Tipping for ASA 101, 103, 104, 114?

[jss32]

We are planning to take an 8-day ASA "fast-track" course that includes staying on the boat in the BVI for 7 nights, but spending the first 2 days/nights at the marina and completing the ASA 101 course on a small keel boat with one instructor, and then spending 5 days/nights out sailing on the larger boat with another instructor. What is customary regarding tipping, and on what total should the tip be based? The total cost of the entire trip, or just the "course fees"? Any guidance would be quite helpful. Thank you.

[mikedefieslife]

Why would you tip someone you are already paying for their service? It's a course you are taking, I doubt people tip their lectures, or seminar leaders, or even driving instructors beyond perhaps a bottle of wine, or a thank you card.

[fahtcha]

I tipped my ASA101 instructor in Annapolis because I thought they ran a great class. I also figure it can't hurt me to be generous when someone does good work. However, whether or not to tip depends greatly on where you are located and the customs. Remember when it use to be an insult to tip in Germany? Last time I was in Germany the waiters were expecting tips. It is less black and white than it use to be.

[John_Trusty]

This question is floated on here every other year, so if you're interested in the back and forth for ten pages, do a search:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ual-28559.html
- or -
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-160683.html

I had the same question, and my summary is: (1) ASA companies put it out there so the instructors don't have to, (2) the guidelines of a certain percent are BS, and (3) anything between dinner, a bottle of wine, and hundreds of dollars is both acceptable and appreciated by the instructors. On the classes I took, we agreed up-front with the other classmates what a reasonable tip should be for excellent effort, then finalized the number on the last night and presented it as one collection from the class. Also, if the boat ate out on the shore, the crew picked up the instructor's tab. Both gestures were always graciously received. Based on the instructors I've seen, they're professionals with a passion for sailing, who were not teaching because they needed the extra $20 from you.

[bletso]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

Why would you tip someone you are already paying for their service? It's a course you are taking, I doubt people tip their lectures, or seminar leaders, or even driving instructors beyond perhaps a bottle of wine, or a thank you card.

Absolutely agee.

[01kiwijohn]

as an instructor, I refuse tips so as to preclude any perception of biased grading. I'd ask that they give the tip to a charity of their choice and wish them enjoyable sailing.

[Mike OReilly]

Uugh. Tipping … Do you tip your teacher or professor? How about your driving tester? Or your doctor or lawyer? I know tipping is expanding, especially in America or any place touched by the USA, but it should be resisted at all turns. It is a terrible way to pay wages.

For the record, between my spouse and we’ve taken five different CYA courses (Canadian Yachting Ass. — equivalent to your ASA). They were all liveaboard week-long courses, and three were in the Caribbean. No tip was offered, nor was it ever even hinted at.

I would seek out a different school if a tip is being “suggested.”

[grantmc]

Absolutely agree with other posters.
Tipping a tutor has the foul smell of a bribe for a good mark.

[fahtcha]

So I bribed the instructor when I tipped after the fact LOL.

[KP44]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

It is a terrible way to pay wages.

True in every way.

TIPS is an anacronym for To Improve Personal Service and tips should not be expected nor should there be some standard rate.

If you want to give someone a tip, do so. But give what you want rather than some % or other suggested amount.

But when wages are 5.00$US per day, a few pesos are helpful and appreciated. Not for professionals but for the cheerful, helpful, local dock hand or other minimum-wage person.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by KP44

True in every way.

TIPS is an anacronym for To Improve Personal Service and tips should not be expected nor should there be some standard rate.

If you want to give someone a tip, do so. But give what you want rather than some % or other suggested amount.

But when wages are 5.00$US per day, a few pesos are helpful and appreciated. Not for professionals but for the cheerful, helpful, local dock hand or other minimum-wage person.

Completely agree. An actual tip used to be an acknowledgment of personal service that went well beyond expectations. This can be a great thing. But of course, that is rarely how it is actually applied these days.

Most tipping now occurs as a direct payment of workers’ wages. Starting in the food service industry, it has spread into all nearly all “hospitality" business, and is now rapidly pushing beyond into all manner of other areas, such as here.

Businesses have discovered they can keep wages low, and therefore keep their prices appearing lower. But in reality, the customer is stuck with paying a much higher price that the advertised fee due to these ever-expanding “suggested” tips.

If someone has provided service well beyond what could normally be expected from someone just doing their job properly, then absolutely — give them a tip. But if it’s just some rote percentage of the bill, then it’s not really a tip. It’s part of the worker’s wage. And that’s assuming they even get to keep it all — some businesses even claw back a percentage of that.

[Pete17C]

The guy that I took the USS Basic Cruising class with owned the boat we took the class on, quite a few others (a charter operation), and the school.

He did not get a tip.

[jmschmidt]

Tipping is not required in the BVI. Some big-spender American types like to tip in their swanky upscale resorts to hopefully show how important they are but in beach bars, little restaurants and for people you are already paying a butt-load of money too? FORGET IT.
Simple. Does the credit card receipt have a tip line on it? No, then don't tip. If it does draw a line through it and save your copy because some places will write in an amount and you'll find out when your get your next statement.

[Saleen411]

Multiple threads on this subject.....

We went to sailing school in the BVIs a few years ago.

I won't mention the school, but TIPPING was expected.

I don't agree with it.....don't agree that the school pushes tipping, but since we knew in advance that this is what was expected....we TIPPED.

Made for a damn expensive sailing school.

Question is....where does this tipping crap end? Can you believe that the owner of a tire shop asked me to tip my TIRE changing guy? Ridiculous.

My non American friends say "Knock off your excessive tipping schit!. You are ruining things for the rest of the WORLD!"

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

...Question is....where does this tipping crap end? Can you believe that the owner of a tire shop asked me to tip my TIRE changing guy? Ridiculous.

My non American friends say "Knock off your excessive tipping schit!. You are ruining things for the rest of the WORLD!"

Exactly. If everyone said “NO” to this practice, it would change. But life is never as simple as this, and it’s not fair to put all the blame on the tipping customer (not that I think you said that Saleen).

I always say it takes two sides to really screw something up. On the one we have the tipping customer. But on the other we have a concerted effort by business owners to create a culture of tipping. They’ve been completely successful in much of the hospitality industries, to the point where not tipping means some poor server is likely going to suffer. That 15-20% tip most of us in North American routinely add on is NOT a tip. It is an essential part of the server’s wage now. This is why it is so hard to change.