Tipping when you've paid a single supplement

[DiverGirl1972]

Removing this post as I have actually received some helpful advice elsewhere...

 

[Fogest]

You speak like this tip is some required fee and you must pay 15% on every dive you do. You have the option of not tipping too. Why not just tip what you feel is right? Doesn't have to be a perfect 15% on the right amount.

 

[DiverGirl1972]

I never said it was a required fee, did I? I'm well aware that tipping is optional. I asked for some guidance that if conventional advice is generally 15% (give or take depending on the level of service you receive) of the total trip cost, and MY total trip cost included a single supplement, would I include it. If you have no helpful comments to offer in regards to my question, then kindly keep your pointless comments to yourself.

 

[Cali_diver]

I would tip on the amount of the full fare without the single supplement. I do see more tips around the 10% mark (and sometimes much less from some Europeans) but I travel internationally, not US based. Totally your choice though... I always base it on what kind of service I am getting. Have fun!!

 

[DiverGirl1972]

Thanks Cali_diver, this is exactly what I was looking for. Appreciate it!

 

[Kharon]

The single suppliment is a fee paid to the operator to cover (some of?) the profit lost because there isn't double occupancy. You are only one person receiving service for one person. I would tip as one person.

 

[BDSC]

I agree with tipping at the single rate as opposed to tipping at a higher rate when you pay the supplement. It's not like you receive extra attention or care because you have your own room.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I agree with tipping at the single rate as opposed to tipping at a higher rate when you pay the supplement. It's not like you receive extra attention or care because you have your own room.

Just to play devil's advocate here, one is always free to increase the tip to account for exceptional service. The custom in the US is to tip a percentage of the bill, whatever that may be. Now, I have always found that to be odd in, say, a restaurant, since the service may be the same regardless of whether you ordered an inexpensive item and a glass of water or an expensive item and a glass of wine. The price of the item doesn't have much of a relationship to how hard the server works for you.

A liveaboard or dive resort could really avoid all this nonsense by just adding a service charge to each guest's bill, since each guest receives pretty much the same level of service.

If I were in the OP's position, I would do whatever my gut tells me to do. There is clearly no accepted standard in this case, so I would give the opinions of others little weight. My gut knows best.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

A liveaboard or dive resort could really avoid all this nonsense by just adding a service charge to each guest's bill, since each guest receives pretty much the same level of service
.

The only problem I see with "built in" tipping is the staff knows they will get a bunus regardless of the quality of service they provide, so after a while they may have a tendancy to not work for it. It diminishes the incentive.

 

[BDSC]

The price of the item doesn't have much of a relationship to how hard the server works for you.

Exactly. We just got off the Caribbean Explorer II about a week ago doing the Saba/St. Kitts itinerary. We had a group of 18 with a staff of 6. The retail price of that trip was $1995 when I booked it. A tip of 15% is going to run you right at $300. Now compare that to the NAIA in Fiji. A 7 day trip will run you right at $3800 so a 15% tip is around $570. I've been on that boat as well. No doubt the NAIA is a much nicer boat and I would do either again in a heartbeat. But did the crew of the NAIA work any harder than the crew of the CEII? Nope. If anything, I'd say the crew of the CEII as individuals did more. Even the captain was clearing plates and helping to wash dishes. But in the end, because we generally tip based on price, the crew on the NAIA were tipped almost double. It's really an odd system when you think about it.