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How Much Do You Tip On a Liveaboard?

How much do you tip on a liveaboard
Image courtesy of Liveaboard.com of the Turks and Caicos Explorer Liveaboard

You may have booked your first liveaboard trip, and you are wondering how much to tip at the end of the trip.


Tipping practices on liveaboards can vary depending on the region and culture, as well as the level of service provided. However, as a general guideline, it is customary to tip the crew of a liveaboard between 10-20% of the total cost of the trip.

It’s important to note that tips are not mandatory, but they are a way to show appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the crew in making your liveaboard experience enjoyable.

If you feel that the service was exceptional, you can tip more than the suggested range, and if you feel that the service was not up to your expectations, you can tip less or not at all, but it’s always a good practice to communicate any issues with the management so that they can improve their service for future guests.

To discover more about liveaboards (or to book your trip if you haven’t already booked), please scroll through this list of dive liveaboards from around the world:

Do you tip your dive master?


Tipping your dive master is not mandatory, but it is a common practice to show appreciation for their hard work and guidance during your dives.

If you had a great experience and feel that your dive master went above and beyond in ensuring your safety, providing insightful information about the dive sites, and showing you the amazing marine life, it is appropriate to tip them. The amount of the tip is usually up to your discretion, but a common range is between $10-$20 per day per diver.

However, if you did not have a positive experience or did not feel that your dive master provided adequate service, then you are not obligated to tip. It’s always important to communicate any issues or concerns with the management, so they can address it and improve the quality of service for future divers.

How much do you tip for a shark dive?

Tipping practices for a shark dive can vary depending on the region, culture, and level of service provided. However, as a general guideline, it is customary to tip the dive crew between 10-20% of the total cost of the shark dive.

Shark dives can be a unique and exciting experience, but they can also require more preparation and safety measures than a regular dive. The dive crew will typically work hard to ensure your safety and provide an unforgettable experience, so it’s a good idea to show your appreciation by tipping.

If you had an exceptional experience, you may consider tipping towards the higher end of the suggested range. However, if the service did not meet your expectations, you can tip less or not at all. It’s important to communicate any issues or concerns with the management, so they can address it and improve the quality of service for future divers.

How much do you tip a private boat captain?

Tipping practices for a private boat captain can vary depending on the region, culture, and level of service provided. However, as a general guideline, it is customary to tip the private boat captain between 10-20% of the total cost of the charter.

Private boat charters can be a great way to explore and enjoy the water, and the captain is responsible for ensuring your safety, navigating the vessel, and providing a great experience. It’s important to show your appreciation for their hard work and dedication by tipping them.

If you had an exceptional experience, you may consider tipping towards the higher end of the suggested range. However, if the service did not meet your expectations, you can tip less or not at all. It’s important to communicate any issues or concerns with the management, so they can address it and improve the quality of service for future guests.

I hope you enjoyed this article about how much do you tip on a liveaboard

I’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your adventures of diving and snorkeling, in the comments below. Please also share your photos. Either from your underwater cameras or videos from your waterproof Gopro’s!

If this article hasn’t answered all of your questions. If you have more questions either about snorkeling or scuba diving (or specifically about How much do you tip on a liveaboard), please comment below with your questions.

There will also be many more articles about scuba diving (and snorkeling) for you to read and learn about these fabulous sports.

Have fun and be safe!

How Much Do You Tip On a Liveaboard?

Article written by Russell Bowyer who has been a scuba diver since diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 1989. After his first dive he trained as a BSAC diver in the UK. He attained his Diver Leader certification with BSAC. He then went on to become a scuba diving instructor, teaching others how to dive and was voted as Diving Officer and Treasurer for the Saffron Walden BSAC club too. Russell has dived all over the world, including the UK, on liveaboards in the Red Sea, the Caribbean, South Africa and the USA. Russell is experienced in all dive types, including drift diving, deep dives that involved decompression stops and recreational dives too.

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