Tipping your instructor

[NudeDiver]

I would hope people would judge you for who you are and what you do. If they judge you based on your nationality, then their opinion is meaningless.

I was addressing this comment:

Most employees with tip based wages accept that non-Americans do not tip for good service, that doesn't mean they enjoy it.

In a post that you thanked....

If these employees are accepting of non-Americans not tipping - the implication is that they do not accept Americans not tipping. If that's not judging based on nationality, then I dunno what is.

I would hope people would judge you for who you are and what you do.

Nevertheless, I would hope that people wouldn't judge other people AT ALL. That's what courts and gods are for.

 

[Tom Winters]

When I worked for a shop and various dive ops, we never received tips. When I started my own op, for some reason, people tipped me like crazy - $200 to $300 per week loose cash scrupulously unaccounted for.
Even telling my guests that I owned the business and that there was no need to tip me, they just threw it in anyway. I never looked for a tip, expected a tip, or even felt the need for it - I just ran the best op that I could and charged a fair price.
They tipped my DM's separately, evnm though I paid them a living wage just to avoid the hassles of tipping.
Tip whatever you feel like tipping or not tipping. It's your wallet.
I tip a lot now, especially when I'm overseas, but this dates back to when I was in the Navy overseas a lot and dependent on the good will of locals.

 

[NudeDiver]

... a lot and dependent on the good will of locals.

Getting civil and appropriate treatment as a result of payment (in any form, not necessarily cash) is not "good will" - it's a business arrangement.

 

[NudeDiver]

I made a climb up Kilimanjaro once. I don't remember what the cost was, I think it was something like $1500 for a 7-day trip up and back. I happened to be the only customer, but there were still, like, 5 or 6 porters and the guide.

All research indicated a 10% tip was considered "appropriate". So, at the end of it, I coughed up $200 (as distastestful as I find tipping to be). The guide looked at me like I was the cheapest bastard on the planet. As if it is MY fault that no one else signed up for the trip, and I should lay out another 50% or more over the basic cost of the trip for "tips" because I was the only one. Once again, the whole thing could have been completely avoided if the tour company just charged the total amount up front, paid employees well, end put an end to this stupid tip system.

Of course, during the trip, the guide talked plenty about tips, and how some people leave behind their hiking boots and other gear and so forth. It wasn't helpful.

 

[tharris]

As an Instructor i wouldn't expect to get a tip, but if you are a tipper and appreciate all of the hard work that goes into teaching scuba then go for it. I am sure that the instructor would be very appreciative - i would

 

[BekaLynn]

Tipping your dive instructor? I honestly have to say I didn't think to do that. In my case, I wouldn't know which one to tip. I spent a total of 4 days with a different instructor each day. On my final check out dive, I was dumped on some poor unsuspecting soul who'd just crossed over from one agency to the one I was being certified with... She clearly was not prepared to be my instructor for the day, and was there to enjoy the dive. So while I went on my check out dive, (virtually alone and no buddy within a reasonable reach of me) she and her buddies were busy taking many snapshots of each other and having a grand time. So who would have been entitled to the tip? Each one? My class was $350 so is it a % of that for each? Do they share the %? I dunno, it's too confusing for me to even guess.

 

[pir8]

Once again, the whole thing could have been completely avoided if the tour company just charged the total amount up front, paid employees well, end put an end to this stupid tip system.

Yes it would be nice but do you really expect the world to change for you

 

[NudeDiver]

Yes it would be nice but do you really expect the world to change for you

Gee...um...no?

 

[oly5050user]

Tipping your dive instructor? I honestly have to say I didn't think to do that. In my case, I wouldn't know which one to tip. I spent a total of 4 days with a different instructor each day. On my final check out dive, I was dumped on some poor unsuspecting soul who'd just crossed over from one agency to the one I was being certified with... She clearly was not prepared to be my instructor for the day, and was there to enjoy the dive. So while I went on my check out dive, (virtually alone and no buddy within a reasonable reach of me) she and her buddies were busy taking many snapshots of each other and having a grand time. So who would have been entitled to the tip? Each one? My class was $350 so is it a % of that for each? Do they share the %? I dunno, it's too confusing for me to even guess.

This instructor you call a "poor soul" should not be an instructor.
She was to take you on and evaluate some skills.Did she have you do any skills?
She was not to be on a pleasure dive at all.What if something was to happen with you during the dive? How can she respond while giving attentionj to her buddies,with cameras no less!
As an instructor,on vacation, I have been asked on charter boats to dive with someone on a boat that does not have a buddy.It is not a training dive,but a normal recreational dive.I politely decline and explain that I paid to be on boat.If I was to take someone as my buddy that I did not know then I expect to be reimbursed for my boat fees and paid at a private rate for taking this person in the water.If it was for a training dive then it would be no question about being paid and if I accept to do it my attention would be on student totally -no cameras .There would be a briefing done by myself,skills accomplished during the dive with a tour for experience and a debrief at the end of dive.If the person had a good learning experience and wishes to tip I have no problem accepting it,especially if I had to do a bit of remedial work with them to meet standards.

 

[diver 85]

I can't speak for others, I don't pretend to be in the same situation. All I can say is that if I had a student offer me a tip, I'd feel insulted.

LOL..."Here, take this you lowly instructor".....