Tipping Instructor

[BarryNL]

Tipping an instructor is an insult. A job well done is acknowledged by a handshake. Would you tip your doctor or dentist? Tipping is for dive staff at a resort or boat crew on a trip. Although you may tip the Captain in some parts it is not acceptable in all circumstances. These people are professionals and as such should already receive adequate monetary compensation for their services. A 'gift' to show appreciation is acceptable. A fine wine, or bottle of beverage of choice, is a good option. But don't ever refer to it as a 'tip'.

I think it depends on where in the world you are. In the dive resorts the instructors earn peanuts and I think you'd have to search a long way to find one who would find a tip insulting.

On the other hand, those who teach at home as a hobby probably would rather have thanks or a bottle of something if you must rather than a tip...

 

[suzette]

Just to add my 2 cents as someone who was recently certified. I was lucky enough to be instructed one on one and I received excellent instruction. My check out dives were challenging but still fun. I was corrected when I needed to be corrected and was taught to handle emergencies and unusual situations without panic. The instructor was also a friend of mine. I gave him a $50 gift card to a local dive shop about a week after my instruction ended rather than tipping cash at the time. I paid him our agreed upon price prior to class, so I know he was already happy with what he was paid. I thought the gift card would be a nice thing to have for when he needs some gear or some new clothes.

He accepted it gracefully and said "Aww, you didn't have to do that!" and I said "I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to" and that was it.

 

[fisheater]

I've taken my instructor out to nice dinner while we're working on various specialties. We have fun together and paying a cash tip to him seems to me to be somehow wrong. Like "me master, you servant." Instead, I'm just buying a buddy a meal.

 

[shellbackdiver1]

I don't except tips. In the same regards I don't like to tip guides either when traveling abroad and most don't deserve it.

 

[lazyturtle]

I do lean towards thinking it's kinda insulting to tip them like they are some high school kid making 5 bucks an hour. .

Naw...we make at least twice that! Seriously without tips I couldn't afford to work as a scuba instructor.

 

[lazyturtle]

To those of you who would never tip regardless of the service you receive I have a suggestion:

Announce this immediately after introducing yourself to the DM/Guide/Instructor on any trip you go on. Here's a sample conversation:
Guide: Hi. My name is scubaguy. Welcome aboard.
You: Hi, my name is XYZ. I don't tip. Ever.
Guide: Ooookkkkk. (promptly spends the rest of the trip ignoring XYZ and focusing on the potential tippers).

Seriously. The SCUBA industry is a service industry that pays crap. Those of us that work in the industry may enjoy what we do, but that doesn't help when it comes time to pay rent, gas, food and other bills. Remember how expensive it was on that last trip you took? That's where we live: in a place where milk can be up to $8/gallon, gas exceeds $4.00/gallon and beers average $5 or more.

Now if you receive poor service, but no means tip the person. But if you would describe the service as excellent (in whatever category you choose to assess it in) than tipping is both appropriate and appreciated. Non-cash tips are totally fine, however I recommend against tipping with alcohol (unless the dm/ai/inst mentions that they drink) as some people simply don't use alcohol for whatever reason.

 

[BarryNL]

however I recommend against tipping with alcohol (unless the dm/ai/inst mentions that they drink) as some people simply don't use alcohol for whatever reason.

...and know what your instructor likes. For me, a six-pack of Great Divide Yeti is most welcome, a six-pack of Budweiser is not

 

[Bottomfeeder Brodie]

my instructor lives on the proverbial house on the hill and could buy and sell most of us, I work on cars........i always tip. Tips arent based on how much money they make.....they are based on how much you appreciate them doing a great job. That goes for capt and mate also.

 

[frontierdiver]

Tipping is definitely a personal choice but I can tell you that as an instructor teaching in a resort setting, tips are greatly appreciated! Contrary to some of the posts above, we don't make great salaries - in fact, we don't get paid salary at all. Most of us get paid by the diver or by the student and it is not much. Just enough to make a living, barely. I would never ever be insulted by someone expressing their appreciation in the form of a tip. It's what I use to buy groceries and gas and help pay my bills.

Don't get me wrong, though. It was my choice to teach scuba on an island where it is extremely expensive to live and I am not saying the students must tip so that I can support my location choice...just saying that we don't make a lot of moolah and tips are in fact greatly appreciated if we've done a top-notch job for you. Here in Hawaii, I would say that tipping is the norm in such cases.

Specifically - whether it was a class or a guided tour, I agree that you should only tip if you received outstanding service and your instructor/dms went all out for you. If they do, show them the love :OP And, if you truly are not comfortable tipping but want to do something, food goes over great, too. At least for me! I love it when my students bring snacks.

Hope noone takes this the wrong way - just wanted to give another perspective than what is out there.

 

[RJP]

That's where we live: in a place where gas exceeds $4.00/gallon...

You need to get to the mainland more often - gas exceeds $4 a gallon EVERYWHERE these days.