Tipping

[RJP]

"DMs and dive boat crew members don't deserve tips. They are almost universally lazy, and there is no reason for a paying passenger to subsidize their misguided carreer decisions. This is especially true if you set your own dive gear up or otherwise don't feel you need or want the alleged "services" that these slackers purport to provide. If they are so stupid as to work for free in the first place, there's really no need for you to give them another thought. You owe them nothing more than your contempt."

-Originally posted by RJP

I personally highly disagree with this statement. I have never had an experience where a dive master was lazy and did not help the divers on the boat in a variety of ways: both with equipment and under the water. To not tip these guys, I feel is in very poor taste.

I'm assuming that by now you've read further into the thread and realized that I was being sarcastic, right?

 

[Wiilldd1]

Tip or don't tip, it will always be up to the individual diver. After working on the same liveaboard for eight years I can say that those guests that tipped well were always appreciated. When they came back (and 70% of our guests were return guests), it was remembered and and crew went out of their way to go the extra mile. While I can't speak for day boats, I can say that liveaboards offer lots of service aside from dive deck operations--cleaning cabins, serving meals, laundering towels & linens, carrying luggage to and from the boat, the list is endless. These are DMs and instructors, but they are doing work outside of normal diving ops--the things they never told you about when you were working towards that instructor rating. This doesn't include the special services, like when a guest accidently drops a piece of gear over the side and we jump in and retrieve it (I've retrieved DOZENS of pieces of gear, including a $5000 camera from way beyond recreational diving limits), or when a camera isn't working right and we use our expertise to fix it, or when we find out it is a special occasion (birthday, 100th dive, etc.) and we use our "off" time to bake a cake and sing to make the occasion memorable, or when a guest shows up with a reg that hasn't been serviced in years and we fix it for no charge. These things certainly go beyond providing transportation to dive sites and assuring a safe dive environment.

I've chatted with guests numerous times about tipping and one subject that frequently comes up is that the guest suggests the tip SHOULD be included in the cruise fare. I try to explain that as an employee, I would love that, but IF the tip was included in the cruise fare, there would be no incentive to offer top-notch service. It's simply an incentive to go above and beyond.

There have been times where guests have tipped the crew $20 for a week of top-notch service and the crew gets angry, but I've always tried to explain that maybe that was all the guest could afford and this might have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I urge them to keep giving the great service and they'll come back, hopefully when they can afford a bigger tip. Karma is a wonderful thing.

Cappyjon, I agree with your statement, nicely put!

 

[Bratface]

I live in Key West. There aren't enough boats/crew who schlep your gear, set it up, provide drinks and snacks, and make sure you don't go out in six foot seas. Of the ones who do look out for your welfare, a tip would be well-deserved. I'm willing to tip anyone who hauls my gear. Also, it is expensive living here. Yes, it is by choice that I am here as well as everyone else I know. In my profession, tipping is not allowed, however, I don't make $10/hr like most DM's or Dive Instructors here do. Have a little mercy.

 

[almitywife]

hi guys... well im back from diving and have my flame proof suit back on :jb:

so, no one did a thing for me on my dives today, the fun of being a solo diver i guess....... should i have tipped the tank fairy at the shop for smiling at me and doing his job???

i really need to know, see i dont pay for fills but i bring the lds alot of business and sales so what should i have done??

 

[Papa_Bear]

You tip someone for a job well done! Or service above and beyond the regular service you would expect. It should be a bonus and not pay! The size depends on the service provided above the baseline! I never tip the owner or higher staff, just the grunts who work hard for every shinny penny! I tip "Let me get that" or "Here I fixed this for you" or "let me show you the really good stuff"!!!! Oops you know what I mean!

 

[Kamchatka]

Remember, this is NJ: The Sopranos is a REALLITY show here!

Yo! You gotta problem wit dat?

 

[VooDooGasMan]

After reading the point of views of almitywife, don't tip the australian dive operations, Cause I can do everything myself, The wife and I agreed that the dive operations must be just terrible if a scubaboard mod, Just will not tip them.

So we just put a deposit down on the NOAA research Two week livaboard at the great barrier reef. To learn from NOAA biologist is going to be a trip to be very memorable.

If you get free air fills, for bringing in buisness, you, yourself are getting a tip.
I don't see how you are bringing in buisness, When your post say they don't deserve anything.
And the charters still let you on there boat. To cut them down so bad on a public forum.

If you bring them customers through this board, I don't see how the dive shop even gives you air or even wants your buisness. You must tell the customers not to tip when you send them to the dive operation.

I have to catch My tide now to go shoot my breakfast.

Cheers and remember do not tip in australia if you can do everything yourself.

 

[wardric]

should we tip australian exotic dancers?

 

[Bratface]

Well, if they haven't done anything for you, don't tip them. Kind of like the annoying tip jar at the coffee shop. Why should we tip for them ringing up the coffee?

Unfortunately, tipping if way out of hand in the US, but I can never imagine one of my patients tipping me for starting their IV or bringing them their pain medicine in a timely fashion. Sheesh.

 

[saijef]

You tip someone for a job well done! Or service above and beyond the regular service you would expect. It should be a bonus and not pay! The size depends on the service provided above the baseline! I never tip the owner or higher staff, just the grunts who work hard for every shinny penny! I tip "Let me get that" or "Here I fixed this for you" or "let me show you the really good stuff"!!!! Oops you know what I mean!

This is where it comes home - A 'tip' is for above and beyond what would be normally expected. Tips should not be an expectation from staff, but appreciation from customer.