Dogparkguy
Registered
I always tip 100$ for my dive instructor and then 20 per crew member on the boat
Tipping an Instructor?
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Any additional ideas for such tokens of appreciation other than food and drink? During my most recent course, getting to know my instructor a little bit, I found he preferred to eat lightly at lunchtime, was a family man who wanted to get home to his family at a reasonable time each day, didn't drink hard liquor, and wasn't much of a beer aficionado. But he did admit to drinking a beer now and then, which is why after some thought I settled on a six-pack of craft beer for his gift. It was a cave course, and the beer was from one of those N. FL breweries with a cutesy name that alludes to the springs--it might have been First Magnitude, now that I think about it.
It sounds like to me that what you did was fine. Everyone is different and my students thus far have realized that I am not afraid to put on an eating display and have a cocktail so that is what they have done. Likewise when I did it for my instructors. If they had been tea drinkers and vegans I probably would have just gotten them a gift card for something. To me it really is more about the thought than the item.
Ministryofgiraffes
Contributor
yup, this has been debated many times in different streams and many would argue that this is a killer for locals who are trying to make a professional living....also to be clear, i'm not anti tipping, i'm anti ( in the dive industry) 'you have to tip or we/they can't make a living'..or 'you are a bum if you don't tip hundreds of dollars' or ' I don't pay my staff properly, so i expect you to do it in tips'
IMHO this is not the way to look at it. If your instructor did something worthy of a tip, then tip. If they didn't, you already paid, and you're all good. It doesn't matter if they NEED more income or not. What matters is did they EARN more income or not. If I got exactly what I thought I'd get, then I'd only tip if I understood it would be offensive to not tip. If I got more than I expected I would get, then I'd definitely tip regardless of if it is customary or not.
I'm not one to use the instructor's income status to determine whether or not to tip. That said, if I sensed (and I'm ABSOLUTELY turned of by folks who lobby for tips) that they need more money, that might have an effect on my choices about how much but, unlikely would it effect if.
Full disclosure: I'm not a dive instructor, but I am a ski instructor. This is how I look at my own, and my teammates' tips. And yes, I have a full time job that isn't teaching, and I am one of those guys with an SUV and a diesel F-250 (not 350) and both have leather seats. I appreciate the gesture regardless of amount.
I have never tipped an instructor. As I commented in another post, I have actually witnessed my OW/Advanced/Rescue instructors refusing a tip. I “tip” by recommending them and my shop. Word of mouth is powerful. I do the same with my ITT instructor. He gets recommended.
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This is very much a cultural thing.
While tipping is the norm in the US (yes, I've messed up majorly while overseas; only well after the fact I realized that someone was expecting a tip) and is becoming the norm in areas visited by a lot of 'murricans, it's most definitely not the norm in other parts of the world. In fact (at least AFAIK), an attempt to tip might actually be taken as being derogatory or at least patronizing ("do you think that I'm not earning what I'm worth?" yes, Oz, I'm looking at you).
I've never considered tipping my instructor, neither with cash nor in any other way. Either they're making a half-decent income from their teaching, or they're in it for something else than the money. I will, however, give my honest opinion about the quality of their teaching and my outcome of that course to anyone remotely interested in listening.
While tipping is the norm in the US (yes, I've messed up majorly while overseas; only well after the fact I realized that someone was expecting a tip) and is becoming the norm in areas visited by a lot of 'murricans, it's most definitely not the norm in other parts of the world. In fact (at least AFAIK), an attempt to tip might actually be taken as being derogatory or at least patronizing ("do you think that I'm not earning what I'm worth?" yes, Oz, I'm looking at you).
I've never considered tipping my instructor, neither with cash nor in any other way. Either they're making a half-decent income from their teaching, or they're in it for something else than the money. I will, however, give my honest opinion about the quality of their teaching and my outcome of that course to anyone remotely interested in listening.
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I agree with those who have replied. Doesn't matter where you are an instructor or DM. Doesn't matter if your day job nets you a $100K salary and that you are an instructor or DM for another reason (ie., you love it, love teaching , want to "give something back", etc.). I have no respect for any dive "professional" who works without salary. What that salary may be is debatable. As a professional musician, I feel the same way, and this is something we do because we love it, as is scuba. These types of jobs are supposed to be enjoyable, as opposed to the hum drum one you do because you need the money. Doesn't mean you should do it for free.
Ministryofgiraffes
Contributor
Especially abroad when you are undercutting the local population who are trying to make an honest living as a professional.
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