Tipping

[McCainiac]

I always tip $10 a tank or more if they feed me!!!

 

[Belmont]

Cash is better. This way you are sure it goes to the intended person.
When I tip one person for a group, say the captain for his crew, I do so in front of them so that the person receiving the tip wont "forget" to share.

Once on a tour bus in Las Vegas I saw a sign that said: "Tipping is not a town in China"

 

[turbine]

Cash is better. This way you are sure it goes to the intended person.
When I tip one person for a group, say the captain for his crew, I do so in front of them so that the person receiving the tip wont "forget" to share.

Once on a tour bus in Las Vegas I saw a sign that said: "Tipping is not a town in China"

That sign is really funny


Ten dollars a tank is a great number.

 

[Beach Kowboy]

$5 a tank. Have done $10 for an exceptional crew. Those are getting harder to find these days.

 

[RJP]

I do not dispute that most DM/Captains/Crewmembers work very hard, but what I don't get is why they're not paid in the 1st place. Maybe somebody can shed some light on this?

Maybe you need to review your deal with the dive company?

I'd much rather have an upfront $10 crew fee.

In NJ anyway it has to do with the economic reality of running a dive boat. Dive boats here are not owned by shops, but by some guy who likes to dive and owns a boat and is willing to go to all the trouble and hardship associated with taking others diving on it. If he's lucky at the end of the year - if the weather cooperates, and diesel doesn't go up another 25-20% - he won't lose that much money running it.

If the crew was paid by the boat owner it would either put the boat out of business or raise the price of a charter FAR more than "an upfront $10 crew fee" do to the increased expense associated with payroll taxes, accounting, reporting, etc, etc. Figure an extra $30 or so "upfront" increase in charter costs in order for $10 to make its way to the crew.

Careful what you ask for...you might get it!

 

[seabird24]

glad i found this post going on my first trip next month and was wondering the same . now i will make sure to take some cash.

 

[JohnB47]

Don't tip, can't see why? Have already paid their rate$$$.

No, you haven't. You have paid the dive shop or the boat owner, but not the crew. From what I understand, the crew usually don't get paid.

I am pretty cheap, so I usually only tip about 20%. However, on my last boat dive, that would have been $15, and I only had a $20 bill, so I left the $20. There were two people in the crew (not counting the captain, who I assume gets paid), and there were about 8 divers, I think. If everyone tipped $20 (I am sure most tipped less), it would have been $80 each. Probably it was more like $40 each, because I think most people tipped between $10 and nothing.

 

[chs8084]

I usually tip $20-- but those are generally for 2 tank dives. When I first started diving, it did not even occur to me that this was something expected.

 

[kavatski]

We just got back from diving in the Turks & Caicos Islands. My wife and I did four dives each and I tipped $40 ($5 per tank, although I hadn't heard of that guideline before - these were our first boat dives ever).

We dove mostly with other new divers on the boat and I didn't notice any other tipping going on at all. Maybe that's why they gave me a big thanks for my $40!

This particular dive operator was fantastic and the next time we dive with them I'll tip more.

 

[RJP]

I usually tip $20-- but those are generally for 2 tank dives. When I first started diving, it did not even occur to me that this was something expected.

Speaking as a crew member on a boat, let me be perfectly clear: tips are not expected. They are appreciated, for sure. But they are not EXPECTED.

Here are the only things that ARE expected in my mind:

• I expect to do everything I can to ensure that you have a safe, enjoyable day of diving
• You expect that I will do everything I can to ensure that you have a safe, enjoyable day of diving

If, at the end of the day you've actually had a safe, enjoyable day of diving...then both of our expectations have been met. That being the case, what is really great is a warm smile, a heartfelt handshake, and a genuine "Dude, thanks for helping make today an awesome day!" It's the expression of gratitude and recognition that my time and effort made a meaningful difference for you. Whether or not there's a couple of bucks in the handshake is simply icing on the cake.