Tipping

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MDColson

MDColson

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Location
Meriden, CT
I am fairly new to SCUBA. I am from CT and dive primarily in the ocean (shore/beach diving) and lakes and quarriess. I will be going down to Florida in a couple of weeks and am interested in going out on a couple of boat dives. This will be my first time diving off a charter boat, and I am curious as to 'tipping'. I have heard and read things about tipping the DM on the boat, and/or the crew... What is a common practice? Who do you tip, and how much? I don't want to get on the boat and have to just watch everyone else and let them make the first move... ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

MDColson
 
I have only done boat dives with my OW instructor/LDS owner who also runs a charter business. He told us first time out that it was customary to tip the deck hand (there is only one on this boat) and that $5 a person was appropriate. Since my daughter and I dive together I tip the deck hand $10 each time we go out.
 
Scroll down to the 8th post in this thread for a nice summary by DocVikingo:
http://scubaboard.com/t46115.html

Search the archives and you will find plenty of opinions. I usually tip $5 per tank per person for a normal dive. I've tipped less (or nothing) if service was lacking (like when the crew could not keep the boat hooked on the wreck), and more if the crew went out of thier way to do something special for me (like run a trip with only 2 divers or lend me some equipment to replace something I forgot, lost, or broke).

Some people prefer to tip discretely and directly to the person who helped instead of in the tip jar so just because you don't see tips doesn't mean they are not being given.

Finally, the custom for 'level of service' can really vary from place to place. In some places 'standard service' includes help with equipment, a guided dive, surface interval entertainment, and washing your gear. In other places, 'standard service' includes only a boat ride and a briefing. Ask around so you know what to expect.

Have a great trip!
 
I am not sure how it is in the US, but I know that DM's just about everywhere else are really low paid, so many of them live off their tips. I just posted an example on another thread about this, here in Mexico, a DM gets paid about $125- $150 USD per WEEK. a few dollars goes a long way.

I know it can be a little annoying when they blatantly ask for tips, but on the other hand if they have to ask, they probably really NEED IT. As I was brought up in a non tipping based society, I found it hard to get used to the idea of giving and recieving tips, but now, I save them up and buy myself a present or sonething I "want not need". This way, I think of the people every time I use or enjoy whatever dive gadget I splurged on with my tip money.

Tipping is a way of complimenting the crew, when it goes in the box, tips are generally split, but the personal one for exceptional service can really be appreciated, just make it really discrete so that it doesnt cause ruffled feathers from the other members of the crew.

m2c
 
Well.....I'll reiterate my point of view -- this is a reoccuring thread, it seems: I prefer to buy a dive on a boat where the crew is considred valueable enough to be worth a regular salary (and benefits and all that comes with real employment). I haven't been on a boat yet where tipping was encouraged or expected.

Most of my dives are in Europe and Japan, where the tipping culture is *vastly* different from the US: we do not tip our store clerks, bus-drivers and police-officers (at least, not as the general rule :-) ) nor dive-professionals. I think that if I had a diver tip *me*, I would be most baffled....

I may be heading to the US for some dives this summer, though. I will try to remember the "When in Rome....be a Romanian" thing and try out that tipping-the-crew-on-the-diveboat thing. Is it inappropriate to announce in advance "touch my gear, and there're no tips"? :-)
 
voop:
Well.....I'll reiterate my point of view -- this is a reoccuring thread, it seems: I prefer to buy a dive on a boat where the crew is considred valueable enough to be worth a regular salary (and benefits and all that comes with real employment). I haven't been on a boat yet where tipping was encouraged or expected.

Most of my dives are in Europe and Japan, where the tipping culture is *vastly* different from the US: we do not tip our store clerks, bus-drivers and police-officers (at least, not as the general rule :-) ) nor dive-professionals. I think that if I had a diver tip *me*, I would be most baffled....

I may be heading to the US for some dives this summer, though. I will try to remember the "When in Rome....be a Romanian" thing and try out that tipping-the-crew-on-the-diveboat thing. Is it inappropriate to announce in advance "touch my gear, and there're no tips"? :-)
Click to expand...
"Tipping" the police officer.....thats a new one. "Ahem, Officer, its not a bribe, its a tip!"
 
I live on Florida. Just so everyone knows, most of the DMs here DO NOT get paid by the boat. They work for tips ONLY!!!!!. I know this becuase my wife is finishing up her DM class, and we have been asking about working on boats. Everyone we have spoken with from Fort Pierce to Key Largo all say their DMs on their boats work for tips only!!! It is the norm here. A boat here may have up to 4 DMs on one boat. They all are working for tips.

Now for the actual tipping amount. I have read where people base their tips on the service. I do agree service is important. Keep in mined, just because the boat does not stay anchored at a sight does not mean bad service. Just because there is only one DM helping set up divers, doesn't mean the other DM is not helping becuase he/she is doing boat chores. Each DM has their own job to do on the boat.

I normally tip $5.00-$8.00 per person in out group (me and my wife). Unless my wife is working as a DM through our LDS, then I only tip for myself.

If you have any further questions about dive boats in West Palm Beach, give my a PM.
 
MDColson:
I am fairly new to SCUBA. I am from CT and dive primarily in the ocean (shore/beach diving) and lakes and quarriess. I will be going down to Florida in a couple of weeks and am interested in going out on a couple of boat dives. This will be my first time diving off a charter boat, and I am curious as to 'tipping'. I have heard and read things about tipping the DM on the boat, and/or the crew... What is a common practice? Who do you tip, and how much? I don't want to get on the boat and have to just watch everyone else and let them make the first move... ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

MDColson
Click to expand...
ten bucks is about what the average diver is tipping to the deckhand/divemaster and is just fair concerning that most deckhands/divemasters just get paid like that and dont have hourly rates .peace
 
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