How much to tip dive masters and boat crew in Cozumel?

[scubadada]

That's not what I said. They see it but they don't think they should have to pay extra for what they believe they have already paid for.

Has anyone in this thread admitted they "do not tip"? I thought the argument was over how much to tip, and that no one was taking the position that dive crew should receive no tip at all. I agree with @scubadada that Cozumel is too close to America (in terms of tipping customs) for me to give no tip at all. Other places, I may feel differently.

As per @ggunn some think that they have already paid for it. I still wonder who these people are

 

[DandyDon]

Who would be diving in Cozumel and not know that it is a tipping culture? Certainly, not anybody from the US. Who thinks they have already paid for all services on a boat dive trip?

Oh, the tipping practice doesn't have any logical support. It's just a commonly accepted practice. My first year of diving I did not know this nor did I see any particular reason to tip, I suspect that there are others.

 

[ggunn]

Who would be diving in Cozumel and not know that it is a tipping culture? Certainly, not anybody from the US. Who thinks they have already paid for all services on a boat dive trip? Is this the Europeans and Asians who are not used to tipping?

My wife and I lived in Switzerland for two years and traveled extensively, we got used to the local customs.

I know this started out as being about tipping dive crews around Cozumel but it has expanded to be about tipping in general. That said, based on what I have seen on Cozumel dive boats there are indeed people who consider what they pay the shop for diving to be the bottom line.

Speaking for myself about tipping in general, I do it but I wish it would go away. In some arenas it borders on extortion.

 

[scubadada]

Don't we all? But it will not

 

[ggunn]

Don't we all? But it will not

Obviously we do not all wish it would go away. If everyone wished that, it would go away. If everyone were to stop tipping at once, employers would have to pay employees more to keep them; they would pass the expense to us, and I would be fine with that.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I know this started out as being about tipping dive crews around Cozumel but it has expanded to be about tipping in general. That said, based on what I have seen on Cozumel dive boats there are indeed people who consider what they pay the shop for diving to be the bottom line.

It would be interesting to know whether those who won't tip dive boat crews in Coz wouldn't tip dive boat crews in the US.

 

[Rob9876]

It would be interesting to know whether those who won't tip dive boat crews in Coz wouldn't tip dive boat crews in the US.

Though I tip both places, I would actually come closer to not tipping some crews in the U.S. than those I've experienced in Cozumel. It's a bit ironic that some boats (looking at you, Florida) that are low service/anti-valet ("you just get a seat on the boat") also engage in hard-sell begging for tips with signs on the boat and speeches by the captain about tips. Look, I have no trouble (and often prefer) dealing with my own gear, etc., but if I'm loading my own tanks, setting up my gear, no DM in the water, and the crew is doing literally no personal service for me then I don't believe a tip should be expected.

 

[deepsea21]

I haven't the time to read through these 25 pages of blather. If you can't afford to tip when visiting and diving Coz you shouldn't be traveling there.

On average a DM is paid maybe $30-$35 US equivalent by the op when he goes, no go days = no $. The Captain may be on a $10/day salary and he gets an extra $15 when he goes so $25 for him on go days. Your housekeeper gets $6 a day to turn over all those rooms including yours. Your waiter at that restaurant you love gets about $5 a day and he has to be in early for the lunch hour, leaves and then be in again around 4-5 for the dinner hours until whenever.

These people work hard and they all depend on tips from the Gringo's who spend more in RT airfare to get there than they will make in 4 months.

Tip as ya will.

 

[jonhall]

I haven't the time to read through these 25 pages of blather. If you can't afford to tip when visiting and diving Coz you shouldn't be traveling there.

On average a DM is paid maybe $30-$35 US equivalent by the op when he goes. Captain may be on a $10/day salary and he gets an extra $15 when he goes so $25 for him. Your housekeeper gets $6 a day to turn over all those rooms including yours. Your waiter at that restaurant you love gets about $5 a day and he has to be in early for the lunch hour, leaves and then be in again around 4-5 for the dinner hours until whenever.

These people work hard and they all depend on tips from the Gringo's to try to rise above.

Although the specific statement highlighted in red hasn't been mentioned in this thread (as I recall), many of the responses have in some way addressed the issue. Read the same thing in an older tip thread a few years ago. This thread is not about affording to tip, but about how much to tip which has been covered in one way or another, as well as tipping based on the needs of the dive staff, which most visitors don't have a clue about, nor should they, IMHO.

Might be worth a cursory glance to look through other responses in this thread. It's possible to come away with another take on the situation by seeing what others have to say. Here's what I learned from @ReefHound :

Does the server deserve a bigger tip because I order the $25 steak versus the $12 chicken sandwich?

Why didn't I ever think of this before? I guess I'm slow!! I am now reevaluating my tipping practice when dining - I've been a 20% tipper no questions asked (unless service was not very good.)

 

[CajunDiva]

Absolutely BRILLIANT. Start tipping based on how many trips the server has to make to your table and the quality of those trips...