Tipping

[kierentec]

I'm in the business, I think I would know a little better than you what an acceptable tip is. Most experienced groups that we see have the same ten a tank mentality, and we have several regular groups who come down a few times a year that REQUIRE their divers to tip that. Anything less than ten a tank and your basically sayin " I'm only doing this because I have to". If you don't feel like the DM did a good job, toss them a five. I'm saying MY minimum is ten a tank, but then again I also tip a minimum of 20% at restaurants. I know how much people rely on gratuities to survive, and the extra couple bucks out of my pocket isn't going to kill me.

You are absolutely right, 480 dollars would be an incredible amount of money for guiding a two tank dive. But you have to remember, maybe 8 of those 16 will actually tip, and it will probably only be about 5 bucks for the trip. That's 40 dollars for the trip, and is then split with the captain. That leave 20 bucks. 20 dollars a day is not easy to survive on. Yes, the cost of living is higher here, just like many remote dive destinations. And yes, we do get wages other than gratuities, but it is much like a server get paid.


We really do count the one or 2 generous people on the boat to survive. If you're not one of those people, well, don't be surprised if you somehow end up with the short fills everyday...

 

[DandyDon]

480 dollars would be an incredible amount of money for guiding a two tank dive. But you have to remember, maybe 8 of those 16 will actually tip, and it will probably only be about 5 bucks for the trip.

I was referencing Roatan where it's common to do 3/day, at least on Fantasy Isalnd. After 6 days of diving, it's common to tip $100 for the DM & Skipper to split I think - so if things go well among the 12-16 divers in a common group, that's $600/week each or more. Not too shabby in a country where the GDP is $1912 each, or GDP (PPP) even is $4175, on top of whatever base pay and national retirement plan they have - which they do. Incomes and expenses are much more on the island than mainland sure, which creates a migration and squatter problem - amazingly built on $5/tank.

GDP (PPP) for the USVIs is more like $14,000. Different place. Minimum 20% in a restaurant or $10/tank tho - I don't think so. But then you get the local prices.

 

[Reef Tank]

I appreciate the previous posts. Now I know not to go to USVI.

 

[Doc]

I appreciate the previous posts. Now I know not to go to USVI.

It is two completely different economies, worlds apart.

In Honduras, the DM & Captain (who really produce) are quite pleased with $50 each after a week of 20 dives, 10 of which are guided. The magic $10 a tank rears it's ugly head.

Comparisons that go against the common perception:

On Roatan, I once took a cab to Reef House Resort from French Harbour. The driver charged us $10 dollars. After our visit, when it was 5pm and we were sitting on the bench in remote Oak Ridge, the only cab driver wanted $30 to take us back.

In St Croix (USVI), my dive buddy got a cab from the cruise-ship dock. It was a no-ship day, but she was warned that cabs to the hospital would likely be $40 when you go from the cruise ship dock. There were no cruise ships, the driver charged her $6... and showed up again when the Doctor visit was over- and ran her back to the dock area for free.

Which driver got tipped?

General Rules don't always work.

 

[ronski101]

We have had a pretty large range in the quality of DM's while the captains all seem to be good in that they always leave and get back on time, find the site, spot dolphins, help us get in out, grab cameras, etc where as the DM's range from rude and have attitude to friendly helpful, social, show us great stuff, safety consciencous, etc. Frankly, we don't really need a DM to have a great dive but I don't know of anywhere except Baja and the South Pacific/Asia where it is not a requirement. When there is a great disparity in service, we tip them individually and accordingly.

 

[DandyDon]

I once had a NYC taxi driver tell me I over tipped and gave half of it back. I think he was new.

I'd just as soon have no DM as have one who thinks a minimum $10/tank is entitled even if he takes his bad day out on a customers.

 

[Reef Tank]

I once had a NYC taxi driver tell me I over tipped and gave half of it back. I think he was new.

I'd just as soon have no DM as have one who thinks a minimum $10/tank is entitled even if he takes his bad day out on a customers.

Funny, I had someone at the Cozumel airport give back half the tip also. It must have looked like we needed it more.

 

[salth2owannabe]

A tip is a tip, and I like to reward folks for a job well down, but it is not my responsibility to cover their salary because an employer isn't. It is also not my responsibilty to "make up" for folks that choose not to tip.
If I'm on a dive boat with 8-10 folks and do 3 dives a day, that's $240 -$300 in "tips" for the boat (/2). I have a Bachelors degree, numerous law enforcement certificates and have to wear a vest to work every day in case someone decides to throw lead my direction, and I don't take home that much. If I can dive for that sign me up!

 

[morecowbells]

If you don't feel like the DM did a good job, toss them a five. I'm saying MY minimum is ten a tank, but then again I also tip a minimum of 20% at restaurants. I know how much people rely on gratuities to survive, and the extra couple bucks out of my pocket isn't going to kill me.

$10 per tank? Are you kidding me? I work hard and play hard. I have had to bail out banks, mortgage insurance companies, auto industries and home owners because they were careless with their money. Now I am expected to participate in a welfare system where we subsidize the dive industry because I am on the same boat as some cheap b@stard who probably gets 3 months of paid vacation a year and gets to retire at 50- yet never tips. Nobody held a gun to your head and forced you to be a DM. You chose this profession, if there is such hostility toward your clients, perhaps it is time to change jobs...Just sayin'.

 

[Ste Wart]

$10 per tank? Are you kidding me? I work hard and play hard. I have had to bail out banks, mortgage insurance companies, auto industries and home owners because they were careless with their money. Now I am expected to participate in a welfare system where we subsidize the dive industry because I am on the same boat as some cheap b@stard who probably gets 3 months of paid vacation a year and gets to retire at 50- yet never tips. Nobody held a gun to your head and forced you to be a DM. You chose this profession, if there is such hostility toward your clients, perhaps it is time to change jobs...Just sayin'.

Easy tiger.

I worked on Roatan over Xmas and New Years. It's the cheapest diving in the world, trust me on this. At our shop we pooled everything amongst the 4 of us.
So let's put this in perspective. We got paid $4.50 a tank, divide that by 4, ok? So I just set-up you're equipment, walked it to the boat, took you diving, probably checked your air and gave you a few extra weights, because you don't know how to weight yourself.
I think that's worth a 5 spot.