Tipping your DM

[GrandpaScuba]

Europeans are known for not tipping - I don't think they are necessarly "cheap" but, when you go out to eat over there, the service is almost always included - same in places like Costa Rica. No so in the USA where many seem to "have their hand out" : )

I think there was a thread sometime back about one of the liveaboards who required the gratutity "up front" with trip payment because the the crew complained that after a week, with a european (lets call it "non american") cliental, they felt stiffed. You could say to the owners, well, pay them a living wage, but again, it is what it is.

I had an interesting conversation with the divemasters on my last trip to Roatan. There, they are only paid in tips and, essentially, the Americans paid their "wages" b/c Europeans didn't tip. (my OP: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3306942-post18.html) To their credit, they treated the Europeans just as well as they treated the Americans.

I am one of those that wish tipping was un-necessary. But since it is, I try to be as generous as I can. When I prepare for a trip, I actually pre-plan a specific wad of cash to be used for tips. As a starting point, I plan on $5/dive for the crew, $5/day for housekeeping, $3/meal for wait staff plus whatever I expect to tip for baggage transfers. That sets my base amount and then I usually add to that pot to give me pleanty of leaway to boost those amounts up. On a typical 7 day, resort-based trip I usually carry about $250 specifically for tipping, and usually end up using it all.

Here in the States, I usually tip approximately 20 percent for meals. Mostly because it's easy to double the bill and shift the decimal point. (One poster was lamenting the change from 15% to 20% for restaurants. I think this is the reason why, everyone I know uses this method to calculate the tip.)

 

[Airleron]

As a rule, my husband and I tip $30 ($15 for each of us) for a 2 tank dive. Yes, they don't set up my gear (which I prefer), but they do hump my gear from my car to the boat, and off when we dock. That right there is worth every penny. Plus they are pleasant, funny, friendly, interesting to talk to, informative, experienced in leading the group and just generally great people. We dive most of the time with one outfit off Palm Beach, but even on trips to Coz, etc. that is our rule of thumb for tipping.

 

[daniel1948]

Several folks have suggested that DMs should just work for boats or shops that pay good wages, rather than expecting tips. This attitude ignores the reality of the job market. While an individual is free to decline a job that does not pay properly, such a course in any service industry generally results in zero opportunities for employment. I strongly advocate living wage laws which would relegate tipping to a reward for extraordinary service, rather than an expected part of a worker's income. But that's not the reality. The reality of our free market supply-and-demand economy is that service workers are underpaid.

Tipping is still discretionary, and if a DM fails to do his or her job, you can choose not to tip. But in my very brief time scuba diving, I've encountered nothing but extremely friendly, helpful, and courteous DMs and instructors. I regard the tip as simply part of the cost of the trip. On my recent trip on the Nekton Pilot, the whole crew was great, and worked hard to make my time and everyone else's enjoyable. I tipped 20% and felt it was worth every penny.

 

[mk-ultra]

After having talked to a lot of DM during SI's about how they like their job and whether or not they can make a decent living at it... it seems like in most parts of the world it's subsistence wages. I don't think anyone is getting rich being a DM.

I tip accordingly -- usually 20% for a dive where the DM was on the ball, gave a good briefing, and showed good judgment / paid attention to the divers s/he took down. I'll tip even more if the DM takes the time to make the dive "educational," talking about local history or fauna on the ride out/back or during the SI. DM's that go that extra mile are golden in my book. I don't just want to look at things; I want to learn about them.

I'm not shy about not tipping if the DM is a disinterested burn-out that doesn't brief the dive or pay attention to the divers they're leading. Thankfully, this sort of DM has been an infrequent exception when I've gone diving. The vast majority of them have been great.

 

[Beyond_Diving]

I work for a shop in Cancun as an instructor, and a big part of our wages comes from tips... Fortunately I myself am fairly well off from previous ventures (having a PhD is a good thing), but most of my friends and coworkers do depend on their wages. now, it shouldn't be that we depend on tips to make ends meet, but unfortunately that's the way it is (not only here but in several-if not most- places). So when we take out a boat with 15 people (3 DM's or instructors, deckhand and captain), and we look at the tip jar after busting our humps guiding, setting up equipment, rising it, sometimes taking people by the hand for the entire dive(s), and seeing the equivalent of US$10 to split between us all, is not amusing at all... so please, tip your DM/instructor if you feel they/we deserve it.. but don't insult them/us by leaving coins... sorry... topic hits close to home.

 

[AquaExplorer]

I strongly advocate living wage laws which would relegate tipping to a reward for extraordinary service, rather than an expected part of a worker's income. But that's not the reality. The reality of our free market supply-and-demand economy is that service workers are underpaid.

So tell me then...what, in your opinion, is a "living wage"? How much is it? How many does it support?

So those that have gone to college, or earned advanced training, do they start with the living wage as their new "zero" or do they loose that dollar amount and thus lessen the worth of their education and training?

Do we adjust this "living wage" to accommodate location? Can we prevent businesses from raising prices to cover this increased cost or is this another mandate that one group of people support another.

Finally....service workers are NOT "underpaid" in a free market economy, they are paid what their job is worth. Why is that so hard for so many to grasp?

 

[daniel1948]

So tell me then...what, in your opinion, is a "living wage"? How much is it? How many does it support?

So those that have gone to college, or earned advanced training, do they start with the living wage as their new "zero" or do they loose that dollar amount and thus lessen the worth of their education and training?

Do we adjust this "living wage" to accommodate location? Can we prevent businesses from raising prices to cover this increased cost or is this another mandate that one group of people support another.

Finally....service workers are NOT "underpaid" in a free market economy, they are paid what their job is worth. Why is that so hard for so many to grasp?

Obviously, a living wage depends on local factors. It costs more to live in NY than in ND. But the assertion that the free market wage is what workers are "worth" ignores the fact that in the absence of a strong workers' union, the employers have more leverage to drive wages down than the workers have to hold it up. It's the difference between fair trade and free trade. Free trade pays wages as low as it can get away with. Fair trade treats people with dignity, recognizing that they have basic needs, and if you purchase a person's labor you pay that person enough to live on.

 

[Stu S.]

Two weeks and $600 can create a professional dive master. It takes a year and $6000 to become a hairdresser in this state. Beginning teachers barely make a living wage and that takes four years of college, at a cost of perhaps $50,000.

Does anyone in the US go into dive master work and expect a good living ? I hope they can, but if they don't, it's not like they lost a tremendous amount of time or money.

When it comes to big money, my pal tried opening a dive shop. He probably made a negative $30 an hour for a year and a half. Fair trade enables someone to offer products or services relatively obstacle-free. Fair trade does not ensure financial success to all.

Most of us pay fairly for products and services rendered. That is no guarantee that the provider of these things will be prosperous.

 

[rescue15]

Drew; I dive in the NE and know where you are coming from..but..the tropical DM does more than guide the tourist.They are there if anyone has a problem in the water.They load up the boat with tanks before departure and clean boat after trip.They give you a briefing and an idea what awaits you below.They dive with the least experienced people on the boat so that you don't have to.Do you dive with a camera? They are happy to hand your camera to you after you enter water,they have a soak tub just for camera gear filled with fresh water on the boat.Need a drink of fresh water on the boat? How do you think it got there? Does the boat have a head? Who do you think has to clean it at the end of the day?
A tropical DM/instr day does not start and end around the boat trip.I know how long the day can be for I was one...
I personally do not need their help but for all they do indirectly to make my day easier/fun they get a tip.

The DM in the NE does the same thing and more and doesn't get paid any better - he gets to dive usually for free but works his butt off the whole day. I'd rather give him the $25 or more tip. I understand the divers are not the most experienced in a place like Key West but let's face it...1 to 2 foot rollers, most dive sites the charters go to have mooring bouys, and the shop I went with last year didn't even change out my bottle between dives. My DM on the boat didn't even get wet. I still put $20 into the can but the NE DM earns his money.

In a place like the Florida Keys, what should be considered good service? I've only been there once and didn't think the DM did all that much to earn her tip.

So when we take out a boat with 15 people (3 DM's or instructors, deckhand and captain),

WOW, that's alot of people...I'm use to a capt and DM/Mate for up to 10 people


Steve

 

[Stu S.]

In a place like the Florida Keys, what should be considered good service? I've only been there once and didn't think the DM did all that much to earn her tip.

In South Florida, we typically tote our own gear and set it up. On a wreck dive, the dive master will go down to tie the boat to the wreck, and may not participate in the rest of the dive. I like it when the dive master "tows the float" on drift diving, as that is a task in itself.

How would you handle this? A group of us jump off the boat, and the guy tosses me the flag/float and says "bring 'em back in 45 minutes". Is this an honor? Should I tip extra?