Dont ask. The answer is a resounding “Yes”! You should tip. When you go on a chartered and chaperoned dive through a commercial diving shop, it is customary to tip both the Captain and the DiveMaster. Gratuities are voluntary, incumbent on your generosity. Even so, it is appropriate to offer a tip for your scuba crew.
If you are going out for one day, it is important to bring some cash on the boat for tipping. If you are diving with the same DiveMaster and Captain for an entire week, it is acceptable to offer a tip at the end of the week.
If you are arranging a variety of dives through a dive shop, you may not have the same Captain or DiveMaster on each dive, so daily tipping is a better idea unless you are certain that your crew will be consistent for the entire duration of your stay.
One perspective is to compare the roles of Captain and DiveMaster to other industries where tipping is expected. Your Captain is analogous to a taxi driver, transporting you safely to and from your scuba destination.
An acceptable tip for a taxi driver is 10% to 15% of the fare; a similar rate for the Captain is appropriate. On a single-tank dive for $65,...