Tips on Tips

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BBP

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Owasso, OK
I've always felt awkward about tipping on a dive boat. Not that I'm bashful about showing appreciation for a job well done and good service, but I'm uncomfortable about 'the rules'.

What's appropriate for a two tank dive? (assuming of course you received good service) Do you tip your divemaster and assume it'll get shared with the crew, or do you tipthe captain?

Couple of weeks ago I tipped our divemaster twenty bucks and my dive buddy almost fell out. but it was a shore dive, there was lots of gear carried and the dive was excellently done. I'm beinig honest when I say that I don't know if it was too much, too little, or what. Just wondering what you folks think is customary.

BKB
 
Thanks for starting the topic, I too tipped $20 to the DM last week and they acted like it was a HUGE tip??

I asked around at the guesthouse and kept getting the same answer..."tip what think is fair/appropriate for the level of service you receive". Nice idea but I was looking more for norms or guidelines like "tip 20% of the cost /or/ tip $10 pp for a 2 tank"...
 
Queen:
Thanks for starting the topic, I too tipped $20 to the DM last week and they acted like it was a HUGE tip??

I asked around at the guesthouse and kept getting the same answer..."tip what think is fair/appropriate for the level of service you receive". Nice idea but I was looking more for norms or guidelines like "tip 20% of the cost /or/ tip $10 pp for a 2 tank"...

Same here I normally give 10.00 per peron to the DM and 10.00 per person to the Boat Captain for a two tank dive...depending on the service that I receive.
 
$10/15 for a 2 tank dive, 20 for a 3, maybe a bit extra if they crew do something extra special...
 
I generally tip $5 a tank, unless they piss me off or do something unsafe.

If they go out of their way to make my wife feel good about the trip, I'll give more. Me, I just see it as a taxi service, and don't expect anything more. I'm not usually surprised.

The few places I've been that have exceeded my expectations by a large amount have been Aruba (DiveAruba), Curacao (Marriott local op), and Cancun (Aquaworld). Every where else has been a water taxi, or less.
 
In Mexico when i'm on a dive boat, I tip 200 pesos which is split between the captain, one DM and an instructor usually.
 
Off NC, when diving off sixpacks, we tip $10 per diver per day. That's $60 to the mate per day. Dunno how he and the captain split it. We hump all our own stuff onto and off the boat, but the mate is real helpful at handing down and recovering scooters and sling tanks from us. We've never had a bad mate, so that issue has never come up. Most boats we're on are pretty small operations, and very professional.

Doc
 
Good point about the size of the operation Doc. the boats I dive on have a maximum of 8 divers. As far as the others on the boat, sometimes I've seen a large group tip nothing.
 
Wijbrandus:
If they go out of their way to make my wife feel good about the trip, I'll give more. Me, I just see it as a taxi service, and don't expect anything more. I'm not usually surprised.
That's how I felt on this last trip, the DM went waaaay out of his way to make my partner feel comfortable (she was snorkeling around the boat)...he even threw on a mask and hopped in to point out some of the fish to her.
 
Tip nothing. It's not your fault that the employer doesn't pay them enough, and you shouldn't have to compensate them for what their employer is unwilling to do. If they expect a tip, that's their problem, not yours. Tell them "Well, I expect a refund because I was a good customer" and see what they say.

If they do a good job, assume it's because they were raised by parents who instilled in them a sense of pride in doing a good job. And in that case, they would probably be offended at the thought of a tip.
 
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