Tipping the boat crew - conventions around the world?

[JS1scuba]

Tipping is cultural. The American system has us tipping for a variety of services from the shoeshine guy to the tennis pro. Most dive boat crew in the USA (other than very few) are not paid high wages and the "crew tip" becomes part of compensation.

When American divers travel expect to tip. If you are not sure just ask the Captain or the Charter Organizer, or the person you book the dive trip with.

Typical Tips

15-20% of your charter fee is fair on big trips where you are on board for many days. OR $5/$10 per dive done if the % method yields too low a number.

$1000 multi day trip with meals, camera handling, bunks etc. $150-$200 is reasonable

$5000 liveaboard ...... $500 is really nice (think about how you would tip at a quality hotel)

$75 1/2 day trip in the keys. $20 is nice

you work out the math on the rest.

Traveling to foriegn places? Bring some goodies in your gear bag. Line reel, SMB, Pop CDs, etc..... dont use them for diving but bring them for little extra goodies for people that do nice things ..... it goes a long way.

If your service is lacking don't stew and wait till the end of the trip. Step up to the wheel house and talk to the Captain.

Cheers

 

[jamjam]

In the Philippines, usually tip around $10 for DM for two-tank dive and $10 for boat crew. But only for local DMs. Very few shops with foreign DMs and in that case you just buy them a beer Same in Thailand.

Also, like elan said, tipping is usually done quietly - just slipped into their hands. So you never know if other people are tipping or not.

 

[tyesai]

Here in Spain I've tried to tip a couple of times and all but once I got looked at like I was crazy and received a firm handshake but kept my money. One dive master even saved a rather expensive video light for me (it is now installed with loctite) and wouldn't take my money. Just gave me a pat on the back and said "you're welcome".

 

[Lorenzoid]

In some places, if you're staying at a dive resort, especially one frequented by Americans, you tip, but just down the road there might be dive shops frequented by the youthful international backpacker set who do not tip.

 

[uncfnp]

LOL, I told you in that thread that I tipped $5 a tank on my Florida Keys dives and never saw a single other diver give a tip out of probably 200 dives while I was there. Sounds like you had the identical experience.
Conclusion - everybody on scubaboard tips, but obviously nobody on scubaboard actually ends up on any dive boats you will ever be on.

In the US, Mexico, Caribbean I tip $5.00 a tank and don't worry about it.

I know everybody on scubaboard tips $10, $20, or $50 a tank, but until I actually witness a dive boat where more than 10% of the divers on board actually are giving any tip at all, my $5.00 a tank seems to be warmly received.

I'm pretty sure if 100% of the divers on a boat tipped $2.00 a tank the crew would be jumping for joy.

We don't carry money on the boat so we bring the tip back to the crew after we carry the gear to the truck. We like to hand it to them in person as well and thank them, will often tell them if there was something in particular that we liked. You've probably loaded and gone by then...

---------- Post added December 31st, 2012 at 07:24 AM ----------

My tip does vary with the experience. The first time I tried to catch a lobster was only successful because the DM took pity on me and gave me one of his to put in my bag. He got a very good tip!

 

[vincent54]

I can't imagine the cost to run a dive boat, but feel cost cutting would be done by limiting the staffs wages. For that reason , I like to tip on very dive. Some don't tip, and hate to say it, they are just cheap bastards. I figure I can do without a few Starbucks during rest of the year. I even tip the guy filling my tank for shore dives. Cheers

 

[crosshairs]

We don't carry money on the boat so we bring the tip back to the crew after we carry the gear to the truck. We like to hand it to them in person as well and thank them, will often tell them if there was something in particular that we liked. You've probably loaded and gone by then...

This is also what I do,or if Im diving with the same crew on a multi day diving trip, I will bring the money with me , but tip them before we even leave the dock.
I notice I always get more personal attention than most of the other divers..

 

[Mike]

We don't carry money on the boat so we bring the tip back to the crew after we carry the gear to the truck. We like to hand it to them in person as well and thank them, will often tell them if there was something in particular that we liked. You've probably loaded and gone by then...

---------- Post added December 31st, 2012 at 07:24 AM ----------

My tip does vary with the experience. The first time I tried to catch a lobster was only successful because the DM took pity on me and gave me one of his to put in my bag. He got a very good tip!

Nobody needs to keep trying to give examples of how tipping is going on and not being seen.

For every example you want to give me I'll give you another that proves my point. Yes, I'm sure there are tips being given that aren't being seen. But if your point is that most people are tipping, you're wrong.

Just ask dive masters what the percentage of people tipping is and you can holler all you want about some secret tipping going on where people are leaving it in a coconut or under a shell at the beach. Whatever secret tipping is going on, if you talk to dive crew they will tell you that way more people don't tip than do.

Add up all the people who tip by -

Making a big show of it
Do it with a secret handshake
Do it at the end of the week on their bill
Give it to them after they come back from their truck
Leave it taped under the seat of the head...

and it's still way more don't tip than do which is the point. If you do tip by whatever method you use, be it openly or putting it in a bottle and attaching it to a dock piling and notifying the crew via twitter where to find it, that is great, you're a good person and you should know you're the exception, I don't care how much secret tipping is going on, it's still doesn't add up to more than who don't tip at all.

 

[uncfnp]

Nobody needs to keep trying to give examples of how tipping is going on and not being seen.

For every example you want to give me I'll give you another that proves my point. Yes, I'm sure there are tips being given that aren't being seen. But if your point is that most people are tipping, you're wrong.

Just ask dive masters what the percentage of people tipping is and you can holler all you want about some secret tipping going on where people are leaving it in a coconut or under a shell at the beach. Whatever secret tipping is going on, if you talk to dive crew they will tell you that way more people don't tip than do.

Add up all the people who tip by -

Making a big show of it
Do it with a secret handshake
Do it at the end of the week on their bill
Give it to them after they come back from their truck
Leave it taped under the seat of the head...

and it's still way more don't tip than do which is the point. If you do tip by whatever method you use, be it openly or putting it in a bottle and attaching it to a dock piling and notifying the crew via twitter where to find it, that is great, you're a good person and you should know you're the exception, I don't care how much secret tipping is going on, it's still doesn't add up to more than who don't tip at all.

You misunderstood. I am certainly not trying to impress you. Heaven forbid. It was a simple question with a simple answer.
Take it as you like.

---------- Post added December 31st, 2012 at 12:25 PM ----------

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

So far this is good info. Quit the chest beating please.

I appreciate the info tremendously, I hope to travel to some of these countries.


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