Tipping on PNG Livaboards ?

[caymaniac]

I think the live aboard folks earn it. You are diving a lot more than most shore ops, they are making up your room, doing slide shows at night, etc... They are expensive trips and in the end we all have a budget.

They are getting paid you know without your tip. I don't think you should insult their culture and pay alot extra, alittle bit would be okay like 100 to 200 is enough, it's not like you are on the liveaboard free. I save up along time to do those trips.

I just loaded some new pictures, thought you might like some of PNG :>)

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Wow! Great photos!!

CN

 

[Mike Veitch]

They are getting paid you know without your tip. I don't think you should insult their culture and pay alot extra, alittle bit would be okay like 100 to 200 is enough, it's not like you are on the liveaboard free. I save up along time to do those trips.

I just loaded some new pictures, thought you might like some of PNG :>)

So are the restaurant workers back at home who i am sure you have no problem giving a 15% tip. Yes they are being paid but they are also working their butts off 24/7. And liveaboard workers are not paid well as the owners/operators see the tips that they will receive as an incentive for hard work. My tips from the liveaboard days were the only thing that made it worth it, most boats in the Caribbean for example pay about $400-$800 per month for a dive guide/deck crew/cook...

I would never tip less than $200 for a liveaboard. And its definitely not insulting their culture the people who work on these boats are looking to find a better life for their families than just the subsistence living that is the norm in that area of the world. If they weren't interested in earning money they wouldn't be working in the first place...

And yes, that is a great set of pics by the way

 

[almitywife]

While we were in Australia, we were asked by locals not to tip. The people don't want the USA form of pay in their country, they felt that the waiters and waitress made enough and they didn't want the outside influence to change their system. PNG is governed by Australia so it probably would apply as well. On the other hand when we left, we did tip on the liveaboard in PNG. I used some local dollars and some other gifts that I took along. I gave them some Kina, tee shirts, two small flash lights, and a bunch of duracell batteries (AA's,C's and quite a number of D's-very hard to get in PNG)

PNG is NOT govern by Australia. PNG is its own sovreign state with its own (slightly troubled) government and the aussies there now are on a peace/policing mission.

In australia we (the aussies) dont want tipping to become the norm because we have set wage standards and the waiter you're tipping may be already making $15.00+ per hour plus penalties (meal allowances, overtime etc). personally i may tip if the service was outstanding but not just because someone did their job.

as far as tipping your liveaboard DM in australia my thoughts are never - maybe a case of beer at the end of the trip to say thanks or a bottle of wild turkey rare but only if the service had been outstanding. my thoughts are im a paying customer and their job is to perform a service. tough but the reality of commerce.

now - when in the tropics, we prefer to leave as much GOOD stuff behind as possible. tshirts, books, torches, dive knives, batteries, bags, clothing, shoes, toiletries - everything we can leave behind.

We have also donated money to a local village for school fees, bought sporting equipment for the local school also.

PS: Now Mike, after reading your above post-note that we will be in your shop in April so you better tell me if your a drinking man and if so, whats your poison!

 

[Mike Veitch]

Thats easy....Crown Royal! Woooooo Hoooo, am tasting it now...

 

[Comfortably Numb]

PS: Now Mike, after reading your above post-note that we will be in your shop in April so you better tell me if your a drinking man and if so, whats your poison!

While I appreciate all comments related to this topic, I guess I should have directed my question more clearly to those "average divers" that have had experience with the common practice of tipping on PNG's live-aboards. While resort owners and live-aboard owners have first hand knowledge on this subject, I believe their opinions could have a bias toward higher $$ tipping so that they, as an employer, could justify paying employees (DM's) less. I guess I would like to request that resort owners and live-aboard owners identify themselves as such.

Hi almitywife, Thanks for your comments. I don't know if I would feel right giving nothing. I have always been fair when tipping after dives. I usually tip after each dive trip when getting off the boat as I would never know if I would get the same DM and boat captain the next day. I watch others as they get off and I respect those that do the same. Some people actually avoid making contact with the crew when they get off the boat. This is sad and, I feel, shows a lack of respect to the very people that have shown you all the wonders of their sea - plus have taken on the responsibility of saving your life if you required it. Tipping to me is an acknowledgement of a job well done and I believe an incentive to those DM and crew to excel in their profession. Now I agree with you that if the employee is making an adequate living wage like in your example of the waiter, then I can see (and justify) not leaving a tip. My daughter was a waitress in a local restaurant and made $2.80 per hour. She relied on tips just to make a living wage.

Hey, congratulations on your wedding. I saw the picture of you and you new hubby holding the "Just Married" sign underwater. Did you get married during a dive?

CN

 

[Mike Veitch]

Interesting...i'm assuming that was directed at me, i don't even own a car never mind a resort or live aboard..i do have a mountain bike though...
You will see in the profile its says "Liveaboard/resort owner or EMPLOYEE". I would be on the employee side of that one. Worked on live aboards in Palau, Fiji, and Tahiti for over 5 years though and yes the tips were about double the monthly salary as we always worked our butts off pretty much 24 hours/day...

 

[mjh]

I understand how many feel and I have to admit it hurts at the end of the trip to write in that tip but to this point we have not had a crew that did not earn it. I don't think anyone (possibly outside of op owners) is getting rich in the dive industry. The majority of "workers" we have met love their work but admit to "just getting by". If you have a boat with a crew of 5-8 and you tip even US$200 thats less than $1.50/crew member, per dive (5day 20dives). I know they are getting tips from other guest but that seems a little low for the amount of work the crews we have been with do.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Mike, yea, your profile says live-aboard owner. Thanks for the clarification. As I stated above, I believe in tipping and will give all I can afford. On a trip like this there are soooo many other costs involved that the money has to go to just to get there and back. I wish I were a high power CEO making a million a year, then I would have no problems with very generous tips.

CN

 

[stu_in_fl]

from a fairly expensive livaboard in PNG - see the under heading gratuities : http://www.febrina.com/PlanningGuide.html

whereas in the US & Carribean, 10-15% is the usual, other places have their own norms that should be followed (tipping is always up for discussion as cultures are so different around the world - from the US style of tip everything, to others where it is either not done, is insulting or even illegal)..however even for PNG I'd do a little more than the amount suggested on the website !