My guess is because those of us who post on message boards about diving care enough about the sport to support it. People who post here likely really care about diving, and therefore tip well out of a sense of "brotherhood", for lack of a better term. People who just dive because there's nothing else to do, and don't care to read up on diving at sites such as these, probably also don't care enough to show their appreciation to the DM who put up with them flopping around in the water like a mangled fish.
Tipping Etiquette
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My guess is because those of us who post on message boards about diving care enough about the sport to support it. People who post here likely really care about diving, and therefore tip well out of a sense of "brotherhood", for lack of a better term. People who just dive because there's nothing else to do, and don't care to read up on diving at sites such as these, probably also don't care enough to show their appreciation to the DM who put up with them flopping around in the water like a mangled fish.
I had to check the date of your post. I assumed it was from about 10yrs ago.
:d
$5/tank was the going rate for a tip when 2-tank charters were $60 and gas was $1.85 a gallon.
---------- Post added July 4th, 2013 at 06:16 PM ----------
Ordinary NJ divers are very generous, can't speak to anyplace else in the world.
---------- Post added July 4th, 2013 at 06:27 PM ----------
As a diver and frequent dive traveler, I'd say that at $5/tank you came up light for "regular" good service. Given the level of "concierge" service I'd say you came up very light.
Doesn't the dive op's charge for the charter already reflect the cost of gas? It seems to me that the tip reflects the crew's good service, and that doesn't change with the price of gas.
I realize that the custom in restaurants and other service industries is to tip a percentage based on the total of the bill, but I have never really understood the logic behind that practice, and the practice doesn't seem to have infiltrated diving yet as far as I can tell.
cbm32
Contributor
In my opinion tipping is a very personal thing based on many factors. I really dislike people telling other people what they should do and judging if they have done enough or not.
I HATE the please dont forget to tip speech. When I hear that speech the tip goes down and the longer more insistent the speech is the lower the tip goes.
I also strongly dislike the "do you know what these guys end up making per hour without tips" argument. There are a LOT of jobs out there where you can punch a time clock. If one is worried about what they make per hour, perhaps they should be working one of those jobs. If I were to break down what I make coaching into per hour earnings, which I have not done and will never do as I simply don't care, it would probably be in the area of a nickel or less per hour. So what? Who cares? I love coaching and I manage to pay my bills. End of story.
If you really care how much you make per hour and/or get butt hurt when the tip jar isnt full, I hope I dont ever end up on your boat or in your shop. I believe if you do a job that you love, have fun doing it and let that show through as you give great service and provide an atmosphere that allows your customers to relax and have fun...the tips will take care of themselves.
I HATE the please dont forget to tip speech. When I hear that speech the tip goes down and the longer more insistent the speech is the lower the tip goes.
I also strongly dislike the "do you know what these guys end up making per hour without tips" argument. There are a LOT of jobs out there where you can punch a time clock. If one is worried about what they make per hour, perhaps they should be working one of those jobs. If I were to break down what I make coaching into per hour earnings, which I have not done and will never do as I simply don't care, it would probably be in the area of a nickel or less per hour. So what? Who cares? I love coaching and I manage to pay my bills. End of story.
If you really care how much you make per hour and/or get butt hurt when the tip jar isnt full, I hope I dont ever end up on your boat or in your shop. I believe if you do a job that you love, have fun doing it and let that show through as you give great service and provide an atmosphere that allows your customers to relax and have fun...the tips will take care of themselves.
Rusty Nail
Registered
I have had nothing but great experiences with the few dive boats I'v been on so i'v always tipped $20 a bottle if it's just me and when I have my two kids I do $100 for the three of us. The DM's have alway helped me with my kids, every now and the I'll look up and see the DM hovering above, keeping an eye out. I realize that's part of his job but if I feel someone has earned their money, I have no problem helping them out.
So with the price of everything else in the world doubling in the last 15yrs you don't think the 15yr old "$5 a tank" rule of thumb shouldn't have evolved to the "$10 a tank" rule of thumb?
PS - this is an intellectual question, not a whining for tips question. It's just genuinely interesting to me that this oft cited "rule of thumb" has never increased over the last 10-15 yerars. The good news is it seems to only be cited/observed on the internet. The actual going rate (as reflected on yesterday's charter) seems to be $10/tank.
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I'm with RJP. My rule of thumb is $10/tank, occasionally more for extraordinary service, occasionally less for crappy service. This comes out to be around 20%. If I'm willing to fork that over to the person who brought me my food and drink for an hour or so, I certainly think someone who worked half a day making sure I had a good time diving deserves at least that.
For the record I am a good tipper. Many, many, years in the service industry. Since we are having an intellectual discussion. Since when did this for of corporate welfare become so prevalent? It's everywhere now. What was a way for servers to get rewarded for good service. (TIP=to insure promptness) has now become rampant. From the girl at starbucks to the dive team. Why?!?!?!?!?
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EastEndDiver
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I find these threads on tipping interesting.
30 years ago when I would work on NY/NJ diveboats there was no such thing as tipping.We got to dive for free on that trip and also would dive free if any spots were open during the season which there always were.Our job consisted of arriving early to prep the boat and when on site "tying" the anchor in on the wreck and giving a short briefing such as "We are on the _____________ wreck it is XXX feet to the sand ,have fun" then washing the boat down on return.
That's how it was back then.Not sure what has changed to create this expectation of tips.
30 years ago when I would work on NY/NJ diveboats there was no such thing as tipping.We got to dive for free on that trip and also would dive free if any spots were open during the season which there always were.Our job consisted of arriving early to prep the boat and when on site "tying" the anchor in on the wreck and giving a short briefing such as "We are on the _____________ wreck it is XXX feet to the sand ,have fun" then washing the boat down on return.
That's how it was back then.Not sure what has changed to create this expectation of tips.
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