Tips, Aggressor vs. Nekton

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

kelly7552

Contributor
Messages
72
Reaction score
11
Location
san francisco
# of dives
100 - 199
I have a question for people who have taken more liveaboard trips than me (NEKTON twice) or who understand the operation of these liveaboards. As Nekton spiraled down as a company it became obvious on this board that the company was "taking" (or stealing) tips in the form of credit card tips given by divers to the crew. I will be taking an upcoming Aggressor trip and I will be tipping for 4 divers (my family); I'd rather not take that much cash. Has anyone heard of a problem with Aggressor NOT giving the tips charged on credit cards to the crew?

Sorry about this post, but it's the effects of being burned on the NEKTON that give some of us a jittery feeling....
 
Reputable dive ops know that their crew is all that is standing between them and total destruction. Aggressor fleet treats their crews well. They will get their credit card tips. No worries there.
 
I have been on 3 Aggressor boats and 2 Peter Hughes boats - and we are doing another Aggressor boat in Aug - and I never worried about the crew getting their share of the tips when I/we used a credit card. I agree with Wookie (whose boat I was also on when it was out in the Flower Gardens) the crew MAKES a boat and the companies know that. :cheerleader:
 
I always tip on Aggressor/PH via credit card and have no concerns about the crew getting it.
 
Someone else pointed out on an earlier thread that the only thing about tipping by credit card is that it takes a while to process and gets taxed before it gets to the crew.
 
Whether credit card or envelope stuffed with cash it doesn't matter, there's still no guarantee it gets to the crew. On Aggressor Fleet, almost assuredly it's divided equitably, as they're too big and have too many tip-earning crew members that they could keep such a scam secret otherwise.

But I've had my doubts on other boats, other dive ops. You basically have to rely on the turnover rate and the level of competition - if a competent crew sticks with the same boat or dive op for years and years even when there are other decent places to work, it's likely that they're happy with their compensation and/or working conditions. If the crew is surly and incompetent, it's likely you should find a different dive boat or dive op.
 
Last edited:
I used to write checks for my Nekton tips. I put my Aggressor tips on my card. Doing the Cayman Aggressor in 4 weeks.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom