OW checkout dives - tipping?

[Wheeler925]

Did my pool dives this past weekend and tomorrow ill be doing my OW checkouts with the same LDS. They seemed to suggest bringing tips for the instructors(?) for the checkout dives. 1) is this normal? 2) if so, how much?

 

[Wants2divemore]

I've not heard of that, at least in the U.S.

 

[rhwestfall]

Might offer to share some food/drinks/snacks, but tips seems odd....

 

[ontdiver]

Tipping has become insidious these days and I don't agree with the approach being taken by your LDS. They may be trying this out on some customers to see if anyone bites.

 

[BoltSnap]

Never heard of this happening in the US.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Frankly, instructors are probably not paid much, and this may be the LDS' way of helping them out/ subsidizing the cost of the OW class (depending on your perspective).

 

[Pbdiver84]

Do you mean your OW cert dives?

If so, generally I’ve seen tips for the instructors for the entire OW course, not for the cert dives themselves.

 

[TooCold]

this may be the LDS' way of helping them out/ subsidizing the cost of the OW class

The LDS is the employer, right? If they truly want to "help out" their underpaid instructors, then just pay decently in the first place. Then charge appropriately for the course, up front, instead of attempting to guilt their customers into paying essentially hidden charges.

 

[DiveProKoko]

I've been tipped (well) by a couple of clients because they really enjoyed the class. And in one case, I offered to do an extra dive with a guy's kid who was having issues in class to get him up to speed. Very few instances, but some cash, some gift certificates to great restaurants, etc. Having said that, 99% of students don't tip and it's not really expected. You're already paying for the course and I'm already being paid to teach you! I'm not doing anything "extra" in an OW class, such as guiding dives on your vacation, setting up your gear, replacing O-rings for you, showing you cool stuff underwater, etc.

 

[TMHeimer]

Never heard of it. Never seen it at our shop here in Nova Scotia. Only tip I once got while divemastering courses was a beer. At a shop in NY I was told that since the DMs didn't get salary the students were encouraged to tip them, but not the instructors.