A Scuba Diver’s Guide to Tipping (How to Tip Your Dive Crew Accordingly)

Whether you’re a new scuba diver or a seasoned veteran, have you ever wondered if you should tip your dive crew or not? If so, how much? This handy guide will answer all your questions and more about tipping for scuba divers!

Over the years I’ve worn all sorts of hats when it comes to scuba diving. I’ve guided, taught classes, worked the deck, and most recently, operated the boat as the captain. And I must say, for every shop and every role I’ve played, the rules of tipping always seemed to change.

Everybody does it a little differently and most of the time, it can be rather confusing for the divers aboard.

Well, for starters, as with any service-oriented profession, it is customary to tip your dive crew for outstanding service. The nuances around how to go about that depend on various factors.

The rest of this guide will detail everything you need to know about tipping your dive crew from how much to tip and who to tip. Enjoy!

Why You Should Tip Your Dive Crew

For starters, it is NEVER required to tip your dive crew but it is highly recommended ONLY if you receive outstanding service. If your dive crew was unsafe, rude, and careless, obviously those chaps do NOT deserve a tip. So don’t.

However, if you had fun, enjoyed the dives, and witnessed the level of commitment they had for their job and your safety, you should tip time and time again.

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Who is the dive crew?

Your dive crew is anybody who’s working on the boat or associated with your scuba class. This could include the boat captain, scuba diving instructor, deckhand, or divemaster guiding divers underwater.

Reasons for Tipping the Dive Crew

Why tip in the first place? Scuba diving is a service-oriented industry, thus outstanding service should be rewarded. Contrary to popular belief, dive instructors, dive masters, and boat captains do NOT make a lot of money. And for the industry to thrive, it’s important these crew members are paid accordingly.

And no, it’s not because the dive shop owners are greedy, it’s because there’s an incredible amount of overhead that’s associated with scuba diving. Equipment, boat maintenance, dockage, compressor costs, and shop rent must be paid, leaving very little for the owner and crew.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Dive Crew

And typically, the crew does a lot. Consider these various hats the crew must play throughout a dive trip:

• Boat Mechanic: Checking the oil and other fluids, ensuring the boat is working properly before departure.
• Service Technician: ensuring all scuba equipment is in working order.
• Weatherman: assessing ocean conditions like current, wind, waves, and visibility.
• Trip Planner: Considering all factors like weather and diver ability to select favorable dive sites for the entire group.
• Server: slicing fruit or preparing other snacks to serve the entire boat.
• Underwater Guide: plan routes, depths, and time for every dive.
• Lookout: fend off other boats, and ensure above-water safety for all divers below the surface.
• Janitor: clean-up upchucked lunch or breakfast in rocky conditions.
• Deckhand: tie off the boat to mooring lines, pull up anchor, and handling lines on the dock.

And that’s just to name a few. A lot goes into one single dive trip to ensure you have a great time.

Tipping Your Dive Crew

So considering everything your dive crew does, we believe it’s customary to tip them. Here are some common questions scuba divers have when it comes to tipping:

How much should you tip the dive crew?

Many dive operations will have one single tip box and enter it into a pool – splitting it up amongst the crew at the day’s end. If this is the case, it’s easiest to toss your tip directly into the tip jar.

There are two trains of thought when it comes to how much you should tip the dive crew.

1. Tip on the total cost of the trip. The rule of thumb is between 15 and 20% of the total cost per person.
2. Tip per tank (or per dive). $10 per tank or per dive is customary for each diver.

But as with anything, operations may vary on how they split the tip among the crew. So if you’re unsure, just ask what the best way to go about it is.

How to tip for a scuba diving class

Depending on the operation, the rules may change for participants in a scuba diving class. Usually, the instructor will operate separately from the rest of the crew. So if you have a private instructor or guide, you should tip them directly and separate from the boat crew.

Are you supposed to tip your dive instructor?

Now, if you took a Scuba Diving class, like Open Water, a Specialty course, or Advanced Open Water, you should tip your dive instructor DIRECTLY. Considering they likely took multiple days to plan logistics, select gear, and work with you one on one, it’s only fitting to show them your appreciation.

You should tip your dive instructor between 15 and 20% of the total cost of the class.

How much do you tip the dive boat captain?

Similarly, the dive boat captain and deckhand/divemasters also work for tips and gratuities. If you took a class and tipped your dive instructor, you should also tip the Captain who operated the boat you conducted your class on.

An appropriate amount for the captain and crew would be the standard rate we mentioned earlier, 15 – 20% of the boat trip.

How much do you tip for a two-tank dive?

A suitable tip for a two-tank dive should be between 15 and 20% of the total cost of the trip OR $10 per tank.

When should I tip the dive crew?

You should tip the dive crew at the end of your trip and either give it to them directly or toss it into the tip jar. These customs may change depending on how many days you’re diving.

Tipping for multiple days of diving

If you’re diving for multiple days, it’s acceptable to tip at the end of your final trip. Just keep a tally so you don’t accidentally leave less than what’s expected. Here are a few tips on how to go about this:

1. Ensure the same crew will be aboard each day you’re diving. Different crew members on different days can cause confusion as they split up the tip.
2. Let the crew know you’ll be tipping at the end of your entire trip. That way they know you’re happy with their service and they won’t become irritated or bitter at your lack of tipping.

Tipping for a single day of diving

If you’re only diving for one day, just tip at the end of the trip based on the level of service. Either hand it to one of the crewmembers directly or toss it in the tip jar. If you’re confused about where or who to leave the tip with, just ask!

Tipping Your Dive Crew: Debrief

A few key points to review:

• Tipping is optional and based on the level of service you receive. Trust me, I’ve seen plenty of dive operators who deserve nothing. Let your displeasure be known via the amount you leave them.
• Conversely, if you’re satisfied and enjoyed your time, show your satisfaction with a generous tip. There’s nothing more frustrating for the dive crew to put forth 110% only to receive no generosity in return.
• If you received outstanding service, tip at least between 15 and 20% of the trip cost or $10 per tank person.
• If you had a private instructor or private guide, tip them directly based on the cost of the class and how many days/dives it took to complete.
• If you’re taking a class, don’t forget about the boat crew.
• If you’re unsure about when, who, and where to tip, just ask! The crew would be more than happy to explain how they do things.