especially helpful, that tip goes up. I almost always remove my rig in water because of hip and back problems and will tip more than $5 when I have to do that.