Tipping Dominican Republic dive ops

[adjuster-jd]

Does anyone have insight into tipping protocol for Dominican Republic dive ops? Specifically in the Puerta Plata area. Since there are a lot of european visitors, and knowing that their views on tipping are not generally the same as Americans, I don't know whether tips are expected in that area or not.

FWIW - the dive op will be picking me up and returning me to my resort.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[DRsharky]

I would say 90% of the divers tip, but most of our clients are from USA, Canada and UK. It is like with any other service, if you are happy you tip more, if you do not like it you do not tip at all. Usually the divers tip the captain and the guide as well. Some people tip everyday, that is most common in bigger shops when the crew can change everyday. When we have clients for let's say a week and they want to tip every days we usually tell them to leave it till the end of their diving vacation - but we work a bit different then normal dive shops.
Where are you going and who are you diving with?

 

[adjuster-jd]

Staying in Playa Dorada area so may be diving with the resort's (fun tropicale) on-site dive op. I had some correspondence with another op in the Sosua area - not 100% who I will dive with just yet.

 

[parzdiver]

I think the common tipping practice in the Caribbean is $5 per tank. Then adjust up or down depending on the level of service you receive.

 

[DRsharky]

When I lived on the north coast I was diving with Northern Coast - owned by Mark, an American guy and with Merlin - German owner Jurgen. Either of them is a good dive shop. I do not know Fun tropical, so I cannot tell you anything about them and do not even know how is diving at the resort. As far as I know most of the diving was done from Sosua bay, there are few nice dive sites, but the diving conditions might be a bit rough sometimes. It's the Atlantic side, sometimes a bit tricky to get to the dive boat to go to the dive sites and back to the shore after diving.
If you are going for your vacation soon, do not expect many people there, tourists do not go to the north coast much lately.

 

[adjuster-jd]

I can't remember the dive op name at Fun Tropicale. They do take us to the Sosua area though. I'm still comparing prices, etc so havent decided which op to use.
Thanks for the info. We're going in August.