Tipping on a LOB in Indonesia

[Alice Goot]

If i am going to leave used gear as a gift for the DM, I cannot see counting it as part of the "tip". It is a gift.
I figure those folks dont usually make much, and the tip is important to their livelihood.

I agree leaving used gear is a gift. Lol, an old wetsuit doesn't help feed the family and cash goes a long way. Also, if the boat/resort operates like a team and you leave your old gear as a gift how does that get divided up? I know engineers, that have worked just as hard (filling tanks, loading and unloading boats, helping with gear, carrying tanks, staying up doing a security watch...etc) on dive boats as room stewards, should they be left out because they weren't directly dealing with guests?

I usually tip the crew/staff and my dive guides separately or if they suggest a tip for the entire staff I'll do that and privately tip the guides a little extra. How much depends on service and guiding but I'm usually going to give about 7-10%

 

[Darnold9999]

It's known in Indonesia that Americans are generous tippers & the Europeans are lousy ones.

Have seen it in action. Was on a trip with a group of Eastern Europeans and they wanted to tip as a group - the suggestion was $50 per person. I declined as I was planning a $300 tip - about 10% of the cost of the trip.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As others have said, I believe the LOB will give you tipping guidance, either on the website or in-person once you're there. I have done only one Indo LOB, and they clearly let us know that 10 percent was the suggested tip.

It's known in Indonesia that Americans are generous tippers & the Europeans are lousy ones.

And from where did Indonesians acquire this ability to characterize what is "generous" and what is "lousy"? The only reason Indonesians receive any tips at all is because Americans have brought the custom to their country. I feel ashamed as an American that just because I may want to tip an Indonesian as much as I would tip someone back home in America that Europeans, Australians, and others are now apparently derided as "lousy tippers" simply for having a different custom than Americans. I don't wish to be the economic imperialist, shaming others around the world into tipping as we Americans do. I hope each person tips as he sees fits, and doesn't feel pressured to be more American.

I suspect that the suggested 10 percent tip reflects a compromise between American-sized tips and European/Australian-sized tips.

 

[Dan]

From the Americans. I have done 6 LOB there (3 in Komodo & 3 in Papua), about 10+ resorts in Bali, Alor, WaKaToBi, Bunaken, Lembeh, Nabucco, Moyo, Mansuar, Misool & Pef in the past 11 years diving there. I saw the trends & listened to local comments. So, you can blame me for spoiling them.

 

[gypsyjim]

It's ok Lorenzoid, as an American I'm used to being blamed for almost everything else.
If we are going to be blamed for giving a little extra for good service, to those barely scratching by, and raising expectations just a little, I can live with it.

 

[chillyinCanada]

When I was going on my first liveaboard in Indonesia (well first lob ever), I asked what to tip too. Mostly Americans responded and they were recommending 15% or more of the cost of the trip. I was beside myself. "You think I should be tipping $1000?!!" I exclaimed. When all the smoke had cleared the suggestions had backed back down to 10% of the trip cost on the higher end boats. This was more palatable to me even though as a Canadian exchanging into US $ to pay for trip and tip, nearly took the lob out of my itinerary. In the end, I was happy to hand over the $600+ for the tip and buy the t-shirt etc etc etc. I loved it that much.

 

[Clernix]

I spent most of my life in Germany and came back to the States in 2002. On my first date out in the States I was with a lady friend and when the check came I tipped as I was used to tipping. She quickly pointed out to me that i was pretty much cheap. It sparked a conversation and she clued me into the U.S. custom of tipping.

To defend my German friends. German waiters and waitresses are paid a fair wage and recieve full benefits (at least untill 2002 not sure now). They get paid vacation full medical and so on. A tip is a little extra not part of their wage.

Here in the States wiat staff is paid a slave wage of $2.50sh an hour and the guests are expected to pay the wages of the wait staff. Not only that they don't recieve medical or any other benefits as far as I know; for the most part. That has changed a little with the affordable care act; not much though.

Americans are coming from a place where when they recieve personalized service they are expected to pay the wage of the person providing the service. That's why Amercians tip heavy. This is a generalaztion and of course and there are instances where this might not be completly correct.

The question really is; is the LOB staff paid a fair wage or are they paid 10-15% below the local wage market and the guests are expected to make up the rest? If the later is true then if the guests don't tip the worker is left with an unfair wage. If they are paid a fair wage then the heavy tipper is skewing the labor market unfavorably.

When the guest is made to pay the wages of the worker it really only serves on person; the owner. The owner's labor cost are reduced and of course profit is increased.

On the other had its nice to be loved. As Americans we get a lot of flak around the world. So being known for being generous in not exactly bad press. As a prevous poster mentioned we are coming from a place where we have so many advantages to a place where people are really struggling. If I spend 8 days with a group of people and they take really good care of me. Cook, cleaning and guide me around the the reef; tossing them $150 seems really fair. Considering I tip a waitress $15-$20 on a $100 check to drop my meal off and bring me a couple drinks.

 

[Dan]

Those guys in Indonesia don't get much pay. Just look at liveaboard rate in Indonesia (average ~ $200-300/day) as compared to Galápagos (average $500-600/day). Do you think their service and the diving there in Indonesia are half as good as in Galápagos?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Have the higher end boats gone down in price in Indonesia? Or are Galapagos that much more yet again?

 

[gypsyjim]

As another cheap American, I have not found diving in Indonesia or the Maldives as terribly low cost adventures.

Worth every penny, but still, it takes a whole pile of pennies to get there, and dive there.