Tipping instructor?

[oly5050user]

FYI..Good divemasters assisting with students do much more than hand students thier fins. We brood over them like our children. DM's assisting on the surface check and double check to make sure students gear is configured correctly. We make sure thier air is on, and that they have enough air. We notate thier air pressure in and air pressure out. We notate thier time in and thier time out. We help with any question or concern they have about thier upcoming dive or thier equipment. We watch thier faces to see if they're nervous, and calm them down if they are. We offer every level of support they may need. When they cant understand how to fill out thier logbook...we help guide them. We keep track of the dive roster to make sure all divers are accounted for. Inwater we put out all the dive buoys. We set tie the boat off and set out the tag lines and drift lines. We oversee the students and assist the instructors such that if theres a problem student...we take them over and assist them so the instructor can move on to other students. We guide students on thier exploratory dives. We assist them on thier topside skills like the tired diver tows.. We assist them back aboard the boat. We carry thier gear for them...We do anything and everything to make thier diving experience more pleasurable, as well as anything and everything to answer any and all questions they may have about diving. We are thier role models. As for DM's guiding certified divers....thats a whole other story.

a good dm may do these things;BUT ALL UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE INSTRUCTOR who is responsible for everything except perhaps the operation of the boat/if on a boat...you only do the tours after the second training dive..if they cannot fill out a log book its the instr's responsibility-he has to sign it-assist top side skills-under instr supervision and the instr evaluates it not you-carry their equipment,why?? they don't have air turned on,why?did they not do predive safety check w/instr.they eventually have ot learnn to be self sufficient..Don't get me wrong a dm can make the day go easier but it is all up to the instr--and it should be him who gets the gratuities at the end of the day in addition to the dm..

 

[GlazierB]

I'm confused, Glazier...if you're not ashamed of your opinion and your position, why wouldn't you be completely honest with your server about your intention not to tip him/her prior to getting the service? What *you're* doing is lying by omission - leading your server to believe that you *would* tip because that's what "normal" behavior is both in Canada and the US, and then getting a service under that impression.

The *honest* way of dealing with your server would be saying prior to your meal, "Look - I'm going to be honest with you - I don't believe in subsidizing your poor career choice by tipping, so I'm not going to tip you for your service - just thought you should know that up front. Thanks." Then you accept whatever service you get. Otherwise, you're a liar and a cheat and you're stealing the service s/he gives you under false impressions.

Either stop being a coward, be honest and accept the consequences of your stance, or suck it up and tip the poor server for goodness's sake. Or move to some country where tipping is not the norm.

Woah,

By telling them I don't believe in tipping before hand isn't "lying by omission" Really how do I lead them to believe I am going to be tipping? Just because I am there isn't leading them on. I am did not go a place with a thought of "I am going to tip someone tonight" usually it's "damn I am hungry and too damn lazy to cook tonight" I don't get to the table pull out a wad of cash and wave it in their faces making them believe I have a ton of money to throw around.

Normal? Normal is different to everyone. And once again people say it's normal to tip, hell most tell me it's expected. What do honestly expect my service and food quailty to be like after I tell them my stance on tipping? I like to believe my food to be spit/$hit free.

Telling me to stop being a coward? Jesus H. Murphy I have the balls to ask for my $1.02 change... That takes more balls than you care to imagine.

The "poor server" come on I only wish I had a job as easy as theirs... My better half works at Daycare and puts up with more crap than ANY server and when was the last time you tipped the person who watches your kid?

The honest way to deal with my server is to be nice and non demanding. I don't expect more than them to take my order, fill my water and deliever my food. I've seen five year olds do that.

B

 

[GlazierB]

BTW I am more likely to tip my DM/Instructor than my server... At least thier job has risks

 

[divekyra]

Feels to me like this thread has taken a turn away from the original question of tipping in Cozumel and turned into a personal attack on Glazier.
OK. Not that my opinion matters but once again: as an instructor who spent five years in Cozumel I replied: yes, it is acceptable and rather expected to tip if the service is good.
Glazier's opinion is Glazier's opinion and none of us will change his mind. I dealt with a lot of people like him and that never changed the fact that I was there to do my best work. If I'd liked someone who didn't tip anyway and they came back I may even take them again, if not, with my seniority I'd make sure I didn't get them again and so ensure myself a better chance of earning more $ by getting someone else. So is life.

We could nit pick the tipping thing. But all of us with a semblance of good manners know it is a fact and a given that some professions get tips, others don't and CEO's get bonuses (that's a tip after all) wether they did a good job or not and more so if they fired a lot of people. I don't see anyone making a stand about that. I don't get a tip or a bonus after staying awake for 28hrs straight and working a shift in one nuclear power plant and getting called for an emergency 12hr shift in another power plant 3 hrs away. That was part of my week. No tip, no bonus, That's my job. Mr. G's wife takes care of someone elses's brats, that's HER job; a thank you would be nice. At least I think Mr. G can say thanks after good service.
Do you, Mr. G?
If you do, I'd call it a day on this issue. Or we could make a whole new thread all about Mr. G. (I'm not picking on you, really. Because It's not about you and your opinion is as valued as everyone else's).

 

[ScubyDoo]

a good dm may do these things;BUT ALL UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE INSTRUCTOR who is responsible for everything except perhaps the operation of the boat/if on a boat...you only do the tours after the second training dive..if they cannot fill out a log book its the instr's responsibility-he has to sign it-assist top side skills-under instr supervision and the instr evaluates it not you-carry their equipment,why?? they don't have air turned on,why?did they not do predive safety check w/instr.they eventually have ot learnn to be self sufficient..Don't get me wrong a dm can make the day go easier but it is all up to the instr--and it should be him who gets the gratuities at the end of the day in addition to the dm..

Yes of course under the instruction of an instructor?? Did I imply otherwise? Yes, the instructor is ultimately responsible for the entire intruction of thier students, but they would be hard pressed to do as good a job without help from well trained divemasters. I wasnt advocating tipping divemasters moreso than instructors. I was advocating NOT tipping either one of them. In my opinion, students pay for thier instruction..and shouldnt have to tip. I would not accept a tip from a student. PERIOD.. I would say...keep your money...use it for your next piece of gear or your next scuba class.:14:

 

[ScubyDoo]

if they cannot fill out a log book its the instr's responsibility-he has to sign it-assist top side skills-under instr supervision and the instr evaluates it not you-carry their equipment,why?? they don't have air turned on,why?did they not do predive safety check w/instr.they eventually have ot learnn to be self sufficient.

Its the instructors responsibility to teach students how to fill out thier log books..yes., but if they have problems during thier OW dives (which they will)..why not help? Why not take that burden off the instructor who probably has thier hands full already? Students are more likely to approach a friendly divemaster than thier instructor for help. Why not help them? Of course the instructor has to supervise topside skills..did I say otherwise? As for carrying equipment, I was thinking more in terms of vacation divers...not students. A resort divemaster should bend over backwards to help his clientele...including carrying thier gear for them. You do want them to come back dont you?? As for double checking to be sure students air is on...Of course you do that. Yes, they are supposed to do that with thier buddy checks...but they are STUDENTS.. They make student mistakes. Are you willing to risk thier lives simply because they "should" know what thier doing? Im not. Yes, they do have to eventually learn to be self sufficient...but until then we are charged with taking care of them. The best way to do that is to constantly reinforce safety and everything they learned in class. The instructor does not always have time to do this with every student...Which is why a selfless divemaster's assistance is so very helpful.

 

[NewbieGoingtoMaui]

I wonder if anyone has considered that tipping practices can be a reason/excuse (you pick) some employers use for keeping wages lower than they should be.

I never knew anyone had ever tipped a dive master... Thanks, hopefully this bit of info will help me (and my dive master) to have a more mutually enjoyable experience.

 

[ScubyDoo]

I wonder if anyone has considered that tipping practices can be a reason/excuse (you pick) some employers use for keeping wages lower than they should be.

I never knew anyone had ever tipped a dive master... Thanks, hopefully this bit of info will help me (and my dive master) to have a more mutually enjoyable experience.

I doubt many divemasters working with students during certification do get tipped, as it should be in my opinion. Divemasters assisting/leading certified divers while on vacation in places like Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Belize, etc., however is completely different. Divemasters working with students are primarily geared towards assisting the instructor, while at the same time assisting students and potraying a role model for them. Our role is not to make money....it is to help provide a safe and qaulity diving education. Resort divemasters however are geared towards showing thier divers a good time, keeping them entertained, and keeping them safe all at the same time. Most resort divemasters are in fact usually Instructors performing in a divemaster role. I can tell you from my experiences on vacation, that a good divemaster certainly deserves a good tip, especially after the first days dive. It lets them know you appreciate thier effort and thier attention to detail. It also helps to insure they continue providing that level of attention for the entire duration of your trip. They work hard to keep you happy and to make your vacation diving experience a memorable one....Let them know you appreciate it.. Same is true for the boat captain. In places like Cozumel where your drift diving, and your exit point is a mile or more from your entry point....its nice to see that boat up there waiting for you when you begin your ascent. They pull your gear up, assist you back on the boat, help you stow your gear.. They make diving as easy as it can be for the diver, and for me its a no-brainer to slip them a 20 at the end of the day, and say "Thanks Man...that was great. See you tomorrow"!!

 

[darylm74]

If you sign up for a trip to do a class and the trip fee includes the cost of sending the instructor to <enter your nice warm water location here> then do you still tip the instructor even though you helped pay for their trip?

 

[oly5050user]

If you sign up for a trip to do a class and the trip fee includes the cost of sending the instructor to <enter your nice warm water location here> then do you still tip the instructor even though you helped pay for their trip?

the resort covered the instr.trip after a agreed amount of business,he still most likely paid his airfare.The cost to you would stay the same even if the group is too small to earn a group leader spot.
why not tip?? remember this is a business trip for the instructor not a vacation.Take him out to dinner,he will probably buy you some drinks,light up this is supposed to be fun...If it was a vacation for me I would not have to answer any questions, not do any training,not fix any equipment,not help with dive/resort problems, not work out any delays with airlines..It would be only me and the wife and my cameras..