When I've worked at shops where we use charter boats, I tip out the charter crew (non-owners) out of my tips. I don't share evenly with them, but I also don't expect them to do anything other than handle the boat.
As far as the Hawaii/dive guide required thing I would agree, I haven't seen to many shops that allow people to go on unguided dives. I think (in Oahu at least) it's because most of the people diving with us are relativly inexperienced and the shop is trying to limit liability. Still, just like when you go to a resturant it's part of the deal; it's not like you could run your own food from the kitchen to your table because you don't want to tip the waiter.
You are in fact subsidizing the low wages paid to dive guides but if you don't tip it's not like wages are going to go up. At the end of the day if all the guide did was sit on the boat and smoke, then don't tip. It's really an internal problem if one staff member isn't helping, and it will get delt with. I always prefer when people hand me a tip personally (to a jar type situation), but I still share it with my co-workers; as I said we're a team.
As far as the Hawaii/dive guide required thing I would agree, I haven't seen to many shops that allow people to go on unguided dives. I think (in Oahu at least) it's because most of the people diving with us are relativly inexperienced and the shop is trying to limit liability. Still, just like when you go to a resturant it's part of the deal; it's not like you could run your own food from the kitchen to your table because you don't want to tip the waiter.
You are in fact subsidizing the low wages paid to dive guides but if you don't tip it's not like wages are going to go up. At the end of the day if all the guide did was sit on the boat and smoke, then don't tip. It's really an internal problem if one staff member isn't helping, and it will get delt with. I always prefer when people hand me a tip personally (to a jar type situation), but I still share it with my co-workers; as I said we're a team.
