Roatan vs. Utila... and crew tips

[Shade]

Trying to decide between going to Roatan and staying somewhere east of the French Harbor away from the west end or going to Utila in first half of March 2007. Any comments as far as the diving or better resorts to stay? Whale shark (hype?) seems to drive up the prices in Utila during that time.

We dive, but it is a vacation too. Definately looking atthe opposite spectrum of the 2$ a day room and 20$ a day diving type of arrangements. Would like great place to dive that is also a nice place to relax and enjoy out of the water.

Can anyone ballpark what the customary daily tip for the DM/Captain is in the Bay Islands area. Tough to figure out what is appropriate with all the AI prices at the resorts. Want to be sure not to offend the crews but I'm not made of money either.

 

[Doc]

Trying to decide between going to Roatan and staying somewhere east of the French Harbor

That would be Fantasy or CoCoView for AI's, then there is also the Executive Inn or French Harbour Yacht Club. Other smaller start-up resorts are considerably farther East than I believe you are inferring.

away from the west end or going to Utila in first half of March 2007. Any comments as far as the diving or better resorts to stay? Whale shark (hype?) seems to drive up the prices in Utila during that time.

Hype or not, it's what they've got. If you have-to-wanna-gotta-see-'em, here's your single best shot. If you don't, then go in the off season.

We dive, but it is a vacation too. Definately looking atthe opposite spectrum of the 2$ a day room and 20$ a day diving type of arrangements.

Here is some confusion. $20 a day for diving might have gotten you 1 dive ten years ago, someplace. If you want great diving but want it ala-carte, try Subway Watersports. If you want one or two a day and some great sunbathing on a nice beach, go to Fantasy Island. You can dive more at this AI, but most do not. If you want to dive-dive-dive, go to CoCoView.

Would like great place to dive that is also a nice place to relax and enjoy out of the water.

Once again, it depends on what enjoyment you are in search of. Roatan is hyped as many things, it is still 98% a dive destination.

Can anyone ballpark what the customary daily tip for the DM/Captain is in the Bay Islands area. Tough to figure out what is appropriate with all the AI prices at the resorts. Want to be sure not to offend the crews but I'm not made of money either.

Not sure of your question, depends on what you do, AI or ala carte. At AI's figure 10-15% of the full rack rate (not discounted) land package rate (approx $100 for the aforementioned AI's) into a communal tip jar, but you might want to hand a good DM and Boatman $50 each for a week. I mean this advisedly... was the Boatman helpful with your safety, reboarding and gear handling? Was the DM adept and eager at pointing out cool microscopic stuff on each and every dive? (The thing that the South side is best known for!) If so, take care of your new local expert and friend!

My experience thus far has been always handing $50 each to my two guys on any CCV boat.

Utila? Go see it now before it goes to the absolute hell of "discovery". Nothing fancy, not by any stretch.

 

[mjh]

If you want to do 3 dives per day than Utila would be my choice. But there is not much to do on Utila but dive or sit in a hammock and read. On Roatan there is a little more to do but they are not "dryland rich" in activities. We stayed at Coco View and Utila Lodge and both are excellent. As RoatanMan said at an AI we always tip minimum of 15% of AI trip costs, not including airfare, etc. Fortunately we have yet to dive with an operation that they did not earn it.

 

[Shade]

Thanks to both of you for your feedback.

I think I will visit both Roatan and Utila on this trip since I expect to be able to get down there for three weeks. Longest trip I've done before has been 10 days with 22 dives. With weeks and most places including 3 dives a day plus shore diving I have a little fear that as much I love diving it would be easy to overdo it. Kind of going to the all you can eat buffet when you are starved and not being able to leave the building for 21 hours...even though you were able to get more than your fill in 7 ... LOL

Even if it all looks similar under the water the slight change of scenery and faces topside might keep it from feeling likes it's dragging on!

The tipping amount you have both suggested is what I had expected it would/should be. I only asked because the majority of the crews I have tipped like that (10-15%) in the past in Costa Rica or Cozumel seem somewhat shocked and then incredibly appreciative as though they had just won the lottery and I was their best friend!

I've wondered if I've been overdoing it (either way money well spent IMHO) or there are just that many divers that tip poorly or not at all

 

[Doc]

I think I will visit both Roatan and Utila on this trip since I expect to be able to get down there for three weeks.

Smart. Good for you that you can do it. 1 week is simply too short.

Longest trip I've done before has been 10 days with 22 dives. With weeks and most places including 3 dives a day plus shore diving I have a little fear that as much I love diving it would be easy to overdo it.

At CoCoView it is a simple matter to do 5 a day. That would be two 2 tank boat dives at 0900 and 1400 plus a night shore dive. We always log a minimum of 23 on a Sat-Sat visit.

Kind of going to the all you can eat buffet when you are starved and not being able to leave the building for 21 hours...even though you were able to get more than your fill in 7 ... LOL

We have these buffets in Chicago and quite often I find myself hosting a group of young SWAT Cops, the football linebacker types. The owners don't like it when we come in. I think we have a seven hour time limit.

The tipping amount you have both suggested is what I had expected it would/should be. I only asked because the majority of the crews I have tipped like that (10-15%) in the past in Costa Rica or Cozumel seem somewhat shocked and then incredibly appreciative as though they had just won the lottery and I was their best friend!

I've wondered if I've been overdoing it (either way money well spent IMHO) or there are just that many divers that tip poorly or not at all

I think it's the latter- a lot of people just do not tip. You may find this even more so in places seldom visited by Americans. I have been to tropical destinations only frequented by Europeans and was warned not to "over-tip" lest I cause honest embarassment amongst the dive staff.

I don't want to engage in any argument about what the resort/dive-op should pay them, suffice to say they just do not. To us, $50 seems a different number than it would to your DM... hey- make someone's day! As you say- money well spent!

 

[Shade]

Thanks again Roatanman/MJH. This board is fortunate to have the privilege of sharing in wisdom and experience of people like you who have spent literally months of their lives underwater.

 

[penti]

Don't forget that tipping is a typically American tradition. So if you go to a place mainly frequented and run by Americans (I mean , from the USA) you'll be expected to tip the crews.
But Europeans don't tip, except sometimes in restaurants and cafes (and very-upper-scale hotels). You'll never see any European give a tip to a divemaster or boatman.

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi Penti

Sorry I do not agree with you, I am English and always used to tip, I am now a dive school and resort owner and at the resort we have many American, English and European guests and they have ALL tipped very well.

 

[szohn]

With Swin driving the boat, how could they possibly not tip well?

 

[DeepBlueResort]

LOL

True, Swin is a great Captain and we fully appreciate him