Tipping on Cozumel

[Fordan]

You might think about taking US currency. We were just there in January and US money is accepted pretty much everywhere and most of the time we even got change back in US money (tee-shirt shops and taxi drivers...).

At the Pizza Hut next to Chi, they seemed unprepared to deal with pesos, got a slightly paniced look from the cashier when I was pulling out Pesos, and some relief when I put the pesos away and pulled out US dollars. May have been that they already rang it up in the register as a USD sale based on my appearance and exceptionally poor Spanish. And I suppose also on the fact that I'd go into a Pizza Hut on Cozumel.

 

[Stogie8]

I usually go with 10-15% of the cost of the daily trip (i.e 2 tank trip cost $60 USD then I would tip between $5-10 USD). Obviously if the OP goes above and beyond I would tip more but this has been my rule of thumb.

 

[driftin' by]

i.e 2 tank trip cost $60 USD then I would tip between $5-10 USD

Wouldn't 10%-15% on $60 USD be $6-$9 USD?

 

[ggunn]

Wouldn't 10%-15% on $60 USD be $6-$9 USD?

Well, $6-9 is between $5 and $10. ;^)

 

[Hooked4Life]

We normally tip $5 per tank, and we tip daily. Personally I think its better for the staff and its easier to keep track that way. At the end of the trip if we received something special we normally throw in a few extra.

 

[miketsp]

Well we were there recently and I was with a mixed group of South Americans (various nationalities). As a regular reader of SB I'd seen the 5USD / tank guideline on a lot of threads so I mentioned this to the group. The general reaction was of total disbelief. We were mainly diving the same boat and by the end of the week the DMs were getting tipped on average much less than the "customary" 5USD/tank but I saw no sign whatsoever of ill feelings on their part - the atmosphere was decidedly friendly with a lot of joking going on in mixed Spanish / Portuguese and English.
So could it be that the 5USD/tank is only really expected from Americans and that the DMs adjust their expectations according to the nationality of the divers?

 

[diver88]

well i ALWAYS tip somewhere in that neighborhood because i know the divemasters and dive shop and i know what kind of service i'll get, if i didnt i would base the tip on the level of service. you know i love it when people pop off with inflamatory remarks when they really dont know your situation, i personally know how to tip and dont need a lesson on tipping at my advanced age, but thanks anyway.

diver88

 

[Canard]

Thanks for all the replies to my question. We've heard from the under-tippers and the over-tippers (one is as bad as the other in my book) and in the end I'm going with the $5USD/$50 peso per tank tip rate. We'll be diving with the house op at Allegro, Dive Palancar, and as I expect differing crews we'll tip as we go.

 

[ggunn]

When and who and how much I tip is proprietary information, private business between tipper and tippee.

 

[Christi]

Thanks for all the replies to my question. We've heard from the under-tippers and the over-tippers (one is as bad as the other in my book) and in the end I'm going with the $5USD/$50 peso per tank tip rate. We'll be diving with the house op at Allegro, Dive Palancar, and as I expect differing crews we'll tip as we go.

That's a good base rule of thumb and I don't know any DM that would turn their nose up at that...if they do...then I would consider them to have a serious attitude problem and they need to rethink why they are diving and why they are in the profession they are in.

Not to split hairs...but just an FYI...the exchange rate is not 10:1 and hasn't been in several years...it's 11:1, so $50 pesos is actually $4.50 US...in case that makes a difference to you.