Tipping the crew

[Chevdiver]

What is a reasonable amount to tip the diver master and boat crew? Does it vary by location or is it pretty much a standard amount across the Caribben? On ship sponsored excursions, is tipping also recommended?

[Jerry_G]

I use the same standard that I use for the entire service industry, 15-20% of the bill. This topic is usually hotly discussed, but I personally can't understand why I should tip somebody better for serving me a meal than I do for them protecting my life. Expected service = 15% Exceptional service =20%. I split it two-thirds to the dive master and one-third to the captain/crew rounding up to the nearest dollar. I think what happens all too often is that couples are diving and when they have a bill for two people equal to $160 they balk at a $25-$30 tip. But if you ate a dinner costing the same amount the server would chase you out of the building if you left less. This is how I do it, but of course it is a purely personal decision.

[bruce-r]

I generally tip $5 a tank, which would be $10 for the standard 2 tank trip. The DM and the captain generally split the tip.

 

When I dive locally, I tip $5 for a 2 tank trip, but on local dive charters the DM doesn't get in the water and you set up your own gear (which I prefer to do anyway). You also supply your own tanks and weights.

 

If I was on a liveaboard, then I would go with the percentage tip, generally 10-15% of the price of the trip. Maybe more if a specific individual went out of their way to provide service. Less if the lack of service called for it.

[spartacus20]

Couldn't really say what is reasonable, but I took 2, 2-tank dives in Grand Cayman and Cozumel on a cruise last week and tipped $10 both times and feel very comfortable saying I was close to the average tipper on both boats. The most I personally saw someone give (this is just what I saw, someone could certainly have given more) was $20 per person and the least I saw someone give was $5.