Tipping Divemasters

[Caveeagle]

And we'd be completely fine with that. The issue lies in the fact that we can't know upfront what the price of our dive will be. Plus the way you say that about the taxes/benefits, I somehow doubt that everything is done "by the book"...

I agree.. I just want to know what the arrangement is when i book a trip. We are moving fast towards a cashless society and at the same time the "tip culture" seems to be expanding as more small businesses are getting squeezed. Its harder now to hire and keep a "real" employee. I was also add that even unpaid DMs are actually getting paid just for the boat trip etc. I am sure folks like Sheeper love the diving and experience or why would you do this. So you are obviously getting some compensation, even if its just a personal thing. And i think that's great. I just want all cards on the table.

I just hate that awkward moment when I am not sure if (or how much) I should tip. Now Marriott hotels leave a "tip envelope" on your bedside table for the housekeeper. I travel for work, and I could go broke in a hurry if I left 10-20% tips every time its now "expected". Many restaurants offer "free" valet parking and many cases don't even have self park areas. It really pi$$es me off when a rest blocks off all the parking spaces right by the front door for valet, and makes you park way out back by the dumpster for self park. I hate letting people drive my car, as do most people I know. **sorry for the rant**

And just so you know I am really not a cheapskate. I tip a min of 20% for dinners out, and 25-30% is not uncommon if they get my order right and keep my drink full.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba.]

serious question. not trying to be argumentative. so are you saying that for a $30 dive i should tip $10 in the keys or california, but only $5 in the dominican or cuba ? based on the standard of living ?

A number of years ago my wife and I arrived in Fiji in predawn darkness and were picked up by a prearranged and pre-paid cab. It was two hours in the slowly emerging dawn to our hotel, and during those two hours the cabbie gave us an outstanding introduction to the island. He was just great. At our hotel, he carried our bags into our room. I had read the travel book, which said tipping was not usually done, but it was OK for extraordinary service. I could not imagine how this service could have been any better, so I gave him a small percentage of what I had pre-paid for the cab ride. I thought he was going to pass out in shock. I learned later that I had tipped him the rough equivalent of a very good day's pay.

It seems that in that culture, cabbies do not expect tips. They give extraordinary service so that the next time you need a cab, you will not ask for a cab; you will ask for that specific cabbie.

 

[mmmbelows]

I just hate that awkward moment when I am not sure if (or how much) I should tip.

You can research the hotel to figure out where you want to stay when you travel someplace, you can research the dive shop to use when you travel someplace, but the tipping just baffles you?

 

[rivers]

If the operator paid crew, and had to pay taxes, benefits, etc, then you'd pay $100 or more to dive instead of $65.

I would rather a dive op charge more in order to pay their staff as opposed to relying on their customers to pay their staff. DMs on boats don't exist in the UK, but most charters do have a crew member on board. But that crew member is paid, and does not get tipped.

 

[Caveeagle]

You can research the hotel to figure out where you want to stay when you travel someplace, you can research the dive shop to use when you travel someplace, but the tipping just baffles you?

"baffle" is your word, not mine..

I book my hotels using online app. (over 115 nights last year, over 800 in the last 10).. My wife booked the dive charter by looking online, and then calling the shop. In neither of those transactions did ANY information on tipping come up.

....errr, and I am on this thread doing research on exactly what is normal/expected for my next trip.. so I am not really sure what your point is...

 

[AaronRiot]

I sure wish employers would just pay their employees so I don't have to do it directly. At my repair shop when somebody gets a tip they are proud of it. It was for service above and beyond the call of duty.

This exactly. Put it in the damn price of the dives. I say the same for all tipping in general, it should not be expected but an above and beyond job. I am not your employer; I am a customer. If people refused jobs they cannot/will not get by on...

I tip $5/tank (because it's expected) unless I am wowed, in that case I gift money based on why I'm impressed, which could also be for how I noticed they helped another diver. If I am not happy with the service I will not tip, and won't feel guilty, though that is rare.

 

[USdiver1]

I have gotten into perhaps a bad habit of giving the DM the $20 before the boat leaves the dock (again, lazy--one more thing to not think about or worry about where to stash $20 on board).

As a DM who occasionally (very occasionally) gets tipped for my work with students, I'll say that I prefer the $20 bills dry, but post dive, wet $20s are still welcome.

When I travel and boat dive with a DM, I tip $10 per dive too.

 

[Rocknrone]

This exactly. Put it in the damn price of the dives. I say the same for all tipping in general, it should not be expected but an above and beyond job. I am not your employer; I am a customer. If people refused jobs they cannot/will not get by on...

I tip $5/tank (because it's expected) unless I am wowed, in that case I gift money based on why I'm impressed, which could also be for how I noticed they helped another diver. If I am not happy with the service I will not tip, and won't feel guilty, though that is rare.

That's the most sensible post in this whole thread.

 

[mmmbelows]

This exactly. Put it in the damn price of the dives. I say the same for all tipping in general, it should not be expected but an above and beyond job. I am not your employer; I am a customer. If people refused jobs they cannot/will not get by on...

If you're happy to pay the higher price for an all inclusive dive price with tips included, why is there so much frustration about it being broken out into an up front payment and a tip at the end? At least that way if you get less than expected service you have the ability to withhold the 2nd part of the compensation which is the tip. You'd rather pay a higher price and receive crappy service???? Incentivized compensation is the perfect capitalist system, people get rewarded for providing great service and those who are lacking get a lower compensation.

 

[Dhboner]

I'm in the "pay them more" camp! I dislike tipping in any industry...your incentive to do the job well should be the salary you earn and the fact that you HAVE a job. If you dine at a restaurant and the service is sub par, let the owner know you won't be back. You shouldn't have to offer up a gratuity to ramp the service up to "acceptable". When I dive in the caribbean I tip only because it is ingrained in the local economy and the boat crews are generally poorly paid. I wish I didn't have to tip...I mean I set up my own gear, I follow the DM because it is the law and I have no choice but I DO tip. I just wish the cost of the dive accurately reflected the "cost" of the dive...fuel, salary, overhead and a decent profit for the owner. But don't flame me, I DO tip