Tipping on dive boats

[George Monnat Jr]

Tipping daily is the best way to make sure that the tip goes to who deserves it..

It's also a great way to encourage similar or better service as the week continues.

 

[scubadada]

I generally pay $10/tank, that most always ends up being somewhere around a +/- 20% tip for the dive. I occasionally pay more for really exceptional service. I have left less or nothing on a few occasions when that's what they deserved.

Tipping daily is the best way to make sure that the tip goes to who deserves it. For a week vacation I will sometimes give a tip at the end, designating how it should be divided, if not even. Sometimes, I tip individuals at the end of the week and leave a general tip to be divided. I don't think there is any one best method.

I tip differently for a liveaboard. Though I often get a discount on the trip, I generally pay 15-20% of the list price of the trip as a tip to the entire crew. Most often, it is explicitly stated that the tip is equally divided. On one occasion, I individually tipped a crew member for superlative service, and made it clear that the tip was separate from my overall tip. The crews of the boats I have been on have been extremely hard working, both what you see, and behind the scenes. To date, I have not had a bad experience on a liveaboard, so have not contemplated leaving a smaller or no tip.

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

Ok, here is a scenario for opinions. In the FL Keys you are on a dive boat among about 12 to 15 divers for a shallow reef dive. The crew briefs everyone about the dive site and some basic rules like reef protection and how long to be gone. Everyone does their own thing with their Gear and off we go. No one from the crew joins the dive. At dive’s end we all board the boat. Normal seas. Crew just waits by the boarding ladder in case someone has something to hand up like a large camera or scooter or just needs a helping hand for steadiness. It’s not that they were not their to help but everyone was just self sufficient. They really did not do anything so what kind of tip would you give in this case?

 

[noj3333]

Ok, here is a scenario for opinions. In the FL Keys you are on a dive boat among about 12 to 15 divers for a shallow reef dive. The crew briefs everyone about the dive site and some basic rules like reef protection and how long to be gone. Everyone does their own thing with their Gear and off we go. No one from the crew joins the dive. At dive’s end we all board the boat. Normal seas. Crew just waits by the boarding ladder in case someone has something to hand up like a large camera or scooter or just needs a helping hand for steadiness. It’s not that they were not their to help but everyone was just self sufficient. They really did not do anything so what kind of tip would you give in this case?

$5/ tank if I had correct change, but wouldn't sweat it if I only had $5 or $6 in my wallet...

They wouldn't be getting a $20 for a two tank dive...

 

[CLoP]

Ok, here is a scenario for opinions. In the FL Keys you are on a dive boat among about 12 to 15 divers for a shallow reef dive. The crew briefs everyone about the dive site and some basic rules like reef protection and how long to be gone. Everyone does their own thing with their Gear and off we go. No one from the crew joins the dive. At dive’s end we all board the boat. Normal seas. Crew just waits by the boarding ladder in case someone has something to hand up like a large camera or scooter or just needs a helping hand for steadiness. It’s not that they were not their to help but everyone was just self sufficient. They really did not do anything so what kind of tip would you give in this case?

Same here in SoCal though the more I dive on boats, the more I see what kind of "services" boat crews provide. Some remove fins for divers coming up on the swim platforms while some don't. Some are perfectly okay with doubles/sidemount while others are single tank only. Some are very quick with air fills while some seem to take forever. Some provide pre-cooked food/meals while some make them from scratch.

I also know several boats who charge less (about 40% off) if you sign up as a freediver cause I guess they don't need to give you air fills and help you up the swim platform. A very well-known LDS said that industry standard tips is $5/dive while another said it's the same as the standard 15-20% "restaurant" style guideline. I was just on a charter yesterday organized by a dive shop and they said tipping is 10%. I'm really curious to hear others' opinions on this especially those who dive in California.

 

[seadweller]

Any amount is greatly appreciated by the crew !
Safe diving
Sea Dwellers

 

[TMHeimer]

Ok, here is a scenario for opinions. In the FL Keys you are on a dive boat among about 12 to 15 divers for a shallow reef dive. The crew briefs everyone about the dive site and some basic rules like reef protection and how long to be gone. Everyone does their own thing with their Gear and off we go. No one from the crew joins the dive. At dive’s end we all board the boat. Normal seas. Crew just waits by the boarding ladder in case someone has something to hand up like a large camera or scooter or just needs a helping hand for steadiness. It’s not that they were not their to help but everyone was just self sufficient. They really did not do anything so what kind of tip would you give in this case?

I see what you're saying. Don't forget though that apparently a DM has a lot of work to do prior to and after the dive outing. Including loading all the tanks, unloading, preparing the boat beforehand and cleaning up afterwords. Maybe this is why I just go with the $10 per tank thing, as I have never DMd on a boat and really don't know exactly what they may do. If I knew whether the DM got a paid salary or not my tip may vary some, but I don't know that, and read that they usually don't get paid by the owner.

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

How about some of you DM’s out there who are actively working on a boat chime in and give us the run down so we may have a better understanding on how to tip you right.

 

[TMHeimer]

Probably an old one but, I once saw on a charter a sign saying Tipping is not a city in China.

 

[Centrals]

Probably an old one but, I once saw on a charter a sign saying Tipping is not a city in China.

No services whatsoever desert any tipping in that horrible country.

I have never ever tipped anything like US$5.00 per dive or even 10% of the trip. Just keep the habit in USA.