Tipping OW instructor for checkout dives in Caribbean

[Seaweed Doc]

This has been an interesting discussion to follow. I teach (college-level) for a living, and of course students CAN'T tip me. Some (usually at graduation) have given me cards, or little gifts (coffee cards, etc.) and while I'm honored, I've always felt uncomfortable getting them. In this field, a tip could be seen as a bribe for a good grade.

I don't think that's an issue for a dive instructor. Sure, you could bribe your instructor to pass you, but the instructor has strong motivation to not pass an incompetent student diver (specifically, future lawsuits if they kill or hurt themselves).

I really resonate with paying folks a tip in places where being a dive instructor is their sole source of meaningful income. Where I live, the water is too cold to have a thriving dive tourism industry, so instructors and divemasters are doing the work mostly for fun and the discounts on dive gear they get at the LDS.

 

[oly5050user]

Really? Guess it maybe depends on if instructor is full time or has a job elsewhere. I’ve witnessed my instructors refusing a tip from another student at the quarry. But then, they teach for the love of it and have good full time jobs elsewhere.

True many if not all may teach for "love of it" , but realize to do it cost instructor in time lost that could be spent doing something else, cost of maintains insurance, gear, gas money, etc. the money paid to instructor is usually low scale due to economics of facility. But if instructor takes extra step to ensure a enjoyable experience, who may supply the coffe, donut,bagel that he/she paid for out of their own pocket, made sure simple thing like mask has been scrubbed and defogger applied (defog that instructor may have paid for out of pocket) did they not work for a tip versus an instructor who shows up, goes thru the motions, does non of these extra things to make the experience easier? Does not matter if they have other full time job. I was told once by a very successful business person to never count someone else's money. I did it once by looking at a shabby dresses customer come in to buy a regulator, I made mistake to steer him towards a much less expensive model on display thinking he may be low on funds.BIG mistake, he purchased high end regulator, 5 of them if I remember correctly, and other assorted gear. He was well known multi millionaire ( maybe more $$) here in NYC. As for an instructor not accepting a tip, that is their choice, right or wrong. In some cultures not accepting a reward/ tip / gift for a job well done may be be considered a insult to giver .

 

[Seaweed Doc]

In some cultures not accepting a reward/ tip / gift for a job well done may be be considered a insult to giver .

I think that's really the heart of it: What is culturally appropriate? I wonder if it varies in different parts of the world? I'll have to ask local instructors for their thoughts and experiences. I may owe some folks some bucks....

 

[jonhall]

did elearning PADI OW. Getting certified on boat in cayman. How much should I tip the instructor?

From the first 2 statements, obviously you paid for the e-learning, and I would guess, have done confined water training with an instructor to whom you paid a fee for that training. In that instance, I agree with @Lorenzoid about already paying for the service of being instructed on skills and no tip is necessary (looking at this strictly as a situation where you went through a dive op who supplied an instructor and a facility for the confined water training.)

If getting certified on a boat in the Caymans means the four OW checkout dives, then I would tip the instructor who takes you out to check your skills. I also did my checkout dives in Grand Cayman, 2 shore and 2 boat, with Divetech in 1998. Although I had the same instructor for my checkout dives, it's possible you could have someone different on different days, so you might consider tipping each day of diving. I generally tip $10-15 (usually $10) for a 2 tank dive, same as when I did my checkout dives way back then.

 

[GJC]

It never occurred to me to tip an instructor.

I would feel like it was a bribe for a card I may not deserve.

Would you tip an instructor if you failed?

 

[Lorenzoid]

It never occurred to me to tip an instructor.

I would feel like it was a bribe for a card I may not deserve.

Would you tip an instructor if you failed?

That's been mentioned in previous threads on this topic. I believe instructors have enough integrity not to allow themselves to be biased by the prospect of a tip. (I would assume the tip would be given AFTER the instructor has informed the student whether he earned the certification or not.) Still, wouldn't an instructor want to avoid even the appearance of a possible conflict of interest? A six-pack of craft beer or some other small token of appreciation, maybe.

 

[rjdiver]

Thanks for the many comments. I tried searching for other tipping threads, but was not successful. Tipped the instructor $40 (limited funds).

 

[jonhall]

Thanks for the many comments. I tried searching for other tipping threads, but was not successful. Tipped the instructor $40 (limited funds).

Just curious and no need to respond if you don't want to. I was trying to picture the scenario you went through as I can only think of a couple:

1. You did e-learning and confined water work at home and went to GC to do the checkout dives.
2. You did the e-learning and then went to GC and did the confined water and checkout dives with a dive op.
*Back in the day,I did class and confined water work at a local dive shop and then went to GC to complete open water dives.

Since you did e-learning, did you tip an instructor who taught you in classwork and/or in the water before your trip OR was the tip for the instructor from the dive op in GC who took you out on your checkout dives? Or was the instructor one and the same?

Congrats! You must be certified now.

 

[rjdiver]

eLearning at home. Same instructor for water sessions in pool and then four checkout dives on the boat.

 

[caydiver]

I think I support the idea of tipping in places where it is part of the culture. Here instructors make about $6 or $7 an hour and in slow season considerally less. They cannot have second jobs unless they are have status or a split permit (not the norm by any means). Work permits are onerous and loaded with red tape as well as expensive for employers. Having family members in the States who are educators in schools is not to me a great comparison. I know of one couple that makes a fortune doing college prep and tutoring on the side. They pay their bills through the side income. No opportunities like that are available for instructors here. Tips are simply part of the culture for folks in the service industry here whether it is a server in a restaurant, a hand on a fishing charter (who probably worked extra hard if the fish were not biting) or a DM/Instructor on a dive boat. It is just the way things are done here and I readily appreciate that this is not the same all over the world. If for whatever readon you as individual don’t believe in tipping simply don’t go to places where it is done. Really not difficult to find out beforehand with the ability to google everything. Same as planning any trip anywhere else in the world.