Tipping when you've paid a single supplement

[Lorenzoid]

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.

It seems logical, yet I am not completely convinced that service industry people tend to work harder when they know the tip is not a fixed amount. It seems to me that after a while they might come to the conclusion that some customers are generous tippers and others stingy or just difficult to please. People rarely adjust their tip THAT much based on service; I mean, a difficult customer might tip "only" 10% in order to "teach the employee a lesson," and a person who thought the crew went the extra mile might tip 25%. So, on average, the person probably ends up taking home the same amount in tips regardless of whether they go the extra mile or not. Also, I think service industry people who work hard often do it more out of a sense of pride in their job than anything else. Their managers know whether they do a good job or not, and whether customers like them or not. A truly surly crew member won't last long. Lastly, in cases in which tips are pooled, which I believe is common on liveaboards, each crew member gets an equal share, and it probably works out to the same amount each would have gotten had the liveaboard simply added a 10% or 15% gratuity to each diver's bill.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

It seems logical, yet I am not completely convinced that service industry people tend to work harder when they know the tip is not a fixed amount. It seems to me that after a while they might come to the conclusion that some customers are generous tippers and others stingy or just difficult to please. People rarely adjust their tip THAT much based on service; I mean, a difficult customer might tip "only" 10% in order to "teach the employee a lesson," and a person who thought the crew went the extra mile might tip 25%. So, on average, the person probably ends up taking home the same amount in tips regardless of whether they go the extra mile or not. Also, I think service industry people who work hard often do it more out of a sense of pride in their job than anything else. Their managers know whether they do a good job or not, and whether customers like them or not. A truly surly crew member won't last long. Lastly, in cases in which tips are pooled, which I believe is common on liveaboards, each crew member gets an equal share, and it probably works out to the same amount each would have gotten had the liveaboard simply added a 10% or 15% gratuity to each diver's bill.

Upon further deliberation I think you're right.

 

[cbm32]

If the amount of tip a worker thinks he will get greatly effects the job he does, I dont want to have him work for me AT ALL.

The whole things is a crock really.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If the amount of tip a worker thinks he will get greatly effects the job he does, I dont want to have him work for me AT ALL.

The whole things is a crock really.

You're right!
They should be doing their job with pride and to the best of their ability regardless.

 

[mattia_v]

I think they should be getting paid enough that tipping is a nice to have, not something essential. But as a European, I don't tip nearly as much as most Americans seem to, though I tend to follow local custom (not industry custom where tourists dropping high tips does sometimes lead to pretty hefty price increases)

 

[Kharon]

... It's really an odd system when you think about it.

Yes it is. I hate it - feel like I'm being expected to pay part of the employee's salary. The employer should pay the employee a fair wage and charge what is appropriate. An employee should NOT have to depend on tips for their wages. A tip should only be for someone going beyond and over and above.

 

[Tippytoes12]

On the one hand people employed in the dive industry tend to be paid better than many other workers in their countries. But if a worker gives above average service , then a decent tip is appropriate. Most if not all of the liveaboards we have been on suggest one tip, to be shared by everybody on board. I think that this is the fairest way to do things. A single traveller should not feel that he or she should pay an extra tip solely on that basis.

 

[Lorenzoid]

On the one hand people employed in the dive industry tend to be paid better than many other workers in their countries. But if a worker gives above average service , then a decent tip is appropriate. Most if not all of the liveaboards we have been on suggest one tip, to be shared by everybody on board. I think that this is the fairest way to do things. A single traveller should not feel that he or she should pay an extra tip solely on that basis.

What I have observed is that "average" service from dive industry employees in, say, in Indonesia, tends to be stellar. They really seem to want to give you the customer the best possible experience, and I didn't get the impression that their primary motivation was tips. (Secondary motivation? Maybe, maybe not.) I think, as you pointed out, their wages are better than average for their country, and any tips they get on top of that are appreciated but not expected as a matter of right (the way they are in the US). And that was traditionally how a tip was supposed to be. The whole purpose of tipping has over the years, and with increasing globalization, become distorted. It's no longer simply to reward exceptional service but rather to make up that portion of what their services are worth that their employer lets fall on the customer's shoulders to make up. At least that's how it has been in the US for a long time now.

Getting back to the original question, since it concerned a US-based liveaboard, I'd certainly take that into account. However, I don't think I would leave a greater tip because I have a cabin to myself than others sharing a cabin would leave.

 

[Alice Goot]

Having worked in the service industry in the states for so long, I consider myself a good tipper. Having traveled and dived internationally, I consider myself a smart tipper. I tip on the service provided NOT on the price of the cruise or package.

It really hit me a couple of dive trips back when I realized people were happy to pay a premium for nitrox, wine or other personal items, but not tip their guide more than a few dollars a day?!? This was strange to me, someone who went out of their way to make my dives enjoyable and show me things, rather than just swimming around and asking if I was o.k. once in a while, wasn't worth more than a few bucks a day? I've had foreign divers on the trip suggest "if they were really good, $50 for a 10 day trip for the dive guides", that's $5 per day. I was doing 4 dives most days and that guide showed us amazing sights and creatures, took my groups skills and preferences into consideration, and showed me the best spots to shoot from, plus plus plus, how could he only be worth $5 per day?!? Seriously, I'd drink that much in 1 glass of wine that night! And I already agreed to pay $10 per day for nitrox per day, so why wasn't this man's skills worth at least that?!? Nitrox was great, but it wasn't what made the dive trip amazing, the guides were the ones who made our experience below so amazing and that's what I was there for - DIVING!

Of course, there is also the guide that losses you, doesn't show you anything, doesn't take your skills into consideration, takes photos in front of you....etc. With an inclusive tip policy (built into the rate) these people would be rewarded for being lazy or doing their job poorly, so you see, I prefer to have voice and tip accordingly.

This is not meant to start and argument about tipping, just my humble opinion.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I don't happily pay extra for nitrox. I grudgingly pay extra.

But $5/day???!! Sime people actually consider that a tip?? That's almost a freakin insult! I doubt that I would, but if I ever did tip that little it would be because the guide lost me or some other egregious thing.